is religion becoming a spent force

[oldpink]

with the current turmoil in the catholic church with the pope stepping down in unusual circumstances
and cardinals admitting they are gay (or as good as) through there admissions
and recent exposure in the media of church cover up's of wrongdoing by the very people that we were brought up to respect

not only that I know a lot of people that are not Christian that are turning there back on there own religion or belief's

personally I think this is a good thing as I hate religion and have no time for it
or the damage there teachings cause
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Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR

[daemonoid]

Unfortunately not... Some are moving away from it, but others are moving deeper into it.

Fundamental religious views and poverty are closely linked, while the world is still so vastly unfair there will be no end to religion.

I think there will be a religious war that involves the west soon.
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[oldpink]

I have to agree there
we get less believers but more extreme fundamentalists on all sides
that want to control the world with there brand of brain washing
____________________
I have become comfortably numb

Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR

[charlie74]

dont blame the message

just the translators, there is nothing wrong with religion or beliefs, the problem is in the people

given a choice between religion and politics, id take religion, at least they only want 10%

both want your soul....

as to a religious war in the west. we already had one the crusades, and yeah we lost

[daemonoid]

[cimbian]

The art of persuading people to believe in religions of all flavours has been finely honed over centuries. Religion serves as a means of control, control through vague but enticing promises and fear.

Everyone, at some point, feels hopeless and insignificant and it is at these times we look for some kind of help and that is where religion steps-in. We are at our weakest and most vulnerable.

The indoctrination of children, again a time of life when weak and vulnerable, is also responsible for the continuation of religion.

All the above without the hatred and fervour of the extremists. Throw that lot into the pot and religion is here to stay, sadly.

Demonoid mentions a religious war with the west and I think that is closer than we like to believe.

Ironically, even the Pope accepted evolutionism (with caveats as being part of a plan) yet aside from the man-beast no other life-form exhibits hatred or religion. Fear, yes. Hierarchy, yes, Territorialism, yes. Religion and hatred, no... So just what is this plan?
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Current: Moto Guzzi 1100 Breva. Previous: Honda XL650V TransAlp
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[Poseidon]

Prayer - The last refuge of a scoundrel.

I pretty much echo what others have said in this thread. For as long as people have no hope, the church will be along to offer them some. Rather than a spent force, I think it will get bigger as people are finding themselves more hard-up than ever and look for an easy answer.
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Polarbear]

I really believe at some time in the future there will be another war between Islam and the rest. There are too many people who are extremists in that religion that seem to have the power.

It is a religion of the ignorant masses in a lot of underdeveloped countries, you only have to look at what the Taliban did in Afghanistan, cowed a nation into going back to the dark ages.

Then you have stupid twats trying to create a Sharia zone in London. Yes it is idiotic, but the fact they can even try and push something like that is quite frightening for a lot of people.

Just have a look art the places around the world with religious fighting. It's Islam against whoever. Hindus in India, Christians in Nigeria, even themselves in many middle east countries.

I shall now don my Templars tunic and drum up support for the next crusade.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Rogerborg]

I don't think I'd turn my back on a cardinal.

The X Factor audience will always need a god of the gaps. If it's not one, it'll be another. Allahu Akbar.
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[daemonoid]

[Rogerborg]

Give over, the Qur'an Thumpers had already stone aged Afghanistan well before the Yanks JDAMed the rocks into pebbles.

They did a better job of suppressing opium poppy production as well, and women were safe to walk the streets at night, although admittedly mostly because of the frumpy ninja look.
____________________
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[angryjonny]

Religion isn't about believing any more* - it's about separating "them" from "us" and contriving reasons to hate each other. It's tribalism. People want to belong to a "posse" and if they have to pretend to believe some bunkum about Jehovah or Jesus or Xenu to get in, then fair enough. It's the same principle really that drives die-hard football fans, gang-members, people who subscribe to some music-driven fashion etc. It's all over the place.


[* - It was never about believing for those in charge, only the minions]

[Benno]

Christianity appears to be, in Western Europe. Curiously Christianity is the only religion atheists/anti-religionists seem to focus on and direct all of their hatred toward. Meanwhile Islam is growing hugely, and fundamentalist Islam, worryingly, is also growing. Buddhism is also seeing growth, partly due to massive population increase over in south Asia but also because people in the west think it's hip/cool/unique/special snowflake type shit.

There are so many misconceptions. The church may be flawed, priests and bishops and cardinals may be flawed, but does that mean that the concept is flawed? No. It's like saying "that ship designer slept with 100 prostitutes! I'm never getting on a boat again!" The concept may be flawed, but those particular reasons do not lead to that conclusion.

I'm saying this as a non-believer by the way.
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[cimbian]

[Polarbear]

[Redoko]

[daemonoid]

[Lord Percy]

Religion will die as the world becomes more educated. We're at the start of this era, so it's gonna take a few decades for secularism to become the societal norm. Thanks to the Internet, everyone has access to everyone else, in terms of opinions, ideas, etc, which is causing a massive dilution of it all. So it's just gonna fizzle out.

Think about how many younger people give two hoots about religion, particularly in Western/richer cultures where there's so much access to the media and Internet. In places with somewhat deeper rooted cultures, such as the middle-east, etc, there's still major dogmatism going on there because they're born into it and don't know any different.

As the world advances, religion will die and die and die. Although we complain of the stupidity of some people, it's fair to say our society, globally, is based on education and progress. More and more people will be taught scientifically, without any religious bias from their elders, as the previous generations die out, and their ideas with them.

[Lord Percy]

Another problem is this:

In the national census, it asks your religion. It doesn't ask 'are you religious?', it just assumes you do have one. So a lot of people tick the Christian box just because it fits. This gives the church more political sway.

Also, a lot of Asian people call themselves Muslim but actually it's just the label they themselves for their societal clique. Hence the apparent Islam representation is greater than it should be, too.

What I mean is, as much as most 'christians' aren't really christian, most muslims aren't muslim either. Yet they say they are because it makes them feel part of something. That's the one issue with religion - being a member of a group. Not sure where I'm going with this, other than to highlight it's an evident factor.

[fatpies]

[keggyhander]

If you ever get the urge to smash your head repeatedly into a brick wall covered in broken glass, watch a video of William Lane Craig arguing for the presence of god using the "Kalam Colsmological argument".

He's the world's smuggest twat with the world's most annoying voice, using the most retarded rapid-fire bollocks to justify an untenable position.

Watch a bit of this, from 4:30 onwards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm0hI2SUinQ

[ThoughtContro...]