Editing Netherlands (section)

===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in the Netherlands}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religious identification in the Netherlands (2020)<ref name="cbs2021">{{Cite web|url=https://longreads.cbs.nl/the-netherlands-in-numbers-2021/what-are-the-major-religions/|title=What are the major religions? – The Netherlands in numbers 2021|website=CBS|language=en,nl|access-date=15 September 2022}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Irreligious]]
|value1 = 55.4
|color1 = Gray
|label2 = [[Catholic]]
|value2 = 19.8
|color2 = Purple
|label3 = [[Protestant]]
|value3 = 14.4
|color3 = DarkBlue
|label4 = [[Islam in the Netherlands|Muslim]]
|value4 = 5.2
|color4 = Darkgreen
|label5 = Other
|value5 = 5.1
|color5 = Gold
}}
Forms of Christianity have dominated religious life in what is now the Netherlands for more than 1,200 years,<ref>Milis, L.J.R., "A Long Beginning: The Low Countries Through the Tenth Century" in J.C.H. Blom & E. Lamberts ''History of the Low Countries'', pp. 6–18, Berghahn Books, 1999. {{ISBN|978-1-84545-272-8}}</ref> and by the middle of the sixteenth century the country was strongly Protestant ([[Calvinist]]).{{sfn|Israel|1995|pp=361–395}} The population was predominantly Christian until the late 20th century.<ref name=Creationism>{{cite book|last=Numbers|first=Ronald L.|year=2014|isbn=9781421415628|title=Creationism in Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uSuhBQAAQBAJ&q=netherlands+protestant+country&pg=PA65|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press}}</ref> Although significant religious diversity remains, there has been a decline of religious adherence.<ref name="cbs2021"/>

In 2020, [[Statistics Netherlands]] found that 55% of the total population declared itself [[non-religious]]. Groups that represent the non-religious in the Netherlands include [[Humanistisch Verbond]]. [[Catholic]]s comprised 19.8% of the total population, [[Protestants]] (14.4%). [[Muslim]]s comprised 5.2% of the total population and followers of other Christian denominations and other religions (like Judaism, [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]]) comprised the remaining 5.1%.<ref name="cbs2021"/> A 2015 survey from another source found that Protestants outnumbered Catholics.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1177/0021140019872340|title=The Challenge of a Church Going into Liquidation|year=2019|last1=De Groot|first1=Kees|journal=Irish Theological Quarterly|volume=84|issue=4|pages=409–423|s2cid=220161067|doi-access=free}}</ref>

The southern provinces of [[North Brabant]] and [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] have historically been strongly Catholic, and some residents consider the Catholic Church as a base for their [[Cultural Christian|cultural identity]]. Protestantism in the Netherlands consists of a number of churches within various traditions. The largest of these is the [[Protestant Church in the Netherlands]] (PKN), a [[United and uniting churches|united]] church which is [[Calvinist]] and [[Lutheran]] in orientation.<ref name="CBS 2009">{{cite news |url=http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37944&D1=0-5,10&D2=29-40&VW=T |title=Kerkelijke gezindte en kerkbezoek; vanaf 1849; 18 jaar of ouder |date=15 October 2010}}</ref> It was formed in 2004 as a merger of the [[Dutch Reformed Church]], the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands]] and [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands|a smaller Lutheran Church]]. Several orthodox Calvinist and liberal churches did not merge into the PKN. Although Christianity has become a minority in the Netherlands, it contains a [[Bible Belt (Netherlands)|Bible Belt]] from [[Zeeland]] to the northern parts of the province [[Overijssel]], in which Protestant beliefs remain strong. Several Christian religious holidays are national holidays (Christmas, Easter, [[Pentecost]], and the [[Ascension of Jesus]]).<ref name="auto3">{{cite web|url=http://www.beleven.org/feesten/lijsten/landen.php?land=Nederland |title=Feestdagen Nederland |publisher=Beleven.org |access-date=27 January 2010}}</ref>

[[Islam]] is the second largest religion in the state.<ref name=CBS2>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.nl/nl-NL/menu/themas/vrije-tijd-cultuur/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2012/2012-3759-wm.htm|title=Een op de zes bezoekt regelmatig kerk of moskee|publisher=Central Bureau of Statistics, Netherlands|year=2012|access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref> The Muslim population increased from the 1960 as a result of large numbers of [[Demography of the Netherlands#Migration and origin groups|migrant workers]]. This included migrant workers from [[Turkey]] and [[Morocco]], as well as migrants from former [[Dutch Empire|Dutch colonies]], such as [[Surinam (Dutch colony)|Surinam]] and [[Indonesia]]. During the 1990s, [[Muslim refugees]] arrived from countries like [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Somalia]], and [[Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scp.nl/publicaties/boeken/9037702597/Godsdienstige_veranderingen.pdf |title=Godsdienstige veranderingen in Nederland |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070125142251/http://www.scp.nl/publicaties/boeken/9037702597/Godsdienstige_veranderingen.pdf |archive-date=25 January 2007}}</ref> Since 2000 there has been raised awareness of religion, mainly due to [[Islamic extremism]].<ref>Knippenberg, Hans "The Changing Religious Landscape of Europe" edited by Knippenberg published by Het Spinhuis, Amsterdam 2005 {{ISBN|978-90-5589-248-8}}, pages 102–104</ref>

Another religion practised is [[Hinduism]], with around 215,000 adherents (slightly over 1% of the population). Most of these are [[Indo-Surinamese]]. There are sizeable populations of Hindu immigrants from India and [[Sri Lanka]], and Western adherents of [[Hinduism in the West|Hinduism-orientated new religious movements]] such as [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|Hare Krishnas]]. The Netherlands has an estimated 250,000 [[Buddhism in the Netherlands|Buddhists]] or people strongly attracted to this religion, mainly ethnic Dutch people. There are about 30,000 [[History of the Jews in the Netherlands|Jews]] in the Netherlands, though the [[Institute for Jewish Policy Research]] estimates range from 30,000 to 63,000, depending on how the number is calculated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How many Jews live in The Netherlands? {{!}} JPR |url=https://www.jpr.org.uk/countries/how-many-jews-in-the-netherlands |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=jpr.org.uk |date=7 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

The Constitution of the Netherlands guarantees freedom of education, which means that all schools that adhere to general quality criteria receive the same government funding. This includes schools based on religious principles by religious groups (especially Catholic and Protestant). Three political parties in the Dutch parliament, ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]], and two small parties, [[ChristianUnion]] and [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]]) are based upon the Christian belief. Several Christian religious holidays are national holidays (Christmas, Easter, [[Pentecost]] and the [[Ascension of Jesus]]).<ref name="auto3"/>

A survey in December 2014 concluded that for the first time there were more atheists (25%) than theists (17%) in the Netherlands, while the remainder of the population was agnostic (31%) or [[ietsism|ietsistic]] (27%).<ref name="trouw.nl">{{cite news|last1=van Beek|first1=Marije|title=Ongelovigen halen de gelovigen in|url=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5091/Religie/article/detail/3830831/2015/01/16/Ongelovigen-halen-de-gelovigen-in.dhtml|access-date=21 April 2015|work=Dossier Relige|publisher=der Verdieping Trouw|date=16 January 2015}}</ref> In 2015, a vast majority of the inhabitants of the Netherlands (82%) said they had never or almost never visited a church, and 59% stated that they had never been to a church. Of all the people questioned, 24% saw themselves as atheist, an increase of 11% compared to the previous study done in 2006.<ref name="BerntsA">{{cite book|last1=Bernts|first1=Tom|last2=Berghuijs|first2=Joantine|title=God in Nederland 1966–2015|date=2016|publisher=Ten Have|isbn=978-90-259-0524-8}}</ref> The expected rise of spirituality has come to a halt according to research in 2015. In 2006, 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual; in 2015 this has dropped to 31%. The number who believed in the existence of a higher power fell from 36% to 28% over the same period.<ref name="nos.nl">{{cite news|title=Hoe God (bijna) verdween uit Nederland|url=http://nos.nl/artikel/2092498-hoe-god-bijna-verdween-uit-nederland.html|access-date=3 April 2016|publisher=NOS|date=13 March 2016}}</ref>