Will Atheism or Agnosticism soon be the Human Norm in the Future?

[Kh-allyDelicious]

Originally Posted by Ashes Remnant

I hope so. Religion has gotten to the point of annoyance for most.

So, god-willing, it'll be gone.

Yep , I agree . With the current advancement in technology , there will come a day when all thats been believed will be put to the test and when that day comes I really hope I will be alive to see the faces of theist and the momentary chaos that day .

[Mr. Wilhelm]

Faith, and by consequences religions, will never disappear. No matter how much fact you've got, how many time you disproved the holy books. That's not how faith work.

I'm ready to be in 6000 years religions will still exist and not in small number. That's how humans are.

[Phoenix]

You know, Wilhelm, we really can't be sure if that's indeed human nature. I mean, atheism and such is a pretty recent phenomenon, never seen to this extent in our 10,000 years of civilization. So this is a new era for humanity anyway.

[Mr. Wilhelm]

I guess that's possible. Yet, religion brings a lot of things, easilly, that most humans 'need' and that they're not ready anytime soon. Not only religion 'give' a purpose, but also the idea an omnipotent being watch over you at all time of the day is something a lot of peoples are content with, that you can speak to him anytime, that when something happens, whether it is good or bad, it's because of him and not because you were good/bad, and so on. Not to add it allows you to believe firmly that death is just another travel, rather than facing the huge possibility that death is actually, well, death. There's not a lot aside from religion that provides that much easilly.

Not to forget it is the greatest ever existing mean to control the mass. There will always be smart peoples to use Religion as a mean to take, and keep, power. Even in USA the Bible is used as a source of power if we think to it, and its sensed to be the greatest country of the world.

[Phoenix]

I guess that's possible. Yet, religion brings a lot of things, easilly, that most humans 'need' and that they're not ready anytime soon. Not only religion 'give' a purpose, but also the idea an omnipotent being watch over you at all time of the day is something a lot of peoples are content with, that you can speak to him anytime, that when something happens, whether it is good or bad, it's because of him and not because you were good/bad, and so on. Not to add it allows you to believe firmly that death is just another travel, rather than facing the huge possibility that death is actually, well, death. There's not a lot aside from religion that provides that much easilly.

The same way a child sees his parents, wouldn't you say? Humanity has to grow up sometime. It seems to me that, regardless of whether or not a deity actually exists, those people you describe simply believe because they're scared shitless of the alternative.

ways be smart peoples to use Religion as a mean to take, and keep, power. Even in USA the Bible is used as a source of power if we think to it, and its sensed to be the greatest country of the world.

I think calling it the greatest country in the world is fairly misleading. It's certainly not the most technologically advanced, or the happiest country in the world, or the most stable. In fact, for being a developed country, it has quite a hard time making progress in some areas (healthcare, for example).

But I digress. You're making a pretty big leap from "it has always been like this" to "it will always be like this". Like I said, the rejection of deities as an accepted philosophical position is pretty new. We can't really tell what the future will be like because never has our history seen something like this.

[Alaude Drenxta]

You are dependent on the fact that humanity is incapable and insecure en masse. Rather pessimistic for someone who believes faith gives them purpose and hope. Obviously, faith and religion do not work, so, tell me again why they are needed.

It is a false hope. It leads you to believe you need it, then leaves the void it is meant to fill empty.

[Mr. Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

The same way a child sees his parents, wouldn't you say? Humanity has to grow up sometime. It seems to me that, regardless of whether or not a deity actually exists, those people you describe simply believe because they're scared shitless of the alternative.

Of course they are. Thus why they'll stay in religion, in part at least. I'm usually very optimistic on humanity, but on this level, I'm less and less. It's assuming most of humanity would reach a level high enough to get rid of it, of the feeling we need it, and I don't see this ever happening. Not for thousands years at least.

I think calling it the greatest country in the world is fairly misleading. It's certainly not the most technologically advanced, or the happiest country in the world, or the most stable. In fact, for being a developed country, it has quite a hard time making progress in some areas (healthcare, for example).

But I digress. You're making a pretty big leap from "it has always been like this" to "it will always be like this". Like I said, the rejection of deities as an accepted philosophical position is pretty new. We can't really tell what the future will be like because never has our history seen something like this.

I maybe didn't use the good word for the US, but anyway, the thing is that, while the rejection of deity is recent and all, it still asks a lot to be atheist. You've to give up on a lot of the comfort religion give. Humanity, really, has a long way to go. Even if religion were extinct someday, someone would recreate it someday. Even today, plenty of atheist get converted to a religion. Looking at the worldwide situation, religions go pretty good even today. Sure we can't tell what the futur will be like, but, looking at the data we have... Now it's possible it's just a lack of faith in humanity's possibilities from my side.

[Thor.]

Originally Posted by Alaude Drenxta

Obviously, faith and religion do not work, so, tell me again why they are needed..

Do not work is a bit strong I think, accepting Phoenix's point that you can have the same lifestyle without the actual religion, it's still a stretch to say that it has not made anyone's life better. I personally know people who's lives would be shit right now if they didn't believe there was a deity judging them.

[Phoenix]

Of course they are. Thus why they'll stay in religion, in part at least. I'm usually very optimistic on humanity, but on this level, I'm less and less. It's assuming most of humanity would reach a level high enough to get rid of it, of the feeling we need it, and I don't see this ever happening. Not for thousands years at least.

Well, we're pretty young. Our collective civilizations only have around 10,000 years, and our scientific revolution has only been around for 200 years or so. Compare it to the millions of years it took us to evolve, and this is a pretty short time.

I maybe didn't use the good word for the US, but anyway, the thing is that, while the rejection of deity is recent and all, it still asks a lot to be atheist. You've to give up on a lot of the comfort religion give. Humanity, really, has a long way to go. Even if religion were extinct someday, someone would recreate it someday. Even today, plenty of atheist get converted to a religion. Looking at the worldwide situation, religions go pretty good even today. Sure we can't tell what the futur will be like, but, looking at the data we have... Now it's possible it's just a lack of faith in humanity's possibilities from my side.

Again, we're pretty young. I'm not saying it'll happen tomorrow, or in a thousand years, or even in 10,000 years. But it's certainly possible.