Perhaps things such as YouTube could do more damage to religion than any communism ever did.
At least in countries were YouTube isn't banned by the religious thought police.
What has to Happen to end Religion?
- Thread starter PsychoticEpisode
- Start date
Perhaps things such as YouTube could do more damage to religion than any communism ever did.
At least in countries were YouTube isn't banned by the religious thought police.
That will just end current theists, and current references to religion, not religion itself.
Jan.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Who will have religion then ?
I edited my last post, maybe you want to read it.
You imply that religion is an object.
Religion, is, period. That is why it affects every single human in some way.
Jan.
PsychoticEpisode,
I don't know about cancer, or "..being stuck" with anything. But religion is part of the life experience, it never came into being, and it won't go out of being.
It is possible to change the parameters of religion to make it seem like there is no religion, no god, no afterlife, but this still requires faith and belief. In short you can pretend there is no religion, like politicians and atheists pretend societies are less violent than before.
Neither is solid food, walking shoes, or a decent paid job. But in time....
jan.
I don't know about cancer, or "..being stuck" with anything. But religion is part of the life experience, it never came into being, and it won't go out of being.
It is possible to change the parameters of religion to make it seem like there is no religion, no god, no afterlife, but this still requires faith and belief. In short you can pretend there is no religion, like politicians and atheists pretend societies are less violent than before.
Neither is solid food, walking shoes, or a decent paid job. But in time....
jan.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Then how would there be religion if there were no religious people ?
*************
M*W: Fortunately, no one will.
*************
M*W: That's what I'm saying. It would be a much better place to live without those lies!
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Correct me in I'm wrong, but did you just call one of the great wonders of the world a waste of time?
Psch...,
Nice thread. I started one on a similar vein some years ago.
The religionists are not qualified to answer so we can ignore all their posts. People who cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality aren't likely to offer any intelligible answers on this issue, as we can see above.
But religions (the major ones anyway) today rest on several fundamental observations.
1. Death appears inevitable and represents the prospect of non-existence which many find distasteful and unacceptable. This single fact is the root basis of every major religion and nearly all the lesser ones, i.e. the concept that somehow death is survivable in some type of mysterious ethereal form.
2. Man appears to be the pinnacle of life on the planet and must be the result of some form of intent.
If one or both of these conditions change in any fundamental manner then the effect on the credibility of religion would be eroded, and the degree would be dependent on the extent of the change.
If solutions are found to stop and/or reverse the aging process then death ceases to become inevitable. Without death being a commonplace event and with the real prospect of open ended life spans then the concept of life after death loses, probably significantly, any relevance. Without the life after death concept pretty much every religion will lose the affect of its primary promise.
The development of AI and machines with intelligence equal and likely greater than man, and with appropriate emotional and self–aware capabilities will also significantly erode the illusion that man is somehow perfect or a pinnacle of some supernatural achievement.
The discovery of alien life, potentially of a very different form to us will also erode the perception that somehow man is special.
And finally, a very long view, and probably an unlikely scenario since I suspect AI will replace mankind, but there is the outside chance that man could simply continue to evolve into something superior. This might well be the result of genetic engineering where we deliberately design in strengths and eliminate weakness. Very much along the same lines where man took the wolf and from that base bred all the vast array of different dogs we see today. But with man, intelligence and creativity would likely be the dominant design features. The result would likely be a human far beyond what we know as human today. The conclusion is that we would have designed our own destiny and the concept of a supernatural cause would just seem a silly idea.
Religions will slowly die, although smoldering embers might continue for a long time.
Nice thread. I started one on a similar vein some years ago.
The religionists are not qualified to answer so we can ignore all their posts. People who cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality aren't likely to offer any intelligible answers on this issue, as we can see above.
All the time the human race exhibits a vast array of creative imaginative and speculative ideas and with a tendency to confuse such potentials as real then religion in some form will likely always exist. It represents an inherent irrational aspect of the human psyche. It is the downside to one of our greatest strengths, the ability to imagine.
But religions (the major ones anyway) today rest on several fundamental observations.
1. Death appears inevitable and represents the prospect of non-existence which many find distasteful and unacceptable. This single fact is the root basis of every major religion and nearly all the lesser ones, i.e. the concept that somehow death is survivable in some type of mysterious ethereal form.
2. Man appears to be the pinnacle of life on the planet and must be the result of some form of intent.
If one or both of these conditions change in any fundamental manner then the effect on the credibility of religion would be eroded, and the degree would be dependent on the extent of the change.
If solutions are found to stop and/or reverse the aging process then death ceases to become inevitable. Without death being a commonplace event and with the real prospect of open ended life spans then the concept of life after death loses, probably significantly, any relevance. Without the life after death concept pretty much every religion will lose the affect of its primary promise.
The development of AI and machines with intelligence equal and likely greater than man, and with appropriate emotional and self–aware capabilities will also significantly erode the illusion that man is somehow perfect or a pinnacle of some supernatural achievement.
The discovery of alien life, potentially of a very different form to us will also erode the perception that somehow man is special.
And finally, a very long view, and probably an unlikely scenario since I suspect AI will replace mankind, but there is the outside chance that man could simply continue to evolve into something superior. This might well be the result of genetic engineering where we deliberately design in strengths and eliminate weakness. Very much along the same lines where man took the wolf and from that base bred all the vast array of different dogs we see today. But with man, intelligence and creativity would likely be the dominant design features. The result would likely be a human far beyond what we know as human today. The conclusion is that we would have designed our own destiny and the concept of a supernatural cause would just seem a silly idea.
Religions will slowly die, although smoldering embers might continue for a long time.
If God showed up on a regular basis then religion just might end.
What possible need would we have for religion if God put on a show, especially in these modern times?
Let's say God removes all weaponry from the face of the Earth then He casts a spell wherein everytime someone even thinks of bringing them back or of killing someone that person drops dead. A few idiots try it and the rest of us become convinced.
Next, during a regular schedule of visitations, He explains every mystery from Creation to Caramilk bars. We end world hunger, disease is vanquished, & the planet is saved.
It turns out that no religion got it right. Would one or many spring up between visits.
What possible need would we have for religion if God put on a show, especially in these modern times?
Let's say God removes all weaponry from the face of the Earth then He casts a spell wherein everytime someone even thinks of bringing them back or of killing someone that person drops dead. A few idiots try it and the rest of us become convinced.
Next, during a regular schedule of visitations, He explains every mystery from Creation to Caramilk bars. We end world hunger, disease is vanquished, & the planet is saved.
It turns out that no religion got it right. Would one or many spring up between visits.
5000 years of civilization suggests that, no, it wasn't. Religion was the corner stone and foundation of their civilization. Don't forget this was the DAWN of human civilization . Is a PS3 a "waste of time and resources"? How about TV, Radio, Internet, going on a picnic?
Building pyramids was only conducted a few mounts of the year and it promoted social equality, connected peoples from one area of Egypt with peoples from the other, it taught builders how to build, it kept people from waring with one another, it reinforced their social bonds, it pushed them to become VERY VERY organized and literate. In short, no Pyramids, not Egyptian Civilization. Not to mention all the supporting job that were needed and taxes that were paid which pushed farmers (who paid in grain) to be more productive in their farming. The list goes on and on. Egyptians were very very VERY religous people. It worked for them.
I guess, what I'm getting at, is religion has a place in society. Being atheist I can recognize that there are different needs for different people and some needs only religion meets for some people.
Incidentally, some of the most fervent atheists I know were at one time die hard Xians and as atheist I'd say they are pretty fr*cking fanatically religious in their need for atheism to fill a need they have.
MII
Correct me in I'm wrong, but did you just call one of the great wonders of the world a waste of time?
I imagine that if it was proposed we build one today it would be called a big waste of time, yes.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was a "waste of time"?
Yes, I suppose that time would have been better spent arguing about religion.
Kadark the Hittite
The Great Pyramid of Giza was a "waste of time"?
Yes, I suppose that time would have been better spent arguing about religion.
Kadark the Hittite
I'm just saying the difference between building one now and building one back then is rationalism. It would not be tolerated that we build such a pointless structure even if it would be an impressive one.