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Debate Score:32
Arguments:22
Total Votes:38
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 What does the future hold for organized religion? (22)

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What does the future hold for organized religion?

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4 points

I might be biased since I'm an Atheist, but I can't see organized religion being anywhere near as powerful in the future as it was in the past. Scandinavian countries are already beginning to become largely Atheist, Czech Republic is mostly Atheist, and even America is at about 12% Atheist.

As science continues to disprove religion people will eventually lose faith in it.

Side: Will fade away
2 points

As a Christian Deist, I also support this view. And, not so much that the spirituality aspect will disappear, but organized religion will indeed fade as people find new ways to worship God, i.e. through earnest effort to find justice and peace, through loving one's neighbor as oneself, through embracing science as the means by which God works.

Now I don't suspect organized religion will ever entirely fade, but as the middle ground between science/logic and spirituality becomes more explored and comfortable, more people will be at ease leaving organized, tradition-based religions to find a belief set that they and others better identify with and understand.

Side: Will fade away
2 points

I pray to Jesus Christ, God, Yeweh, the Virgin Mary, Buddha, Krsna, Zeus, Satan, Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny every day that organized religion goes away.

Unfortunately as long as people have a limited time on earth, they will be looking for someone to tell them they'll live forever.

And as long as people want to live forever, there will always be someone to use that to control them...

It's like one of those guys who calls you and tells you you won a million bucks, and all you have to do is send him a thousand so he can send you the check. Anyway...

here's how it works: For a number of centuries organized religion has an iron grip on the majority of people, as people get smarter, these religions have to change with them, becoming more and more diluted, resembling less and less the original, and losing members as it inevitably never changes fast enough. At that point a newer, more modern belief system will begin to take hold... we'll call it "spiritual" as the orgainzed religions slowly die, "spirituality" will slowly gain, and at some point these new religions will begin organizing, and we go through the whole crazy rollercoaster ride again.

Meanwhile something like 8% or at its max maybe 20% of sane people like myself will always be there to laugh our asses off at the crazy people and wishing for a day when they all gain their sanity. But it won't happen.

Side: people are crazy
2 points

The percentage of non-religious people has been increasing in all 50 states, and overall has doubled since 1990, while the number of self-identified Christians has declined.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2316782/posts

Side: Will fade away

They've already debated that premise for the last 25 years and I see no change whatsoever in what was then and what is now in organized religion. 25 years ago they thought the church could not hold the younger generations and I suppose the same worry is there now. Religion did fade away for a short time and came back with a vengeance when the born-again movement came. I think it will, forever, ebb and flow.

Side: Will fade away
1 point

Organized religion, unfortunately, will be with us for centuries to come.

It's going to take a long time for people to wake up to the idea of humility. By this, I mean we ought to be humble enough to admit that the BIG questions we cannot answer, for we are only human. We need to realize that it is not possible to use reason to determine which existing religion to be a part of, as none offer modern supporting evidence.

Anyway, some people have come around to the idea, but it will take a very long time for people to shed the "I'm whatever religion my mommy and daddy told me to be" attitude and think for themselves.

Side: Will stick around
asdf789(350) Disputed
1 point

Anyway, some people have come around to the idea, but it will take a very long time for people to shed the "I'm whatever religion my mommy and daddy told me to be" attitude and think for themselves.

Not only are you setting up a straw man, but also providing a pathetic ad hominem attack as well. Because I am religious I do not think for myself? What kind of bull is that?

Side: will come back in less than 25 years
Spoonerism(831) Disputed
1 point

I'm not saying religious people don't think for themselves. Most, however, adopt the religious ideals of their parents, without ever even considering the principles of other religions.

Side: Will stick around
0 points

There is no doubt that organized religion has been on the decline for some years now. Personally, I think that organized religion will rebound sometime before the next quarter century passes from now, around 2030 lets say. I believe there to be an anti-religious movement going on right now that will run itself out sometime in the near future. I mean, we just elected the most liberal president ever in American history in 2008. There is a lot of division between denominations right now in America with the Episcopalian's having gay bishops and what have you. That is one of the reasons why I am a nondenominational right now. I don't really see anything to my liking when it comes to any of them. That doesn't mean that they don't have good foundational beliefs though, I just disagree with some of their non-core beliefs. Once those divisions get stamped out and they become more unified, a comeback will ensue. Maybe its just blind optimism, who knows. I think people will come to their senses soon. :)

Side: will come back in less than 25 years
iamdavidh(4856) Disputed
4 points

I believe there to be an anti-religious movement going on right now that will run itself out sometime in the near future. I mean, we just elected the most liberal president ever in American history in 2008.

I fail to see how one follows the other. 1. Obama is religious (unfortunately) 2. He's not even that liberal, he's frustratingly moderate the way he keeps trying to work with neo-cons and hasn't done anything about gays being kicked out of the military.

I'll ignore the rest of your statement, as the whole thing sounds to me like it came from bizzaro world.

Side: people are crazy
asdf789(350) Disputed
0 points

The first sentence is purely my opinion. You may have a different opinion. I don't really care to be honest. I am basing my second sentence off the fact that he was the most liberal senator in Congress in 2007, the year before he was elected (1). Obama is not religious at all. He admits in his own book that he is not really religious. The United Church of Christ is a religion that contradicts itself many times over on just about every issue. They are so liberal on so many views that most democrats find shelter in it so they can keep following their liberal views. I'm not even going to talk about Jeremiah Wright either.

1. http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=lib_composite&o2;=desc#results

Side: will come back in less than 25 years