Karen Armstrong (she is a bible historian) wrote a book that I've found enlightening called "The Battle for God". It is a study of the three main religious thoughts of Judism, Christianity, and Islam. Her thoughts are that when people began to look at things from a scientific reasoning gradually over the centuries it threatened the Mythos of established Religions and how they looked at who, and what God was all about. Mondernality as it progressed put more emphasis on science and reason and question more and more the idea of God because it did not fit the rational world of the scientists down through the ages. Science even became another religion to some degree as religious people were pressured to recognize the rational explainations for life. Like evolution.
She speaks of the fear of annilation too, of losing idenity in a world that is fighting wars all around them. Fundamentalist religions of which we are still affected sprang up in the late 19th century, which is when Russell began is questioning and evaluation of bible thought. The Millennialism or looking for Armaggedon was very strong in that period of scientific exporation that was advancing more quickly than people could mentally and emotionally adjust to. The idea of the Rapture came up then as people looked for the end to come. In fact there was a morbid yearning for the world to come to an end because the uneducated working class were becoming poorer and the richer more educated becoming richer. Education was not equal for everyone, and the march of the modern world was frightening to many people who craved the old familar ways. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and many more started in this time period. Some like the JW's and the Mormons seemed to thrive as they looked to Christ to bring destruction of world and save them. People felt afraid. People fear now, but not so much of the modern world but more of the terrorist that still live in their fundamentalist minded religions of the world. When people are afraid they can create even imaginary enemies, and conspiracys. People crave certainty, and with Jehovah's Witnesses the had an explaination for everything. The provided order to a chaotic world. Thus their appeal in Ms. Armstrongs opinion. The terrorist fear the anilation of the fundamental Islamic world that is being encroached by the modern world.
Karen Amstrong has written some other interesting book like "A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
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We often wonder about the way religion came about, and why it progressed as it did. These are interesting books to read if you have an interest in religions of the world.
Ruth
