Posted by Orville (211.22.33.6) on January 12, 2003 at 19:48:14:
In Reply to: My current poll sucks; anyone want to make a nicer one? posted by Jonah on January 09, 2003 at 17:36:20:
Please don't feel bad. You're doing good work here. And we don't need to do a poll to tell us that!
In this particular poll, respondents first identify themselves as Baha'is or "other" (plus a couple of in-between categories), and if "other," what kind of other. Then we see a second "other" which I assumed to be a fifth choice on this second question--i.e. "other" than Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim.
We would expect the largest numbers of "other" (than Baha'i) to consist of followers of the other Abrahamic religions, no? But we get only one Christian, and about thirty (so far) "other" / "other" (i.e., other religions than the major ones listed). This strikes me as highly unlikely, even accepting that we are dealing with a statistically abnormal population here. I wonder if the fault doesn't lie with the polling program?
Here's what I'd have done--which I'm sure will turn out to have something procedurally wrong with it! I'm assuming that former affiliations are also important, since a Christian-turned Baha'i is different from a Muslim-turned Baha'i. It's also a bit long, but I don't think people would mind. And it's important to allow for multiple identification, I think...especially if the computer can keep track of the various combinations.
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What is your religion?
(CHECK MORE THAN ONE if you want)
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atheist / agnostic
former atheist / agnostic
Babi / Bayani
former Babi / Bayani
Baha'i (Haifa)
former Baha'i (Haifa)
Baha'i (Remey)
former Baha'i (Remey)
Baha'i (other lineage)
former Baha'i (other lineage)
Baha'i (independent, non-Haifa)
former Baha'i (independent, non-Haifa)
Buddhist (East Asian Mahayana)
former Buddhist (East Asian Mahayana)
Buddhist (Theravadin)
former Buddhist (Theravadin)
Buddhist (Tibetan)
former Buddhist (Tibetan)
Caodaist
former Caodaist
Chinese (Taoist / folk religion)
former Chinese (Taoist / folk religion)
Chondogyo
former Chondogyo
Christian (Anglican / Episcopal)
former Christian (Anglican / Episcopal)
Christian (Eastern Orthodox)
former Christian (Eastern Orthodox)
Christian (Evangelical)
former Christian (Evangelical)
Christian (Mormon / Latter-Day Saints)
former Christian (Mormon / Latter-Day Saints)
Christian (Oriental, non-Chalcedonian)
former Christian (Oriental, non-Chalcedonian)
Christian (Protestant)
former Christian (Protestant)
Christian (Quaker, Mennonite, etc.)
former Christian (Quaker, Mennonite, etc.)
Christian (Roman Catholic)
former Christian (Roman Catholic)
Christian (other)
former Christian (other)
Esoteric / New Age
former Esoteric / New Age
Hindu (goddess tradition)
former Hindu (goddess tradition)
Hindu (Radhasoami)
former Hindu (Radhasoami)
Hindu (Shaiva)
former Hindu (Shaiva)
Hindu (Vaisnava)
former Hindu (Vaisnava)
Hindu (other)
former Hindu (other)
I-kuan-tao
former I-kuan-tao
Indigenous / tribal religion (Africa)
former indigenous / tribal religion (Africa)
Indigenous / tribal religion (the Americas)
former indigenous / tribal religion (the Americas)
Indigenous / tribal religion (Asia)
former indigenous / tribal religion (Asia)
Indigenous / tribal religion (Pacific)
former indigenous / tribal religion (Pacific)
Jain
former Jain
Jewish (Conservative)
former Jewish (Conservative)
Jewish (Reform)
former Jewish (Reform)
Jewish (Orthodox)
former Jewish (Orthodox)
Jewish (secular)
former Jewish (secular)
Johrei
former Johrei
Muslim (Ahmadiyya)
former Muslim (Ahmadiyya)
Muslim (Alevi, Ahl-i-Haqq, Aliolahi, etc.)
former Muslim (Alevi, Ahl-i-Haqq, Aliolahi, etc.)
Muslim (Shi'i)
former Muslim (Shi'i)
Muslim (Sufi)
former Muslim (Sufi)
Muslim (Sunni)
former Muslim (Sunni)
Shintoist
former Shintoist
Sikh
former Sikh
Spiritualist
former Spiritualist
Tenrikyo
former Tenrikyo
Unitarian / Universalist
former Unitarian / Universalist
Wiccan / neo-Pagan
former Wiccan / neo-Pagan
Zoroastrian
former Zoroastrian
Other ___________?
DID YOU ANSWER "OTHER" TO ANYTHING? Then please write and tell us what we left out! (e-mail link here)
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