UK among the least religious countries in the world a new survey reveals

[Deleted]

Source: http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-13/u...urvey-reveals/
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...countries.html
Data: Gallup

A new survey has revealed that the UK is among the least religious countries in the world. In a global ranking of 65 countries, the UK came six places from last with 30% of the population calling themselves religious. While 53% of people said they were "not religious", just 13% said they were a "convinced atheist" and the remainder "did not know".
...
At the bottom of the list was China where only 6% of people say they are religious while 61% say they are convinced atheists. It was followed by Japan, where just 13% of people are religious, Sweden with 19% , Czech Republic with 23%, and the Netherlands and Hong Kong with 26%.

Separate survey last month (Pew Research),

with some interesting data summaries! http://imgur.com/a/hSnRs#0, including this one:

The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. If current trends continue, by 2050 …

• The number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.
• Atheists, agnostics and other people who do not affiliate with any religion – though increasing in countries such as the United States and France – will make up a declining share of the world’s total population.
• The global Buddhist population will be about the same size it was in 2010, while the Hindu and Jewish populations will be larger than they are today.
• In Europe, Muslims will make up 10% of the overall population.
• India will retain a Hindu majority but also will have the largest Muslim population of any country in the world, surpassing Indonesia.
• In the United States, Christians will decline from more than three-quarters of the population in 2010 to two-thirds in 2050, and Judaism will no longer be the largest non-Christian religion. Muslims will be more numerous in the U.S. than people who identify as Jewish on the basis of religion.
• Four out of every 10 Christians in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa.

[Adam Jensen]

Hopefully the US grows a bit less religious over the next few decades.

[zenkai]

Hopefully the US grows a bit less religious over the next few decades.

It wont be, atheism is a new and up coming religions

[corebit]

I don't understand the obsession with hoping countries becoming less religious. The hatred some people have of religion sometimes reaches irrational levels. Religions are overall good and they do amazing charity work in many places that need it. Obviously sometimes religion gets abused by douchebags with agendas, but that goes for anything non-religious including fanatic nationalism, cult of personality, etc. Greed and violence are inherent human traits, and those aren't going away even if you magically were to erase all religions.

Based on the survey, is China the atheist's role model country then?

[Aldred]

Some encouraging data there, although a bit depressing to see that non-religious people make up a declining share of the world's population. That doesn't seem like progress to me. :/

Specifically about the UK - 30% is still quite a high proporation. In fact a lot higher than I would have thought for people calling themselve religious. Really - nearly 1 in 3? It doesn't feel like it.

[Cyberowl]

Hopefully the US grows a bit less religious over the next few decades.

But god blessed America, duh...

I don't think the US will grow less religious in the next decades, unfortunately. Sun-tanned necks and religion go hand in hand. And you have an image problem, if you are well off and not religious. That's why you can't dodge phrases like "God bless America" in any given political speech in the US.

[Deleted]

Some encouraging data there, although a bit depressing to see that non-religious people make up a declining share of the world's population. That doesn't seem like progress to me. :/

Specifically about the UK - 30% is still quite a high proporation. In fact a lot higher than I would have thought for people calling themselve religious. Really - nearly 1 in 3? It doesn't feel like it.

Yes, you wouldn't think based on everyone you know. Perhaps it's because they made sure to sample equally across ages, i.e. including the Boomer and older generation (ever growing older population in the West etc.).

[Rixis]

It certainly doesn't feel all too religious round here, so not overly surprised. There are some people who consider themselves as religious, but don't come across as religious at all though, which is probably where the 30% comes from, that and could be due to the immigrant population.

It certainly feels a lot less batshit insanely religious that we see coming from America (as a generic stereotype).

[Deleted]

Some encouraging data there, although a bit depressing to see that non-religious people make up a declining share of the world's population. That doesn't seem like progress to me. :/

Specifically about the UK - 30% is still quite a high proporation. In fact a lot higher than I would have thought for people calling themselve religious. Really - nearly 1 in 3? It doesn't feel like it.

Of those 1 in 3 I bet hardly any of them go to church every week.

[Nitros14]

It wont be, atheism is a new and up coming religions

I don't really understand convinced atheism very much. There's not really any proof either way. I guess I'd be called agnostic but mostly I don't know why the world exists nor do I care about things that are essentially unknowable.

[Aldred]

I don't understand the obsession with hoping countries becoming less religious. The hatred some people have of religion sometimes reaches irrational levels. Religions are overall good and they do amazing charity work in many places that need it. Obviously sometimes religion gets abused by douchebags with agendas, but that goes for anything non-religious including fanatic nationalism, cult of personality, etc. Greed and violence are inherent human traits, and those aren't going away even if you magically were to erase all religions.

Based on the survey, is China the atheist's role model country then?

Many people in many religions do a lot of good, yes. But so do many people in general. A lot of charities and other organisations do a lot of good without promoting ideology based on... well, I'm not really allowed to criticise on here. But not based on facts shall we say.

I wouldn't say China is the athiest's role model country though. There's still a huge amount of superstition and unfounded belief there that's doing a massive amount of harm - look at traditional Chinese medicine for example.

[Rixis]

Yeah, you wouldn't think based on everyone you know. Perhaps it's because they made sure to sample equally across ages, i.e. including the Boomer and older generation?

My mother considers herself religious and only ever goes to church for funerals, weddings and christenings. Hell, most people I know who've had those events take place/take place in a church aren't religious (as far as you can tell) either, aside from those traditions. They could well be saying they're Christian in a survey though.

[Deleted]

Some encouraging data there, although a bit depressing to see that non-religious people make up a declining share of the world's population. That doesn't seem like progress to me. :/

Specifically about the UK - 30% is still quite a high proporation. In fact a lot higher than I would have thought for people calling themselve religious. Really - nearly 1 in 3? It doesn't feel like it.

True - it is degress, not progress.
Especially with high muslim natality.

[JohnBrown1917]

I don't understand the obsession with hoping countries becoming less religious. The hatred some people have of religion sometimes reaches irrational levels. Religions are overall good and they do amazing charity work in many places that need it. Obviously sometimes religion gets abused by douchebags with agendas, but that goes for anything non-religious including fanatic nationalism, cult of personality, etc. Greed and violence are inherent human traits, and those aren't going away even if you magically were to erase all religions.

Its not hatred to hope religion becomes less common in ones own country. Religioen has done more harm than good, so I see less religion as a good thing. Its a relic of past, its silly to believe in some random sky god.

[Socialhealer]

UK one of the smartest places in the world, nice.

[Adam Jensen]

It wont be, atheism is a new and up coming religions

Atheism is a religion as much as not collecting stamps is a hobby.

[zenkai]

Atheism is a religion as much as not collecting stamps is a hobby.

When a believe in something is so profound that you view it as the ultimate truth and closed minded to anything that may differ from it that makes you a religious zealot

[Nitros14]

Atheism is a religion as much as not collecting stamps is a hobby.

There are definitely people out there who care way too much about religion and are in-your-face about their non-belief. They can reach proselytizing religion levels of obnoxious.

I say this as someone who has no religion.

[corebit]

But god blessed America, duh...

I don't think the US will grow less religious in the next decades, unfortunately. Sun-tanned necks and religion go hand in hand. And you have an image problem, if you are well off and not religious. That's why you can't dodge phrases like "God bless America" in any given political speech in the US.

Given that in the same study Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, Christianity will be the least of your or your children's worries. But hey, it's great that those evil Christians are slowly disappearing!

Many people in many religions do a lot of good, yes. But so do many people in general. A lot of charities and other organisations do a lot of good without promoting ideology based on... well, I'm not really allowed to criticise on here. But not based on facts shall we say.

I wouldn't say China is the athiest's role model country though. There's still a huge amount of superstition and unfounded belief there that's doing a massive amount of harm - look at traditional Chinese medicine for example.

Superstition isn't unique to China, that doesn't mean it's connected to a religion. Humans are spiritual by nature, it's a natural occurrence of sentience and self-consciousness, and that isn't going away no matter how some people wish it.

[Afrospinach]

I am assuming most of the white areas are no data, because in sub saharan africa you cannot get away from the Jesus bullshit and I would not have said NZ is that squeaky clean either.

by 2050 …

The number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.

Atheists, agnostics and other people who do not affiliate with any religion – though increasing in countries such as the United States and France – will make up a declining share of the world’s total population.

A secular future seems further away than ever.