Census 2006

BOP Times published this on 23 April:

The Editor’s note to correspondent James Lowes (BOP Times 13/04/07) does not go far enough. As your original article pointed out, the Census results for the BOP tend to reflect the results for the country at large. Analysis of the “No Religion” responses over time shows a steady increase from 1in 5 Kiwis in 1991, to 1 in 4 in 1996, and 1 in 3 at the last census in 2006. This growing rejection of religion is by far the most significant trend in the religious affiliation responses over this period. It corresponds to an increase of almost 5% every census (or 1% per annum). At this rate the non-religious will outnumber the religious in New Zealand within a generation.

This can only be good news given that religion has been the root case of most of the conflict and suffering in the world in recent times. Consider for a moment the conflicts in Iraq, Palestine, the Balkans, Kashmir, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, etc. Not to mention the so-called “9/11” attacks that launched George Bush’s war on Islam. Without exception religion defines the combatants as Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, or warring sects of the same. It seems that if people believe absurdities, they will commit atrocities.