A question of religion in census 2016

Sir, – Ours isn’t a Christian country.

As a committed member of the Church of Ireland, I can assure your readers that fewer than 126,400 people regularly attend our services in this State – even in Holy Week.

One close friend of mine attends RC Mass and he doesn’t report 3,729,100 packing out their ceremonies either, or embracing that denomination’s social teaching.

The census ought to ask whether someone regularly attends a faith-based meeting and, if not, what best informs their world-view or value-set.

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The Enlightenment? Humanism? Atheism? Secularism?

Asking a person the nominal “religion” of their family background makes about as much sense as asking someone what was No 1 in the charts on the day they were born. – Yours, etc,

RONAN SCANLAN,

Leopardstown,

Dublin 18.