Interesting Stuff Thread

Stuff.Co.NZ wrote:

Kiwis are turning their backs on God in record numbers, instead opting for a life without religion. Christianity has shed hundreds of thousand of devotees in the past seven years, while the number of non-religious has risen strongly. Four out 10 Kiwis now declare themselves non-religious, putting us firmly among the most secular countries in the world.

Census 2013 figures released yesterday show any claim to a Christian majority in New Zealand is shaky, with fewer than 1.9 million people affiliated with a church, down from more than 2 million in 2006. Victoria University professor Paul Morris, who specialises in religious studies, said the country was in "new territory", with Christianity losing its central position in society. "For the first time since 1901, Christians are not the clear majority."

The shift even raised questions about the appropriateness of Christian public holidays, such as Christmas, and the place of the church in schools. "Are we no longer a Christian nation? There is a question mark," he said. Christianity was facing a generational problem, with its older devotees dying off and the younger generations showing no interest.

A lack of religion was becoming inter-generational, as children grew up without a church and had their own children. Anglicans have taken the biggest hit, losing nearly 100,000 followers, with the flock dropping to just 459,000. The sharp drop means Catholicism is, for the first time, New Zealand's most popular religion, with 492,000 devotees, down from 508,000 in 2006.

Most major churches took a dive, but Pentecostal and smaller evangelical churches managed to buck the trend by adding to their flock. Anglican Bishop of Wellington Justin Duckworth said the Anglican Church had older adherents, and many had died since the last census in 2006. More needed to be done to connect with young people, but the church was up against a group that was individualist and not interested in long-term commitment to any institution. "People often say they are incredibly spiritual but they are wary of organised religion," he said.

Archbishop John Dew, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, said Christianity was still a big part of New Zealand life. "Religion continues to be part of our make-up and identity as a nation." But while Christianity may be dwindling, other religions, often linked with a rise in migrants, are flourishing. Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam have all grown hugely. There are now 89,000 Hindus in New Zealand, a rise of 16,000 since 2006. During the same period the New Zealand Indian population grew by about 50,000.

Prof Morris said what were once fringe religions in New Zealand were now, through migration, big enough to challenge established churches. "These migrant religious communities are active and growing and now represent a significant facet of our life." The decline in Christian churchgoers was also being obscured by migrants, he said, as many were practising Christians.