Author: Tim Spanton
Publication: The Sun
Date: September 13, 2003
URL: http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,5-2003412190,00.html
YOGA is taking over from God for
many people.
Britons are abandoning churches
in droves, replacing traditional religion with activities that focus on
themselves.
But most people still believe in
something, a poll revealed yesterday.
Six out of ten of us believe in
God and increasing numbers find Jesus inspirational, thanks to a rise in
evangelical Christianity.
Islam and alternative ideas such
as New Age spirituality are also expanding.
Pollsters Mori interviewed 1,001
people for the fifth anniversary of BBC1's Heaven And Earth Show.
They found a country in which almost
half the population could not name any of the four New Testament Gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
But 60 per cent knew the Koran is
Islam's sacred text.
The programme claims there are 750,000
practising Muslims in the UK and a million practising Christians.
A spokesman for the show - hosted
by Philippa Forrester and Ross Kelly - said: "The rise of the consumer
society and a greater emphasis on individual experience have challenged
traditional worship.
"The outlook for traditional Christianity
is bleak. But it's different elsewhere. Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and Buddhists
remain sizeable groups and New Age beliefs are now mainstream.
"For many, reflexology, reiki spiritual
healing, yoga and crystal healing are part of everyday life."
Church attendance is falling by
one per cent a year. If the trend continues, parish churches could be empty
by 2050.
The poll found four out of ten of
those asked fear terrorism or war.
Family, health, money and the environment
are all major worries for at least 26 per cent.
But 52 per cent believe in heaven,
40 per cent believe in guardian angels and 38 per cent believe in ghosts.
Many of us look to famous figures
for inspiration.
Thirteen per cent named Princess
Diana as inspiring and 20 per cent chose Nelson Mandela.
Fifty-six per cent of us say our
parents have had the most influence on our lives.
Just five per cent find celebrities
or politicians influential.
Some of us think past lives also
influence us - 23 per cent believe in reincarnation but only one in ten
says they know it has happened to them.
The biggest influence of all is
our own experience of life, cited by 62 per cent.