As knowledge and information grow perhaps people are becoming more intelligent. And the more intelligent they become, the more religious myths become mythology, and less and less of it is taken literally. However the motivations of religion are not going to go away. Those motivations of eternal life, love of others, moral right, and the authority of truth, and charitable benevolence, and mercy, these motives are powerful and will never just go away, and rightly so.
Does anyone see religion evolving? Will it ever move past delusion and become more in tune to science? Will the dogmas of the past die out in favor of a sophisticated, adaptable religious faith, and belief? Perhaps religious minded people will put to test their faith and belief against established fact, and come up with something more reasonable.
Thoughts!
Is religion evolving?
-
Veritas Aequitas
- Posts: 15722
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:41 am
Re: Is religion evolving?
The Abrahamic religions are based on immutable doctrines from a perfect God so in principle there is no room for the Abrahamic religions to evolve. Islam is very explicit with this immutability of God's words.
The mainstream Eastern religions e.g. Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and others also do not evolve but they are flexible to lay down their doctrines with a range of teachings from kindergarten to PhD levels.
Thus as people evolve [not the religion] they will progress in stages [if they do] and pick up what is suitable to their religious inclinations.
While the religious doctrines are not evolving, the practices [organizational aspects] of religions are evolving, e.g. the Christians are moving from the old traditional Churches to modern mega churches and rely less on the clergy.
The scary consequences of religious doctrines not evolving is there is no room to get rid of whatever evil elements that are already carved in stone to be applied till eternity.
The greater danger is while the elements of evil potential remain immutable by divine command, knowledge and technology is evolving exponentially. Example while in the past evil prone religious believers kill non-believers with spears and knives, soon they could kill non-believers with drones that carry cheap WMDs that potentially could exterminate the human species.
The mainstream Eastern religions e.g. Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and others also do not evolve but they are flexible to lay down their doctrines with a range of teachings from kindergarten to PhD levels.
Thus as people evolve [not the religion] they will progress in stages [if they do] and pick up what is suitable to their religious inclinations.
While the religious doctrines are not evolving, the practices [organizational aspects] of religions are evolving, e.g. the Christians are moving from the old traditional Churches to modern mega churches and rely less on the clergy.
The scary consequences of religious doctrines not evolving is there is no room to get rid of whatever evil elements that are already carved in stone to be applied till eternity.
The greater danger is while the elements of evil potential remain immutable by divine command, knowledge and technology is evolving exponentially. Example while in the past evil prone religious believers kill non-believers with spears and knives, soon they could kill non-believers with drones that carry cheap WMDs that potentially could exterminate the human species.