Do you think religions need to evolve? Has evolution for some religions stopped?

Question

What are the symptoms of a religion that may have stopped evolving? Should religion be based on philosophical premises or dogma?

Answer 1

Religion doesn't change. It stays in its ancient mindset regardless of how the world around it changes.

Answer 2

I would like to share my opinion on this thoughtful question. In most religions you see some of the believers evolving and others not. In Judaism you see reformed Rabbis like Michael Lerner creating an inclusive idea of that faith. In Christianity you have many metaphyhsical teachers who are professing that Christ's message was meant to empower the individual, not enslave them. In Buddhism you have mocern teachers who emphasize taking the ancient practice into the contemporary world with mindfulness, right action and "engaged" buddhism.
Even traditionally orthodox denominations like Catholicism have very enlightended proponents like Mathew Fox and Thomas Merton.
Often people react to these shifts with fundamentalism. The religious scholar Karen Armstrong states that fundamentalism is almost always a reaction based on the idea that what one has is being attacked.
So in answer to your question, I think religion is evolving whether people like it or not but there will always be a certain body of people who see evolution as threatening. However the natural process of change and growth can only be resisted so long and that "flat earth society" will eventually give way to the broader view.

Answer 3

Judaism is definitely evolving. Even Orthodox (which only came about as a reaction to Reform, something like a hundred years ago) is evolving, right now you can see it in the roles of women.

You could describe Buddhism as personal evolution. The schools show an incredible journey of deepning understanding as well.

Christianity changes as well -- that's beyond clear if you just read the history and look for the shifts in interpretation. Some Christians refuse to see that, but then some Christians refuse to see a lot.

Answer 4

I believe religion has evolved. They asked if evolution is true why are there still monkeys around? My answer is that not all monkeys went through the challenging environment that forces them to adopt and evolve better. Not all monkeys leave their lush greenery forest. They are monkeys because they are satisfied being that one. Same thing here that goes with religion. Not all religious people come out in the open and explore other facets of truth. They are just content to what that is being provided to them. To me, like the monkeys in the lush greenery forest, they have stopped evolving. But for others they continue to seek and grow spiritually. They look into the New Age or practicing meditation. Others have completely renounced their faith and become agnostic or atheist. So, I believe it has been evolving.

Answer 5

Yes, I think they do need to evolve. Problem is that the people involved generally don't want them to. It's why so many people are becoming openly critical of Christianity. It's time for Christianity to change with the times. If it's incapable of doing that, new religions will pop up that provide what modern society needs. It's already begun. Wicca is only a few decades old, yet people are leaving Christianity to join Wicca more and more because Wicca is so much more open minded, educated, and gives a massive amount less fear than Christianity.

Answer 6

I certainly believe they do. The world is ever changing, as are people's lives. Hence, in order for a religion to work in the real world, it has to learn to go with the flow. For instance, there was once a Roman Catholic ban on practicing medicine during the Middle Ages, and only prayer was allowed to be used to heal people. But once it was known that medical knowledge from the earlier Greek culture could actually save lives, the Church started to change its views. If a religion ceases to evolve, it basically remains behind the times, loses followers, and becomes isolated from society as a whole.

Answer 7

Spiritual growth must be looked at from a perspective of All creation. Humanity has a collective spiritual growth from its creation. Paganism existed for a purpose,moses ten commandments existed for a purpose,Religions came to exist to fulfill the Law of Karma,cause an effect. Religions have served its purpose and are already being dissolved and the bible will become a history book. water baptism is declining and will cease. There are more and more saints on earth that can baptize in spirit & with fire. Humanity will be living on a level of spirituality,in a state of unconditional love.

Answer 8

Elaborating on the previous statement, I think Muslim religion and to a lesser extent Christianity as preached by those apostles who wrote the new testament are dogmatic. People are told to do things. This may not have been the motive of the prophets who preached these religions but the writers of the holy text. A closer evaluation of the words of other apostles as far as Christianity goes in very necessary. The Muslims need also to ask questions such as "Why on earth do we need a paradise with maidens serving us?", and "What is paradise for women?"

Answer 9

yes the Christian religion has to evolve if it is to follow its own writtings.

1Cor.3
[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Heb.5
[12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
[13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
1Pet.2
[2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Religion has to grow just like people grow. Christianity today is mostly based on the sincere milk of the word. But as soon as the religion grows more and changes, the milk will no longer nurish our needs and it will be in need of the strong meat.

Answer 10

Institutionalised religion is an anachronism-it stopped evolving in the middle ages. Religion should be based on experience-if it isn't making you happy and fulfilled you shouldn't be practising it.

Answer 11

No religion dose not need to evolve, It needs to be banned from society altogether for the betterment of mankind.