Data diviners urge Aussies to keep faith in census and ignore digital crusades

The AgeIndependentCenter4 hr. ago

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has called on Australians to answer the religion question in the upcoming census accurately, amid growing online debates over whether individuals should identify as having 'no religion' or adhere to specific faiths. Social media platforms have seen conflicting campaigns: one led by religious groups encouraging people to declare their faith, and another by secular advocates promoting the option of 'no religion.' The ABS emphasized that the question aims to measure religious affiliation, not religious activity, and that responses like 'no religion' are valid. Historical data shows a significant rise in Australians identifying as non-religious, with nearly 42% stating they have no religion in the 2021 census. The ABS also debunked claims that Judaism was removed from the list of recognized religions, clarifying that it has always been an available option.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the debate, religious groups advocating for faith identification and secular advocates pushing for 'no religion', without overtly favoring either side. While the ABS is portrayed as a neutral authority, the framing leans slightly toward emphasizing accuracy and the '

The Sydney Morning HeraldIndependentCenter4 hr. ago

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has called on Australians to answer the religion question in the upcoming census accurately, amid growing online debates between secular advocates and religious groups. Social media platforms have seen conflicting campaigns: one encouraging people to select 'no religion' and another promoting traditional faiths like Catholicism and Islam. The ABS emphasized that the census question aims to measure religious affiliation, not religious activity, and allows responses such as 'secular' or 'no religion'. While the religion question has been part of the census since 1911, recent claims that Judaism was removed from the list of recognized religions have been debunked by the ABS. The debate highlights broader societal shifts in religious identity, with non-religious identification rising significantly over the past decade.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both secular and religious perspectives without overtly favoring either side. It reports on the controversy surrounding the census religion question, quoting the ABS and mentioning both the 'be counted' campaign led by various faith groups and the 'Not religious? Mark no宗教' push