The Future Of Secularism

[The Felonius Pope]

Europe as a whole has become more secular than ever in the past. In the United States polls have indicated that

around 80 to 90% of the population of 300,000,000 have some form of religious belief. A rising trend over here is the

conversion of theists to atheism or plain old irreligion. However, a declaration of faith is becoming more and more a

part of conservative politics in the United States. Every one of the GOP candidates running for president this year has

made at least one reference to faith, and even the religious people I know have commented on George Bush's

references to god. So what are your opinions on the future of secularism? Is religion going to make a comeback in

Europe? What about in the United States?

 

[bluejatheist]

Well, as for the United States, I can say that it's quite common to find atheists and critics of religion among 17-19 year olds. Atheism and skepticism has 'passed' as a 'fad' one might say, but the groups and movements are building up steam and growing. I've often heard it described as being a matter of 'waiting for the old generation to die off' before more secular ideals take hold. Still, it is very common at my school to see rosaries around necks, crucifix necklaces and prayer circles, and the media is definitely resisting the movement, especially Fox of course. If I had to give a simple subjective opinion, I'd say the 'blue' region of the U.S. that are generally progressive are speeding towards a more logical and secular society, but for the Red States, particularly the Bible Belt, it's going to be years and years, and there will be much legal abuse of the system, and even violence before progress even begins. The last time there was a major change in the southern states it took the entire 1960's Civil Rights movement, and even then many racial problems remain. I'm not optimistic on the situation.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

Thanks for the feedback. Despite the nation wide trend toward secularism I too have noted that the amount of religious

students at my school is considerable. My home town seems to be quite lacking when it comes to skepticism.

 

[Frenger]

I fear there will be a backlash back into religion.

Scientific discovery, as amazing as it us, sometimes tells people things they don't want to hear. Take for instance neuroscience and the implications that has on such things as free will and morality. We are (scientists, not me personally) forever removing the belief that humans are special, that we are masters of our instincts and our environment. It comes as no surprise to me that people will fight against those assertions (even if that is not what is asserted, but a minor amount of knowledge in the subject is enough for a strawman).

People don't like to be reminded of their own mortality, they are certainly not going to like being told that they are barely in control of themselves.

I feel Neuroscience and by extention evolutionary psychology is in for a mighty big war, where most people will take shelter in the umbrella of religion rather than face the real world and it's implications.

People would much rather feel special again (the special feeling they had when they were part of gods plan) then to feel abandoned without their instincts in check.

 

[bluejatheist]

I fear there will be a backlash back into religion.

Scientific discovery, as amazing as it us, sometimes tells people things they don't want to hear. Take for instance neuroscience and the implications that has on such things as free will and morality. We are (scientists, not me personally) forever removing the belief that humans are special, that we are masters of our instincts and our environment. It comes as no surprise to me that people will fight against those assertions (even if that is not what is asserted, but a minor amount of knowledge in the subject is enough for a strawman).

People don't like to be reminded of their own mortality, they are certainly not going to like being told that they are barely in control of themselves.

I feel Neuroscience and by extention evolutionary psychology is in for a mighty big war, where most people will take shelter in the umbrella of religion rather than face the real world and it's implications.

People would much rather feel special again (the special feeling they had when they were part of gods plan) then to feel abandoned without their instincts in check.

It could also be the opposite. Take an (Albeit fictional) example. In the backstory of Bioware's Mass Effect, the discovery of alien life literally spears religion in the heart. I think if a similar HUGE discovery of that caliber were made, it would have similar effects.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

Despite progress secularists have been making the truth is that America is a really gullible country. You guys might not

have heard about this, but recently in the U.S. of A. there was a controversy about a photo that was considered evidence of

ghosts. The photograph I speak of captured what looks like a semi-translucent well, um.... phallic shape. Apparently a

lady in Ohio photographed two ghosts in the midst of the love making process.

 

[Frenger]

Despite progress secularists have been making the truth is that America is a really gullible country. You guys might not

have heard about this, but recently in the U.S. of A. there was a controversy about a photo that was considered evidence of

ghosts. The photograph I speak of captured what looks like a semi-translucent well, um.... phallic shape. Apparently a

lady in Ohio photographed two ghosts in the midst of the love making process.

People really are mental.

@BlueJthiest.

That's possible. I had never really thought about that. I would be interested to see how they manage to incorperate Aliens into "Gods plan"......another test perhaps?

 

[bluejatheist]

Despite progress secularists have been making the truth is that America is a really gullible country. You guys might not

have heard about this, but recently in the U.S. of A. there was a controversy about a photo that was considered evidence of

ghosts. The photograph I speak of captured what looks like a semi-translucent well, um.... phallic shape. Apparently a

lady in Ohio photographed two ghosts in the midst of the love making process.

People really are mental.

@BlueJthiest.

That's possible. I had never really thought about that. I would be interested to see how they manage to incorperate Aliens into "Gods plan"......another test perhaps?

Ever heard of Heaven's Gate? Was an american cult that though a UFO would take them to heaven. All suicided when they thought it was time.

Also, I'd call American semi-gullible. Semi because it's not their faults entire. The education system fails to teach critical think, parents who themselves being ignorant, don't teach critical thinking, and a media that tries to think for us.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8

 

[The Felonius Pope]

I agree with you completely bluejatheist. Children in school are conditioned not to ask questions, not to express doubt. I love history, but it always irks me when history teachers act like historical knowledge is on par with mathematical theorems. Of course there are things in history that are generally accepted to be true, but nonetheless question what are you are told. Question everything.

 

[RedYellow]

I'm sure it will go back and forth for a long time. I've often thought that religion will shrink in power as information increases in availability, and secularism will continue to win the culture war as it already pretty much has.

My fear has been that it would take some kind of global trauma to facilitate a major rebound in religion, because fear and confusion is where it thrives. If the network of communication is compromised or shut down, fanatics will be more able to manipulate the public through fear. There are people out there just waiting for some rock (or nuclear weapon) to fall from the sky, and tell everyone it was because of god's anger.

So protecting the free flow of information, as well as the preservation of legitimate information is key to holding back the religious mentality.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

RedYellow brings up an important point when he mentions the flow of information. Throughout history religion has thrived in areas with little access to scientific or historical knowledge. Their are countries nowadays that block information from getting to their citizens! Sadly even though Americans have incredible amounts of easily accessible information they choose not to broaden their horizons or think outside of the box... :cry:

 

[Neanderthal]

My fear is that too many people don't choose "not to broaden their horizon" but are simply not able to. It costs too much, maybe because they reside on the wrong side of the Bell curve or are too lazy. Most people I know are interested ( or more correctly - WANT to be interested) in science and finding things out but they do not have the stamina it takes to read a lot of factual/theoretical material. And worse - even highly intelligent people choose Facebook or football before science and "broadening their horizon" stuff because of pure laziness.

 

[The Felonius Pope]

I specifically meant the United States when I stated people don't take the initiative to garner scientific and/or other types of

knowledge. I do agree with you, Neanderthal, that the majority of people around the world simply don't have the time or

means to become knowledgeable. The sad thing is that birth rates in developing nations are higher than those in nations

like Japan. I fear the world may end up like the world in the movie Idiocracy. (The image below is from Idiocracy).

 

[Anachronous Rex]

 

[The Felonius Pope]

Awesome cartoon, Rex. :mrgreen: Hey, I didn't know you worked for the UN!

Seriously, though, I really don't believe things will get half as bad as in Idiocracy, especially not in the US. I just happen to view our current global situation with a good dose of pessimism. It isn't necessarily that that intelligence is decreasing (I don't believe it is) as is proposed in Idiocracy, but there are plenty of social and economic factors that contribute to the amount of uneducated people.

Your cartoon is funny because of the nod to the Flynn Effect, and eugenics is something we certainly do not need. But I do feel that amount of uneducated people is going to increase. I have known people (who come from rather uneducated backgrounds) who have 8 or even 15 siblings! Maybe its just where I live and who I know, but the more I look around, the more pessimistic I become.