[Scienceisgood]

Hey Guys;

Well, I was just wondering on how the growing population of the UK is becoming atheist (myself included) and wondered what the chances are of religion becoming extinct and your views on religion facing extinction.

What do you think?

I have noticed the typo in the poll...
Spell Check Fail.

[E.Blackadder]

literalists are dying out and the apologists will be next. give it another thousand years for organized religion to go and fifty thousand for religious beliefs to be dead.

[roodootoo]

No, it never will because people will always have questions that can't be answered by their knowledge of science so will suggest it is due to a higher power. Even if they are imagining things, people will always wonder about that 1% of crazy things that happen. And desperate people will believe, if someone's husband has cancer they will hope and possibly speak to a higher power, and surely that's religion?

And, I'm Christian, so I personally believe that religion could never die out because God has a greater effect than that; stories such as Brother Yun who became a Christian in a random village in China when he had never spoken to a religious person or heard about the idea of religion. I believe, and him, that God spoke to him directly.

But yeah, logically, to non-religious people, the first paragraph sums it up.

[QuantumOverlord]

(Original post by roodootoo)
No, it never will because people will always have questions that can't be answered by their knowledge of science so will suggest it is due to a higher power. Even if they are imagining things, people will always wonder about that 1% of crazy things that happen. And desperate people will believe, if someone's husband has cancer they will hope and possibly speak to a higher power, and surely that's religion?

And, I'm Christian, so I personally believe that religion could never die out because God has a greater effect than that; stories such as Brother Yun who became a Christian in a random village in China when he had never spoken to a religious person or heard about the idea of religion. I believe, and him, that God spoke to him directly.

But yeah, logically, to non-religious people, the first paragraph sums it up.

An obvious consequence of the existence of a God, is the non existence of religion.

Eventually religion will die, already it is declining rapidally, however if we are to progress to a type II civilsation (possibly even type I), one of the conditions would be a secular society. Without this progression civilsation itself will eventually become extinct (in significantly less than 500 million years) and of course religion with it.

[Alpharius]

No.

There will always be some fraud pretending they can commune with some divine being, and likewise there will always be some gullible fools stupid enough to be convinced by them.

It will die out, when humanity dies.

[Christianlady]

(Original post by Scienceisgood)
Hey Guys;

Well, I was just wondering on how the growing population of the UK is becoming atheist (myself included) and wondered what the chances are of religion becoming extinct and your views on religion facing extinction.

What do you think?

I have noticed the typo in the poll...
Spell Check Fail.

Hello Scienceisgood,

The UK is an intriguing country, because even though it seems that the natives are becoming more atheist, many immigrants who do believe in God, especially Muslims, are moving to the UK. Even though there are definitely people from Muslim families who become ex-Muslims, I don't see the majority turning their back on their ancestors' faith. Many experience peace and fulfillment in their belief, as well as unity with other Muslims.

Now, it is most definitely true that many people turn from Christian beliefs. Jesus prophesied the following:

Matthew 24 -http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mat%2024&version=NIV
(I boldened some.)

"9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

For a long time, Biblical scholars have speculated that eventually again, people who believe in Jesus will be persecuted and hated. Sadly, this has happened throughout the history of Christian beliefs, with "Christians" even persecuting, hating, killing Christians as well.

It is not a surprise that people turn from following Jesus. Jesus said it would happen.

Now, does that mean that eventually Christians will become extinct? It may mean that eventually, less than 10% of people on earth will be Christians... that is possible. If Atheists become violent against people of Christian beliefs (and Christians do not become violent, understanding that Jesus taught love not violence/revenge), then it is very possible for many Christians to be killed.

Many Christians believe that someday, Jesus will come and take all who believe in Him to Heaven. This of course sounds ridiculous to Atheists, but for Christians since even the time of Jesus' apostles who walked and talked with him, this belief gives us joy!

Anyways, I voted no on your poll because even though more and more people will no longer ascribe to belief in God, there are faithful people who do, even if they will someday be in the extreme minority.

Long time ago, Elijah complained to God that he was the only prophet left, God told him He had reserved 7,000 people who had not bowed to Baal. (1 Kings 19)

So again, even if most people take the road of not believing in God, the fact remains that there will still be a relatively few amount of people, even if they are tortured/persecuted, who will believe in God.

Peace and God bless you

[roodootoo]

(Original post by QuantumOverlord)
An obvious consequence of the existence of a God, is the non existence of religion.

Maybe I just don't have the same thinking processes as you but...what? How does that make sense?

(Original post by QuantumOverlord)
Eventually religion will die, already it is declining rapidally, however if we are to progress to a type II civilsation (possibly even type I), one of the conditions would be a secular society. Without this progression civilsation itself will eventually become extinct (in significantly less than 500 million years) and of course religion with it.

No, it is declining in the UK. In China, for example, religion is massively growing year on year, despite the fact it is practically illegal.

With religion civilisation will become extinct? explain.

[Stiff Little Fingers]

I think so yes, not in any of our lifetimes mind.

Literalism is going the way of the dinosaurs and being replaced by all these metaphorical claims, eventually the books will just become regarded as a collection of fables rather than the messages of a higher power. With that, religion will slowly become nothing.

Now if the question were a belief in a higher power, I'd think not, there will always be people who can't believe the universe and it's infinite mysteries are just the work of cold, hard science. It'll just become a wholly personal thing rather than any sort of structured organisation.

[QuantumOverlord]

(Original post by roodootoo)
Maybe I just don't have the same thinking processes as you but...what? How does that make sense?

If got definitely existed, then surely everyone would believe in him, as an established truth we would view god as we view science so there would be no faith and no organized religion.



No, it is declining in the UK. In China, for example, religion is massively growing year on year, despite the fact it is practically illegal.

Worldwide all the major religions are declining (with the slight exception of Islam)

With religion civilisation will become extinct? explain.

To build a type II civilization we would need extreme worldwide cooperation, this is not feasible in any other way than from a secular government. If we do not achive type II status then humans will definitely die in the next 500 million years as earth becomes uninhabitable.

Is this clearer?

[Neutronium]

My gut answer would be yes but only if western style democracy and development continues, as mentioned earlier in most of the developed western world religion and its supporting institutions are decaying pretty much across the board and as long as a well educated, scientifically literate and skeptical populace is maintained through good education.

[xXxiKillxXx]

Islam will, not sure about the rest... Well thats what Islam teaches anyway

[chickenonsteroids]

Religion... I don't think it'll have the same impact it used to have any more. The religious believers themselves are becoming more liberal and refusing to stick with some of the backward teachings they still hold. Like being opposed to homosexuality. The belief in God will stay much longer than religion though.

[Scienceisgood]

Well, I'm not trying to be mean here, but I am pretty sure that the "Death to those who leave Islam" is sorta contributing to the slight growth.

[Giant]

Is it just me, or do you completely switch off whenever you see a response with a Bible/Qu'ran/Torah etc. quotation embedded in it?

It just defeats the whole purpose of arguing from a non-biased standpoint :/

[Torpedo Fish]

Sure it will, as soon as humans do.

[momo26396]

It will never die out because humans always remember history- hence it will always be in our hearts however much we want to forget it........................

[freakymonkey]

Religions themselves die, it's a fairly well established cycle - they go from cult to religion (as we've seen with mormonism over the last 200 years) then from religion to myth (see norse, mayan, aztec and greek myth that were once believed in as ardently as current day religions)

As for the concept of religion, it will only die once we get over our fear of death as a species - something which I hope will happen but fear it will not.

[Nacho King]

Of course it won't, there will always be people practicing religion of some kind or creating new one, its already stood the test of time for thousands of years.

I wish it would one day die out and society would benefit but I think thats wishful thinking.

[SnoochToTheBooch]

nah, it's gone too far now. it's just too widespread and the brainwashing has gone on for too long.

[Funtry]

technically, yes. The whole human race will die out and so religion will die along with it (unless there is an afterlife; I'm an agnostic atheist)

However, if you're talking about the duration of human existence, then no, religion is very important for society in general in my opinion.

I voted no on that basis.