Census 2006 Results

Dades

Well, they've just published some of the 2006 results here.

In a brazen effort to do a quick summary of what might be of interest here, I'll just lump in atheists, agnostics and non-religious...

2002: 139,792
2006: 188,762

That's roughly a 35% jump, compared to a population increase of 8.2%. They have also broken down the results by gender, with the non-religious community having a 59%/41% male/female split.

Lastly there's an interesting breakdown by nationality too.

Discuss!

po0k

What about Jedi?

Asiaprod

How did the Buddhists do?

Dades

Asiaprod wrote:

How did the Buddhists do?

Buddhists up from 3,894 to 6,516!

"The karma of the parents is visited upon the child".

Scofflaw

Asiaprod wrote:

How did the Buddhists do?

Buddhist 3,894 (2002) 6,516 (2006) 3,132 (M) 3,384 (F) +2,622 (change) +67.3 (% change)

Atheist 500 (2002) 929 (2006) 641 (M) 288 (F) +429 (change) +85.8 (% change)

Not bad. Still too few atheists. The male-female ratio for Buddhists reminds me (begging your pardon in advance) of the Onion title "Which Eastern Religion is Best for Your Abs?".

cordially,
Scofflaw

Crucifix

It's tough to gauge for atheists as you never know how many are in No Religon.
Good to see the gang as a whole doing well!

Dades

Scofflaw wrote:

Not bad. Still too few atheists.

Including agnostics and non-religious, the total is less than 4.5%.

THEREFORE GOD EXISTS.

cognos

I wouldnt trust the figures too much if there are many in my situation ... census filled out by somone else in the famly, ticked the roman catholic box for all 5 of us. if we were all filling out our own bit there would have been at least 2 in the athiest/agnostic/non religious grouping.

Asiaprod

Scofflaw wrote:

begging your pardon in advance

Granted. I will remember that one.:)

Beruthiel

cognos wrote:

we were all filling out our own bit there would have been at least 2 in the athiest/agnostic/non religious grouping.

/slaps cognos for not doing his bit!

I honestly can't believe that it's only 4.5%, it's got to be more than that surely.

Sangre

I had to change my census form after it was filled out for me. Think I put myself down as only no-religion, will presumably put atheist for the next one.

The Atheist

The Atheist wrote:

Buddhists up from 3,894 to 6,516!

Yay go us!

The male-female ratio for Buddhists reminds me (begging your pardon in advance) of the Onion title "Which Eastern Religion is Best for Your Abs?".

I dont get it =(

Byrno

Looking at the census the CSO seems to put atheists and agnostics under "Other Religions" making it seem as if atheists and agnostics believe in a religion. Personally I put myself as "No Religion" as that's what I am. Atheism isn't my religion!

Dades

Byrno wrote:

Looking at the census the CSO seems to put atheists and agnostics under "Other Religions" making it seem as if atheists and agnostics believe in a religion. Personally I put myself as "No Religion" as that's what I am. Atheism isn't my religion!

This question was debated before if I recall rightly.

However as both "atheist" or "agnostic" are listed specifically in the results, it's a valid entry - unlike say "Jedi" - which is simply a wasted entry.

No harm in being specific, I say.

Dave!

Interesting. It's good to see we're growing in numbers, but disappointing to see that we're still a tiny minority.

But I agree with cognos, the figures don't really give an accurate representation of atheists in Ireland. I'm a Roman Catholic on the Census I'd be interested to see any opinion polls on the subject; they'd be alot more accurate IMO. TNS MRBI, and Red C don't have anything on the topic.

Ciaran500

I'm down as a Catholic on the cencus aswel, my dad filled it in and I just left it.

aidan24326

Ciaran500 wrote:

I'm down as a Catholic on the cencus aswel, my dad filled it in and I just left it.

There's probably a fair few around like yourself and cognos, especially among younger people whose parents would be filling it in for them. This might boost the 4.5% figure a bit but probably not make a huge difference.

However it also must be remembered that a significant number of people who tick the 'catholic' box will be no more than nominal catholics, considering themselves as vaguely such (since that's what they were brought up as) but really occupying a position that might fall somewhere in the 'agnostic/not too sure/don't really care/I went to church at Christmas' sort of territory.

I doubt there's really quite the huge religious majority that these census figures suggest. Unfortunately though it reinforces the catholic church position and admittedly it's impossible to say how many just ticked catholic out of laziness.

Nevyn

Gah with the panthiest and other state religion.
Hindus are panthiest ffs.