* FOR MANY, RELIGIOUS BELIEF DOES NOT CARRY THROUGH TO MORAL BEHAVIOUR

A study of almost 20,000 Australians has revealed that most who hold religious beliefs have strong negative attitudes towards watching X-rated films, cheating and sex before marriage. However, unless they had a very strong faith, their attitudes didn’t appear to stop them doing these things themselves, the researchers found. “What we saw was when it came to these sexual issues, many people influenced by religion believed one thing but did another,” said lead researcher and psychologist Dr Richard de Visser. Researchers used Australia’s largest ever social survey to glean the first snapshot of the links between religion, sexual beliefs and actual behaviour. They found that, generally, those with the strongest beliefs were less likely to either support or go through with abortions, sex before marriage, cheating or the watching x-rated films. They also were less likely to support homosexuality or report homosexual behaviour, said Dr de Visser.People with less strict religious beliefs – those who attended a service less than monthly – held similar beliefs to those who went more often. But when it came to behaviour they were in line with people who had no religious beliefs at all, he said. “We found it very interesting that people make such a strong distinction between what they think they should do, and what they’re prepared to do,” the researcher said.

Source: Compiled by APN from media reports April 2007