Irreligious Australia and loneliness
Compared to deeply religious cultures where an extended family and a sense of community often exists, secular countries are often lonelier societies.
After WWII, Australia has become a very secular country.[2] See also: Irreligion in Australia
According to the Sydney Morning Herald:
| “ | Australia is one of the least devout countries in the Western world, although two-thirds of its population identifies itself as Christian, an international survey comparing religious expression in 21 countries has found.
Religion does not play a central part in the lives of many Australians: 48 per cent of Australians surveyed said they did not partake in personal prayer and 52 per cent said they rarely attended a place of worship for religious reasons.[3] |
” |
In the 2011 Australian census, 22.3% of Australians (or 4,796,787 people) identified themselves as having "no religion" which was more than 3 percent higher (and 1,090,232 people more) than in the 2006 census and was the second largest category.[4] Another 2.014 million (9.4%) were in the "not-stated or inadequately-defined" category: thus more than 31% of Australians did not state a religious affiliation in the 2011 census.[5]
Australia and loneliness
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in 2015:
| “ | About one third of Australians suffer from the sorrow of loneliness.
The deep ache of loneliness doesn't just affect us emotionally. It has a very real impact on our physical health. So much so that a new study of three million people has found that loneliness is as much of a threat to longevity as obesity.[6] |
” |
In 2012, the Sydney Morning Herald declared:
| “ | Yet, with almost a quarter of Australians living alone it is all too easy to live a lonely life.
This study last year found 35 per cent of Australian men and 29 per cent of Australian women report that loneliness is a serious problem for them.[7] |
” |
In 2012, the Sydney Morning Herald also reported that "Many Australians are profoundly lonely and continue to be so for long periods of time."[8] According to David Baker of the Australia Institute, 3 out of 10 Australians have experienced loneliness in the last 10 years.[9]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Many Australians are profoundly lonely and continue to be so for long periods of time. David Baker says help may be just around the corner
- ↑ Stephanie Painter, Vivienne Ryan and Bethany Hiatt, (15 June 2010). "Australians losing the faith". Newspaper. West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 15 June 2010
- ↑ God's OK, it's just the religion bit we don't like
- ↑ 2011 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics (30 October 2012). Retrieved on 2013-02-25.
- ↑ Irreligion in Ausralia
- ↑ Why the lonely stay lonely, Sydney Morning Herald
- ↑ Loneliness: a 'substitution fantasy' gone wrong, Sydney Morning Herald, Date May 3, 2012
- ↑ Many Australians are profoundly lonely and continue to be so for long periods of time. David Baker says help may be just around the corner
- ↑ Many Australians are profoundly lonely and continue to be so for long periods of time. David Baker says help may be just around the corner
