Starting Monday the 25th we will be running sponsored radio adverts asking people to Tick No Religion during Timesaver Traffic Reports on Newstalk, Classic Hits, Coast, ZM, Radio Sport, Hauraki, Flava. RadioLive will be running adverts from Wednesday through to Census Day. Listen to the Advert.
Sponsors
NZARH |
Humanist Society |
Atheist Bus Campaign |
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What are we doing?
We are asking non religious people to accurately record their religious status in the census by recommending that they tick “no religion”.
In the past, many non-religious people treated this census question with derision and made cynical responses, such as entering their affiliation as “Jedi”, and these responses were not recorded in a manner that accurately reflected the numbers of non-religious New Zealanders. In other cases, people who do not practice religion, but were raised in a religious context (e.g. so-called “Cultural Christians”), recorded their status inaccurately by ticking a religious affiliation that does not reflect their current beliefs.
Our organization represents the interests of non-religious people, and as such we recommend that New Zealanders accurately record their religious affiliation, or lack of it, because the census figures are taken in to consideration by our councils, planners, and law makers.
We stand for an open and secular society, a significant aspect of that is the removal of privilege, taxpayer support, and ratepayer support, for the advancement of religion.
By encouraging non-religious New Zealanders to accurately record their religious affiliation, we empower the case to rectify the unfair situation wherein the non-religious are compelled to support, what many of us regard as “creepy” religious organizations, through our taxes and rates.
We do not seek to ban or remove religion, we want a fair society wherein people are free to practice all religions, as well as non-belief, by encouraging a separation of church and state.
John Murphy, President NZARH
Messages
Last Census I ticked my parents religion, but I don’t share their religion
Some people tick the same religion as their parents. The question about religion is not about your cultural origins, but your beliefs.
I was baptized as a child, but I never went to Church.
Some people misunderstand the question to mean what religion they were baptized as. This is not the case. You should indicate which religion you are an active believer in. If you do not actively believe in a religion tick no religion.
We did CRE at school, but I didn’t really buy the stories.
You may have been sent to a school with religious classes. The instructors may have come from a specific religion. If you do not have a belief in what was taught tick no religion.
I don’t really go to Church anymore. I’m just not very religious.
While people can be religious and not attend services of any kind it may indicate that you don’t really believe in religion anymore. If not tick no religion.
In 2006 I was a Jedi. This time I will stand by Reason.
Writing in ‘Jedi’ was a protest against the relevance of religion. Tick no religion and join those resisting special treatment and tax payer funding for religion.