Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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3. Religious beliefs
About half or more in all countries surveyed believe magic influences people’s lives
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- 3. Religious beliefs
- Thai, Cambodian adults least likely to believe in God
- Muslims generally say Islam is the one true faith; Hindus most likely to say many religions can be true
- Large majorities in Malaysia, Sri Lanka believe in the evil eye
- About half or more in all countries surveyed believe magic influences people’s lives
- Sri Lankan Buddhists especially likely to place great importance on making merit
- Belief in karma common among Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians
- Roughly half of Cambodians say they have changed their fate by performing rituals
- Most in every religious community think fate exists
- People more likely to feel protected than attacked by unseen powers
- Belief in angels more common than belief in demons
- No more than a quarter of Buddhists are absolutely certain about the existence of unseen beings
- Adults with more schooling generally are more likely to believe in unseen beings
- Most Buddhists think unseen beings exist
- Most Muslims ‘absolutely certain’ in their belief in God
- Women more likely to believe in God in most countries surveyed