What Australians believe

James R

James R

Just this guy, you know?
Staff member
A new wide-ranging Neilson poll on the Religious beliefs of Australians has just been published.

More info here:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/our-faith-today-20091218-l5w6.html

Here are some highlights and comparisons:

Code: 
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE

Belief                                   Australia   USA
========================================================
God exists                               68          92
God does not exist                       30           8

Life after death                         53          80
Heaven                                   56          86
Hell                                     38          74
The Devil                                37          59
Angels                                   51          68
Miracles                                 63          79

Witches                                  22
UFOs                                     34          36
Astrology                                41          25
ESP                                      49

Holy Book is word of God                 34          80
Holy Book is literal truth               27
One correct interpretation of scripture  21

Genesis Creationism                      23          
Evolution guided by God                  32         
Evolution by natural selection           42          14
 
So they are more skeptical about Abrahamic conceptions but are more open to astrology. Probably all those southern constellations.
 
i thought the same thing actually, less god and more UFO's:p

James i wonder when this was actually carried out, specifically the section on Miracles may well have been infuenced by timing. Specifically the calls for sainthood for Mary McCalup. It seems that with a second miracle just having been atributed to her (rather than the more rational explination that the persons immune system finally started attacking the cancer) this may have come more out of the woodwork as a form of patitism almost
 
oh BTW i wonder why there is no numbers listed for creationisum for the US, its nice to know how many athiests there are (14% aparently and 42% in Australia) but the second option sort of blurs the whole issue. If your rational and you belive in god then option 2 is the one your going to chose if you dont belive in god its option 3 but if your a compleate loon you chose option 1 so we oviously have 23% loons here. How many in the US?
 
From the same poll, here's what Australian Christians believe:

Code: 
Belief                                   Christian   General population
========================================================================
God exists                               100          68 
God does not exist                         0          30

God is a personal god                     50           
Christ was a historical figure            94
Christ was the son of God                 91           
Virgin birth                              72           
Christ rose from the dead                 85           

Witches                                   35          22
UFOs                                      32          34
Astrology                                 44          41
ESP                                       52          49

Holy Book is word of God                  58          34
Holy Book is literal truth                25          27 (Atheists 34!)
One correct interpretation of scripture   23          21

Genesis Creationism                       38          23
Evolution guided by God                   47          32
Evolution by natural selection            12          42 (Atheists 89)
 
Men vs. women:

Code: 
Belief                                   Men     Women
========================================================================
Angels                                   37      63
Miracles                                 52      74
Heaven                                   45      67
ESP                                      39      59
Life after death                         44      62

Holy Book is word of God                 28      40 
Holy Book is literal truth               30      25 
One correct interpretation of scripture   

Genesis Creationism                      18      27
 
As for non-believers in God:

Code: 
There is no God:                  30%
   Not sure if God exists or not   6%
   Sure that God doesn't exist    24%

Proportion of men who are atheist outnumber women 2 to 1.

Proportion of Australians under age 25 who are non-believers: 42%
                          over age  55                        25%
                          
Australians who do not believe but still consider themselves "cultural Christians":    11%
                                                                 other religion:        1%
                                                                 
Non-believers who believe in
   heaven, hell, angels, witches, the devil: about 10%
   miracles                                        25%
   astrology, UFOs                                 27%
   ESP                                             34%
 
Asguard said:
its nice to know how many atheists there are (14% aparently and 42% in Australia)
Click to expand...
Where do you get that from? The poll clearly shows 30% in Australia, 8% in the US.

CheskiChips said:
What the hell? 22% of people in Australia believe in witches? I'm not sure I understand what that even is.
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Agreed. How did the poll define "witches"? What did it mean by "Belief in witches".
Since witches exist, as a fact, the question makes little sense.
 
Hapsburg said:
Where do you get that from? The poll clearly shows 30% in Australia, 8% in the US.
Click to expand...

interesting, wonder why the disconect between the evolution figures and the god ones. After all if you belive in "god" and that god is responcable for everything then its inconsistant to say "Evolution by natural selection". If god controls everything then how can he NOT control evolution?
 
James R said:
A new wide-ranging Neilson poll on the Religious beliefs of Australians has just been published. ....
Click to expand...

Any and all polls can be manipulated in numerous ways to give the desired results. Back in the ol' days, the early days of polling, there was some degree of truth and accuracy in published polls. But now? No!

Polls are just thingies to "prove" whatever you want to prove to whoever is stupid enough to believe polls!

Baron Max
 
Hapsburg said:
Since witches exist, as a fact, the question makes little sense.
Click to expand...

how am i the first person to have an issue with this?

Given i'd define witch as a person with actual powers, i'd say they don't exist, as a super fact (which are even more factual)

Baron Max said:
Any and all polls can be manipulated in numerous ways to give the desired results.
Click to expand...

i agree, but i'd try and look at the poll questions, check out whoever this nielson character is etc. before i declare it rigged.
 
codanblad said:
how am i the first person to have an issue with this?
Click to expand...
I did, then I checked the definition -
witch (wch)
n.
1. A woman claiming or popularly believed to possess magical powers and practice sorcery.
2. A believer or follower of Wicca; a Wiccan.
3. A hag.
4. A woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing.
5. Informal A woman or girl considered bewitching.
6. One particularly skilled or competent at one's craft: "A witch of a writer, [she] is capable of developing an intensity that verges on ferocity" (Peter S. Prescott).
Click to expand...
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/witch

Given i'd define witch as a person with actual powers, i'd say they don't exist, as a super fact (which are even more factual)
Click to expand...
Given that definition then they certainly do exist.
 
Funny, the stats show that 80% of Americans believe the bible to be the word of god. That's bs considering I've argued that point here and have been opposed in this view by almost all Christians here, other than members such as Adstar.
 
superstring01 said:
I'm moving to Oz!

[plus, I kinda have a fascination with the Platypus]

~String
Click to expand...
If you were born in the month of the Platypus, you are very inspirational, nervous and restless, with a strong sense of individuality. Your keen intellectual nature may incline you to study or take up a career in communications. Excellent occupational opportunities may arise in arts, journalism, law, medicine, stockbroking, commerce, banking, clerical work, sign writing, telecommunications, sales, advertising, the travel industry, architecture, foreign service, chiropractic, court reporting, military service and fashion. Although you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are sometimes very pessimistic, negative and selfish, with a strong desire to be free to do what you want. Due to your strong stress levels, you may need to gain greater empathy when dealing or communicating with others on an emotional level. You tend to look at things through the viewpoint of mind and not emotion. This way you lose out.
Click to expand...
http://www.miltonblack.com.au/ast/dreamtime/june.htm
 
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