Page 46 - A Study of Traditional Chinese Religions in Malaysia: The Decline and the Path Towards Revitalization

or her reason shows that he believes in his religion and is not an adherent. He or she is a
believer.

The results of this survey differ from the survey carried out on the TCR adherents.
This survey shows that the main reason for having a religion is spiritual (47.2%). The next

most professed main reason is that the religion serves as a moral guide (26.9%) and to fulfil
social requirements (15.7%) while 10.2 percent of the respondents are unsure of the main
reason they have a religion (see Figure 3.4).

Fulfil social requirements
15.70%

47.20% 10.20% Not sure why I have a religion.

26.90% Religion is my moral guide.

Spiritual reasons

Figure 3.4. Reasons to have a religion.

A further analysis into respondents who confessed that they do have a religion reveals
spiritual reasons as the most common reason for them to have a religion. For example, for

the 60.97 percent of the respondents who have converted to Protestantism, spiritual reasons
are their main cause for having a religion (see Figure 3.5). More than half of the respondents
who have converted to Islam and Catholicism provided the same answer.

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