Comments on: Bus stop bible claptrap

By: Gary R

Gary R — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:38:00 +0000

And just as an interesting follow up: another more recent survey conducted in 2007 by The Canadian Press and Decima Research, which addressed the question of God's essential role in creation, suggests that while "60 per cent of Canadians believe God had either a direct or indirect role in creating mankind...29 per cent said they believe evolution occurred with no help from God."

Source (excerpt): Globe and Mail

Full article: RichardDawkins.net

By: Gary R

Gary R — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:17:00 +0000

I stand corrected in terms of research. Let’s just say I believe in data!

By: David

David — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:35:00 +0000

Garry: You are correct concerning the percentage increase in those indicating ‘No religion’, unfortunately they don’t break that down between atheists, agnostics, no organized religion, etc., and the largest segment in this group are those <24 years old and recent immigrants (see page 24). http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/analytic/companion/rel/pdf/96F0030XIE2001015.pdf

The following is from a Decima Research poll conducted in 2003 (this poll has been conducted every two years for the past 50-years or so):
“According to a recent study conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Reader’s Digest of Canada on the religious and spiritual beliefs of Canadians, Canada is fundamentally a nation that believes in God. In fact, eight in ten (78%) Canadians say they believe in God. Two-thirds (64%) definitely believe in God, while a further 14% say they sometimes believe in God, but at other times don’t. Just one in ten (10%) Canadians indicate they do not believe in God, while 12% say they are unsure or don’t know believe in God.”

In addition the report indicates that while church attendance (weekly or very regular) has dropped from the low 70%’s to the mid 20%’s since the 1950′s, those who believe in God has only dropped 2%.

Living in Toronto we also tend to get a distorted demographic view, e.g. Muslims comprise 2% of the population nationally but (I think) 16% in Toronto.

Like the Bible, statistics must be read carefully and in context ;>)

David

By: Gary R

Gary R — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:12:00 +0000

Thanks for the link, David. I checked the StatsCan site and the only info I could find was from the decennial census (1991 - 2001), in which respondents chose 'No religion' as an option when asked for their denomination. According to the stats, the percentage of people choosing this option is up 43.9% from 1991, which puts them in second place overall, beneath Roman Catholicism.

By: David

David — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:38:00 +0000

You can find out about religious advertising at http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/about/advertising.php

I wouldn’t give Mr. Dawkins to much credence. He is after all in a very small minority (see latest StatsCan results).