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Majority of Britons believe 4 of the Ten Commandments are no longer important, survey finds

A survey has found that a majority of Britons believe that only six of the Ten Commandments are still relevant today. | Pixabay/SHAWSHANK61

A majority of British people no longer see four of the Ten Commandments as "important principles to live by," according to a recent YouGov poll.

The poll, released on Wednesday, indicated that the four Commandments that are no longer seen as important by most Britons are the ones that are most related to the practice of religion.

Only 31 percent of the public believe that people should not worship idols, while only 20 percent agreed with not worshipping other gods.

Most Britons no longer mind taking the Lord's name in vain, with only 23 percent saying people should not use the word "God" in or as a curse. When it comes to keeping the Sabbath Day, only 19 percent believe that keeping Sundays holy is still an important principle to live by.

The survey found that even most Christians no longer believe that the four religious Commandments are still relevant to their faith today, although they are more likely than the general population to think that any given Commandment remains important.

Christians are split on whether they still consider the Commandment not to worship idols as an important principle to live by, with 43 percent saying it is and 44 percent saying it is not.

Most Christians no longer believe that the Commandment against worshipping other gods is still relevant, with only 36 percent saying it is still a good rule.

Only 38 percent think that the Commandment against using God's name in vain is still an important rule, and only 31 percent said that keeping the Sabbath holy is crucial.

Other findings revealed that 93 percent of Britons still find the Commandments against murder and stealing to be fundamental.

Eighty-seven percent agreed with the Commandment against telling lies, while 73 percent backed the Commandment against committing adultery.

When it comes to honoring one's mother and father, 69 percent said that it is important. Another 61 percent said the same about the Commandment against coveting other people's possessions.

The survey of 1,680 British adults, including 638 Christians, was conducted between Oct. 10–11.

The Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell, expressed disappointment that Christians seemed to have abandoned the Commandment against idolatry.

"Whether it is celebrity, wealth, a certain designer label pair of jeans jeans or a make of car, we have all construct a sense of worth in the desire to own and possess certain things that we believe will give value," he said, according to The Telegraph.

"None of it works; or perhaps more accurately we should say it works just enough to get you hooked. Without being warned of the dangers of idolatry, we just become a society of junkies," he added.