TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is the most religiously devout country among the 102 nations studied, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between 2008 and 2023. The survey revealed that Ninety-eight percent of Indonesians prioritize religion in their lives, and 95 percent engage in daily prayers. This ranking places Indonesia ahead of Senegal and Pakistan.

For the past decade and a half, the Pew Research Center focused on assessing the importance of religion worldwide. The respondents were asked two questions: “How important is religion in your life?” and “How often do you pray?”

Using these questions, we see a broadly similar pattern across the 102 countries and territories we surveyed between 2008 and 2023,” said Jonathan Evans, a senior researcher focused on religion, as quoted from the Pew Research Center’s website on August 9, 2024.

The results indicate that sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East-North Africa region generally exhibit higher levels of religious devotion compared to Europe and East Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, at least 90% of adults consider religion to be very important, while in Europe, less than 10% of adults express similar sentiments.

South and Southeast Asia demonstrate a more varied pattern. Indonesia stands out with a high percentage of adults (98%) prioritizing religion, while Singapore and Vietnam report significantly lower percentages (36% and 26%, respectively).

In the United States, 42% of adults consider religion as very important, falling below the global median of 55%.

While East Asians may not prioritize religion as strongly, many still hold religious or spiritual beliefs and engage in traditional rituals, such as ancestral worship.

IDA ROSDALINA

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