Is Religion dying?

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Spirituality yes, not religion.

 

@Midwinter: Curious thought. However, I've noticed that questionning dogma for its own sake can be as naive as sticking to it without question. There will always be people with a tendency towards attributing dogmatic traits to as many beliefs possible, and people with a tendency towards towards complete dependency on one's own personal views. The latter defies the purpose of an organised religion, so that's why certain religions can deliver blows on their own bodies. I guess that from the perspective of keeping a church up and running, a good strategy is to find some balance between a standarised and dogmatic core and the margin left up to people who seek truth in their lives. Again, maths doesn't really work for religions and rightfully so. Faith doesn't submit to logic. That's not bad, since total reliance on one's own logic necessatitates the assumption of own infallibility. Paradoxically, as that sort of assumption can only come from faith (logically unprovable conviction), defying or even denying faith may lead to dependency on it. And here our vicious circle would close.

 

The problem with faith nowadays is it's so hard. In schools we're taught to question everything, that everything has an explanation and an answer; and the Christain religion at least requires unquestioning belief. We are supposed to worship God. I call myself agnostic, because, while I have no idea whether there is or is not a God, I see no reason why I should worship either way. If their is a God, what has he ever done for me that I should worship him? I once read the comment (can't remember where) that the problem with God as portrayed by the Christain religion is that he must either be all-powerful or all-loving, and he can't be both. If he is not all-powerful, he might as well be a normal human being, so why worship? And if he is all-loving why doesn't he do anything to help those who believe?

Regarding the ten commandments and the bible, how often were/are they followed by believers? People have been killing each other for thousand of years over the exact interpretation of Holy Writ. While these people may be fanatics, their religion is their excuse. Also, it does not follow that people who do not believe in a religion are going to do unethical things (for example steal). I believe ethics are more based on a person's nature than on whether or not they have a religion. People will to as they like, all that varies is why they say they did it.

Yet, despite all this I do not think religion is dying. It's changing to suit the times, and once popular religions are on the downfall to be replaced by others. It's a cycle. For if it's hard to believe, it's also hard to have nothing to believe in, and each person has to find a level of belief or non-belief that suits them; something that nowadays more people have the freedom to do then before.

 

Is religion dying?

Not in the parts of the World where it needs to be...

 

Is religion dying?

Sadly not fast enough.

 

Is religion dying?

Unforunatley, it is in some parts of the world.

Why?

Because people are trusting in their own knowledge of the world to bring them answers as opposed to relying upon a deity or supreme being. But then, humans don't know squat.

Religious history has been bloody and still is today with some religions. But that is not religion's fault, but how humans have perceived their purpose. Humans percieve religion differently, and those with power twisted that to their own plans and agendas to attain power. That is why religion has such a bad name and is losing popularity, people disagree with what has happened with religions, and what still happens. As a result, people ignore the teachings of those religions all together. That is where some differ, they remember the meaning of the teachings as opposed to the teachers. The teachers are human and thus suseptable to curuption, but the teachings are pure. Some of you refer to the Ten Commandments, but what you should be refering to is the one commandment given by Jesus; "Love one another, as I have loved you". The one thing all the major religions have in common is the Golden Rule. Do not forget the teachings due to the mistakes of the teachers.

 

Define: religion.
Question: what is the death of religion? When no-one practices religion? When no-one practices a *particular* religion?

@chev: questioning dogma is always a good idea, as it allows one to fully understand the reason for it being in place. However, aggressive questioning with no intent to truly listen is a bad idea, as one learns nothing.

You speak of faith not relying on logic, and total reliance on one's own logic requiring the assumption of personal infallibility. What aspect of faith doesn't rely on logic? Some aspects do, some don't. Also, reliance on personal logic can (but not always does) leave room for acceptance that errors will creep in. Reliance on faith assumes the infallibility of the faith in question, unless the assumption is also made that the faith may well be wrong.

'Defying or denying faith may lead to dependency on it.'

If I honestly don't care about it, I don't care. I have no dependence on it, it is no part of my life, I possibly don't even think about it. If I don't care about 'my logic', it means nothing - I take life as I find it. There are many people with such a view as this.