Children rank fame over God

CHILDREN under 10 think being a celebrity is the “very best thing in the world” but do not think quite as much of God, a survey out today claims.

Mon, 18 Dec, 2006 - 00:00

Simon Baker

The poll of about 1,500 youngsters ranked God as their 10th favourite thing, with celebrity, good looks and being rich at one, two and three respectively.

It is the second year running that God has come in at number 10 in the annual survey for Britain’s National Kids’ Day, but being rich came top last time around.

God did come top again this year as the most famous person in the world, beating US President George W Bush into second place.

Meanwhile “killing” and “wars” head the list of the “very worst things in the world”, followed by drunks, bullies, illness, smoking, stealing, divorce and being fat. Dying is in tenth place.

The research, carried out through schools and online, was by Luton First, sponsors and organisers of yesterday’s National Kids’ Day.

Asked what rules they would make if they were king or queen of the world, the number one response from the under-10s was to ban knives and guns.

They would also put a stop to fighting and killing, telling lies, stealing, drugs, bullying, drunks and smoking. The children who answered the survey said they wanted more holidays and more hospitals.

Just over three quarters of the youngsters said they would probably marry later in life, although 21% gave a definite “no”.

When asked how much money was needed to be rich, the children quoted figures ranging from £1,000 (€1,490) to £10 million (€14.9m) — down on 2005 when the range was £460 (€686) to £200 million (€298m).

Although God is the most famous person in the world, Jesus is at number four, one place below Madonna.

What would you decide if you were ruler of the world?

1. No knives and guns

2. No fighting and killing

3. No telling lies

4. No drugs

5. No bullying

6. No getting drunk

7. No smoking

8. No stealing

9. More school holidays

10. More hospitals.