Because we're not all you, darling.
Opinion based. You, me, and not Dupree.
- Thread starter KJbushway
- Start date
Because we're not all you, darling.
How can you truly understand something when the ''truth'' was only avaible when said Jesus was alive.
The orignial Bible was written in a language that few understand, it was translate, but how does anybody know if that version was the complete one. People lied and manipulated back then as they do now. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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Digits never mentioned Jesus, or the Bible. Christianity is a big religion, but it's not alone. There's Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, to name some big ones. He is also correct in that the understanding of God or the concept of God will evolve as civilization continues to evolve, and there will be aspects of the religion that will be diluted and from that will stem more religions.
If you can believe that God is capable of creating the whole of the universe it isn't that hard to believe that He would make sure His message is transmitted correctly throughout time.
I guess I am a conservative because I am not convinced that all the progress that we have today is a good thing. There are all sorts of ways we have figured out to hurt and kill our fellow man, but on the other side of the coin there are amazing advances in medicine that help mankind. I freely admit that I am not smart enough to figure out if the sum total has put us as a species on the road to improvement or detriment.
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"Allah" is merely arabic for "God", and many of the Muslims I know just say "God". As for using the name God, well, it just so happens that God is a generic name, even though it is capitalize as a proper name.
Right. I'm not talking about Christianity. I'm talking about our understanding of God. There's no reason to believe it will not grow and evolve over time just like most everything else will. I think this has been the case for a long time.
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That's correct, and it will continue. As society becomes more nuanced and advanced, the idea and concept of God will become more nuanced and advanced, and it has been this way for millennia. Now, there will always be people who want to go back to "traditional values", but usually those people have no idea what the real traditional values of the religion were. We have, as a civilization, continued to move forward, despite minor step backs.
Well actually to it growing. The fastest growing religion is islam. The Karan is a violent book, so it the bible but it is more.
Hopefully that growing of understanding of god means that the understanding that other people should be able to live their lives if their not religious or as conservative as others with power. Like being able to marry if your gay(even if its just at a court). Stem cell research, abortion(not as a birth control method, thats wrong) not having to see things like in god we stand, or hearing one nation under(because the original founding fathers wouldn't have accepted having those). One can hope that sometimes the minority can just live a relaxing life as others and not be pressured or have the thing they're against constantly shoved in their face everyday.
Hopefully that growing of understanding of god means that the understanding that other people should be able to live their lives if their not religious or as conservative as others with power. Like being able to marry if your gay(even if its just at a court). Stem cell research, abortion(not as a birth control method, thats wrong) not having to see things like in god we stand, or hearing one nation under(because the original founding fathers wouldn't have accepted having those). One can hope that sometimes the minority can just live a relaxing life as others and not be pressured or have the thing they're against constantly shoved in their face everyday.
I think the question that has to be addressed in determining whether or not religion will go away is what do people want from religion that they can't get from other sources? For example, if someone is looking for meaning in their lives, or to make sense of the universe, they can get what they want somewhere else, OTOH if someone is looking to deal with death in a way that means not believing death is non-existence, not so much. As science and human intelligence advance, some of what religion does for people will be eclipsed, some won't. I expect specific religions that make claims that are shown to be false via science or other means will continue to take a beating as they have the last few hundred years in western society, but I imagine personal belief will be with us until we reach a point either socially or biologically that human nature fundamentally changes.
I think religion will be around, and in the majority, for ages to come. Sure, the specific religions in vogue will change with the millennia but it'll be around with billions of followers.
I say that as someone who is not religious, but maybe a bit spiritual, at most. Religion assuages the deepest fears of mankind, death, and sometimes gives a purpose to live. As long as religion deals with those, it'll have a place in the human psyche.
Mr Awe
I say that as someone who is not religious, but maybe a bit spiritual, at most. Religion assuages the deepest fears of mankind, death, and sometimes gives a purpose to live. As long as religion deals with those, it'll have a place in the human psyche.
Mr Awe
True.
Thats unfortunate.
But just as someone can get rid of there fear of heights, someone should by training their brain get rid of their fear of death and no-afterlife. I have, but I also can't get rid of my fear of heights unless I am in control. Control maybe part of the fear that drives that belief in never-death.
Thats unfortunate.
But just as someone can get rid of there fear of heights, someone should by training their brain get rid of their fear of death and no-afterlife. I have, but I also can't get rid of my fear of heights unless I am in control. Control maybe part of the fear that drives that belief in never-death.
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The reason people fear heights is because they may fall and die as a result. That can be overcome, possibly, with time. Getting rid of the fear of death? No, as human beings who are mortal and know that death is imminent, you're never going to completely remove that fear. For example, myself. I'm not afraid of death per se, but I do not welcome it. There are many things I want to do and see, and the idea that I will not have enough time to accomplish everything I would like, frustrates me, particularly since I am a completist.
Religion has been in decline in Western civilization since the Renaissance. As long as knowledge continues to grow, and to permeate society to a greater degree, mainstream religion will continue to become diluted to the point where it disappears. Barring unforeseen disasters or cultural collapses, it will probably take another four or five hundred years.
That's precisely how I feel. However, me wanting to believe there is more does not mean I can ignore what I see as a lack of credible evidence for that position. If more people were to adopt that sort of attitude, that particular function of religion would go out the window, not because people felt differently, but because other aspects of their psychology had changed.
I like his position.
I can truly tell you, I don't want death just yet, but I am not scared of it, becuase it will go two ways, I will die a painful death, or if I am lucky I will go to sleep and never know that I died.
By what measure is religion declining? Please be specific rather than throwing out an unsupported generality. I think that's a myth. This 2008 poll is very interesting.
Found here
