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Originally Posted by mrnoodle
...All I'm saying is that there's something that's gradually insinuating itself into our culture, and the evidence of it is growing constantly. It wasn't there 50 years ago. You tell me what it is, since I'm so obviously out of touch.
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Here's my take.
Gods were created to explain what we don't understand. Thousands of years ago, we didn't understand thunder, so Thor was the explanation. As we understand more, there is less of a need to rely on a "god". Scientists can explain pretty much everything from nanoseconds after the big bang to the present. Sure there are gaps and sure there are alternative explanations, like religion. But "god" comes down to being that which created matter/energy and caused the big bang. If you want to say that's "god", be my guest. If he designed our unniverse intelligently from the other side of the big bang, go right ahead.
The only real mysteries left are "why are we here?" and "what happens to us after we die". People who are uncomfortable with death want reassurance that we don't just become worm food, so they take solice in religion. I sometimes wish I could do that. I attend church, and feel all warm and fuzzy, and walk out thinking things like "people do not rise from the dead. The story of Saul on the road to Damascus sounds more like a UFO encounter than anything else".
And "God" has printed a manual on how to get to Heaven. It happens to be a self-conflicting book, written by men, but is claimed to be written by/ inspired by God. Some of it is actually a great guide for the survival of a young species, especially Leviticus and the ten commandments. Is it literal, or allegory - life lessons in story form? It can't be both. Until that's decided and the internal conflicts resolved - it's just a book. Fiction, IMHO.
Now-a-days, God becomes this omnipotent being that controls the unniverse. "God willing", God forbid", cause abdication of responsibility. A religious person is not responsible for his circumstances, something happened to them because they didn't go to church, didn't pray, talk to snakes, do the jig, whatever. And if you get on God's bad side, there'll be hell to pay - literally.
What's happened in the last 50 years is that knowledge has increased dramatically. People have more free time. They realize that they don't *want* to follow dogma. And the other side has fought back, trying to force these "non-beleivers" to behave as "good Christians", using legislation. Information spreads quickly, so when Jim Bakker, Pat Robinson, Jimmy Swaggart, or a self-proclaimed "Christian" behaves in a non-Christian way, *all* Christians and Christianity loses creditbility, and more people leave the faith. We also see how world wide, religion has caused conflict, death, destruction, and suffering, and don't want parts of that.
Are we losing a connection with something good and necessary? I don't feel like I am, but I'm not connected with religion, and have'nt been for 35 years.
Sorry for the tw-ish post