World Religions will soon end....

[goliah]

If 'world' religion is going to end, it will be because they have been exposed as a great human self-deception and illusion. The validity of the Christian tradition [and other monotheisms] rests upon the efficacy of theology as a valid human intellectual endeavour. That is coming under growing question not only by a successful athiest publishing assult but more profound, by the first testable proof for faith spreading on the web. One, I would suggest that is able to over turn the whole of 'Christian history' and one already confirmed by this contributer. I'm not allowed to post links yet so if anyone want to check it out for themselves, send me a private message and I'll send the links.

[Inter.spem.et.metum]

What of the other religions of the world? Those who do not have such a dirty past as Christianity? Also, you can't look at the practicioners of religion and deem the religion evil. ALL RELIGIONS WERE CREATED TO HELP HUMANS ADVANCE. Each religion is direct effect of the ideas that occured before it. It is a social inevitability. A closer study of all religions has shown that each one represents human nature in similar ways. Patterns emerge out of every human action and those can be studied. The idea of God as this "demanding, controlling, and judging being" is quickly disappearing. What I spoke of earlier in this thread is how the religions are molding. A more metaphysical idea of God is emerging. One that is based solely on the perception of a force that connects all things, the perfection of cause and effect, and the indivisible identity of matter.

 

Religion is no longer magical, its scientific. And any arguement against such ideas are futile and simply causes unnecessary conflict. The new evolution of spiritual people realise the relative nature of the human mind, the consistency of the natural laws, and the conflict between the two. We do judge people for their beliefs and we expect others to not judge us. There is too many problems to worry about something as confusing as religion.

[HydrogenBond]

If you look at the rise of Christianity, the first Christians were like sheep lead to the slaughter. Anyone could bully, dominate and kill them, since they wouldn't fight back. There was a systematic genocide. Most people prefer this victim status for Christians, so they can be pushed around and won't fight back. Even today, most critics ignor how they had little choice but to learn to fight back. Many critics are the neo-bullies complaining about the sheep daring to organize and fight back. The Christians are suppose to accept every disadvantage, to make it fair.

 

The tide turned when Christianity became the official religion of Rome. Now it had the backing of a world superpower and they didn't have to take crap from anyone. The early Catholic Church was sort of a hybrid of a gentler Rome but a tougher Christianity. From a practical point of view, it became necessary to fight Evil with evil. Evil is sort of a bully that does better picking on the defenseless. But if a righteous bully comes along, he can give the first bully a beating, until he gets some social manners. One did not mess with these Christians, or one was messing with Rome.

 

The Church eventually set up the seven divine kingdoms, giving the divine right of kings to the leaders. The kings had the power of life and death, but were too far away from Rome to keep on a tight lease. This made the church even more worldly and gave more power to the secular world. The kingdoms were sort of a step down away from Christian-Rome, to form hybrids that were more worldly. This secular influences began to revert back to Imperialism as the kingdoms chose to expand. It may have been two parts Rome and only one part Chrisitian at that time.

 

The more Chriistianity departed from the original Chrisitianity, and the more worldly they became, the more worldly they started to behave. The darkside of Christian history is due to the church trying to be more inclusive to the needs of the secular aspects of culture. It won over its worse critic Rome and started to slip but gained security. It added monarchies, which everyone seemed to like, and it started to act more Imperialistic. It added the age of enlightenment, so the church became more rational. The kingdoms reasoned themselves a different deal. Now it has added modern culture leading to members becoming aetheists. It is almost like we have 6 parts Rome and 1 part Chrisitanity. The aetheists have got back to the beginning, on the bully side of Christianity.

 

In the attempt to please the herd, the herd has scattered. If one goes back to the basics of the first Christians, one is a victim of a different generation of bullies. Nowdays the Christians are persecuted in the colloseums of public opinion. Maybe the place for modern Christianity is the time of the Rome merge. One had the influence of an intelligent, advanced culture, ahead of it time. But at the same time, Ceasar doesn't take any crap. Additional worldly accommodations, esculate the atrocities. In other words, if you go back one is bullied, if you go forward, you bully.

 

If you look at Michelangelo, Galaleo, Newton, etc., this was Christian-Rome. The Spanish Inquisition was more greedy, sadistic barbarian. This came during the later phases of secular accommodations. It contained too much Rome and not enough of the original Christianity.

[Inter.spem.et.metum]

Thank you for the history lesson. I completely agree with your observation. Jesus lived to show what people could be, and died to show how people are. I don't believe in Jesus as the sole representation of God, that he was resurrected, or that you must worship him. So I do not consider myself a christian, but I do believe in what Jesus taught. Self-sacrifice and self-denial. It is the duty of a follower of christ to not create unnecessary conflict. We shouldn't fear our death so much that we are willing to harm others in the protection of a life that is definite. Christians fell from this path a long time ago. Again, christianity was created to help humans through this journey, but humans polluted it with there egotistical purposes.

[charles brough]

Viewing various topics on all the boards I feel that perhaps view of where the world is going is in order. People are becoming more religiously independent and feel less inclined to be active in the religion. There are some who attend at least once a week a religious service of some kind, however how many actually live up to their religion standards? Very few actually. The overall moral decline seen world wide indicates that. People have always done bad things in all of history. But the last century had more injustice and unmoral acts that any before it.

 

From science point of view what's happening is that people have searched for answers and wanted changes in the over world system works. The changes have made some improvements but no long lasting benefit has resulted. Most of the old problems still remain. Worse yet humans are not using resources of the world responsibly causing all sorts of social problems. Since politics and science will not claim their share of the mess they will instead point the figure at beliefs. Yes religion will get the bulk of the blame. The process is already in motion and nothing can stop it now.

 

Little by little it is already shifting. Religion and prayers removed from schools. Religious quotes being removed from public property. People are becoming spiritually lazy, having devotion of sorts but proving false to it with their lifestyles. Religious minded terrorists have put a fear and hate into the hearts of many. Religious attendance is down. Religious sex offenders being discovered all the time. Plus countless more.

 

One day the churches will be closed. The shrines emptied or banned. Religion will be seen only a personal level and very likely no longer socially acceptable to speak openly about. Holidays and religious activities will disappear or at the very least loose the original flare they once had with people. The governments will actually be saddened by the loss of religious political influence that once could be used as a advantage. Merchants and businesses will miss the money they made with religion and feel sad by the lost. The world governments without religion will unite as one and declare peace & security.

I can tell you live in Idaho! I've been in and out of the mid-west and South for the last 13 years and the Baptist, Penticostal and Evangelical churches are thriving! It is the liberal-Christian churches are are going empty. They are supported by semi-religious wealthy who pay to keep their churches going without bothering to attend.

 

Meanwhile, fanatically christian young Christian college graduates are infiltratring the federal bureaucry and older ones the courts. We are seeing Bible stories on the History and Discovery channels and Religion is a big topic in all our news magazines. This is the way it is going in the U.S.

 

To replace religion requires a new world-view and way of thinking. What is it that you say is to replace the old religions? Is Secular Humanism going to do it? It seems not! The secular ideals are failing. We don't even bother to say we are "promiting the spread of Democracy" in Iraq. We are just "trying to get out"! That is not an ideological system that can inspire the world!

 

We have to replace the old system with something far better or people will never accept it. Apply social science properly, and it exists. You have to know how to find it.

[Inter.spem.et.metum]

I actually see a the opposite occuring. I see a new breed of youth that are well rounded in information. With the internet and the media, many young people are taking bits and pieces of all the information they are taking in and creating new ideas and beliefs that unify these reccuring themes. Religion will never disappear. Only the focus of worship changes. What will the focus be in the future? We will come to a place where humans think of nothing but themselves?