A NEW survey of people of different faiths across the globe has found
that the world is divided over tolerance between religions, and the
benefits of globalisation.
Only half of the more than 18,000 respondents thought that
religion was a force for good, and this was far more likely to be the
dominant view in Muslim countries than in Christian countries.
The survey was carried out by an Ipsos MORI poll.
The former
prime minister Tony Blair, who now runs his own Faith Foundation, spoke
at the launch of the survey this week.
Mr Blair said that he was not surprised at the findings: “People
of faith can be either a force for good or a force for evil. The polling
result, opinion almost equally divided, is telling. It shows how
difficult it is to put the good and the bad on the scales and to weigh
one against the other.”
He said that it would be the challenge of the 21st century for
religion to bring people together in shared action, as happened in the
Make Poverty History campaign.
“One way or another, globalisation is
going to bring them into ever closer contact. There are powerful forces
pushing them into division and enmity.”
In Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, more than 90 per cent thought that
religion provided the common values necessary to allow society to
thrive. In the UK, however, just 29 per cent thought that.
Sweden scored
the lowest, at just 19 per cent.
Asked about the prospect of religious or ethnic conflict breaking
out in their own country, many respondents were very worried. In
Turkey, South Africa, and Hungary, respondents thought that there was
more than a 70-per-cent chance that conflict would happen.
In the UK,
respondents rated the chance of conflict at 43 per cent.
When asked about whether their own religion was the only true
path to salvation, results were mixed, dependent on country and faith.
In Saudi Arabia, 75 per cent agreed with this; in the UK, however, just
nine per cent agreed with the statement.
When results were broken down by religion, 29 per cent of Hindus
said that while their faith was the only source of ultimate truth,
others might still be saved. Only 22 per cent of Muslims and Christians
agreed with this statement.
Respondents in Muslim countries were more
likely to say that their faith was the only true path to salvation.
The importance of faith or religion in people’s lives varied
widely by country: 100 per cent saying that it was important in Saudi
Arabia, 99 per cent in Indonesia, and 97 per cent in Brazil.
At the
other end of the scale, 52 per cent said that it was important in the
UK, with the lowest figure being recorded in France and Sweden, both at
41 per cent.
When the same question was broken down by faith groups, 94 per
cent of Muslims said that it was important, compared with 86 per cent of
Hindus, and 66 per cent of Christians.
When asked about globalisation, there was a clear link between
those who thought it was a good thing, and countries that had benefited
with strong economic growth rate in the past 12 months.
Accordingly,
respondents in countries such as China and India were most in favour of
globalisation, and those in France the least supportive.
Mr Blair said: “Globalisation creates winners and losers. The point is, there are many more winners than losers.”