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I hope we never lose the ability to believe there is something out there greater than ourselves.
I was raised Christian and believed in God for 17 or so years. I was always fascinated by God.
I'm an atheist now, and frankly, I look up at the night sky and am met with an even greater sense of wonder and awe than the concept of God ever gave me.
So indeed, I don't want people to lose that either, but I think an appreciation of science and nature paired with a passion of learning and expanding one's mind is a much better method of achieving this than making people believe in something that likely isn't even there.
I'm not so certain that this is so. The Bible contains many prophecies and quite a few have come true. Can you provide empirical evidence that scientific predictions "crush those of the Bible"?
What empirical evidence do you have for said prophecies?
As mankind has become more educated and knowledgeable concerning science, astronomy, physics and biology, various religious beliefs have "died off". Few worship the spirits in the trees, rocks and animals any more. No one accepts that some sun-god drags the sun across the sky. Witchcraft and "witch doctors" are pretty much a thing of the past. So, the progress in the last few hundred years is obvious. Which brings up the obvious question-how long before the remaining religious superstitions die off and pass into history? It is slowly happening in this country, where increasingly the population identifies themselves as either atheist/agnostic or "non-religious". I do believe it's a matter of time, as many other issues in society have changed over the years.
My guess, and it's only that, is that within the next 50 years, religion will be little more than a memory to be studied in history classes in developed societies. When do you think this will happen?
When Islam puts the scimitar to the last infidel neck.
What empirical evidence do you have for said prophecies?
"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:" -Isaiah 40:22
I was raised Christian and believed in God for 17 or so years. I was always fascinated by God.
I'm an atheist now, and frankly, I look up at the night sky and am met with an even greater sense of wonder and awe than the concept of God ever gave me.
So indeed, I don't want people to lose that either, but I think an appreciation of science and nature paired with a passion of learning and expanding one's mind is a much better method of achieving this than making people believe in something that likely isn't even there.
Not that I was talking about the traditional concept of God but you know this how? Being an atheist is as strong a belief as being a theist. Both sides are nuts.
Although the percentage of religious people is decreasing, I don't think it will ever truly "die out".
You have to realize that many people in the world have little hope for the future. They work at a bottom feeder job with little hopes of having anything better. All while barely being able to pay for their minimalist lifestyle. They know that this is most likely how they will live for the rest of their lives.
So in order to keep from sinking into a depressed state, they give themselves false hope by "turning to god". This is the glimmer of hope that gets people through their day-to-day routine after realizing that they have otherwise lost at life.
It also gives them an escape from their responsibility for their situations. This way, instead of admitting that a series of bad life choices has caused their reality, they can just fall back on the usual "it's all part of god's plan for me".
Not that I was talking about the traditional concept of God but you know this how? Being an atheist is as strong a belief as being a theist. Both sides are nuts.
How so. An atheist has no belief in a religious power so how are they nuts.
I was raised Christian and believed in God for 17 or so years. I was always fascinated by God.
I'm an atheist now, and frankly, I look up at the night sky and am met with an even greater sense of wonder and awe than the concept of God ever gave me.
So indeed, I don't want people to lose that either, but I think an appreciation of science and nature paired with a passion of learning and expanding one's mind is a much better method of achieving this than making people believe in something that likely isn't even there.
I figured out I was an atheist when I was about 10-11. But I agree with the rest of what you've said. Seeing the stars, a natural landscape, or even more, the works of man, is an incredible feeling for the potential of the universe and the human mind. I'll even admit, there is a possibility of a creator outside of human understanding. It's not the wonder or possibility of that that I reject, it's the con-job of organized religion. Though I do understand the draw. An organized structure to make people feel better about things they can't understand, particularly some solace in dealing with death and the loss of a loved one, is appealing. I just can't suspend my common sense enough to buy into it.
OP: IT will not happen ever. Religion is part of the fabric of human existance. Most people in the world believe in a Creator, so you're in a small minority. Even in America, about 75 percent of the population identifies with some religion. Worldwide, there are over 2 billion Christians and there are almost 2 Billion Muslims. Now its true, that most of the worlds population are not serious followers of their religion, but it might surprise you how many are, and these religions are still growing in many places. Christianity is quickly growing in Africa and China.
And I wouldn't look down my nose at someplace like China. Yes, some places it is still very poor, but we have plenty of places in Arkansas, Miss. and WV that aren't much to write home about either, and people can only survive there because of Govt. handouts.
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