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Religious opinions, beliefs and attitudes

Religion-related restrictions and social hostility in 2019

D 1 February 2022   

Survey on youth and religion

A study conducted by European researchers, under the supervision of Hans-Georg Ziebertz of the University of Würzburg, revealed highly different degrees of religiosity among the youth of the (...)

A study conducted by European researchers, under the supervision of Hans-Georg Ziebertz of the University of Würzburg, revealed highly different degrees of religiosity among the youth of the countries concerned. About 10 000 youth from 10 countries (8 European countries, Turkey and Israel) were interviewed between 2004 and 2006 on their attitude with regard to religion.
A high degree of religiosity was observed in young Turkish Muslims, followed by young Israeli Jews. These are followed by the young Catholics in Poland, Croatia and Ireland. On the contrary, the young generation in traditionally protestant countries such as Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden shows little identification with religion.

The study also tackles religious practices and the place of religion in the family and in school. Religious education is mostly practiced in Turkey and Poland where 80% of the interviewees declared to be willing to continue practicing the religion of their parents, while only 22% of the Germans hold the same opinion. In Turkey, 84% of parents believe it is important that their children practice the same religion as them. 60% of parents in Poland and only 9% in Germany hold the same opinion.

Religious education is positively regarded by the youth in Turkey, Poland, Croatia and Ireland whereas it is rejected in Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. Respondents consider religion as an important aspect in the modern world except the young Dutch who believe it is outdated.

For more information: find detailed responses on the website of the university of Würzburg.

D 5 October 2012    AFrançoise Curtit

The importance of religion

In April 2005, SOFRES (French public opinion poll institute) conducted a telephone survey for EURO-RSCG (France’s leading advertising brand) on a national cross-section of people aged 18 and (...)

In April 2005, SOFRES (French public opinion poll institute) conducted a telephone survey for EURO-RSCG (France’s leading advertising brand) on a national cross-section of people aged 18 and over in 10 European countries (Germany, Spain, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, United Kingdom).
One of the questions dealt with religion: “Tell me if the following sentence corresponds a lot, a little, not really or not at all to what you think. Religion is important in my life.”
A majority of Europeans (58%) say religion is important in their lives, the results, however, are very different from country to country.
The Poles are in front, with 80% of people stating that religion is important in their lives, followed by the Italians (75%) and the Portuguese (72%).
Conversely, 66% of Czechs and 60 % of those living in the United Kingdom claim that religion is not important in their lives.
In France and in the Netherlands, more than half the people state that religion is not important in their lives (54%), while religion is considered important by a small majority in Spain (60%), Germany (56%) and Finland (53%).

Source: SOFRES poll on values in Europe.

D 5 October 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

Survey on religious attitudes in Europe

One of Germany’s greatest research institutes, the GfK Group, carried out a study, at the request of Wall Street Journal Europe, in the autumn of 2004 on religious attitudes in Europe. The study (...)

One of Germany’s greatest research institutes, the GfK Group, carried out a study, at the request of Wall Street Journal Europe, in the autumn of 2004 on religious attitudes in Europe. The study was of 21 countries and included questions on attitudes towards religion, religious affiliation, belief in God, anti-Semitism and Muslims of their country.

For more information read the summary of the GfK study.

D 5 October 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

Perception of Muslims

The Transatlantic Trends: Immigration 2008 survey is an opinion poll on immigration and integration led by the German Marshall Fund (USA). Chapter 4 of the final report dealing with national (...)

The Transatlantic Trends: Immigration 2008 survey is an opinion poll on immigration and integration led by the German Marshall Fund (USA). Chapter 4 of the final report dealing with national identity, provides information concerning religious belonging and the perception of Islam. The survey takes into account the United States, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom. The main data are also available online. The results display the complexity of opinions: European average is 47% of people agreeing that "Muslim immigrants have a lot to offer to the culture of their country", while at the sale time 53% think that "both ways of life are not reconcilable".

D 5 October 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

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