Interesting article from the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/comment...th-religion-politics-british-attitudes-survey Quote: "Start with religion, in remarkably rapid retreat. In just a decade the number proclaiming no faith has risen from 43% to 52%, as “secularisation continues unabated”. Back in 1983, the BSA’s first survey, two-thirds of the British called themselves religious. Now declining faith means that 12% are Anglicans, 7% Catholics, 19% another type of Christian, and 9% are of a non-Christian religion including 6% Muslims. Here’s the size of the shift towards outright atheism: a quarter of the public now boldly state “I do not believe in God”, compared with just 10% 20 years ago." People are starting to think for themselves now, instead of having religion crammed down their throat.
To be fair, just because people aren't calling themselves religious doesn't necessarily mean they're thinking for themselves. They could just be indoctrinated by other things.
A good portion of this would be embarassment to admit you are religious. It has become a ridicule magnet.
this is why Bush started faith based Initiatives http://rationalrevolution.net/articles/history_of_the_separation_of_chu.htm "When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one. - Benjamin Franklin: in letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780"
Yes political fanaticism tend to replace good ol' traditionnal religous fanaticism. Religion or not, human nature remain, and it's not beautifull.
No doubt religion is on the decline in the dying West, but globally Christianity is projected to grow 35% between 2015 and 2050. Is the OP an argumentum ad populum?
Depends on the Shepherd but that is not really what is being discussed. The post was about following a path out of religious belief - not following another shepherd. So if someone is in a cult - and they manage to start questioning cult doctrine - and this eventually leads them to leave the cult - questioning was the path to enlightenment. This does not mean they followed another shepherd.
THe shepherd is the important part of the post. The post was about following another belief system. So if someone forsakes one cult for another, how does that 'enlighten' them? Unless, of course they happen to choose your belief system. In that case, I can see how you could call them evolving to a higher state of spirituality. It still means they have found another shepherd.
It is certainly possible that someone escapes religion on the basis of other indoctrination. This is not always the case. If it is the case - and that indoctrination is involves less mind control - this is still on path to enlightenment. I do not necessarily think this other indoctrination needs to involve spirituality - but if it does - and this spirituality is not full of brainwashing memes it is far better than religions such as Christianity and Islam.
Here is where we differ. I think all paths lead to God. Some are long and some are short, but they all go to the same place. To quote Einstein, "God does not lay dice with the universe".
Not sure that we differ that much - that said - I am not sure what you mean by "all paths". At the end of the day I believe that existence is eternal - so in this respect all paths could be said to lead to life after death
In the end, all religions (yes, Atheism and Agnosticism qualify) lead to the Godhead. We are all part of God. (S)He would no more leave us behind than e would leave a hand behind us.
If existence is eternal, then existence has neither beginning nor end. If you are eternal, then you have always existed. Do you agree? If not, why not?
With Islam yes, Christianity has more voluntary conversions than all other religions put together, about equal to the population of Texas every year.
Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me." It was to a very religious Jew, Nicodemus, that He said, "You must be born again".
agree, could be that our united consciousness is God, the sum of all the parts... and that we ourselves created this reality
