Vampires in Twilight

Posted on July 25, 2010 by Clive D. Field

Vampires have been in the news a fair bit recently, mainly thanks to the release on 9 July in the UK of Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third motion picture adapted from the Twilight series of vampire-based fantasy romance novels by the American writer Stephenie Meyer, and published between 2005 and 2008.

The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. In Britain, according to a YouGov poll conducted online among a sample of 2,469 between 11 and 13 May this year, 12% of all adults claim to have read at least parts of the Twilight books. They appeal most to the 18-34s (19%) and women (16%).

However, Meyer’s novels are dwarfed in popularity by J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, which 38% of the population seem to have read. Of those who have read both series, five times as many people prefer Harry Potter to Twilight. For the full results of this poll, see

http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Life-books-13.05.10.pdf

A second YouGov poll, on 29-30 June with a sample of 2,138, asked a somewhat tighter question about the readership of the Twilight novels. On this occasion, 9% of adults said that they had read at least one of the four titles, rising to 23% of the 18-24s, 13% of the 25-39s and 12% of women.

Many more, 21%, reported that they had seen either or both of the first two Twilight films, released in 2008 and 2009, including 45% of the 18-24s and 32% of the 25-39s. 8% of all respondents (but 24% of the 18-24s) said that they would see the third film at the cinema, 14% intended to wait until it is released on DVD and 66% indicated they would not watch the film at all.

Of those who had read at least one of the books and watched at least one of the films, 55% preferred the books to the films, 15% the films to the books, and 28% liked both equally. Among the same sub-sample, asked to choose between the characters in the films, 44% wanted to be a vampire, 16% a werewolf and 34% neither.

More generally, 53% in this second YouGov survey picked a favourite vampire-based film or television programme, including seven-tenths of the under-40s, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Lost Boys and Blade very popular, in addition to Twilight. For the full list, see

http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Life-Twighlight-300610.pdf

Do these findings tell us anything about alternative religion, especially among the young whose rejection of much traditional religion is well documented? Are they really indicative of the numbers who believe in vampires in the dictionary sense of ghosts or reanimated bodies who leave their graves at night and suck the blood of sleeping persons? Or is this more about a craving for exciting fantasy far removed from the monotony and anxieties of everyday life?

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Child Abuse and the Catholic Church

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Clive D. Field

There have already been a couple of BRIN news posts reporting British public attitudes to the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests and alleged cover-ups thereof. ‘Pope Benedict on the Back Foot’ (20 April) featured a YouGov poll undertaken on 12-14 April. ‘Ongoing Public Relations Problems for the Vatican’ (30 May) dealt with a Harris Interactive survey from 27 April to 4 May.

Now, buried among the pre-general election political opinion polls conducted by Populus for The Times, BRIN has unearthed three further questions touching on the abuse issue. They were put to a half-sample (of 742 adult Britons aged 18 and over) interviewed by telephone on 6 April 2010. The data tabulations, including breaks by demographics, will be found on pages 62-65 of the following document:

http://populuslimited.com/uploads/download_pdf-060410-The-Times-The-Times-Poll—April-2010.pdf

Asked whether the Catholic Church had responded appropriately to the evidence of abuse by some priests, 65% said that it had not, compared with just 20% who thought that it had handled the matter adequately. The number holding a negative view rose to 73% among those aged 45-64 and the AB social group (upper, professional and higher managerial classes) and to 76% for Liberal Democrats.

78% agreed that the Catholic Church should give a fuller and clearer apology to the children who were abused, against 14% who disagreed. Most in favour of a better apology were Scots (81%), the over-65s (82%), the ABs (83%) and Liberal Democrats (89%). 

Still more, 87%, were convinced that any senior figures in the Church who knew about the abuse of children by priests and helped to cover it up should resign. Only 6% disagreed. A figure of 90% was recorded for the 18-24s, the 45-54s and Midlanders, with 95% for Liberal Democrats.

Although none of the Populus questions specifically enmeshed the Pope, in striking contrast to the YouGov and Harris polls, there can be little doubt that next month’s papal visit to Britain will be overshadowed by the abuse scandal to some extent.

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Statistics of Catholic Religious Life

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Clive D. Field

The National Office for Vocation of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has recently published the executive report and appendices for a study of Religious Life in England and Wales undertaken on behalf of the Compass Project, which is sponsored by a group of Roman Catholic Religious Orders and Congregations.

These documents contain some interesting new statistics about the ministry of vocations. They derive from a survey sent out this year to all 1,465 Roman Catholic religious houses in England and Wales. They represent 310 congregations of which 68% replied.

The report and appendices can be found at:

http://www.vocationevents.com/documents/ReligiousLifeExec.pdf

http://www.vocationevents.com/documents/Appendices1-3.pdf

For all the women’s congregations combined average annual entrants for the period 1999-2009 were 22, with a 60% average retention rate. For men’s congregations entrants numbered 14.5 each year, with 61% retention.

Only 3% of female and 8% of male religious were under 40 years of age, while 87% and 69% respectively were over 60. The latter figures included 49% of the women and 23% of the men who were over 80.

Both sets of data are disaggregated by vocations to contemplative and apostolic ministries, as well as by gender.

Appendix III contains a somewhat speculative calculation of the number of discerners, unmarried Catholics under 30 considering the possibility of a religious vocation, who went on to enter formation to the religious life.

From an objective standpoint, the statistics seem bleak, seemingly pointing to the eventual disappearance of the religious life in England and Wales. However, the tone of the report and associated press coverage (for example, Catholic Herald, 16 July) is far from being consistently downbeat.

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Battle of the Burka

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Clive D. Field

As might have been expected, the recent near-unanimous vote by the lower house of the French Parliament in favour of a ban on the wearing of full-face veils in public has prompted a further test of popular opinion on the subject in Britain, the fourth this year.

The survey was commissioned by Channel 5 News from YouGov. Fieldwork took place online between 14 and 16 July, among a representative sample of 2,205 adult Britons aged 18 and over. Computer tabulations of results are available at:

http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Pol-Channel5-burkhas-160710.pdf

Following a lengthy explanation about what the burka actually is, just one question was put to respondents: ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “The burkha should be completely banned in Britain.”’

In other words, unlike other surveys, the question was not qualified by an explicit reference to a ban on wearing the garment in public.

In response, 67% of the total sample agreed with a ban on the burka (42% strongly and 25% somewhat), 27% disagreed and 6% had no opinion.

Support for a ban rose steadily with age, from just 46% among the 18-24s (with an identical proportion opposed) to 80% for those who were 55 and over. Figures for the intervening cohorts were: 55% for the 25-34s, 65% for the 35-44s and 71% for the 45-54s.

Other sub-groups among whom support for a ban exceeded 70% were: manual workers (71%), residents of the North of England and Wales (71% each), married persons (74%), the widowed (73%) and retired people (83%).

Disregarding the nuances of question-wording, approval of some form of ban on the burka has edged up in Britain from 52% in January to 57% in February to 62% in April-May to 67% in July.

Whatever the strength of public opinion, and notwithstanding the private member’s bill tabled by Philip Hollobone (Conservative MP for Kettering) which would make it illegal for anybody to cover their face in public, prospects for an early ban on the burka in Britain seem remote.

Damian Green, Immigration Minister in the Coalition Government, has stated recently that a ban on the burka would be ‘a rather un-British thing’, running contrary to the conventions of ‘a tolerant and mutually respectful society’.

Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has made a staunch defence of a woman’s right to wear the burka, on the grounds of freedom, even describing the garment as ‘empowering’.

It is likewise interesting to note that the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament has just declined to follow France’s lead, rejecting the ban by 183 votes to 162. However, the lower house of the Belgian Parliament has voted in favour of a ban.

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Why Christians Give

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Clive D. Field

Most church leaders dislike talking about the need to give money, according to a newly-published survey on Christian giving. They tend to sweep financial issues under the carpet and fail to preach inspiring sermons on the subject of generosity. As a result, churchgoers are being given mixed messages by their ministers and churches are at risk of losing out on large amounts of potential giving. The same is often true of Christian charities.

The survey concerned was undertaken by Redina Kolaneci, Senior Fundraising and Stewardship Consultant with the Christian consulting group McConkey Johnston International UK, in partnership with the Evangelical Alliance, and among a random sample of 2,000 of the Alliance’s members in August-September 2009. The research was sponsored by Kingdom Bank, Trinity Wealth Management and David Potter Design.

The full statistical findings of the study are reported in Why Christians Give: Understanding the Hearts and Minds of 21st Century Evangelical Donors. This is available (price £43.95, inclusive of postage and packing) from McConkey Johnston International UK, 45 Maidenburgh Street, Colchester, CO1 1UB. However, a more qualitative four-page summary can be downloaded free from:

http://www.mcconkey-johnston.co.uk/files/u2/report_review__2_.pdf

In spite of the apparent timidity of their ministers, and the negative impact of the recession (which has reduced the giving of one in four), evangelicals remain a generous group. The average monthly donation of all respondents still represents 11.5% of their household income, of which 6.5% is given to local churches and 5% to Christian charities.

The top three causes supported by evangelicals in a typical month are Christian outreach charities (83%), international relief charities (59%) and healthcare and medical charities (31%). Although surfing the net is one of the top three leisure-time activities, few evangelicals actually donate online. Regular giving by cheque remains popular (perhaps reflecting the fact that the average donor is aged 55-64), with direct debit and standing orders also important. Four-tenths state they have provided for a charity or church in their will.

The most compelling reasons for giving are trust in a charity’s effectiveness and transparency about how the money is used, followed by donors having some kind of first-hand experience of a charity’s work and personal interest in the people or area where the charity is helping. Most donors desire a relationship with the charities they support. Being asked to pray regularly for a charity’s work and to respond to urgent financial needs are among the factors which strengthen a donor’s motivation.

Some comparisons are drawn with a similar study conducted by Kolaneci in 1997 on behalf of the Macedonian Evangelical Trust and reported in Who Gives to What and Why? Getting to Know Evangelical Donors – A Survey of Individual Giving to Churches and Charities Amongst Evangelical Christians in Britain (Bromley: Macedonian Evangelical Trust, [1998]).

Although evangelicals are a significant force in British Christianity, numbering approximately 2,000,000 according to one estimate, it seems rather doubtful whether the member organizations and individuals of the Evangelical Alliance responding to Kolaneci’s 2009 survey will have been statistically representative of this wider constituency. Neither is it likely that the giving of evangelicals as a whole will be typical of all Christians. Indeed, on the percentages quoted above, it would certainly appear to be far more sacrificial than average!

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Jewish Attitudes toward Israel

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Clive D. Field

‘Jews in Britain strongly identify with and support Israel. They are ready to see Israel swap territory for peace and to talk with Hamas if it will advance the cause of peace. At the same time, they are concerned about Israel’s security, support the separation barrier/security fence and view the 2008/09 operation in Gaza as “a legitimate act of self-defence.”’

These are the central findings of what is described as the most definitive (albeit not the first) study ever conducted of the attitudes of Jews in Britain towards Israel. Entitled Committed, Concerned and Conciliatory: The Attitudes of Jews in Britain towards Israel, and written by David Graham and Jonathan Boyd, it was published on 15 July by the community’s leading research body, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR).

The report is available to download from:

http://www.jpr.org.uk/downloads/JPR%20Israel%20survey%20report%2015.pdf

The investigation, which was funded by the Pears Foundation, derives from the responses given by a self-selecting sample of 4,081 self-identifying Jews aged 18 and over living in Great Britain.

They completed an online questionnaire administered by Ipsos MORI between 7 January and 14 February 2010. Data analysis and report-writing was the responsibility of JPR.

Relative to the 2001 census and other (Jewish) sources, the sample is broadly representative of the Jewish community in many respects. However, it is somewhat skewed in terms of educational achievement, synagogue membership and secular/religious outlook, and the data have been weighted in these regards.

‘The survey shows that the vast majority of respondents exhibit strong personal support for, and affinity with, Israel: 95% have visited the country, 90% see it as the “ancestral homeland” of the Jewish people, and 86% feel that Jews have a special responsibility for its survival.’

Additionally, 82% state that Israel plays a central or important role in their Jewish identities, 72% categorize themselves as Zionists, 76% consider Israel to be relevant to their day-to-day lives in Britain, and 87% view British Jews as part of a global Jewish diaspora.

‘On the other hand, these strong levels of personal attachment to Israel do not prevent respondents from expressing criticism about Israel’s civil society: 74% think that Orthodox Judaism has too much influence in Israel; 67% say there is too much corruption in Israel’s political system; and 56% feel that non-Jewish minority groups suffer from discrimination in the country.’  

‘It further paints a portrait of a community that is highly-engaged with Israel, and that expresses predominantly dovish views on the key political issues: 78% favour a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians; 74% oppose the expansion of existing settlements in the West Bank; and 67% favour exchanging land for peace. A majority (52% against 39%) favours negotiating with Hamas to achieve peace.’

Notwithstanding, ‘respondents are clearly sympathetic to Israel’s need to defend itself. Nearly three-quarters agree that “The security fence is vital for Israel’s security” and a similar number agree that Operation Cast Lead (the Israeli military action in Gaza in winter 2008/09) was “a legitimate act of self-defence.” Nearly nine out of ten respondents believe that Iran represents a threat to Israel’s very existence.’

‘Perhaps most significantly for a community that has long debated the acceptability of Jewish criticism of Israel in public, a slight majority (53% to 45%) believes that Jews living in Britain have the right to judge Israel, and nearly three-quarters believe that Jews should be free to speak their mind about Israel in the British media in at least some, if not all circumstances.’

In general, the more religious respondents claim to be, the more hawkish their stance on political and security issues. Those with higher levels of educational attainment tend to exhibit more dovish viewpoints compared with Jews with lesser education.

Commenting on the findings, JPR Executive Director, Jonathan Boyd, said: ‘Fundamentally, we found that most Jews feel a strong sense of connection to Israel … Jews in Britain are pro-Israel and pro-peace. Their hawkishness on some issues is typically motivated by a clear concern for Israel’s security, while their dovishness on others reflects a deep-set desire to see the country at peace, both with itself and with its neighbours.’

The report does not discuss in any detail how the attitudes of British Jews towards Israel may have changed over time. Readers interested in possible trends should consult JPR’s previous report from 1997 (based on data gathered in 1995): Barry Kosmin, Antony Lerman and Jacqueline Goldberg, The Attachment of British Jews to Israel.

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London Bombings – Five Years On

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Clive D. Field

The fifth anniversary of the London bombings has been marked by a YouGov poll for The Sun newspaper. It was conducted among an online sample of 1,424 adult Britons aged 18 and over on 4-5 July. Headline findings were published in The Sun on 7 July, but the full data can be downloaded from:

http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Pol-Sun-77-050710.pdf

In the five years since 7/7 25% feel that the threat of terrorism in Britain has increased, 53% that it has stayed the same and 17% that it has decreased. 76% rate further terrorist attacks on British soil as very or fairly likely.

Asked to think back to 7/7, and the reaction of British Muslims to the bombings, 33% recalled that it had made them feel more negative toward British Muslims, while for 60% it had made no difference. Conservative voters were twice as likely as Liberal Democrats (42% versus 20%) to have held adverse views, and the over-40s were seven points more negative than the under-40s (36% against 29%).

When questioned about the progress made by British Muslims to integrate into mainstream British society since 2005, four times as many feel that they have become less integrated than more integrated (43% compared with 10%). For 36% there has been no difference, and 12% are ‘don’t knows’. The expression of concern about less integration is most voiced by Conservatives (49%), residents of the Midlands and Wales (48%) and those aged 60 and over (47%).

This complaint about the lack of Muslim integration into British society finds echoes in other recent polls. In another YouGov survey in November 2009 21% considered that most Muslims in Britain led completely separately lives, with three-fifths saying many did so and just 13% believing most Muslims were integrated.

Similarly, interviewed by ICM in January 2008 about whether the Muslim community in Britain needed to do more to integrate, 56% agreed, with 24% deeming there had been sufficient integration and 9% too much.

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Gender and the Anglican Episcopate

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Clive D. Field

The Church of England has hit the media headlines again during the past week or so over its continuing internal divisions about the issues of women’s ministry and homosexual clergy. The general public’s reactions to all this have been explored by YouGov in an online survey of 2,227 adult Britons aged 18 and over on 11-12 July. Details can be found at:

http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Life-Bishops-120710.pdf

The big debates at the recent General Synod (the Church’s governing body), meeting in York, have been around how to move towards appointing women bishops without alienating traditionalists who do not recognize the authority of a female episcopate. Eventually, Synod did resolve to adopt draft legislation which (subject to further consideration by Synod in 2012 and to Parliamentary approval) would pave the way for women to become bishops on an equal footing with men by 2014.

Were it to be left to the public, 63% would allow the appointment of women bishops and only 10% would not. The remaining 27% express no opinion. Support for female bishops is more prevalent among women than men (67% versus 59%) and among Labour and Liberal Democrat voters (70% and 73% respectively) than Conservatives (58%). Opposition is greatest from Conservatives (15%) and those aged 60 and over (17%).

Another row has been about the leak (said to emanate from within the Crown Nominations Commission) that Jeffrey John, the openly gay but celibate Dean of St Albans, had been considered but subsequently rejected as a candidate for the vacant see of Southwark. This amounts to a second rebuttal for John since, in 2003, he was forced to withdraw his acceptance as Bishop of Reading, following a bitter feud over his appointment and homosexuality.

Asked whether the Church of England should permit gay bishops, public opinion is more divided than on the issue of women bishops, with 39% in favour, 27% opposed and 34% undecided. Among Conservatives and the 60+ age cohort there is actually a net opposition of 5% and 15% respectively. Only among adults aged 25-39 is an absolute majority (52%) supportive.

These reservations about gay bishops may seem surprising, given that British Social Attitudes Survey data point to much greater tolerance of homosexuality in general during the past three decades. In 2008 only 34% thought that homosexual sex was always or almost always wrong, ranging from 19% for the unreligious to 50% for the most religious.

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Islamophobia Unveiled

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Clive D. Field

A new opinion poll on British attitudes to Muslim women wearing full face veils was released on 8 July 2010. It is the third to be published this year.

It was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International on behalf of the Pew Global Attitudes Project. 750 Britons aged 18 and over were interviewed by telephone between 15 April and 2 May 2010.

A report on the poll is available to download at:

http://pewglobal.org/files/pdf/pew-global-attitudes-report-on-veil-ban-july-8.pdf

Only one question was posed, whether the respondent would approve or disapprove of a ban on the wearing of full face veils in public places, including schools, hospitals and government offices.

62% of adult Britons approved of such a ban, 32% disapproved and 6% expressed no opinion or refused to answer.

Approval varied considerably by age, with 71% of those aged 55 and over in favour of a ban, compared with 61% of the 35-54s and 52% of the 18-34s.

There were also differences of political ideology. Those categorized as being on the right were most supportive of a ban (69%), with centrists on 63% and leftists on 55%.

By contrast, variations by gender, education and income groups were negligible in Britain.

Approval of a ban was 34% higher in Britain than in the United States. It was also 3% more than in Spain.

However, it was 9% less than in Germany and 20% less than in France (the country which has been making the running over the ban, and where a parliamentary vote on the subject is expected on 13 July).

There are some indications that opinion in Britain may be hardening on the issue, although variations in question-wording can make comparisons difficult.

In January this year only 36% of people interviewed by ComRes wanted it to be unlawful to wear a burka in any public place (although 52% wanted some legal restrictions).

In February 2010 Harris Interactive found that 57% of Britons backed a ban on the burka veil in this country.

Even further ago, in October-November 2006 at the height of the controversy ignited by Jack Straw (then a Labour minister), who criticized the full veil as a psychological and practical barrier to integration, just over one-half the population agreed with his views, although a clear majority opposed a complete ban on wearing the veil in public.

For more information, see the BRIN news posts of 1 February and 3 March 2010 on ‘Should the burka be banned in Britain?’

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Faith in Oxfordshire

Posted on July 4, 2010 by Clive D. Field

A team of researchers from the Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration (SURGE) at Coventry University has recently completed a £69,000 year-long research study of religion as social capital in Oxfordshire.

Commissioned by the Oxfordshire Stronger Communities Alliance (OSCA) on behalf of a consortium of eight funding partners, Building Better Neighbourhoods: The Contribution of Faith Communities to Oxfordshire Life (ISBN 978-1-84600-034-8) was launched in Oxford on 23 June. It is available to download from:

http://www.oxnet.org.uk/sites/ocva.org.uk/files/BBN%20-%20Report%20[FINAL].pdf

The research utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods. The former phase (running from June to October 2009) is reported in chapter 2 (pp. 5-29) of the document, a paper and electronic self-completion questionnaire being returned by 192 (or 40%) of Oxfordshire’s 450 places of worship. 72% of respondents were Anglican, 21% other Christian denominations and 7% non-Christian (all of the last from the City of Oxford or Cherwell district).

Over 13,000 people regularly attend their main worship services, of whom one-third are under 30 years of age. Most (85%) of the Anglican congregations live less than two miles from their place of worship, but 45% of other Christians and 91% of other faiths travel from a greater distance.

Even without grossing up for non-respondents, these 192 places of worship were found to make a substantial contribution to the wider life of the communities within which they are located. In particular, responding places of worship:

  • Employ 232 full-time, 177 part-time and 48 seasonal members of staff, with an estimated annual salary bill of £8,500,000
  • Give 150,000 community service volunteering hours each year (i.e. excluding the time which is devoted to maintaining the internal life of their places of worship), with an estimated economic value of £850,000
  • Make 221 rooms and halls available for use by the wider community, with 80,000 hours of actual use by external organizations each year
  • Attract 180,000 visitors per annum, thereby contributing £1,700,000 to the tourist economy

These findings mirror those from other recent studies of religion as social capital, at regional, sub-regional, county and city levels. A short bibliography of relevant literature will be found at:

http://www.brin.ac.uk/commentary/drs/appendix3/index.html

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