sidewinder

It seems that all signs in the world point to the slow decrease in the number of people who hold the basic tenets of theistic religion. I was thinking today that perhaps this could have a detrimental effect on the world. I see (moderate) organized theistic religion basically as serving social functions. Wasn't it Plato who stated that a nation should have a belief in God just for the sake of maintaining order in a society? He stated that it didn't actually matter if the God existed or not because it served a social function. It seems to me that if many strong theists today somehow lost their religious beliefs tomorrow it might cause some disorder in individual lives which would then negatively affect society at large.

I think many people have to hold some kind of belief in God because if they didn't it could cause a major upset in their lives. I think many people cannot even fathom not believing in a God. I thought about this because I've heard people mention that they'd like to rid the world of organized theistic religion but I have to question what kind of effect it would have on the world. I think it's necessary to have these theistic religions in the world because they are so ingrained in our world. If they were somehow eradicated tomorrow, it may cause serious problems. Even the slow erosion of these religions could cause problems.

I think the present course of subjecting theistic religions to criticism is needed in an effort to get this information to the masses and prevent fantaticism and promote tolerance of other beliefs. The only place where criticism seems to be lacking is toward Islam, and my hope is that it's on the way, prompted of course by the events of 9/11.

Thoughts?

Dark Jedi

I don't see the belief in gods as a necessary social tenet any longer. With a broader understanding of the world, knowledge can serve the same purpose.
Without the dampening effects of godism, imagine how much we can learn from science!

Samhain

I agree with you sidewinder, to a certain extent. While I feel that a worldwide movement to [Secular Humanism perhaps?] is to be desired, I think that it needs to be an eventual, yet gradual goal (if it can be said to be a goal). Yes, religion serves its social purpose, but it would seem (at least to me) as Albert Einstein put it that man is perhaps in a "poor way indeed" if he needs to believe in these fairy tales in order to hold himself morally correct. Fear of punishment or hope of reward after death is no way to live a moral life (regardless of moral standards). It's not truly the "moral" but the forced. Of course, such a movement away from organized religion must be gradual. It must be somewhat like Bradbury's Farenheit 451 in which the "book-people" (for lack of a better title) plan to introduce literature back into society gradually in order for people to accept it. Too much too fast will ultimately lead the majority of traditionalists (using that term widely to cover many theists) to reject such an idea. Change is good, but too much too quickly will cause many to reject and shut out that change which may be obviously beneficial.

Eventually, I think society will move away from religion as a whole and actually view it with some amount of disgust from a historical point of view, but such a dramatic change will take time.

The Other Michael

If they'd never experienced the concept they probably wouldn't be bothered by the lack of it.

cheers,
Michael

tdekeyser

I hope that religion DOES go away.

First, we should have a good system in place for ALL children that teaches values, self worth, self respect etc. Morals should come automatically.

I hope to see at least SOME loss of religion while I'm still alive.

Perchance

I agree that the sudden collapse of religion tomorrow might be detrimental, but I don't think such a thing could happen (unless in a hypothetical situation like a science fiction novel, or science somehow discovering undeniable proof that God does not exist). It takes- or at least, based on a lot of atheists' stories here, it seems to take- the average person quite a bit of time to lose or even modify his or her religious beliefs. In fact, I've heard about a lot more sudden conversions to organized religion, especially the conservative kind, than to atheism, agnosticism, or liberal theism.


I think the collapse of organized religion really isn't an issue. If it happens, it won't be a collapse, I think; it will be a long, slow decline, and people will have time to get used to living without it.

schu

The sooner we get shed of religion the better. Religion in the form of xianity is a plague on the world and islam is it's sister in evil. Look at the philosophy of xianity. Believe in me or you are going to hell! Well thanks for the offer! I don't deal well with a gun to my head and I think that the holder of the gun is an evil person. Is there any reason to think otherwise? Anyone who thinks it is okay to use coercion to force xianity on you is an evil person. All those who say, "Well, you know you are going to hell, don't you?", are evil people. That is most of the xians that I meet.

Schu

Mike Rosoft

schu:
>That is most of the xians that I meet.

And you had no chance to find out if people who met you and didn't try to push their religion on you were Christians or not.

Please don't make such hasty generalizations. Not all Christians are fundamentalists. Not even most, though they are seen more often.


Mike Rosoft

sighhswolf

If this mythology were to die, there would be another to assume the vacancy.
There would be a new "security blanket" for those who need it.
I dont forsee the death of myth and/or religion.
These concepts of mythology and religion are designed to give humankind hope...to espouse that those who would be hostile, controlling, and oppressive to human kind will be called to some form of justice.

These concepts appeal to those who are disenchanted with being the pawns of the rich and powerful and offers them a picture of equality
that most do not have in this life.
My thoughts are that god will continue to live as long as humankind has a need for him.
The maturity of a life form such as ours, the growth of our own intellect as a species, and the ability to control our own enviornment will spell the death of god.

When that time will arise...who knows.
Wolf

Perchance

Hmmm. What does that mean for people who do get rid of religion right now, then? That they are somehow different from the rest of humanity, in having no need for it? Or do people just substitute one mythology for another? Is it possible for someone who thinks that he's free of religion to make secular humanism, say, into a religion without even realizing it?

(Not to say that this happens. It would just seem that if we as a species are really incapable of living without religion right now, then totally secular positions would be impossible).

-Perchance.