religion in the future

[Emperor Harkonnen]

which religion do you think will be the dominating in let's say a couple of hundred years?

will it be christianity like now, Islam or something new?

[DukeLeto]

Athiesm, doubtlessly. It's jumped from an unrecognizable number of people to 15% of the world's population in the past century. Hopefully more people will continue to see that they're "gods" are nothing more than children's tales, like the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny.

Unless Bush decides to crown himself god-emperor of the world before then. (Which is a distinctive possibility.) In that case, the ensuing war would launch manking back into the Dark Ages, a perfect time for Christianity to flourish. ;)

[ordos45]

Polytheistic beliefs. Their numbers have also risen dramatically over the past century. England is a Pagan nation (go and check if you're saying Protestant, they reclassified due to lack of church goers). More people will turn to Gods and Goddesses as they feel "called" to do so. They'll like a religion they see as low maintenance, yet fullfilling their need to be connected to the Divine.

[Egeides]

I think that the Oriental religions still didn't took alot of place within Occident. There is still alot of rooms for studies about the coherence of some Oriental beliefs with Occidental religions and ideas/philosophies. So I think that Occidental beliefs will get more of Oriental stuff, simply because there often is no contradiction and Orient is explaining well certain things.

Now, which messianic religion will take the lead... I'd say Islam or Christianity. Christianity is in a crisis because of the &(&?%$** dogmas that were put into it instead of looking at its essence.

[maxl]

Unless Bush decides to crown himself god-emperor of the world before then.

Uhhh... a god, who has an I.Q. of something about 90? That's scary. ;)

I think Christianity won't be very important in futur. Probably the islam will be the dominating religion.

[TMA_1]

I have beliefs that if the lort tarries, that you will see more of a future aurther C clarke envisioned. That of universal theists, believing in a God of supreme transendance, and no divine revelation to man. basically a god that helped in initating everything and then going away for good.

[SurlyPIG]

As odd as it feels to say it I agree with both Duke Leto and TMA. I think the world (or at least the civilized, developed world) continue move away from theistic beliefs entirely, (therefore towards atheism) while others simply move away from organized religion (therefore towards deism). I like to refer to the latter as "Lite God", complete with fewer calories and free of saturated fats. The face of this God would be generic, non-denominationally specific, and it would be recognized as the initator of many universal anomalies, but passive towards their actions. I think many people will still retain beliefs of an afterlife involved with this new God, while others might diminish this creator to a more familiar level, perhaps a piece of another universe just like ours, making it inappropreate to refer to it as a God? Current trends support this prediction.

[Scrinlord]

I hate to admit it, but the fastest increasing religion in the world right now is actually the mormons. I would hate to live in a world dominated by mormons!

Hold up, wait, I already do.

[SurlyPIG]

Utah I'm guessing?

Are you sure Mormonism is the fastest growing religion? I know they have like 6 kids per family but so does Islam and they use violence as well...

[Emperor Harkonnen]

yeah, but islam is in so many wars that they loose many of their believers. btw. what is mormonism? never heard about it

maxl why do you think that it is probably islam which is the dominating religion in the future? it is not probable at all, christianity has about twice as much believers as Islam. and the world is getting more and more close to follow the christian values. I think that islam will go away as soon as the muslims realize that war is not the way. that the christian values are the most human ones. it is if we follow the christian values we will get a country with joy and love.

[Edric O]

Egeides, technically all of today's religions are Oriental... Think about it: Every single one of the present-day great world religions has originated on the continent of Asia!

And I agree with Ace about the future. Seeing how we are living in a decadent (i.e. stagnating) civilization, it is only natural for atheism and deism to take the lead. This has already happened several times before. And none of those civilizations survived.

Because, as much as you hate to admit it, my atheist friends, religion motivates people like no other force in the world. Religion causes restlessness and change (hence all the religious wars). Atheism causes stagnation. You cannot deny the fact that our civilization faces complete stagnation precisely because people have nothing to motivate them any more. And stagnation is death...

What force is left in the world capable of motivating people? What great ideal is there to inspire the next generation? None.

[DukeLeto]

Because, as much as you hate to admit it, my atheist friends, religion motivates people like no other force in the world. Religion causes restlessness and change (hence all the religious wars). Atheism causes stagnation. You cannot deny the fact that our civilization faces complete stagnation precisely because people have nothing to motivate them any more. And stagnation is death...

So you admit religion causes war. (Duh.)

Religion has served out it's usefulness to mankind. Now all it does is cause war and strife. Might I remind you of all of the hideous atrocities brought about by religion: the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust, the Islamic Jihad, etc...

I also find it hard to believe Athiesm causes stagnation. IT'S THE F*CKING CHRISTIAN RIGHT THAT'S OPPOSED TO ALL PROPGRESSS! If it were up to them, we'd still be going on witchhunts, stringing up gays to be hanged, and using blacks as slaves!Christians are opposed to life-saving procedureas such as abortion and stem cells. They're against nuclear power. How the FUCK can you call a religion that's against all progress good for mankind?!

[Edric O]

Duke, please calm down, for God's sake...

If it were up to THIS Christian, we'd now be living in a communist utopia with no hunger or poverty, and preparing to colonize the Solar System... I'd call that pretty progressive. :)

Religion causes war? Actually, no. It all depends on which particular religion you're talking about and who exactly is practicing it. The statement "religion causes war" is FAR too general. It's like calling all human beings guilty of genocide because "mankind causes war".

The Crusades were waged for pure material greed (the 4th Crusade is perfect proof of this - they rather plundered the riches of Byzantium than actually going to the Holy Land). The Inquisition was no different from any other police force at the time. The Holocaust had NOTHING to do with religion so please stop being a hypocrite (you're using vastly different standards on Hitler on the one hand and Stalin or Pol Pot on the other). The Islamic Jihad... well, this time you're right. Just keep in mind that it wasn't my religion who caused it, and clumping all religions together is one of the worst generalisations that can possibly be made. And for all its violence, the Jihad was also a force of progress.

But anyway, the point is that religion fights stagnation by motivating people to do things. Both good and bad things - just keep in mind that they're doing something. Hey, religion even motivates YOU to do something! Look at you: you're sitting there yelling at me, precisely because of religion!

[DukeLeto]

But anyway, the point is that religion fights stagnation by motivating people to do things. Both good and bad things - just keep in mind that they're doing something.

How so? Thomas Edison was an Athiest, are you saying he didn't do anything? How about Marx? You don't have to be Christian to be motivated. ::)

[Edric O]

No, but you need to be religious in order to be motivated to completely dedicate yourself to a cause, to the point of sacrificing your life for it. Of course, it's true that some atheists have also done this, but their number is infinitely small compared to the number of religious people all throughout history who have changed the entire course of history because they believed God ordered them to.

Would the Arabs have ever united into a single state and forged a massive Empire without Islam to inspire them to Jihad?

Would trade routes to far-away countries in Asia and Africa had ever been established without missionnaries paving the way?

Would the French have ever won the 100 years war without Jeanne D'Arc and her belief that God was guiding her?

And tell me, if two evenly matched armies fight each other, one of them being composed of religious zealots and the other of non-religious people, who do you think will win?

[Acriku]

What needs to be dedicated to the point of self-sacrifice besides terrorism using religion?

And the military has people dedicated to it to the point of self-sacrifice, yet another alternative.

[Edric O]

Just about everything that involves trying to make the world a better place against the will of some very powerful people who would like things to stay as bad as they are.

This includes peace efforts in war-torn countries, fighting to protect the environment, going through dangerous lands to get food and supplies to starving children, communist revolutions, etc.

[Caid Ivik]

Religion is the only way to solve the human's lust for transcendency. Art of religiosity is to aim the energy created by filling these needs for good of not only other religious people, but also other people. Altough the target was many times misleaded (or, to be sure, abused for politics), christianity solves this magnificiently. Ora et labora - pray and work. "Work" doesn't mean "fight".

Even if we have to fight, this problem is solved too. How fights a muslim? His cause is to destroy, annihilate, consume the enemy. Christianity teaches love for everyone, even the enemies. One thing is to defeat someone, other to erase him from the world. This was the source of Geneva Conventions, or do you think it is weakness?

[Navaros]

there is already no real religion in the world

most people who *claim* to be Christian or Muslim or Jews etc. really do not believe or respect what their Holy Books say at all. they just delude themselves by calling themself a member of a religion which they do not obey in order to make themself feel like they are good people who will not go to Hell. the many so-called "Christians" and "Jews" on this very site is a perfect microcosm of how this Hypocracy has infested society as a whole

this trend will just get worse in the future.

in the future, as now, the number one religion will be: Hypocracy

[Caid Ivik]

I wouldn't say it about all people. Problem is that people do understand those writings, just they are able to make some compromises. Like on west is adultery considered as usual, on east is usual murdery. There are some people, which lived the really religious life. They are called "saints". However, not everybody has such power.

[DukeLeto]

Would the Arabs have ever united into a single state and forged a massive Empire without Islam to inspire them to Jihad?

Would trade routes to far-away countries in Asia and Africa had ever been established without missionnaries paving the way?

Would the French have ever won the 100 years war without Jeanne D'Arc and her belief that God was guiding her?

And tell me, if two evenly matched armies fight each other, one of them being composed of religious zealots and the other of non-religious people, who do you think will win?

1. You think that's a good thing? :O

2. Wasn't she burnt at the stake? ::)

3. It depends. Equally equipped, equal in numbers? The Athiests of course. Zealots are too stupid to exercise any self preservation, and would all be mowed down on the approach. :P (Think contaminators versus Sardaukar here.)

[Edric O]

The point is not whether it is good or bad, the point is that religion has motivated large numbers of people to do things which they would have never done otherwise.

And btw, from a historical perspective, you cannot say that an event as important as the Arab Jihad was "good" or "bad". There are too many factors involved. Yes, it killed a lot of people, but who knows what would have happened without it? Maybe the world would have ended up being destroyed in a massive nuclear war in the 20th century!

The slightest modification to the past could have disastrous consequences over the present.

And finally, regarding the last point: I said religious zealots, not stupid religious zealots. The Arabs, for example, did not conquer their great empire by being stupid. Neither did Muad'hib's fedaykin in Dune...

Face it: An army of soldiers convinced that God is on their side will wipe the floor with an equally trained and equipped army of non-zealots. It's all about morale.

[Acriku]

Ah so religion is just another tool for boosting morale.

[Edric O]

That depends on your definition of "tool for boosting morale"...

[Acriku]

1. Find and/or make religion.

2. Incorporate the entire state into that religion.

3. Use details to exploit the believers.

4. Tell of great rewards if you do this or that.