Religions of the future

[blahman8000]

I think that the definition of "God" and the lifestyles of each religion will continue to change in order to live up to cultural bias and science, because religion will eventually be forced to conform to the attitudes of the growing number of those who reject it, or more commonly, those who reject just the major restrictions on lifestyle (sexuality, attending church, nightly prayer, etc).

 

[Pythagoras]

Interesting point, however it seems (correct me if i'm wrong) to assume that belief and science are mutually exclusive. I know in the 'Western discource' apologists will point to the inumerable scientists who are also to some extent religious. I think this is even more prevelant in non-occidental science where many top scientists hold 'supra-naturalistic' beliefs. Also, if the US is anything to go by there seems to be a hardening of positions towards scientism and dogmatic religion with little sign of common ground inbetween. It is a shame that the more esoteric elements from both camps, who are working tirelessly to find accommodations fidn their voices drowned out by the militancy of what are not neccessarily mutually exclusive world views. See my rather dire appraisal above - a war between transhumanists and humans that could see the end of us all.

 

[kytnism]

scientology aside (although somewhat relevant); i predict the arrival of future "alien" based religions.

over the past ten years there has been a significant amount of theories centered around cosmic life/force/its influence on planet earth; with a vast growing number of people showing interest, researching/composing and sharing ideas. if alien propaganda can reach a somewhat credible height; a religion will form.

 

[Mr_Fluffykins]

My hope for religions of the future is for something resembles pantheist beliefs and rejects the ideas of miracles, and super natural events. I think a religion that is about uniting humans and nature as one not "UNDER GOD" but as god, as all nature as sum making up something worthy of being called god. How people should not be separated from anybody for any reason, color, language, creed, race, sexual orientation should all be accepted.

there will be no fear of burning in hell, and sure members might speculate what might happen to us after we die it shouldn't matter because life will be about living your life to the fullest, having a pleasureful successful accomplished relaxed life that you can look back upon on ur death bed with no regrets, and just know, you have planted your foot print in the world, and in the life's of other.

church and state would actually be completely separate and the only legal stance the church would support would just to support human rights, civil liberties, and support the unfortunate and needy

religious texts, parables and miracles would be a thing of a past because religion wouldn't be about controlling people or explaining the how the earth functions. because as society now we have matured and have legal systems and well as science which every day grows stronger and helps us not only understand the workings of every piece of matter that makes up mother nature but also science will help us improve the life's other human beings and the state of nature, with the way nature operates it allows such chemical reactions to happen, every single building block counts and we should take nothing for granted

someone should start a religion like this, if Scientology can get big, what so bad about a relgion based on logic and common sense

 

[aanallein]

I hope its like in Warhammer 40k where everybody worships the God Emperor and we wage an endless war against Chaos.

 

[guerillabedlam]

I don't think most established religions are going anywhere for awhile, mainly because of the internet which can connect people with like minded individuals for pretty much any belief/religious paradigm. What I see having a serious effect on religion is when language changes the interpretation of those sacred texts and those religions will change. I see this as a slow process and probably not coming to fruition in our lifetime, but think of all the acronyms, slang and miscellaneous words that have already been spawned from the internet. (This is just an example) Some of the language has already seeped into the culture like lol. We can already see a big descrpancy in the language used in the 1950's to the language used today and with language constantly transforming, so does our view of reality and the way we describe religion. For example, I hear a lot of Christians say they have a 'relationship' with God. I could be wrong but I can't image that same vernacular being used in the 1950's.

I think there are only a few things that could completely change our currently established religions and they all sound pretty sci fi right now: alien encounters, time travel, Living on a different planet, and stuff along those lines. I do think new religions will pop up though but I am not really going to speculate about there focus or what they will be like.