by nvrgnbk 13 Replies latest jw friends
Though many millions are still under the spell of ignorance-inducing belief-systems, have you personally noted people in your day-to-day to be less and less involved in religion?
That's been my experience. It gives me great hope about the future of humanity.
Agreed, at least here in the NorthEastern US. Of course that may be partially validating the JW religion is ending hypothesis. I don't think religion is going anywhere but many people seem to be waking up through education.
Isaac
I live in the southern US, so the churches around here are still bulging at the seams. However, the other day at work we were talking about Islamic fundamentalism and its ties to terrorism, when one of the women (herself a fundy, no less!) said that too strict an interpretation of any holy book, even the Bible, leads to hatred of others who are different. I then pointed out that most of the time religion is the only difference between some cultures and that if if you got rid of religion most people would have little to fight about, at least until they could find something else they didn't like about each other!
Believe it or not, these southern Christians agreed!
It does give one some hope for the future.
Babylon the Grape may fall yet!
CyrusThePersian
Absolutely. I know a lot of 'spiritual' people but not one of them attends church or is a member of a religion.
People are realising they don't need to go to a building and hear some penis minister etc tell them how they can 'connect' to god.
About bloody time!
Yes. I am seeing a clear trend in this direction.
There is definitely a correlation between education and being irreligious.
Maybe people are starting to realize that all religions are cults. Even the Catholic church started out as a cult, and has become the world's most successful cult.
What is different about mainstream religion is that they are less dangerous and harmful cults than the fundamentalist cults that we are seeing and have been seeing from the 1850-era cults (of which the Watchtower Society is one). The Catholic church is what I term a mild cult--you are not prevented from leaving, and they do little or nothing to stop members from looking at critical material. These milder cults rely heavily on fraud, but do little to cut the members off from mainstream worldly sources.
The harsher cults, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, fit the definition of a full-blown cult. And it's those that use the decline of the other cults and religions as evidence that they have the "truth". This cult in particular not only uses fraud to get people in, but unlike other religions that are milder cults, they also stop people from looking at critical sources or leaving without harsh penalties. And that will ultimately be their demise.
Ultimately, the harsher the cult, the harder they are going down. Religions that rely solely on mysticism will probably last somewhat longer than those that also use force or threat of force. It's only a matter of time before people get p*$@ed off at those cults that use threat of force and leave them, or stop joining. The other religions will be around a while longer, but it wouldn't surprise me if eventually we all become atheists and/or Devil worshipers when people realize what a scam religion is. It will take longer in the South, but I think even the Bible belt will eventually wilt.
O don't I wish!
But I doubt it. Most of the people in this world have invisible imaginary friends, and far too many of them are willing to kill "infidels".
Education is man's only hope. Either that or Galactus comes and straightens us out.
I've noticed that there are are not many cars in the parking lots of churches around here now, except for a few big churches that appeal to rich people. They build gymns for the children to play in.
Ken P.
We'll see this especially with the kids now in school.
They are increasingly hard to convince.
I must of missed this thread...
I am really hopeful about religion cooling off...but, I dont see that happening in orthodox countries, where church is a huge part of their every day life...
But yes, I agree with Natas and Nvrgnbk, education is the key to religious freedom...not that all religions are ignorant and extreme, but the ones that are, would benefit 100% from education.
Education makes intolerance, prejudice , racism be seen for what they are - products of ignorance.
