Catalyst Posted August 26, 2016 Posted August 26, 2016 With some popular religions slowly dying, there are many other forms sprouting up, such as aliens designed us or all reality being a simulation, and many more. To extend this, the state may even been seen a as religion, because it can be seen as the absolute highest power of rule over its denizens, and worshipped with absolute faith in it. Many people thought with more knowledge and technology all religion would be swept away, but it seems with more knowledge comes more speculation about the unknown. If we accept that humans cannot know everything, will there always be religion?
Mister Mister Posted August 26, 2016 Posted August 26, 2016 suppose it depends on what you mean by religion. My feeling is that there are always some assumptions at play in one's thought process, even the Aristotelian First Principles, though I think some assumptions are far more reasonable than others. I also think that people need a cultural narrative to bind them (this being the real meaning of the word re-ligion, a story which binds together), though that doesn't necessarily need to be a complete fairy tale, it could be something like, "after thousands of years of darkness and ignorance and violence, we emerged from the shadows of history to develop reason, peace, and prosperity, and it is our duty to maintain those ideals for the future." 1
villagewisdom Posted August 27, 2016 Posted August 27, 2016 Opinion trigger warning. As we can't use the mind to see the mind, there will always be speculation as to what is behind it, above, below, inside, surrounding, the all conscious self, the universe, the universal mind . . . Whether we wrap that up in absolutes regarding good an evil and what happens after is a different matter.
Donnadogsoth Posted August 28, 2016 Posted August 28, 2016 With some popular religions slowly dying, there are many other forms sprouting up, such as aliens designed us or all reality being a simulation, and many more. To extend this, the state may even been seen a as religion, because it can be seen as the absolute highest power of rule over its denizens, and worshipped with absolute faith in it. Many people thought with more knowledge and technology all religion would be swept away, but it seems with more knowledge comes more speculation about the unknown. If we accept that humans cannot know everything, will there always be religion? So long as 1. humans are depraved and need to be rescued from that depravity 2. humans are made in the image of the Creator and need to have their creative potential unleashed 3. humans cannot solve 2 because of 1 they will need and either inherit or create some form of religion.
A4E Posted August 28, 2016 Posted August 28, 2016 Mark Twain: "It's easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled." Also people are quick to compare existence to current trends. For example, I am a simulationist believer because it makes sense to me at the moment, but I recognize that it is mostly due to being exposed to the computer age. In ancient times when something like kings, pharaohs or dictators began ruling the lands, it would be natural for people to compare existence to their current trends. A dictator is kind of all powerful, all knowing, (because of servants gathering information). So then obviously the world and existence is in the hands of an all powerful and all knowing character. At least it would be easy to make people believe it, when it is so similar to their own life.
dsayers Posted September 15, 2016 Posted September 15, 2016 Many people thought with more knowledge and technology all religion would be swept away, but it seems with more knowledge comes more speculation about the unknown. I don't think technology is the only variable. Parents abuse their children and Statism is alive and well. This increasingly pervasive level of coercion will skew everything it touches. Trauma displaces reason.
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