Depressing news

[Mulder]

"A BBC poll suggests that most people want religion and the values derived from it to play an important role in British public life"

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7906595.stm

So much for Britain becoming more secular! I'd be interested to know what the questions in the survey were.

[seren]

Please cross-reference with the other thread about surveys!

Secularists, including an increasingly militant atheist movement, have stepped up their campaign to "free" the public from what they see as the burden of a lingering attachment to religious belief.

Militant? Hmmm.

[Matt]

I'd be interested to know what the questions in the survey were.

Well it was conducted by ComRes who do publish such information. However it doesn't appear to be on their site yet.

[Tim the Mage]

Anthony Wells at UK Polling Report comments on this research - and on the BBC using tiny sub-samples...

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/1941

Shows the media have too many english grads and too few competent mathmaticians

[chaggle]

Anthony Wells at UK Polling Report comments on this research - and on the BBC using tiny sub-samples...

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/1941

Shows the media have too many english grads and too few competent mathmaticians

The Daily Mail surpass that by also highlighting that “three-quarters of Sikhs said…” There were 3, that’s THREE, Sikhs in the sample.

[Dubious Dick]

What's three quarters of 3 sikhs?

[Tim the Mage]

What's three quarters of 3 sikhs?

This is about polling adjustment - 2 Sikhs give one answer but they are adjusted upwards (along with the rest of those from other groups giveing the same answer) to 3. And the solitary Sikh giving the other answer is adjusted downwards but remains one because you can't go below one.

Anthony Wells gives a fuller answer in the comments to the UK Polling Report link above.

[Trinoc]

What are the error bars on any statistics based on a sample of 4?

Would "so large as to make any publication of the result intrinsically misleading" be a fair description?

[Mulder]

I feel less depressed about the state of Britain now but considerably more anxious for the state of the BBC! Millions of people may have heard this poll and a significant number may have changed their attitude as a result!

[Tim the Mage]

What are the error bars on any statistics based on a sample of 4?

Would "so large as to make any publication of the result intrinsically misleading" be a fair description?

ComRes will be tearing their hair out. Nothing wrong with their research but something very wrong about braindead idiots having access to the tables and adjustments. Which is why Anthony put up the post (it's not the first time this has happened).

The overall figures are relevent, properly adjusted and presented appropriately. The reporting...

[Mulder]

The key question in the original survey, that 63% agreed with, was: "Our laws should respect and be influenced by UK religious values".

This, to me, is unreasonably connecting two different things. Many people may be happy for the law to 'respect' religious values without wanting them to influence actual law making. The question probably reflects the confused thoughts of the questioner. If you ask silly questions you shouldn't expect transparent answers.

[Tim the Mage]

The key question in the original survey, that 63% agreed with, was: "Our laws should respect and be influenced by UK religious values".

This, to me, is unreasonably connecting two different things. Many people may be happy for the law to 'respect' religious values without wanting them to influence actual law making. The question probably reflects the confused thoughts of the questioner. If you ask silly questions you shouldn't expect transparent answers.

I guess it all depends what we mean by religious values here: most people when presented with this as a bland statement will see religious values positively. However, if those values were presented to, for example, include the rejection of gay rights or the shrouding of women in public the response might be somewhat different.

I'm quite reassured by nearly 4 in 10 of Brits not wanting religion to inform law-making.

[imm0rtalmask]

why is this Depressing?

[farmersboy]

Because we should be beyond the need of the comfort blanket that is religion.

[tolman]

The key question in the original survey, that 63% agreed with, was: "Our laws should respect and be influenced by UK religious values".

I guess it all depends what we mean by religious values here: most people when presented with this as a bland statement will see religious values positively.

Also, it's not just "religious values", it's "UK religious values", which dilutes the concept still further.