More Singaporeans find religion has 'considerable influence' in their lives: IPS study
More Singaporeans view religion as a very important part of their lives and overall sense of identity, a survey has found, with a growing number saying their religious beliefs have considerable influence over their views in other areas.Researchers from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) at the National University of Singapore polled 4,000 people from April to August last year about their views on identity, religion, daily experiences in a multiracial society and various policy issues.The report, released on Wednesday (Aug 20), also compared the findings with prior surveys from 2013 and 2018. According to the 2024 survey, researchers found that over three-quarters of people agree that their ideas about religion or spirituality are one of the most important parts of their lives, which in turn have a considerable influence over their views in other areas.The study also found that 73.9 per cent of people agree that their spiritual beliefs give meaning to their lives’ joys and sorrows, while 68.3 per cent turn to God or religion to find out their best course of action when faced with life choices.