Has our modern age of reason become the biggest threat to the sanctity of religion?

Question

I, myself gave up my religion because of modern science and analytical techniques. Does this pose the greatest threat to the survival of religion?

Answer 1

More and more are beginning to see the light. Lol

The 'creeping horizon' of science has always been a problem to religion and religion has frequently responded with hostility toward the messenger. While we don't have modern day torturers and stake burnings such as the church used in the times of inquisitions (a contribution to the premise that religion should have no role in the power of government) there is still plenty of hostility to the idea that new information may challenge or even refute primitive ancient doctrine.

It is inevitable.

Answer 2

Did you become non-religious in general or just give up praticing a specific belief and why?

What do you do when you beleive in Big Bang and they prove it wrong down the line? Say you were a fool?

Why did Einstein say "God dosen't play craps!"

Science is a useful tool for understanding the NATURE of things. You saying these things are random? You a total RANDOMIST?

Yeah, the Newton's Rules are a result of RANDOM things?

Science is about unraveling the mysteries of life (GOD).

Matter can not be created nor destoryed. Doesn't that make it eternal?

Matter is eternal. An eternal entity?

Something that ALWAYS WAS THERE and always will be there.

Is that NOT the defintion of GOD?

Does not the Big Bang totally paralell the Bible!

Science and religion vary at the creation of man. Science says it's from the waters, the Bible said it was from the dust of the Earth.

Now, go prove one over the other. Go prove dust can't create life or life can't be created from dust.

Is an Ape really your grand dad?

Are you a Monkey's Nephew?

Is that the picture in your family tree (is that a Freudian slip)?

Are you glad science invetened THE BOMB?

Religion is not just about how we came and from where or whom we came, but about HOW we are to conduct our lives and the Supreme Being, by whatever name, is supposed to be a lot wiser, smater, more toerant and loving.

Religion is about evovling spirtually to the point where we know BETTER than to create the BOMB. Einstein didn't have to create it. He knew it would work in his head! And once they did create it, they didn't want to use it.

What good purpose does creating the BOMB provide! Millions of dead Japanese people? The threat of GLOBAL iniallation!

Science did that. Is that what you are all about, bringing the world to the edge of distruction to PROVE you can do it?

Go play with some Ebola and see if you can make a virus so deadly it wipes out everyone in six days, then you'll be like GOD, only in reverse.

And when it happens, watch how many people say God have mercy on us all!

Answer 3

Yes it is the greatest threat, and its impact has been long overdue. Religiously based societies approach the world from an all or nothing viewpoint just like religion does, this certainty of view is the root of much of the conflict in the world.

Religion says believe this, in its entirety, or be damned for all eternity. There is no grey area. This also seems to be the approach of many countries (US, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan - to name a few) when interacting with the rest of the world.

The US participation in the world community, for example, seems to come from an origin of we are right and we know what is best for the world, instead of a place that says we think we are right and we think that these things will make the world a better place. This attitude leaves no room for collaboration or reason and instead forces other countries to either back us totally (whether they believe in what we are doing or not) or see us an enemy.

As sad as it is to say, the world must get away from organized religion and accept that we don't know the real truth about god and the nature of the universe. We must approach the world and world issues from a place of reason and science with a view towards discovery instead of forcing others to believe what we believe.

Answer 4

Many people wrestle with "modern logic" and religious dogma because they seem so oppossed that they could not be compatible. This, however, is far from the truth. Many times people of all different faiths try to put God (or their religion) in a box, saying that Scripture says one thing and it's literal so science is wrong. If you think science is correct, it's hard to reconcile with faith, and can lead to the loss of it. However, as many scientists like Steven Jay Goul have written, you can be religious and keep in with science, because religion asks us to find the truth. Religion doesn't ask us to bend the rules or say what God can or can't do, but to simply seek what is true. For instance, my favorite topic, evolution. I believe in it and I am a Christian, and it's ok because even though I believe the science and I know it's true, the faith component of my life can't be disproven by science. In the end, what you believe and what science shows can't disprove one another because they are not based on the same evidence. If you believe in something and know it in your heart, science can't tell you it's false... it's a matter of faith. By the same token, if science shows something to be true, but religion has an alternative viewpoint or interpretation, it doesn't mean the science is wrong, but perhaps that we are misunderstanding the point.

In the end, much of religion can be debated as the records or scant, but let's take the example of Jonah and the whale. I have a hard time believing it occured literally the way it is described in the old testament, but the point isn't wether it's allegory or historic fact because it can never be proven in this life. The point is there is a moral to the story, and that is that you can't outrun God, and that is far more important.

Essentially, science can never eradicate religion, nor should it. Religion is based on faith, things unseen and believed in the heart, and while interesting things turn up, remember that science is also an interpretation of fact, and is often is wrong as often as it is right. I look at it this way, there is a science to the world we live in, clues and forces that we have come to understand, but what put those forces in motion and what lies behind all that science is up to faith, wether you believe that it's God or it's simply mere chance, but that is up to you and no one can take that away from you.

Answer 5

The threat is not to religion as a whole, but to those aspects of it that put it at odds with intellectual progress, especially science.

In our steady advance out of the caves we have shed many layers of troglodyte ideology. The present relapse of several groups into religious backwardness proves this is not a steady process. But every "triumph" of dogmatic zealotry is followed by defeats wherein it loses even some of the ground it held before the "triumph."

Luckily, zealotry attacks "secularism" with weapons only secularism can wield effectively - therefore setting up its own gradual defeat. Thus you see the spectacle of evangelical "biologists" attempting “scientific” arguments against evolution, radiometric dating, etc.

More self-destructively, they will even attempt to promote religious dogma itself as "science," e.g., so-called "intelligent design." What they are securing for themselves is the disdain of those who do, or would, practice science - and that contempt will expand to those who have respect for the scientific enterprise.

To finish my first point, this inanity does not define religion. There are many accomplished scientists with deep religious convictions. They have no problem with evolution, or quantum theory, or even m-theory. And when you hear them expound on their God, you realize they have a profound sense of spirituality that transcends the absurdities of scriptural literalism. It's as if they know a God so big that he allows his creations to understand. They’ve received an 11th commandment - "I have given you reason. Use it!"

Answer 6

It is one of the things that can be a big distraction from blind faith. A bigger threat is our instant communications. We spend so little time alone with out the distraction of radio, tv, computers, cell phones, blackberrys i-pods etc. we can only hear God when God shouts. God prefers to wisper. If you spend a little quiet time you may discover that science and analytical techniques don't hold a candle to personal experience and conversation with God.

Answer 7

convinced, it really is gloomy, isn't it how 'faith' has affected all peoples in the international? what's the reply? -- we favor a 'assembly of the minds' -- a clean imaginitive and prescient -- a clean WORLDVIEW for MANKIND. As Ervin Laszlo, founding father of the global imagine-tank The club of Budapest says: “you'll get to this new worldview through rational or psychological skill. you'll get to it intuitively, through artwork, spirituality, or faith. and also you may want to get there through technology. in case you look at advancements in technology, you'll discover that technology is an increasing style of recognizing that each little thing is proper very strongly with each little thing else. each little thing that exists is an open gadget. no longer something is totally closed or self sufficient—each little thing is amazingly sensitively proper."

Answer 8

Nah, it'll continue to grow based upon the fact that it will take a long time for every human being to use their reasoning capabilities. And even though some will, it doesn't necessarily mean that they won't still believe in some higher power.

Answer 9

Modernity is annoying. You need to realize the relativity of things, Realize that Reason fails, Reason doesn't work and you harness the power of life.
Post-Modernity is where were at, get with it already

Answer 10

i dont think so...................we as human being need faith in something no matter how amazing science is...........its a psychological thing we need/want to believe that no matter what we are never alone and somebody always loves us....becides i dont think that science can do anything short of creating immortality that can cure the fear of death which i think is a main staple for religion...........i mean who wants to think that when we die theres nothing and we just lay there forever......................................i believe that religion in some form will survive for the rest of time