The Census question Australians don’t want to be asked

[New World Explorer]

THERE was one question on the 2016 Census that left people with a bad taste in their mouth. Now Aussies have been able to have their say about why it should be changed.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) gave people the opportunity to give feedback on the questions included in the latest Census and what might need to be changed for the next.

One of the main points of contention for many Australian’s was in the “Religion” section of the survey, with the question asking, “What is the person’s religion?”

National Secular Lobby (NSL) ambassador and former senator Chris Schacht said that the question is “leading”, which results in an inaccurate representation of the Australian public.

In the 2016 Census, 30 per cent of participants reported that they had no religion, but Mr Schacht suspects that a change in the wording would reveal it is much higher.

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/the-census-questions-australians-dont-want-to-be-asked/news-story/0a1cce28181208ae82ff5a053597660e

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I don't know if this was on another thread, but Australia is fast becoming a secular nation with the 2016 census showing: No religion – 30.1% v
Catholic – 22.6%

If atheism was a religion (now there is an oxymoron), it's the first time anyone beat the Catholics.

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/7E65A144540551D7CA258148000E2B85?OpenDocument

Older
{still waiting for the 'Wiser'}

[Cushi]

They really need to loosen up...

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

We're working on it as fast as we know how, We are 'flat out' as we say down here... 'like a lizard drinking... '

Older
{still waiting for the 'Wiser'}

[BenJepthah]

Atheists ( or rather Evangelical Antitheists) hate when this is pointed out. According to some anthropologists a religion is defined as any creed which makes comment on 1. The existence or non existence of a deity or deities. 2. The existence or non existence of an afterlife.  By this definition Catholicism is defined  as a double positive religion. Buddhism as a single positive religion ( depending on the type of Buddhist ) and Atheism would be called a double negative religion. What is more ( The Evangelical Antitheist) will actively Evangelize their non belief in Deity yet sometimes embrace a theoretical belief in an Afterlife. Some of these practice a form of Buddhism as an outlet for their acknowledged need for a spiritual life. 

[Katty]

On 7/12/2018 at 5:49 PM, BenJepthah said:

Atheists ( or rather Evangelical Antitheists) hate when this is pointed out. According to some anthropologists a religion is defined as any creed which makes comment on 1. The existence or non existence of a deity or deities. 2. The existence or non existence of an afterlife.  By this definition Catholicism is defined  as a double positive religion. Buddhism as a single positive religion ( depending on the type of Buddhist ) and Atheism would be called a double negative religion. What is more ( The Evangelical Antitheist) will actively Evangelize their non belief in Deity yet sometimes embrace a theoretical belief in an Afterlife. Some of these practice a form of Buddhism as an outlet for their acknowledged need for a spiritual life. 

Evangelical antitheists is a good name for them. Sometimes I call them Dawkinsists

Edited July 17, 2018 by Katty

[Katty]

On 7/11/2018 at 5:09 PM, Gregexplore said:

THERE was one question on the 2016 Census that left people with a bad taste in their mouth. Now Aussies have been able to have their say about why it should be changed.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) gave people the opportunity to give feedback on the questions included in the latest Census and what might need to be changed for the next.

One of the main points of contention for many Australian’s was in the “Religion” section of the survey, with the question asking, “What is the person’s religion?”

National Secular Lobby (NSL) ambassador and former senator Chris Schacht said that the question is “leading”, which results in an inaccurate representation of the Australian public.

In the 2016 Census, 30 per cent of participants reported that they had no religion, but Mr Schacht suspects that a change in the wording would reveal it is much higher.

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/the-census-questions-australians-dont-want-to-be-asked/news-story/0a1cce28181208ae82ff5a053597660e

They have a religion. These days politics have become a religion, feminism has become a religion. Even atheism has become something more akin to religion:

They have their own literature, message, media, even people they follow "the four horsemen of atheism". They even have songs like "Dear God" by XTC (used to listen to that song but don't anymore). They even prostelytize. So, other than one believes in a deity and one doesn't, I don't see how atheism, these days differs much from false religion

[carlos]

2 hours ago, Katty said:

Even atheism has become something more akin to religion:

They have their own literature, message, media, even people they follow "the four horsemen of atheism". They even have songs like "Dear God" by XTC (used to listen to that song but don't anymore). They even prostelytize. So, other than one believes in a deity and one doesn't, I don't see how atheism, these days differs much from false religion

Especially the belief aspect. They don't believe in God, not based on some scientific evidence or compelling reasoning, but simply because they don't want to believe. So actually it's a belief, the belief that there is no God.