It makes me wonder of how different things could be in even 20 years, or 50, or a 100. Do you think your children will be as religious as you are? Your grandchildren? How prominent will traditional churches be and how much will they change? Will it follow current geographical demographics or will it spread evenly? Or will it reverse (I personally think this unlikely)?
I'm not religious at all. I never have been. I grew up in a very Catholic family but I never saw the need for religion in my life. I have always felt more complete and safe not following in the footsteps of other people who chose to believe in it. Science, for me, has always been more rational and logical and easier to understand and believe. So will my children be as religious as me? Absolutely. I would never ever think to encourage my children to not believe in what makes them happy, but the odds are, coming from me and my husband, that they will not be religious at all. Same thing with my grandchildren. I believe that in 500 years it is very possible that churches could strictly be museums that help showcase what religion was when it became too uncontrollable and people started feeling uncomfortable believing in it anymore. I do think that the religious south will take longer to change, but the more extreme religious crusaders push their beliefs in others faces, the easier it is for said people to feel less comfortable with being religious all together. I do not believe it will reverse.
It strikes me that so much of the vehemence around the current iteration of 'culture wars' is the sense on one side that they are slowly losing their grip on the future (and their deeply held views on life and society) and those who think they are increasingly winning.
I don't think that atheism is winning either. I think that the more atheists (hardcore atheists anyway) show their arrogance and hatred they become no better than the hardcore Christians who "do the Lord's work by telling you that you're a terrible person because God said so." The "winners" are the people who honestly do not care what someone else does with their lives and what they believe in and are just content with living their lives as best they can. The winners will be the people that choose to be good and do good and keep their religious beliefs to themselves (and their friends and family).
Since most of us on this forum are definitely in the 'West' where this trend is taking place I figured I'd pose some of those questions here and see what you had to say.
Interesting to note that the OP stated he would "pose some of these questions here" and then went on to post no questions whatsoever.
Given the mindless gloating pop culture responses that will be intentionally elicited, shouldn't this thread be in "Philosophical Discussions?"
One wonders what the attraction is in the endless attempts to slip anti-religious threads into the Religious Section.
I thought he did post questions. I answered them in my response anyway. Maybe they just weren't the questions you were wanting? I think this post should be in the religious thread considering he asked where people thought the future of religion was going. :shrug:
If it was in your power, would you take religion out of the lives of everyone in the world?
I know this wasn't directed at me, but I thought I'd add my opinion here. I don't think that there is a need to remove religious from people's lives, it just would be nice to see it disappear from the mainstream (where people have personal relationships with their religion of choice and don't run around telling everyone else what they can and cannot do). I know some really great Christian people and they are the ones that do not run around telling anyone they should find a relationship with God or else they'll go to hell.
Some religions need to be curbed, or they will take over the world.
Just out of curiosity which religions are you referring to here? It is always interesting to me to see who thinks what religions are dangerous.
Some religions need to be curbed, or they will take over the world.
I think there is a fear in religious people in discussing these topics and I think that is where the hostility came from. It wasn't necessary but the idea of religion not being powerful in the future probably scares this person.
First, I'm assuming you live in the states under which governmental authority is democratic so not sure how Christians are forcing themselves on you and I guess if you don't like the system of laws here just move.
Secondly, since humans have morality,dignity,responsibility, and many other realities that are not scientifically verifiable, religion isn't going away any time soon. Actually, I find the Christian religion to be the most logical,reasonable, and complete worldview.
I guess you haven't been watching a lot of television lately. Hardcore Christians are forcing their beliefs on this world every day in an extremely hateful and aggressive way. Gay rights, pro-life agendas, which countries we should go and bomb, which people can go to their heaven and which people cannot, and so on. I don't care if these people believe that homosexuality is wrong, and if abortion is murder, and if other religions are threatening, it's just none of their business to force other people to have to live under those same rules. I know, I know... so why is fair the other way around, right? Well legalized abortion allows people who are not against it to do it if that's there choice and allows people who are against it to have their babies or give them up for adoption. No one is forcing someone to have an abortion. By making abortion illegal you're essentially taking ONLY the Christian faith and making that the only way of life, hence... "forcing themselves on you." The same goes for homosexual rights. Allowing homosexuals to marry each other and live their own lives on their own terms would be the most neutral way to handle the situation, yet somehow Christianity has done it again and continues to make it illegal for these people to marry each other... again, essentially "forcing themselves on you." The Christian religion, in my opinion, is the least logical, reasonable, and complete worldview and honestly is becoming more and more dangerous the further we allow it's ruling to govern our laws in this country. I'm sure that is offensive to you and I am honestly sorry (even though stating that Christianity, something I don't believe in and never have agreed with, is the most logical explanation for our existence is extremely offensive to me), but the truth is that science only gives evidence of where we came from and where we're going, while Christianity has been getting into the lives of people that don't want it there and forcing them to live by it's guidelines, as offensive and ignorant as it may be.