Religion in Uganda

Religion in Uganda consists of several different religions, which unfortunately accentuate regional and ethnic differences separating people as different rather than binding them together as human beings.

The National Census of October 2002 resulted in the clearest and most detailed information yet gathered on the religious composition of Uganda.

History

Muslim traders and Christian missionaries first arrived in the 1860s, attempting to convert the Ugandan king.Fact|date=February 2007

Indigenous beliefs

Only 1% of Uganda's population follow traditional religions.

ecular

Although only small in number at present the ideas and humanistic virtues of human rights, self-help, self-reliance, tolerance, courage, science and reason are starting to be explained at Ugandan Universities.

http://www.secularstudents.org/node/2089

The objectives of the Ugandan Humanist Association http://uganda.humanists.net

* To educate people about humanism as a free, rational, humane, skeptical/scientific, liberal and democratic life stance and approach to human life challenges. * To promote unity of people despite natural and artificially created barriers which include race, tribe, religion, social status and political affiliation. * To advocate for human rights especially for the despised minorities. * To oppose religious, racial and ethnic fanaticism and fundamentalism. * To carry out projects that promote social welfare and environmental concern.

The Ugandan Humanist http://www.iheu.org/node/2786

Christianity

According to the National Census of October 2002, Christians of all denominations made up 85.1% of Uganda's population.cite web|url=http://www.ubos.org/onlinefiles/uploads/ubos/pdf%20documents/2002%20Census%20Final%20Reportdoc.pdf|title=2002 Uganda Population and Housing Census - Main Report|publisher=Uganda Bureau of Statistics|accessdate=2008-03-26|format=PDF] The Catholic Church has the largest number of adherents (41.9%), followed by the Anglican Church of Uganda, a part of the worldwide Anglican communion (35.9%). Minor Christian groups include Pentecostals (4.6%) and Seventh-Day Adventists (1.5%), while 1.0% were grouped under the category "Other Christians".

Islam

According to the National Census 2002 12.1% of Ugandas adhere to Islam. While Muslims today appear to be experiencing some degree of discrimination, they were in the seventies the most favoured group under the rule of President Idi Amin, himself a Muslim, under whose government the number of Muslims had significantly grown. Fact|date=April 2008

Judaism

Judaism is also practiced in Uganda by a small number of native Ugandans known to most people as the Abayudaya. However, their small population size, estimated at 850, leads many Ugandans to not be aware of this Jewish presence. Initially numbering as many as 3,000 individuals, the community drastically shrunk in size to 300 when Idi Amin came to power and outlawed Judaism, destroying all the synagogues in the country. Since then, the community has established links to Jews worldwide and has grown in size and strength. They operate several schools which enroll Muslim, Jewish and Christian students.Fact|date=February 2007

Besides the Abayudaya there are an estimated 100 (un-organized) expatriate Jews of Israeli, South African and American origin residing in Uganda, mainly in Kampala.

Hinduism

Only 0.7% of Uganda's population are classified as 'Other Non-Christians,' including Hindus.

Bahá'í Faith

.

References

ee also

*Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God
*Church of Uganda
*Jews and Judaism in Africa