I have a Gedankenexperiment, or thought expiriment for the Y!A R&S Regulars (See details)?

Question

The following Gedankenexperiment asks you to look into the future. Say, 50-75 years.

Currently we see a trend globally of modern religions incorporating the Theory of Evolution into their teachings. We see religious organizations joining forces to fight drugs and efforts to help the hungry and homeless.

So, peering ahead 50-75 years, will there be a religious body/movement that will be spearheading a new age for the world, one of scientific discoveries and one where there is justice for people, and people are well fed and sheltered, and live in neighborhoods crime and drug free?


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or will Fundamentalists prevent this from happening

Answer 1

To open the eyes of faith, one must close the eyes of reason.

Religion is never going to fully integrate reason and science into their doctrine. It's not compatible with faith.

Answer 2

Well hopefully drug prohibition won't continue for another 50-75 years. If it does, then there's very little chance of crime free neighbourhoods.
And while certain religious groups are becoming more scientifically advanced than they once were, they are doing so only to follow overwhelming scientific data. I can't see them making any effort to gather these data themselves. I think it's more likely that within 50-75 years atheism will become far more widespread, accelerated by the increased availability of knowledge that will come with the inevitable increase in Internet access. If anyone's going to lead the people into a glorious new age of scientific enlightenment, it'll be the atheists.

Answer 3

Genesis supports evolution. There are 2 creation stories, 1 of which describes God as creating life from the simplest to the most complex. Many Judeo-Christians are giving up on the misplaced dogma from outdated leaders and returning to their own sources (Bible, Torah) to find that belief in God has never been incompatible with science.

Similar things can be said of most if not all of the world’s religions. They were never incompatible with science, they just got lost in dogma.

I see a global trend that science will incorporate the Theory of Reciprocity (from anthropology; seen by many humanists as a reflection on the height of civilization) into their teachings. I see the scientific organizations joining forces to focus on humanity and civilization, and their need to mature socially to handle all of the advances in scientific discovery that are coming on so quickly.

So, peering ahead 50-75 years, there will be a scientific movement that will spearhead a new age of the world, one of social discoveries and one where there is justice for people including freedom from invasive technology, and people are well fed on biologically sound foods (not just short term approved) and sheltered in comfort (not in cubicles), and live in neighborhoods that we keep free of major crime without becoming fascists.

Answer 4

I have the benefit of looking back 50 years, and there were in those days religions incorporating evolutionary theory into their teachings, joining forces to fight alcohol & drugs (remember prohibition), and efforts to help feed the hungry and house the homeless.

And look where we are now. Neither charity, The Great Society, nor welfare have eliminated poverty. The war on drugs is just as never-ending, and evolution is still struggling to gain acceptance as legitimate science.

So I expect little change in the coming years, cynic that I am.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 5

I think that the religious movement you're talking about is not inconsistent with current trends. Certainly feeding and sheltering people has been done for centuries, drug treatment/counseling is often sponsored by churches, and congregations usually get involved in activities that promote healthy communities. I do think that churches have learned to keep up with contemporary trends, as they need to appeal to each generation. Old-fashioned stagnant churches see their memberships dwindling. Creative solutions (which you detail above) will have to be engaged to maintain and grow their memberships.

Answer 6

Ah what a lovely refreshing thought and with a morally corrupt power hungry group spearheading the effort there's no way it can fail!

Answer 7

Some people think that we will merge with our technology and that will enable us to advance technology unbelievably fast. I don't think that is far from the truth and the math on it works out to 30-50 years.

This is very speculative but I would guess that it will kill religion completely.

Answer 8

no new cohesive, competitively large organized religions will form now. the old ones have market share. christianity, as an example, will continue to fracture and some small groups will do as you say - contribute to the common good by embracing science.

Answer 9

How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
That has such people in't!

Answer 10

No people will still be stupid.