Sunday, June 27, 2010

UPDATE: July 10th date set by European Values Study

According to the website of the European Values Study:

"The fieldwork of the European Values Study 2008 is now completed. A first release of the data to the general public will be ready on July 10th, 2010."


As I mentioned earlier I am especially eager to see the most results for how the belief in reincarnation is holding up in Europe.

Dr. Erlendur Haraldsson (Professor Emeritus University of Iceland) published a fascinating study in 2006 based largely on past European Values Study data: "Popular psychology, belief in life after death and reincarnation" (click here to download the pdf). Here's the abstract of that paper:
The European Values Survey explores national differences and similarities, also regarding religious beliefs which express popular assumptions regarding the nature of man and the ontological status of consciousness. These views differ radically from the dominant scientific view, also in academic psychology. The Nordic countries vary considerably in their beliefs in life after death and reincarnation with half of the respondents believing in life after death, and 43 percent of these believing in reincarnation which also goes against established views of the Christian Church. This shows independence from scientific as well as religious authorities. Is it a remnant of pre-Christian beliefs, due to exposure to Buddhist and Hindu concepts, or a sign of original independent thinking? Half a century of anti-religious regimes in Eastern Europe seems to have had no major effect on beliefs about personal survival, and the European Values Survey shows a widespread belief in reincarnation.

One in five Dutch teachers avoid the Holocaust

"A fifth of history teachers in the four major Dutch cities have had to deal with not being able to or rarely bringing up the Holocaust because Muslim students in particular have difficulties with it."

This is according to a survey conducted by Elsevier magazine and ResearchNed (an independent social sciences research institute).

The story was originally reported at AD.nl (in Dutch), and an English translation is available at the Islam in Europe website.