That ole devil called Lucifer

[Gibbon]

I definitely do, granted a small sample size of a few hundred people but among those I've met who actually follow their faith rather than simply ticking the "Christian" box on forms there's a marked difference. And not only that, but a marked difference in individuals before/after they have changed their faith, Dr. House insists "people don't change" but that's not my experience.

Normally I'd be cynical of surveys but when it comes to religion, but what people do with their money really does tell you a lot about them. It's one of the hardest things to change, it seems.
Anecdotally, there are a lot of 'secular' charities run by religious people - I think all the grassroots charities and community groups I know locally were started by such (though there's a bias there) and a lot of charities seem to have a disproportionate number of religious people. I wonder if there is enough data out there to test such theories?

Comic Relief is the "Christmas and Easter church services" of charity though, when people give once a year. I'd say that's a bad dataset?

You may well have a point with the founders of the local charities that you mention, but unless people give they're meaningless. The last 18 months have been hard for the can rattlers though, but I can't bring myself to set up DDs for the plethora I usually give to if I see them out and about. I have a few DDs for various, and anyone reading my posts can pretty well guess, and I do have one set up for the the canal trust but that is self interest as I use them nearly everyday (walking).

I don't think though most giving is directly religiously inspired, but more culturally.

[vetran]

I disagree. Let's have a survey. Children in need is coming up, lets count how many of the countless people doing lots of good mention are inspired by any religion.

I didn't say everyone who was charitable was religious, just that those that are charitable & religious find their religion helps them be more charitable.