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New Poll Says Most Australians Think Religion Does More Harm than Good

By Ian Fieggen (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
By Ian Fieggen (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Antipathy towards people of other religions are few>Antipathy towards people of other religions are few

A survey by Ipsos Global @dvisor revealed that Australians rank as one of the most skeptical nations on the planet in matters of religion[/tweetit]. The survey spanned 23 countries and took the opinions of about 17,400 individuals. Accompanying Australia are countries like Belgium, Germany, and Spain. About 68 percent of Belgians believe that there is more bad than good in matters of religion. About two-thirds of Spanish and Germans think the same. On the opposite side of the spectrum are South Korea, Russia, and Japan. Many citizens of these countries believe religion is not harmful at all.

New Poll Says Most Australians Think Religion Does More Harm than Good[/tweetthis]

Ipsos

This census was done in 2016, and the results were published in July 2017. The survey revealed that 29.6 percent of the Australians polled admitted to having zero religious affiliation. The percentage has increased compared to the past. In 2011, 22 percent of Australians subscribed to a no-religion outlook. About 9.6 percent declined to state their religious affiliation.

The Ipsos poll also threw up what many Australians have known all along: Australians have no problems with accepting other religions than their own. David Elliott of Ipsos Social Research Institute said that Australians have a predominantly negative view of religion. About 84 percent of Australians are extremely comfortable mingling with people of different religious backgrounds. It is apparent the dislike of religion does not transfer to people who hold a different religion than the subject. Australia is clearly one of the more tolerant countries in the world. This tolerance could mirror the multicultural society of present-day Australia. The negative view of religion by Australians could also stem from a number of global factors. These factors may not be flattering to the promotion of religion.

The Ipsos survey found that only a minority of Australians-about 27 percent- are in line with the statement of religion defining a person. This is much less than the United States (49 percent). It is however much greater than the United Kingdom. The latter locks in at 23 percent. The lowest among all countries in this context is Japan at 14 percent. Global opinion is fractured when it came to the subject of religion defining the moral life of a nation. Almost 50 percent of the 23 countries surveyed were in agreement with the statement that the practice of religion makes up an important aspect of the moral life of the citizens of a specific country. Only four among ten Australians agreed with that statement.

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