'I've become more religious,' says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen on stage during a town hall at Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, California September 27, 2015. Reuters/Stephen Lam/File Photo

Mark Zuckerberg admits that the challenges of the last few years have made him "more religious".

The Facebook CEO has come under fire over persistent accusations that the social media platform has an anti-conservative bias and influenced elections, and has had to appear before Congress for questioning. 

He opened up about the impact that the last few years have had on him spiritually, and his struggles to be a good dad in the face of his heavy work commitments.

In an interview at the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit last week, he said: "The last few years have been really humbling for me. I've become more religious."

He added that it was important to believe in something "bigger than ourselves", and that family would always be more important to him than his work. 

"We all need to feel like we're parts of things that are bigger than ourselves," Zuckerberg said.

"I try to put my girls to bed every night... I don't always get to do that but that's important to me.

"Work is important... but at the end of the day we're all people, and you need your family and friends and communities around you."

He added: "You have to believe in things that are bigger than yourself."

It reflects a religious progression in the billionaire who used to declare himself atheist on his Facebook profile.

In December 2016, when asked by a Facebook user if he was still an atheist, he revealed that his views on religion had changed.

"I was raised Jewish and then I went through a period where I questioned things. But now I believe religion is very important," he said at the time. 

News
The evidence for faith-based morals: the academic research that backs Christian family values
The evidence for faith-based morals: the academic research that backs Christian family values

Research shows that lifelong marriage is good for all concerned

Wildwood Kin’s Meg Loney on how a 24/7 prayer meeting brought her back from the brink 
Wildwood Kin’s Meg Loney on how a 24/7 prayer meeting brought her back from the brink 

Meg Loney went from the depths of drug addiction to being a follower of Christ bringing hope and healing to others with her music.

How going to prison for a crime I didn’t commit changed my life – for the better
How going to prison for a crime I didn’t commit changed my life – for the better

In 2008, Wilson Femayi was wrongly convicted and sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He had just graduated from Bible college. His arrest — the result of a personal vendetta — was a devastating moment. But even in that dark place, God was at work. Today, Wilson is the Executive Director of Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe, leading programmes that are restoring prisoners and reuniting families across the country.

Christians in Africa face worsening violence, report finds
Christians in Africa face worsening violence, report finds

A new report from International Christian Concern (ICC) has revealed a disturbing rise in violence against Christians across parts of Africa, with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Kenya experiencing a surge in attacks, abductions, massacres and forced displacements.