A recent Pew Research Center survey of over 10,000 adults in East Asia and Vietnam indicated that the region is significantly less religious compared to global standards. Few East Asian adults report engaging in daily prayers or consider religion a major part of their lives. Additionally, the rates of religious disaffiliation, where individuals leave organized religion, are among the highest in the world.
However, on closer inspection, the survey presents a more complex picture. Many people across East Asia and Vietnam still maintain religious or spiritual beliefs and actively participate in traditional rituals. In the likes of Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, for example, a majority of adults express belief in gods and/or unseen beings.
Read Full Article »