Less than half of Irish people consider themselves religious

Dave!

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/survey-claims-many-irish-people-are-questioning-faith-562085.html

Irish people are becoming less religious according to a major new survey.

Less than half of Irish people would consider themselves to be religious, leaving Ireland 43rd out of 57 countries in the report.

The WIN-Gallup International Religion and Atheism Index measures global self-perception on belief.

It found that poorer countries are more religious than richer nations.

The report also revealed that many Irish people have been questioning their faith in the wake of the abuse scandals in the Catholic Church.

http://www.newstalk.ie/2012/news/ireland-drops-in-religious-countries-survey/

Irish people are becoming less religious according to a major new survey.

Less than half of us would consider ourselves to be religious leaving us 43rd out of 57 countries.

The WIN-Gallup international Religion and Atheism Index measures global self-perception on belief.

It found that poorer countries are more religious than richer nations.

And that many Irish people have been questioning their faith in the wake of the abuse scandals in the Catholic Church.

Sinead Mooney is Deputy Managing Director of Red C research.

She explains the drop in the number of people who would call themselves religious.

Interesting!

Would like to know more about the details of this survey, but it seems to be only reported on 3 news sites at the moment.

The_Kew_Tour

People are waking up.

Knex*

As modern society evolves, so too will people's beliefs.

Without wanting to bash religious believers, I'm quite happy in the drop of faith and hope for it to continue. Religion has held this country back for too long imo.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

they might not call themselves religious but they'll still call themselves catholic, morons.

im invisible

87 percent catholic, 50 percent religious

marshbaboon

Like any paradigm shift these things take time. I really hope there'll be a point in our future where these practices will be resigned to the dark ages, where they belong.

Feeona

'Less than half of us would consider ourselves to be religious leaving us 43rd out of 57 countries'

43rd most religious or 43rd most atheist

If it's the former, the writer is a religious bigot
If it's the latter, the writer is an atheist bigot

Red_Wake

I'd be more interested in how religious various demographics were tbh.

IrishAm

Should have ticked the non religious box on the census forms, then.

Now the god botherers use the census as "proof" that the majority of people in Ireland are still Catholic.

AnonoBoy

"I'm not religious like but shure I still go to Mass the odd time like just to be sure like."

laoch na mona

still catholic though

Duggy747

AnonoBoy wrote: »

"I'm not religious like but shure I still go to Mass the odd time like just to be sure like."

I.e: Funerals, weddings and christenings.

IrishAm

Red_Wake wrote: »

I'd be more interested in how religious various demographics were tbh.

Total numbers for religious groupings in 2011:

Roman Catholic: 3,861,000
Church of Ireland: 129,000
Muslim: 49,200
Orthodox: 45,200
Other christian: 41,299
Presbyterian: 24,600
Apostolic or Pentecostal: 14,000
Other: 81,000
No religion: 269,000
Not stated: 72,900

Source; Census 2011.

My name is URL

I don't really care how many people consider themselves to be religious. It's of no relevance to me whether 1% of the population go to mass or 99%. The basic fact of the matter is that religion and the state should be separated in every way... and not just because a majority of people do or do not consider themselves to be religious.

Knex*

AnonoBoy wrote: »

"I'm not religious like but shure I still go to Mass the odd time like just to be sure like."

It's like in Terry Pratchett novels, the atheists are too afraid to say that they're atheist in case the get smited by the Gods.

:pac:

robp

marshbaboon wrote: »

Like any paradigm shift these things take time. I really hope there'll be a point in our future where these practices will be resigned to the dark ages, where they belong.

The Dark Ages? That mythical perception of a period of history that only now survives in the endless exaggeration in Internet forums? I am completely digressing but I'm just tired of history being abused.

ejmaztec

I only go to give all my cash to the politicians' arse-licking lackeys collecting at the church gates.

Latchy

At least the half in Ireland that consider themselves non religious can say so without having to ' toe the line like everybody else ' ...so to speak

foxyboxer

I'm confused. You could have a deep faith in a 'deity' yet not practice the old sit down-stand up-kneel down routine and be considered non-religious?

Shouldn't the survey say "Less than half of Irish people practice their religion"?

robp

My name is URL wrote: »

I don't really care how many people consider themselves to be religious. It's of no relevance to me whether 1% of the population go to mass or 99%. The basic fact of the matter is that religion and the state should be separated in every way... and not just because a majority of people do or do not consider themselves to be religious.

Often this claim comes up with regard to politician's personal beliefs. Do you consider yourself influenced atheism/agnosticism/ or a religion? The only true answer would be yes. In the same way a belief system will inevitably influence adherents. Its impossible to separate people from their beliefs whether it is Atheism or Judaism. I support separation of church and state (as it is in this country!) but some people have unrealistic ideas about what that entails.

In sum it is no more wrong for a politician to be influenced by his beliefs then it is for him to be influenced by a political theory e.g. Marxism or no-liberalism. The key is for politicians is to be honest about where they stand so people have the choice whether to elect them or not.

Mully_2011

Catholicism is nothing more then an excuse for a piss up in this country

Dyr

IrishAm wrote: »

Total numbers for religious groupings in 2011:


Source; Census 2011.

50 thousand mohammedans? That's a phenomenal jump :eek:

stovelid

That's wonderful to know.

Again.

ScumLord

robp wrote: »

Often this claim comes up with regard to politician's personal beliefs. Do you consider yourself influenced atheism/agnosticism/ or a religion? The only true answer would be yes. In the same way a belief system will inevitably influence adherents. Its impossible to separate people from their beliefs whether it is Atheism or Judaism. I support separation of church and state (as it is in this country!) but some people have unrealistic ideas about what that entails.

In sum it is no more wrong for a politician to be influenced by his beliefs then it is for him to be influenced by a political theory e.g. Marxism or no-liberalism. The key is for politicians is to be honest about where they stand so people have the choice whether to elect them or not.

Upbringing is going to be a huge influence on a person sure but the fact is we hire politicians to do a job, not impose their believes on people. Like any job you take the best course of action, not take a course of action that falls into line with your believes.

I think it is possible to separate your believes from the rest of your life. I think capitalism is a complete waste of time but I still play the game. I consistently go against what I believe to be right so that I can get the job done.

bleg

Cue David Quinn saying the poll results don't actually mean what they mean.

My name is URL

robp wrote: »

Often this claim comes up with regard to politician's personal beliefs. Do you consider yourself influenced atheism/agnosticism/ or a religion? The only true answer would be yes. In the same way a belief system will inevitably influence adherents. Its impossible to separate people from their beliefs whether it is Atheism or Judaism. I support separation of church and state (as it is in this country!) but some people have unrealistic ideas about what that entails.

In sum it is no more wrong for a politician to be influenced by his beliefs then it is for him to be influenced by a political theory e.g. Marxism or no-liberalism. The key is for politicians is to be honest about where they stand so people have the choice whether to elect them or not.

Doctors manage to compartmentalise enough so that their own spiritual beliefs don't influence how they practice medicine. They'd be struck off the register if they were found to be that unprofessional. I don't see why politicians can't be the same.

Besides, I wasn't really making the point that politicians shouldn't allow their faiths to show, rather they shouldn't allow public opinion on religion to influence the direction of policies etc. For example, just because a majority of people have no problem with the church's funding of schools; doesn't mean that the state should be allowing more denominational schools to be built.

Stinicker

I don't believe in the Catholic Church, but I believe in life after death and some type of spirit force. Otherwards I'm pretty Atheist

Fr_Dougal

:eek::eek::eek:

Zoria

It found that poorer countries are more religious than richer nations.

Perhaps the answer lies within the question. As Ireland grew more prosperous religion wasn't something they thought much about, and if they did they were less likely to feel bad about their lack of faith. Regarding poorer countries being more religious, I think faith and hope are tightly bound on that one.

mcmoustache

Stinicker wrote: »

I don't believe in the Catholic Church, but I believe in life after death and some type of spirit force. Otherwards I'm pretty Atheist

That's pretty screwed up. The Catholic Church definitely exists.

brilliantboy

Stinicker wrote: »

I don't believe in the Catholic Church, but I believe in life after death and some type of spirit force. Otherwards I'm pretty Atheist

But that's not allowed! Get off that damned fence!

Either you're a braindead, mass-murdering sheep who is allergic to reality.
Or you're an uncouth, angst-ridden, morally reprehensible, nihilistic goober.

:pac: