At the up and coming 5 yearly census questionnaire in Australia on July 9, the question about your religion is optional (the only question that is).
However, the Atheist Foundation of Australia is urging Australians who are not inclined to practise a religion to answer the question anyway and tick "no religion" (http://ift.tt/1TKReiI). (More controversially, they are urging Australians to declare that their children have no religion since that is their "default" position regardless of what they or their parents believe.
Their purported reason is that a large "no religion" response would pressure the government to reduce the "tax exempt" status of churches and get more revenue. To that end, they are urging those who might say "Jedi" or "Santa Claus" (or some other joke religion) to tick "no religion" instead since those answers don't add towards the "no religion" count.
Needless to say, this campaign is generating some criticism - even from atheist commentators. (I will discount the "it will Islamicize Australia" arguments). The chief criticism is that the "no religion" option doesn't distinguish between people who merely don't practise religion and those who don't believe in it. It would have those who were unsure of their beliefs declare themselves as unbelievers (or be seen to be doing so). The Atheist Foundation is even arguing that if you don't subscribe to the Nicene Creed then you can't call yourself Christian so you should tick "no religion".
I would say that if none of the options on the religion question truly match what you think then you should avoid answering the question.
Here is how it is being reported in News.com.au: http://ift.tt/2aKirVA
And here is an opinion piece from an Anglican minister (I am not Anglican): http://ift.tt/2aKjxkc
However, the Atheist Foundation of Australia is urging Australians who are not inclined to practise a religion to answer the question anyway and tick "no religion" (http://ift.tt/1TKReiI). (More controversially, they are urging Australians to declare that their children have no religion since that is their "default" position regardless of what they or their parents believe.
Their purported reason is that a large "no religion" response would pressure the government to reduce the "tax exempt" status of churches and get more revenue. To that end, they are urging those who might say "Jedi" or "Santa Claus" (or some other joke religion) to tick "no religion" instead since those answers don't add towards the "no religion" count.
Needless to say, this campaign is generating some criticism - even from atheist commentators. (I will discount the "it will Islamicize Australia" arguments). The chief criticism is that the "no religion" option doesn't distinguish between people who merely don't practise religion and those who don't believe in it. It would have those who were unsure of their beliefs declare themselves as unbelievers (or be seen to be doing so). The Atheist Foundation is even arguing that if you don't subscribe to the Nicene Creed then you can't call yourself Christian so you should tick "no religion".
I would say that if none of the options on the religion question truly match what you think then you should avoid answering the question.
Here is how it is being reported in News.com.au: http://ift.tt/2aKirVA
And here is an opinion piece from an Anglican minister (I am not Anglican): http://ift.tt/2aKjxkc
via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/2av5pdO
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