Census.

Maireadio

sadie06 wrote: »

The issue of religious identification in this census (and the 'tick no religion' campaign in the build up to it) has really annoyed me.

Why? If you identify as a Roman Catholic, nobody is suggesting you tick 'No Religion'. The object of the 'Tick No Religion' campaign was to ensure that somebody who no longer considers themselves Catholic doesn't tick the box because they think they have to due to receiving some of the sacraments. There can be confusion on this issue. I remember the first census form I was aware of was when I was 17 and my folks ticked the 'Roman Catholic' box on my behalf despite a burgeoning unease I felt with the Catholic religion and my confusion about whether I had to because of those sacraments. This is the kind of person the campaign is aimed at.

And there's no harm getting people to pause and think about it for a second. You think about it and conclude you are Catholic? Tick the 'Roman Catholic' box!

AtomicHorror

Maireadio wrote: »

Why? If you identify as a Roman Catholic, nobody is suggesting you tick 'No Religion'. The object of the 'Tick No Religion' campaign was to ensure that somebody who no longer considers themselves Catholic doesn't tick the box because they think they have to due to receiving some of the sacraments. There can be confusion on this issue. I remember the first census form I was aware of was when I was 17 and my folks ticked the 'Roman Catholic' box on my behalf despite a burgeoning unease I felt with the Catholic religion and my confusion about whether I had to because of those sacraments. This is the kind of person the campaign is aimed at.

And there's no harm getting people to pause and think about it for a second. You think about it and conclude you are Catholic? Tick the 'Roman Catholic' box!

Have you not heard that questioning the status quo is a form of bullying?

AtomicHorror

Avatar MIA wrote: »

There isn't an excel spreadsheet that can take 1.8 million rows.

Split it onto 2 sheets?

somesoldiers

Anyone know if there is a curfew on collecting the census forms? Enumerator ringing the doorbell just now, I would have thought that's a bit late. We were in bed

intheclouds

somesoldiers wrote: »

Anyone know if there is a curfew on collecting the census forms? Enumerator ringing the doorbell just now, I would have thought that's a bit late. We were in bed

I certainly hope you answered starkers?

The Randy Riverbeast

Maireadio wrote: »

Why? If you identify as a Roman Catholic, nobody is suggesting you tick 'No Religion'. The object of the 'Tick No Religion' campaign was to ensure that somebody who no longer considers themselves Catholic doesn't tick the box because they think they have to due to receiving some of the sacraments. There can be confusion on this issue. I remember the first census form I was aware of was when I was 17 and my folks ticked the 'Roman Catholic' box on my behalf despite a burgeoning unease I felt with the Catholic religion and my confusion about whether I had to because of those sacraments. This is the kind of person the campaign is aimed at.

And there's no harm getting people to pause and think about it for a second. You think about it and conclude you are Catholic? Tick the 'Roman Catholic' box!

Atheist Ireland sent a representative to stare at me as I filled in the form ( in virgins blood of course which he kindly supplied) and took it away. He ate a baby before he left too.

uck51js9zml2yt

somesoldiers wrote: »

Anyone know if there is a curfew on collecting the census forms? Enumerator ringing the doorbell just now, I would have thought that's a bit late. We were in bed

No curfew but common sense should apply.
I used to call until 9 with the evenings being bright.

somesoldiers

Sofia Shrilling Windjammer wrote: »

No curfew but common sense should apply.
I used to call until 9 with the evenings being bright.

Yeah I think after 9 is pushing it a bit. Our baby was just getting to sleep

Maireadio

Samaris wrote: »

You'd think you know how to spell your daughter's name (although I suppose it might have a weird spelling!) but "Is no religion your intended choice"? Sod off, it's right down at the bottom underneath all the other options and to select it accidentally would require an earthquake while the pen is poised!

Please tell me you're joking? :mad:

uck51js9zml2yt

somesoldiers wrote: »

Yeah I think after 9 is pushing it a bit. Our baby was just getting to sleep

I'd agree. Hope you told him.

kneemos

I can envision some devout enumerators studiously going through all the forms and changing all the no religion to Catholic.

somesoldiers

Sofia Shrilling Windjammer wrote: »

I'd agree. Hope you told him.

yeah she had gone away by the time I turned off the alarm and opened all the locks my mrs insists on. I followed her out and just said it was a bit late to be ringing the bell, people are trying to put babies to bed. She looked shocked!

Noo

AtomicHorror wrote: »

Split it onto 2 sheets?

Yes that wasnt clear, it was split over several sheets.

AtomicHorror

Noo wrote: »

Yes that wasnt clear, it was split over several sheets.

Database export, I assume. Hope, in fact. I've seen Excel (ab)used as a database stand-in too often.

Samaris

I had to think about it a bit before I finally (and for the first time) ticked No Religion. Although I may still be questioning (and it actually was a bit weird putting the line in that box), I feel that religion should be a private matter and I endorse the removal of religion from public and state matters. So...officially at the very least (and I'm about 80% it's correct for me too), No Religion was the way for me to go.

Maireadio

Samaris wrote: »

I feel that religion should be a private matter and I endorse the removal of religion from public and state matters.

On the UK census, it's an optional question. How it should be, IMO.

I still think the census this time around will still show a large Catholic majority but I have feeling it will be lower than 2011. In the 70s percentage-wise, maybe? It's five years since the last census. A lot of people have died since then, most of them of the older generation, and a lot more young 'uns might be marking 'No Religion' box. Twill be interesting to see what the final figure is.

Maireadio

Incidentally, I was really surprised to read that just over 50% of weddings in Ireland in 2015 were Catholic weddings. I would have thought it would be higher, even with the increasing popularity of civil services.

The breakdown for 2015 was:

56.7% Roman Catholic
28% Civil
5.7% Humanist
3.7% Spiritualist
1.8% Church of Ireland
4.1% Other religions

Source: www (dot) cso (dot) ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/mcp/marriagesandcivilpartnerships2015/

Augme

somesoldiers wrote: »

Anyone know if there is a curfew on collecting the census forms? Enumerator ringing the doorbell just now, I would have thought that's a bit late. We were in bed

Half 9 is the recommended time to finish up.

kneemos

Maireadio wrote: »

On the UK census, it's an optional question. How it should be, IMO.

I still think the census this time around will still show a large Catholic majority but I have feeling it will be lower than 2011. In the 70s percentage-wise, maybe? It's five years since the last census. A lot of people have died since then, most of them of the older generation, and a lot more young 'uns might be marking 'No Religion' box. Twill be interesting to see what the final figure is.

Bit pointless putting a question in and having it optional.

Maireadio

kneemos wrote: »

Bit pointless putting a question in and having it optional.

If it's not an important question, I don't see why. And to lots of people in the UK, religion rarely crosses their mind, from my experience. It certainly doesn't loom as large as it does in Ireland.

Ragnar Lothbrok

I asked my son what he wanted me to put down for him, and after thinking about it, he said Catholic. He's Catholic in the sense that he was christened, had Holy Communion and Confirmation, but he's really not a Catholic in any real sense. He's not even sure if he believes in God.

I've been atheist for as long as I can remember, so he wasn't asking me to put Catholic for him out of any sense of not wanting to disappoint me!

This question probably should be scrapped altogether if my son's answer is reflective of the majority of people who select Catholic as their religion (and I strongly suspect it is).

Julez

Augme wrote: »

Half 9 is the recommended time to finish up.

Were they all meant to be picked up by now? Mines still sitting on the kitchen table.

Steve F

ScienceNerd wrote: »

How do you find out when the house was built? :pac:

I guessed between 8:00 am and 8:20am
Will I get in trouble if I'm wrong? :eek:

maudgonner

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

This question probably should be scrapped altogether if my son's answer is reflective of the majority of people who select Catholic as their religion (and I strongly suspect it is).

I have no problem with the question being on the census. I would just like it to have no bearing on public policy.

Religion is something that should be private, not state supported in any way. The church's role in state schools (all churches) should be removed, and its political influence should be consigned to history.

Debating what to mark down on the census is a bit of a red herring, imo. Even if 100% of the population were Catholic, it still doesn't mean that the Church should be involved in education, or health, or other areas of public policy.

Augme

Julez wrote: »

Were they all meant to be picked up by now? Mines still sitting on the kitchen table.

No. They have 4 weeks to collect them.

Avatar MIA

5 years ago my wife put down RC as did our three kids, then 13, 10 and 8.

This year my wife put down no religion and the three kids were independently asked and they put down no religion, even the now 13 year old.

Some residual part of me was uneasy about this. I've been putting down no religion for a few census now and have never tried to overtly put my views across. I was conscious of them attending a RC ethos school. Obviously I'm not practicing apart from attending RC rituals such as weddings etc.

But, and not to offend anyone religious, it was sad seeing them lose their innocence, similarly to when they stopped believing or pretending to believe in Santa.

The youngest one when asked by my wife what did she wanted to put down for religion, she asked what does Orthodox mean, and then said put down no religion saying everything she hears about religion is negative.

CloudCumulus

Julez wrote: »

Were they all meant to be picked up by now? Mines still sitting on the kitchen table.

Mine too, but no. The enumerators are to aim to collect around 50 per day. Which would be great if everyone was perfect but i imagine its an arduous process so it will take around a week or so anyway.

uck51js9zml2yt

CloudCumulus wrote: »

Mine too, but no. The enumerators are to aim to collect around 50 per day. Which would be great if everyone was perfect but i imagine its an arduous process so it will take around a week or so anyway.

Took me 3 weeks last time doing 12 hour days, 6 days a week. I was going on holidays
Not everyone is in when they call. Not everyone has the form completed when they do call.

Mesrine65

Sofia Shrilling Windjammer wrote: »

Not everyone has the form completed when they do call.

Not everyone received the form :eek:

No one on our street received them, we don't count

Avatar MIA

Mesrine65 wrote: »

Not everyone received the form :eek:

No one on our street received them, we don't count

Probably still not too late to get the form.