We previously reported on a study that involved both the United States and the U.K. that stated that half of those surveyed in both regions believed in ghosts and the paranormal.
Recently a similar analysis has arisen that focuses on British people that identify as part of the Christian religion and the results while not too shocking do show a change in the belief systems in the Western world.
The analysis was published on YouGov on March 26th and focused on YouGov profiles of twelve-thousand users who identify with the Christian religion and a control group of Thirty-nine-thousand British subjects to represent the overall population.
Results are rather interesting as there seems to be in the data a definite push away from traditional religion as well as showing a sample of how the British feel about ghosts and other paranormal activity, in relation to one of the largest Western faiths.
Among the most interesting stats regarding religion is that the lines between those that believe in the Christian ways that dominated a large chunk of the past in that country are almost split right down the middle with those that might identify as atheists. Forty-six percent said they identified with some form of Christianity while forty-six percent claimed no religious beliefs at all while eight percent represented all other religions.
The analysis also contained data related to the paranormal, when they compared a belief in god, along with some other staples of the Christian faith, such as angels and the devil, with paranormal fare such as ghosts and ideas that are frowned on by Christianity, such as magic, reincarnation and UFOs.
Interesting comparisons are endless, such as the fact those involved believe less in the devil and the hell he may rule less then ghosts, UFOs and psychic powers.
The leaders in each category of belief and non-belief are also very telling.
Magic and the devil are the least believed in followed by the concept of hell, heaven and a creator.
The most believed in are some form of an afterlife, fate, heaven, a creator and an everlasting soul.
YouGov quite rightly connects the leaders in each category with our fear and fascination with the mystery of death, as it makes sense for us to want to believe in a life after this one or an everlasting soul and very little in hell or the devil, or essentially punishment for our possibly less then stellar behavior on Earth.
Sadly, I am kind of shocked and disappointed by the ‘middle of the road’ placement of belief in UFOs and alien life, mostly because if we look at scientific fact, the size of the universe and recent scientific discoveries, we are being kind of obtuse. I know there are some crazy UFO people out there, but it is more than possible that we are not alone in the universe as a sentient being.
–Thomas Spychalski
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(Via YouGov)
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