Australians Vote Jesus as #1 Most Significant Figure in History

Teresa Neumann : Oct 16, 2009
Staff - Anglican Media

"The fact that Jesus is revealed to be the most influential figure in history shows His message is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago and people still look to Him as a source of inspiration. Whilst not all Australians follow a religion this research reveals that many people still pray expecting an answer...It is surprising that Gen Y appear to be more traditional, returning to the values and practices of their grandparent's generation to help them in times of uncertainty."

(Australia)—Anglican Media has reported that research commissioned by All About Life—polling both Believers and un-believers—found that 54% of Australians ranked Jesus as the number one most influential person in history beating Albert Einstein who came in at second place (16%) and Charles Darwin who was ranked third (9%).

Other statistics reveal that 2 in 5 Australians say they practice their religion and only 27% do not believe in God or a universal power of any sort. Not surprisingly, the report states that "desperate times call for desperate measures with the most common situations for prayer being when people are faced with challenging times (36%) or when a loved one has fallen ill (34%). However over 1 in 3 Australians also feel moved to pray when they are thankful for something good that has happened (34%). Most Australians turn to their family or loved ones for help and support rather than other avenues like the internet. (Artwork: "Keeper of the Flame" by Linda Harris-Iorio—See AD below)

According to the report, "Gen Y proved the most traditional generation when it comes to praying choosing traditional methods of prayer practices such as closing eyes, placing hands together and bowing heads, which were most common amongst young adults."

Daniel Willis co-founder of Jesus. All About Life said: "This research gives a great insight into people's beliefs about Jesus and their faith today. The fact that Jesus is revealed to be the most influential figure in history shows His message is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago and people still look to Him as a source of inspiration. Whilst not all Australians follow a religion this research reveals that many people still pray expecting an answer...It is surprising that Gen Y appear to be more traditional, returning to the values and practices of their grandparent's generation to help them in times of uncertainty."