Buddhism’s Recent Decline in East Asia
Buddhism is the only major religion in the world with a falling number of adherents. The decline is especially pronounced in East Asia, including China, South Korea and Japan.
Religion
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5 facts about religion in South and Southeast Asia
Most people in all six South and Southeast Asian countries surveyed say they believe in God or unseen beings.
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Buddhism, Islam and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia
In Thailand, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, more than 90% of Buddhists see strong links between their religion and country. In the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, nearly all Muslims say being Muslim is important to being truly part of their nation.
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Why some Americans prefer to go to religious services in person and others prefer to watch virtually
Some 17% of U.S. adults regularly attend religious services in person and watch them online or on TV.
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Chinese Communist Party promotes atheism, but many members still partake in religious customs
Despite the Chinese Communist Party’s ban on religion, some 6% of party members formally identify with a religion.
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Is China a religious country or not? It’s a tricky question to answer
Based on formal religious identity, China is the least religious country in the world – with just 10% of Chinese adults self-identifying with a religion.
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Measuring Religion in China
Only one-in-ten Chinese adults formally identify with a religion, but surveys indicate that religion plays a much bigger role in China when the definition is widened to include questions on spirituality, customs and traditional beliefs.
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Many Americans report interacting with dead relatives in dreams or other ways
46% of Americans report that they’ve been visited by a dead family member in a dream, while 31% report having been visited by dead relatives in some other form.
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The U.S. is not widely seen as highly religious
A modest share of people around the world see the United States as more religious than other wealthy nations – despite considerable evidence that it is.
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One-in-six Americans have taken steps to see less of someone on social media due to religious content
17% of U.S. adults have unfollowed, unfriended, blocked or changed their settings to see less of someone on social media because of religious content the person posted or shared.
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Freedom of speech and LGBT rights: Americans’ views of issues in Supreme Court case
60% of Americans think business owners should not have to provide services if it might signal support for beliefs on LGBT issues that they oppose.
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Signature Reports
Religion Holds Steady in America
Analysis of our polls and other data shows no clear evidence of a religious revival among young adults. Read more about religiousness by age and gender.
Many Religious ‘Nones’ Around the World Hold Spiritual Beliefs
Many religious “nones,” which include atheists and agnostics, in 22 countries hold religious or spiritual beliefs, such as in an afterlife or something beyond the natural world.
Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off
After years of decline, the U.S. Christian share now shows signs of leveling off. The new Religious Landscape Study explores trends in identity, beliefs and practices.
Key Findings From the Global Religious Futures Project
The Global Religious Futures (GRF) project is jointly funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The John Templeton Foundation. Here are some big-picture findings from the GRF, together with context from other Pew Research Center studies.
