MEXICO CITY - A recent survey conducted by the World Values Survey, which took place in 81 countries shows that Mexico, like several other countries, is growing in number of people who stop practicing religion. The survey aimed at revealing changes in conduct of many societies focuses on analysing various fundamental values such as politics, religion, economics, sexual behaviour, gender roles, family values, community identity and civic participation.

According to this survey, the Mexican society is becoming a less faith-oriented society as statistics show that the number of people practicing religion declines by every survey.

Today, 68 percent of Mexicans believe that religion is important in life, an almost 10 percent decrease of what it was a decade ago. 71 to 78 percent of people between ages of 30 to 60 believe that religion is important, and for adolescents religion is less attractive as only 59 percent believe that it plays a fundamental role in life.

The survey also shows that rates vary among people with different incomes. While 70 percent of people with low income practice religion only 61 percent of people with high income do the same. The survey also reveals that 76 percent of all females practice religion while only 61 percent of males do the same.

Mexico has the largest population of religion practitioners in Latin America and it’s placed third after El Salvador(87 percent) and Puerto Rico(76 percent) for percentage of believers over the country’s total population, source La Cronica de Hoy exposed.

While Catholicism is still the predominating religion in Mexico, many are turning away from this and other religions as they try to follow a more practical and less extreme way of living. Not only is this reflected in religion, but also in politics as Dr. Miguel Basañez of the Autonomous University of Mexico´s Institute of Social Investigations (UNAM) conducted a study on this matter. Basañez said, “We´re in an era where faithfulness to political strategies is disappearing. People support the movement that is most convenient for themselves and not for society in general. For example, people will switch political parties if they find one that will better satisfy their personal needs.”

As people abandon religion, Mexico, a traditionalist country that once held tightly onto it’s religious values that strictly disapproved abortion, divorce, homosexuality, and prostitution, is gradually changing into a tolerate and secularised nation that doesn’t condemn these acts anymore.

Percent of Population Considering Religion as Important:

Indonesia 98%
Egypt 97%
Jordan 96%
El Salvador 87%
Iran 80%
Puerto Rico 76%
Mexico 68%
Brazil 65%
USA 57%
India 57%
Colombia 49%
Argentina 47%
Italy 33%
Canada 30%
Spain 19%
Netherlands 17%
Taiwan 13%
Great Britain 13%
Russia 12%
France 11%
Germany 9%
Japan 7%
Estonia 6%
China 3%



Hamlet Kim
Ecumenical Press