According to a poll by Gallup International, Ireland now ranks among the top ten atheist nations worldwide, in a huge shift from the last poll in 2005. In the six years between polls, according to the results, one in five Irish set aside religion.
The Gallup International Association poll, titled the Global Index of Religion and Atheism, asked 50,000 people in 57 countries: “Irrespective of whether you attend a place of worship or not, would you say you are a religious person, not a religious person or a convinced atheist?”
In 2011, 47% of Irish respondents said they considered themselves religious, 44% not religious, and 10% convinced atheists. The global average has 59% of respondents self-identifying as religious, 23% as not religious, and 13% as convinced atheists.
When the same poll was conducted in 2005, 69% of Irish respondents identified as religious, 25% as not religious, and 3% as convinced atheists. The 2011 poll results reflect a 22% drop in Irish identification as ‘religious’ in the six years between poll conduction, with a corresponding increase in the ‘not religious’ and ‘convinced atheist’ categories. The United States saw a 13% drop in identification as religious over the same period.
Ireland ties with Austria, Iceland and Australia with ten percent of respondents in the ‘convinced atheist’ category. That puts all four countries behind just seven others for the top percentages of convinced atheists. China was the least religious nation surveyed, with 14% identifying as religious, 30% as not religious and 47% as convinced atheists.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.curtisjohnson | Aug 23, 2012, 07:07 PM EDT
DeanJackson could you clarify what you mean?
curtisjohnson | Aug 22, 2012, 11:56 PM EDT
Metaphysical concepts such as the existence of a deity will never be definitively proven or disproven by mechanical science - anyone conflating the two makes a basic category error (that said, DeanJackson makes good inferential points). IDFRason makes excellent points - like it or not history shows humans to be spiritual beings - when this is abandoned, something must fill the void (Nietzsche recognized that Western Europe's abandonment of spirituality would lead to nihilism - currently blunted primarily by mass consumption/instant gratification).
IDFRason | Aug 22, 2012, 05:36 PM EDT
10% convinced Atheists? Big deal, I would assume if this poll was taken 25 years ago the number would have been much lower purely due to the stigma of being an Atheist. 47% consider themselves faithful or religious, 44% not religious - would that be those who don't attend church on a regular basis ? or those that believe and just don't bother to go? 50,000 respondents polled, what is the cross section? Rural vs urban? education levels? etc ?
IDFRason | Aug 22, 2012, 05:27 PM EDT
Seems it is much easier to cast off religion and all its "Requirements" in this age of instant gratification, plurality, conformity, the rise of ME, the rise of so called Reason. I am fairly neutral one way or another but nothing annoys me more than a boisterous self serving Atheist who feels the need to tell everyone about their beliefs or lackthereof and how those that are deists are just sheep or somehow primitive. Almost as bad the selfrighteous religious. I have been to both theocracies (Saudi Kingdom) and so called atheocracies (?) China is probably the most atheistic country i have had the pleasure to work in, and honestly I don't see how the poeple are any better for it. Folks in Pakistan, Saudi, etc are definitely more clearly defined in their beliefs and the theocracy of their government and I fail to see their betterment for it. Fact is take away relgion and we will quickly replace it with something else, some other Ism or Ideology, capitalism, communism, so called humanism.
eiriamach | Aug 22, 2012, 05:00 PM EDT
Whew! Now we have someone in charge of the "right to call yourself Catholic" posting below. "Lemme outa' here!"-- as the one in five Irish who gave up on religion have already said.
BrianO | Aug 22, 2012, 04:58 PM EDT
Besides my own beliefs, for this forum I'll side with Pascal.
Scrivner | Aug 22, 2012, 03:48 PM EDT
princess, what does indeciscision between Obama and Romney have to do with calling ones self Catholic? Mr Obama's beliefs have been charectarized as liberal Protestant (Rev Wright's Church in Chicago) shaped by Marxist philosophy (God is dead movement) but tempered by Islamic tradition of his father and step father (Ah, there's the connection, a prime tenet of Islam is "submission" and of the R.C. church it's "obedience."). Mr Romney's faith, however, has an all male defined priesthood with a church head that has some devine authority. Nothing like RC doctrine, eh? Ironically, both say they wish to help the poor and downtroden, it's just that they advocate such different policies to achieve these goals. That means that WE have to quit throwing stereotypes and start thinking and using that God given (if you believe) intelligence to do the best thing. This is important, not only for the USA, but, because we are the 800lb gorilla in the room, it affects everyone from Dublin to Dubai.
princessAA | Aug 22, 2012, 01:59 PM EDT
If you're undecided about Obama or Romney then you've all forgotten Jesus' message and you've forfeited any right to call yourself Catholic
Kevin Longan | Aug 22, 2012, 12:52 PM EDT
I think a lot of people were turned off by religion due to seeing hypocrisy and even experiencing pedophilia/sexual abuse at the hands of the so-called "shepherds" of their flocks. Maybe those are isolated incidents but it takes just a few apples to spoil the proverbial bunch; freedom of religion is a right we share, just as not believing is a right as well. Make your own choice and live with the consquences.
eiriamach | Aug 22, 2012, 12:02 PM EDT
DeanJackson, and forget about your conspiracy theories. These polls represent ex-members of various churches and denominations, and all have pretty much the same reasons for leaving and for rejecting "doctrine" and church "authority." Nothing to do with communists in the Vatican and everything to do with the behavior of churchmen and their followers at the parish and diocesan levels.
eiriamach | Aug 22, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT
DeanJackson, I doubt that anyone will reply to your rehashed Augustinian Neo-Platonic ideas about the existence of God. Failure of intellectual conviction is NOT the problem recorded in this poll. Do some research; read the Pew Forum surveys, which researchers analyze to understand why people are abandoning organized religion. A profound failure of moral authority in clergy and hierarchy, a crisis of legitimacy stemming from coverups and criminal-level corruption, the deterioration of houses of God into sloganeering political protest groups determined to subjugate women to papal doctrine, forays by bishops into courts and legislatures to impose their discredited--indeed widely rejected-- theology on the laws that govern us all, their obsession with lashing human sexuality up in rules and doctrines, subjecting women and LGBTs to inequality and discrimination, censorship of dissent, etc. You're doing your cause no good with your approach. Take a look around. "Church" has become to many, especially 18-29-year-olds, just a dangerous, fearsome mob tending toward tyranny. That's the situation these data represent. Try working on that, and forget about your "proofs."
Portia777 | Aug 22, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT
misneac Yes, be a good obedient little sheep, do as your told, do not question anything and believe you know what is on the other side of the veil. Oh one day you will find out how you were conned and groomed to believe the lies. But for the moment live in your illusion.You are the one who projected a crisis onto others here- remember, the mirror of Tem.
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 07:44 AM EDT
Nicomax, My Episcopal church here in the Washington, DC region of the USA is full of successful, bright, highly educated people with college and university degrees and many of them well-traveled having been to Europe and Asia, etc. Some are lawyers, foresters, one of the parishioners is employed at a prestigious scientific institution, etc. One is a man from Germany working at an very important agency in the USA ... FDA (Food and Drug Administration that does lab work toward food and drug labeling standards, etc). Many of my fellow parishioners are not only highly educated, talented and skilled people, but many of them are liberal in political belief. Showing that just because you are liberal, modern, up-to-date, highly educated and successful doesn't mean you don't want a faith tradition of some kind.
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 07:28 AM EDT
gordongoblin, Is drochsceal e sin. Eire gan chreideamh, Eire gan anam.
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 07:20 AM EDT
Cillowen, Simpli go leor a thuiscint.
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 07:15 AM EDT
I tried a program of spiritual starvation - atheism- and it was a failure. Here are people talking about proof of God's existence. God exists in the heart of good men and women and how they treat other people. And what exists in the hearts of good people can't be destroyed by the words of unbelievers. What is in the hearts of good people does not depend on the existence of a particular building and will survive the rejoicings, insults and sneerings, the attempts to destroy faith in others by logic of the unbeliever.
DrTrelawney | Aug 22, 2012, 06:58 AM EDT
Dean. What colour is the sky in your world? Even if the logic held up (which it doesn't) where is the verifiable evidence that the risen Jesus revealed his risen self to 2,000 witnesses. You can hardly view the bible as such.
curtisjohnson | Aug 21, 2012, 09:28 PM EDT
Presuming the article is accurate, it can be attributed to the spread of degenerate materialist doctrines from the anglo-sphere. Every great nation in history has had a solid spiritual underpinning to its society (Sumeria, Egypt, Greece, etc.).
mairint | Aug 21, 2012, 05:55 PM EDT
This is the sort of concocted 'news' that Irish Central loves to propagate. Never a positive, always the pathetic Irish. Are you ever there to go to Mass in rural towns I wonder. Whenever I go there there is plenty of activity, and even 'dropping in' to say a prayer during the day will always find someone else there already.
aloistmartin | Aug 21, 2012, 05:09 PM EDT
Ireland has regained The Shirt Off Its Back, but has lost its First Holy Communion, Pray For Us St. Christopher medallion ?
oldboreen | Aug 21, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT
The Gallup International Poll findings in Ireland are inconclusive. These Irish atheists, were they entirely Catholic atheists,or were some Protestant atheists? Only asking.
mayoman1 | Aug 21, 2012, 03:53 PM EDT
I'm always skeptical of polls but when the total adds up to 101% ... hmmm. There is of course a difference between atheism and just not going to church.
peterson | Aug 21, 2012, 03:36 PM EDT
When a country falls away from God and his teachings, the country will fall. Also, there will come a Day when the atheist will say, "Jesus, I really messed up".
nosoupforU | Aug 21, 2012, 03:36 PM EDT
I believe in a supreim being or entity I just don't believe in some snot nose kid with a collar to tell me all about it. Stephen IV dug up his predecessor Formoses in 800 something, put the corpse on trial, found him guilty and had his bones thrown in the Tiber. Suicide was declared a mortal sin in the 14th century during the plague in Europe because free serf labor was becoming hard to find. Oh and don't forget "we are going to burn you to death for the good of your soul" I was watching "Imus in the morning" this AM and he had on some kid who couldn't have been 30 yet who had the gall to tell me and the audience that "God wants me to be happy" that's what brought on this rant.
JohnnyMac | Aug 21, 2012, 03:22 PM EDT
I suspect its not as it seems. There are probably far more people just not saying what they practice or believe. You see with so much of the "troubles" having been painted "Protestant" vs "Catholic" more so than Loyalists vs Republicans, I suspect the great majority of people have already put it behind them with the hope of building a new and less violent future. Unfortunately, one way to "keep the trouble sleeping" is to not shout aloud your religious belief. Not sure, just what I think.
chicoirlandes | Aug 21, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT
Thank God im an Atheist !
Nicomax | Aug 21, 2012, 02:46 PM EDT
Just goes to show what becomes of a well-educated population. Similar results would be evident in the better-educated sections of the US.
misneac | Aug 21, 2012, 02:06 PM EDT
The smart alec comments of the likes of Brian Delaney and Gordongoblin will rapidly change when they face a crisis , then they all suddenly find God and ask for help ! I frequent a Catholic Church each week and do not see this fall off in numbers attending as a hostile media tries to report . The Catholic Church has established traditions ,beliefs and rules . Anyone who does not conform to these is free to leave and do their own thing . The fact that they dont obey the rules does not make the Church wrong for stating its own position and being expected to change to suit these people .I dont like all the traffic going from the airport ,the police are wrong in not allowing me to drive on the other side of the road so that I may get to my destination quicker . Very narrow minded and traditional these police , I should have the right to do my own thing according to my conscience ! By the way these polls are a load of crap with a bigoted agenda and will never achieve the desired result , namely the extinction of the Church .
cillowen | Aug 21, 2012, 01:36 PM EDT
without St Patrick's existance the Irish would have contributed little to the world - few would would know of them - their Eirhinn would've been long incorporated like Wales by their mother occupier. Simple enough to understand - eh what?
gordongoblin | Aug 21, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT
Great news for Ireland!
Ms.Gail | Aug 21, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT
A Fitzyboy, from your mouth to God's ear.
Fitzyboy | Aug 21, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
maybe now the Protestants & Catholics can bury the hatchet .. wishful thinking ..
eiriamach | Aug 21, 2012, 11:42 AM EDT
Please protect separation of church and state! These kinds of statistics make churchmen more determined than ever to exercise their influence through government, since they have lost direct influence over the people, who no longer flock into churches. Most RC churchmen believe "error [atheism and heterodoxy such as Protestantism] has no rights." The seminaries train many young men who mistook their arch-conservative politics for a divine call to the priesthood. They will try to use secular power to restore the influence of their religion. Just look at the craziness of the US presidential election campaign to see the lengths that churches will go to control the lives of women and LGBTs, the aged and disadvantaged and the schools that educate children. How many cases of censorship of liberal priests and nuns have you seen recently?--typical tactics of control. See Mirari Vos encyclical (On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism), 1832: "But the death of the soul is worse than freedom of error," as Augustine was wont to say. When all restraints are removed by which men are kept on the narrow path of truth, their nature, which is already inclined to evil, propels them to ruin." And if religion can't "save" you through the churches, it has other means at its disposal.
Nicopernicus | Aug 21, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT
When humanity,its poor,weak and those unable to self manage or regulate-discover that their incessant reliance on a higher power and the system it has created has directly corrupted their ability to be successful in life...God leaves the building.
Portia777 | Aug 21, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT
About time the patriarchal religion program was placed in the virus vault so we can be free from all that brainwashing and lies.
Mousemess | Aug 21, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT
briandelaney, Atheism? Been there, done that and finished with it. Our household has tried atheism and found it empty and lacking. Now our liberal Democratic household says "no thank you" to atheism.
briandelaney | Aug 21, 2012, 09:50 AM EDT
Good news for Ireland, superstition on the decline!