Latest Survey Results: Full of Faith? Your Religious Beliefs Summary

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Report on Full of Faith? Your Religious Beliefs

Smart girls decide for themselves™.

This survey was posted in June of 2008 and asked you SmartGirls all sorts of questions about your religious beliefs. Three hundred twenty of you took this survey - 297 girls, 12 boys and 11 who didn't care to share a gender. Most of you were within the 11 - 16 age range, and you all told us that you're from all over the world. In fact, you came from 35 different countries.

Quick Trends

How religious do you consider yourselves? We couldn't find a trend here - you span the scale from not religious at all to very religious.

SmartGirls are most likely to attend an event associated with their faith every week, but large numbers of you also go monthly and yearly. Nineteen of you go every day, while 71 of you said you never go.

What religion do you consider yourself a member of?

The largest number of respondents indicated you practice Christianity.

The largest number of respondents said you practice the same religion as both of your parents.

In general, you don't practice your religion because your parents make you. Only 47 of you indicated you're practicing because of your parental unit.

The majority of you believe the religious beliefs you have now are the religious beliefs you'll have for the rest of your life.

How much would you like to explore and try out other religions or beliefs?

Exploring other religious beliefs isn't the top priority on many of your lists.

Only 49 of you said you wouldn't be willing to date someone with different religious beliefs as you, though 148 of you said your family would have some kind of problem with you dating someone with different religious beliefs.

The vast majority of you believe in a higher being (like God or Allah, in some religions) and an afterlife.

If a friend told you they didn't believe in a higher being, the majority of you indicated you would ask them why but you wouldn't try to change their mind.

Can you not believe in a higher being but still be religious? According to 107 of you, this is possible, while 86 don't think so. Another 117 think this might be possible, but aren't sure.

Most of you told us people in your community are very or somewhat accepting of other religions and people with different beliefs, and the majority of you believe everyone should be more accepting of other religions and people with different beliefs.

Your Words: Describe Your Religious Beliefs

~ "They cover every aspect of my life, of the State, and as humankind as a whole; how you should treat others, how you should respect other people's beliefs, and how a government should rule. It is very sad that people are too narrow-minded to base a whole religion by a veil (by the way, it makes perfect sense) and not realise that Islam is a very peaceful religion, which understands Man's needs and intincts."
~ "I'm a Christian. I follow the Bible, though, so some of my beliefs are different from mainstream Christians. Nobody I know (except for my family) follow these beliefs: We follow Kosher rules in the Old Testament, keep the Saturday Sabbath, and keep the Holy Days that Jesus kept (ie. Feast of Tabernacles, not Christmas)."
~ "I had never been really religious until not very long ago. A lot of things happened in my life, and I felt like I needed help, help that only God could give me. So I started praying and believing in Him a lot more. Although I still have disagreements with many of the political and social statements made by the Church, they do not pull me away from God, and I consider myself a Christian. I am happy. :)"
~ "My family are not religious, and I thank them for it. Too many parents are forcing their kids to believe things that they believe, and that's not right. My parents are faintly Christian, but they've let me choose my own religious beliefs."
~ "I choose to believe in Christianity because it gives me closure, but I don't believe it whole heartedly.
I also believe that religion causes too much conflict throughout the world, and people should be more accepting of others' beliefs."
~ "I love the Lord thy God with all my heart. I know that God exists and I am ready to share my faith. I am Catholic. I am a Christian."
~ "Not RELIGIOUS in the very slightest. I am SPIRITUAL, not freaking RELIGIOUS."
~ "I don't neccesarily believe in God, but I know I want to. Technically, I'm Christian, but I've attended church once with a friend. I don't know exactly what to believe, but I live hearing everyone else's opinions."
~ "I believe in rebirth, karma... and I have to say that Buddhism is not a religion, it is just a way of thinking and a philosophy for life."

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us!

Please remember that all web-based polls are not scientific because the pollsters cannot randomly select the respondents to participate in the surveys.