Is Religion Losing? - Page 2 - Religion, God, and Theology

But at the same time, there are some incredibly alarming extreme positions held by some of the people that are involved in leading / governing the country, including presidential candidates.

As the country becomes more secular and the religious more progressive overall those politicians who truely hold those views will be relegated to the fringe or fade into obscurity. Those that only pandered to the fundamentalists will have less reason to do so when it will hurt them more than it helps.

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11-19-2015 , 04:22 PM

#27

Lestat

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Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 10,998

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Cyphre

This was my reason for asking asking the question in the OP. We're certainly not there yet. Are we taking years? Will it happen in our lifetime?

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11-19-2015 , 06:46 PM

#28

spanktehbadwookie

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Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 19,374

Inclusive-leaning religions have probably at least considered not competing at all.

I'd say religion has been losing it's violence over the decades and centuries. Where it is still entangled with politics is a distinct matter than where it has mixed with secularism.

Given any number peaceful religious people that exist- even where there is still coercion and violence- I'll also say that religion is not failing from what appears to be a long adaption process of losing it's violence.

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11-19-2015 , 08:05 PM

#29

Louis Cyphre

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Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 11,025

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lestat

This was my reason for asking asking the question in the OP. We're certainly not there yet. Are we taking years? Will it happen in our lifetime?

I am optimistic it will happen within a generation or two. It will be a slow process. What I found interesting is the candidacy of Bernie Sanders. He is not only not-Christian but also said "I am not particularly religious" to boot. Despite that he has a chance at becoming the next president. Sure, it's a long shot but I haven't heard much in regard of his lack of religiosity.

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11-20-2015 , 06:11 AM

#30

tame_deuces

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Quote:

Originally Posted by master3004

And you can't really downplay the advent of the internet in the importance of brining down the religious numbers. In addition to being able to look up any fact at any time and say "huh, x holy book is totally wrong about this thing we know with 100% certainty now" it allows those who have been doubtful all their life to find like-minded communities where doubt turns to outright rejection of the outdated policies of the books.

This is the main reason the none numbers have shot up in the last decade. More access to information and community for non believers.

While this is true to an extent, we shouldn't forget that the internet is also an extremely good platform for sprouting nonsense. It's the ideal of skepticism that is important. Without it, any media will be ultimately be used to spread prejudice and superstition (be it religious or otherwise).

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11-21-2015 , 12:03 AM

#31

BeaucoupFish

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,575

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Cyphre

It's interesting that you say that - to me the US appears to have become less secular over the past few decades.

e.g. The influence of the religious right over American conservatives as spearheaded by the likes of Jerry Falwell (from around the 70's?), the modification of the country's motto a decade or so before that.

Is it perhaps like the economic changes over the same sort of time period, in that there getting to be more people on the extremes than in the middle?

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11-21-2015 , 12:34 AM

#32

Somtum

newbie

Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Cyphre

Bill Clinton had a similar view regarding his interns.

lol my first thought too

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11-21-2015 , 08:06 AM

#33

Grima21

adept

Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 723

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeaucoupFish

This is basically circling the wagons. The secular portion of the US has grown by 4-5x over the last 50 years. As the numbers for Christianity in the US go down, you will see 20-25% of the population that is the religious right will become even more conservative as a reaction.

The tip over to secularism will occur when the 50% of the population that is the moderate middle go from being moderately Christian to moderately secular. This sociological phenomenon will not involved the main group of secularists or the religious right.

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11-29-2015 , 04:15 AM

#34

Lexovix

banned

Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 137

Once clear of the religious comfort zone bubble and looking back in at the sheeple and the resulting answer is:

There are literally 'mature' beings, complex organisms, arguing over who is least wrong.
On a poker forum. So..: Like letting go of a failed hand. Attachment issues to the extreme.

I

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11-30-2015 , 04:35 AM

#35

BeaucoupFish

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Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,575

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grima21

What do you think of the idea that we are both right, in that the general population is becoming more secular but politicians, conservative ones in particular, are less so. Look at the Republican presidential nominees, several of them sound more like preachers than politicians.

There was a speech of Kennedy speaking about his Catholicism, and how he would not allow his religious thoughts to influence his governance, basically an acceptance of church/state separation, and Rick Santorum spoke about it. He said that this speech "made him sick".

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11-30-2015 , 05:59 PM

#36

VeeDDzz`

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Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,384

Religion's never losing. Its just going through a recession.

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12-01-2015 , 06:07 AM

#37

tame_deuces

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Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 17,817

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexovix

Do you expect serious replies when you call people for sheeple, or do just want to wallow in your own superiority?

Arguing is healthy. Not all forms of arguments are, but overall it is. When done right, you will learn a lot. Few people will shift their opinion in individual arguments, but perspective will shift over time.

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12-04-2015 , 05:34 PM

#38

Kristofero

banned

Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 1,317

tame_deuces,

Lexovix is not wallowing, merely pointing out the obvious.

You're also right, but you've lined up the wrong target for this "lecture", cute as it is.

There are a smattering of posters here who lock into this false superiority that they don't realize is false.

Which is probably why I troll mostly here and toe the line somewhat in SMP.

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