What Religion are we this year?

No not all. I see no purpose in the census but the government does. That’s not a contradiction. Although if this is the last then it rather undermines the government’s argument, I would have thought.

You are contradicting yourself here aren’t you? You see no purpose but you declare it is so that the Government can keep an eye on us. Surely they are already doing that? Unless you’re Prince Andrew of course.

Regards,

kev35

I have never heard a government minister of any persuasion refer to the previous census when discussing planning for the future. And if, as expected, it is the last, how much better to have cancelled this one and saved the £500 million.

Your response to the religion question does not answer my point. Voluntary questions are pointless because they will not give the whole picture, and are therefore redundant.

If respondents amuse themselves with the question, it makes it even more pointless.

…..It has to do with government’s deep-seated need to have a record of as much about each of us as possible.

In which case, why is this expected to be the last? Why aren’t censuses (censii?) conducted on a yearly basis?

In regards of people putting down spurious things like Jedi, perhaps it would be far more entertaining if everyone of no particular persuasion wrote either Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon. It would be interesting to see the reaction of either the Witnesses or the Mormons on discovering that they suddenly had several million followers they never knew about.

Regards,

kev35

Yes, I think we know what it means, thanks. How did we manage in years gone by with far simpler censuses or censi, perhaps. It has to do with government’s deep-seated need to have a record of as much about each of us as possible. They don’t actually need most of the information they seek.
The more information they have, the easier it is to plan for the future.
ie: new houses,roads,shops,schools, churches, etc.

Which information don’t they need?

The fact that many people are deeply religious does not mean that they need or wish to share that information with central government.__________________
As stated in my previous post,
This question is voluntary; you do not have to answer it.

Yes, I think we know what it means, thanks. How did we manage in years gone by with far simpler censuses or censi, perhaps. It has to do with government’s deep-seated need to have a record of as much about each of us as possible. They don’t actually need most of the information they seek.

The fact that many people are deeply religious does not mean that they need or wish to share that information with central government.

Because a lot of people are religious.

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population.

The word ‘census’ originates in ancient Rome from the Latin word ‘censere’ (meaning ‘estimate’).

Why worry about it you don’t even have to answer this question.

Question 20 – Your religion
What is your religion?

You can use this question to record your religion, or to specify that you have no religion.

It is up to you to decide whether you have a religion. Select only one response.

If you do not have a religion tick or click “No religion”.

If your religion is not listed, tick or click “Any other religion” and enter the name in the space provided.

If there is not enough space to enter the full name of the religion, enter as much as the space allows. See “Additional information” below for help on abbreviating religions.

If you are filling in the paper questionnaire, please write within the boxes and only write one letter in each box.

This question is voluntary; you do not have to answer it.

In which case why include it?

Census time.
Whilst we should fill in the form as truthfully as possible for many reasons, such as the routes of Buses and the number of shops required…the “Faith” bit doesn’t seem to develop into anything so it is humoured. I seem to remember it was “Jedi” last Census.

Why worry about it you don’t even have to answer this question.

Question 20 – Your religion
What is your religion?

You can use this question to record your religion, or to specify that you have no religion.

It is up to you to decide whether you have a religion. Select only one response.

If you do not have a religion tick or click “No religion”.

If your religion is not listed, tick or click “Any other religion” and enter the name in the space provided.

If there is not enough space to enter the full name of the religion, enter as much as the space allows. See “Additional information” below for help on abbreviating religions.

If you are filling in the paper questionnaire, please write within the boxes and only write one letter in each box.

This question is voluntary; you do not have to answer it.

Hi Anne, Thats not just amazing, I find it quite frightning. The way we are going, we will soon be an ethnic minority in our own Country, just like California. 😮

Lincoln .7

Sit down before you fall down mate because what I am about to say might well floor you. I can assure you that has already happened if Oxfordshire is any guide, and not just recently either it’s been that way for years.

Hi Sky High, YES we do, I am sick up to the back teeth by people who come here willy nilly, get caught, then, I just can’t beleive this, they are bailed, and let go, what a SURPRISE when they are never seen again.!!.And it annoyes me that the P.C. brigade do their best to put forward a case for them to stay, just like some of the Eastern countries who have their own over here, they, if claiming benefits, also claim for their children back home, in say Poland, whilst we HAVE to fill in the Census forms, who the hell checks that these immigrants HAVE children to claim for back “Home”
Global warming is not the reason the Sea water is rising,around our coast, it’s all the illegal immigrants,whoes combined weight is sinking G.B.and who should not, in the main, be here in the first place, but are just by bucking the system.

Lincoln .7

We do seem to be of a mind on this, don’t we?

Does that include the native Welsh and Gaelic speakers as well?

I wonder if all those the emigrate to Spain or France for their retirement learn to speak Spanish or French. I doubt it somehow.

I have to say that it doesn’t surprise me that immigration is being blamed now for not filling in a census form. Immigrants seem to be blamed for everything else. The census is important for planning purposes. Why not just fill it in honestly and truthfully?
Interesting that another thread was complaining about respect and discipline in the younger generation and yet many of those same posters are planning on wilfully disobeying authority just to make their “point”, whatever that point is.

Your having a laugh!! do you mean to tell me that the men in black don’t already know ALL about us?. And as for Brits that emigrate to Spain and France, Did you know that they are still able to draw thier State pensions, and GET THIS, they still get their cold weather payments,IN SPAIN!! plus other things, that I for one would stop. If you wish to sever the ties you have had all your life and go and live abroad, then you shouldn’t expect to get the benefits we taxpayers are giving you. as for language, at their age, they have had plenty of time to learn the basic language.You just don’t up sticks and leave, it’s a decision they made no doubt years before they retired.

Lincoln .7
:diablo:

Let me rephrase my original comment: English is the official first language in Scotland and Wales. Minority languages are spoken all over the world – on our doorstep Breton is more and more widely spoken but French remains the first language of France. The fact that minorities use a language for their own interest and pleasure does not affect the status of the language the majority use and speak.

Not sure what you mean. Correct me if I am wrong but English has been the official language of the UK for centuries.

That’s not the same thing as English being an individual’s first language. Not by a long chalk.

Not sure what you mean. Correct me if I am wrong but English has been the official language of the UK for centuries. The fact that a few thousand Scots also speak Gaelic and that Welsh was resurrected from being close to extinction 50 years ago, does not alter that fact.

The argument is irrelevant to Welsh and Gaelic speakers because English is their first language anyway.

That’s a rather sweeping statement. Do you have a source?

I have no experience of Spain but a great deal of personal experience of France. English children attend French schools with no concession to their nationality and learn the language “raw”. The result is they speak easily and fluently in a very short space of time.

The argument is irrelevant to Welsh and Gaelic speakers because English is their first language anyway.

Hi Anne, I couldn’t agree with you more it should be a prerequisit upon entering the Country,to permenantly live here, that all over say 14yrs of age speak English.
Lincoln .7

Does that include the native Welsh and Gaelic speakers as well?

I wonder if all those the emigrate to Spain or France for their retirement learn to speak Spanish or French. I doubt it somehow.

I have to say that it doesn’t surprise me that immigration is being blamed now for not filling in a census form. Immigrants seem to be blamed for everything else. The census is important for planning purposes. Why not just fill it in honestly and truthfully?
Interesting that another thread was complaining about respect and discipline in the younger generation and yet many of those same posters are planning on wilfully disobeying authority just to make their “point”, whatever that point is.

Hi Anne, I couldn’t agree with you more it should be a prerequisit upon entering the Country,to permenantly live here, that all over say 14yrs of age speak English.
Lincoln .7

Exactly so. My view is that all immigrants should learn the language of the country they choose, of their own free will, to move to. And BB’s comment is quite staggering, however small the percentage involved. “When in Rome….” has been my mantra for decades and still remains so.