In the 2021 Australian Census, nearly 40% of Australians (38.9%) reported having "no religion," making it the second-largest group after Christianity, with Christianity declining to 43.9%. This marks a significant increase from 30.1% in 2016 and 22.3% in 2011, indicating a growing secular trend in the country.
Religion in Australia is diverse. In the 2021 national census, 43.9% of Australians identified with Christianity and 38.9% declared "no religion".
Atheists are between 4% and 7% of American adults. Agnostics make up between 4 and 5% of the adult population. A growing proportion of people appear to be reporting no religious affiliation on surveys. The percentage of Americans without religious affiliation, often labeled as "Nones", is between 22 and 31%.
There are sections of society at pains to point out that the separation of Church and State is enshrined under Section 116 of the Australian Constitution. Put simply this means that there is no official religion established by the state for the citizens of this country.
In 1947, “religious nones” represented less than 1% of the Australian population. This percentage increased to 6.7% in 1971, 16.6% in 1996, and 38.9% in 2021 – with the percentage having more than doubled in the last two decades alone.
Whilst atheism has been prominent in our culture for some time – be it through Karl Marx, George Eliot, or Ricky Gervais – it is only now that atheists have begun to outnumber theists for the first time in our history."
Relative to its own populations, Zuckerman ranks the top five countries with the highest possible ranges of atheists and agnostics: Sweden (46–85%), Vietnam (81%), Denmark (43–80%), Norway (31–72%), and Japan (64–65%).
Atheism, agnosticism, scepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general irreligion are increasing in Australia. Post-war Australia has become a highly secularised country. Religion does not play a major role in the lives of much of the population.
No, Australia is not 90% white; while a large majority identify with European ancestry (around 76-80% in recent years), a significant and growing portion identifies as Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or Indigenous, making it a highly multicultural nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, not overwhelmingly white. Recent census data shows European ancestry (English, Irish, etc.) makes up a large chunk, but Asian ancestries are also substantial, with over 17% Asian population and around 3.8% identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, per the 2021 census data from Wikipedia.
This group includes people who in surveys and censuses answer a religious identity question by saying they do not have any religion or that they are atheist or agnostic. Between 2010 and 2020, religiously unaffiliated people grew more than any group except Muslims.
Christianity is the world's largest religion by number of followers, with over 2.4 billion adherents, followed closely by Islam, with nearly 2 billion, and then Hinduism and Buddhism, with billions and hundreds of millions, respectively, though Islam is projected to grow faster and potentially overtake Christianity in the coming decades, according to reports from organizations like the Pew Research Center.
Most democracies protect the freedom of religion or belief, and it is largely implied in respective legal systems that those who do not believe or observe any religion are allowed freedom of thought.
Gen Z's turn toward Christianity reflects a desire for stability, community, and meaning in uncertain times.
Based on the 2021 Australian Census, Hinduism was the fastest-growing religion by percentage increase, with its adherents growing by 148.2% between 2011 and 2021, while Islam and Sikhism also saw significant growth, and the largest group remained those with "No Religion".
Happiness is deeply personal and endlessly diverse.
And many, without any religious belief at all, find it in the simple act of living. Atheists are no exception. Like everyone else, they laugh, love, create, explore, and grow. Their happiness is not missing something — it's just rooted elsewhere.
Following Finland, in the top five, are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. And it just so happens that all of them are among the most secular/least religious nations on Earth. All of these top-five happiest nations have experienced dramatic degrees of secularization over the last century.
Agnostic/Atheist
By the time he entered politics he was a self-described agnostic. Julia Gillard (2010–2013); as brought up in the Baptist tradition, but is an atheist. In a 2010 interview, when asked if she believed in God, she stated: "No, I don't ... I'm not a religious person ...
A focus on ritual over relationship, dogma over discipleship, and performance over presence can leave believers feeling disillusioned and disheartened. One of the core reasons people step away from the church (and some, even their faith in Christ) is the gap between the promises made and their fulfillment.
Donald Trump identifies as a nondenominational Christian, having previously been associated with Presbyterianism and influenced by Norman Vincent Peale's "positive thinking," though his faith journey includes shifting affiliations and a strong connection with evangelical Christians, with recent statements emphasizing a stronger faith after a life-threatening event. While raised Presbyterian and attending church as a child, he declared himself nondenominational in 2020, yet his religious identity is complex, drawing from various Christian influences and appealing to a broad base of Christian supporters, including Christian nationalists.
Currently, China, North Korea, and Vietnam, are officially atheist. Cuba was an atheist state until 2019, when a change in its constitution declared it a secular state.
Atheism is prohibited in Saudi Arabia and can come with a death penalty, if one is charged as an atheist.
Atheism is often considered acceptable within Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism in India.
The latest census results are out and the number of Australians who selected “no religion” has risen again to 38.9%, up from 30.1% in 2016. This makes them the second-largest “religious group” after Christians, who make up 43.9% of the population, down from 52.1% in 2016.