Much Confusion About God

A new poll by YouGov in the UK has identified that religion is fading in the UK. When questioned about their belief in a god, the survey reported:

"Overall, a third (33%) of British adults do not believe in God or a greater spiritual power of any kind – roughly the same number as believe in “a God” (32%). The rest either believe in a higher power but not a God (20%) or don’t know what they believe (14%). This is a slight shift from 2012, when YouGov found that 37% believed in a God, and 29% did not believe in a God or a higher spiritual power."

So one third believe in a god, one third do not believe in a god and the other third seem to be a bit confused about it!

Orthodox religion is out-numbered by two to one - and this is in a country which provides seats in Parliament for unelected church leaders and which also maintains the Monarch as "Defender of the Faith" and as the leader of the Established Church. They definitely seem confused, because despite the decline of relegion, religious schools are on the increase!

When questioned about their religion, The results were:

No religion: 42%

Christian: 49%

Other religion: 4%

Could not say: 4%

More confusion! 

"Only 55% of self-identified Christians believe in a God while 23% believe in “some sort of greater spiritual power”, but not a God. Nearly one in ten Christians (9%) don’t believe in any higher power, and 12% don’t know what they believe in. At the same time, 22% of non-religious people believe in some kind of higher power."

"This poll is further evidence that organised religion has lost its hold on the imagination of the British people. What it hasn't lost is its residual power over them. Politicians really need to think very carefully about the amount of influence they accord to 'faith leaders' who are speaking for a very few people these days.