Is religion dying?

[Mock Turtle]

Can you rephrase that?

I don't have anything that could be called a religion.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I don't have anything that could be called a religion.

Maybe, but that depends on several factors and that includes if your defintion is true and mine false or if you do cognitive, moral and cultural different than me. We are playing social facts and not brute facts.
I understand what you say and just point that you say it, this is not really evidence.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Maybe, but that depends on several factors and that includes if your defintion is true and mine false or if you do cognitive, moral and cultural different than me. We are playing social facts and not brute facts.
I understand what you say and just point that you say it, this is not really evidence.

Well as you might know, I'm not into proving anything, and I do realise that this area does have issues with how certain things are defined, but I just have to go with what the majority would use for definitions - not being a philosopher.

Whatever beliefs I might have, they don't tend to fall into the main categories that will be seen in religions, even if some might do so by necessity. And I suspect the same goes for many who will claim not to have religious beliefs.

 

[The Hammer]

Is religion dying?​

I truly hope so but I very much doubt it. Although we can see progress in so many countries as to this happening. Campaign for no (directed) religious education in schools (in all countries) and it might become reality.

Religious leanings are natural and ingrained in humanity. It's going no where, regardless of whether or not society is secular.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Is religion dying i.e. waning in popularity?

If we are talking about the world and including the polytheists, probably not. Although it's recently flared in the States in the form of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ activism, Christianity is waning in the West, but may be growing in Africa and Asia. For this humanist who also considers organized, politicized, Abrahamic religions toxic and is happy to see its cultural influence waning - my definition of antitheism - that's what matters most. Watch the blowback the Christian theocrats in America get to get a sense of how much the American people object to Christianity's vision for America. This was in the news recently - female Republican state-level legislators blocking their male counterparts' efforts to limit abortion in red states. From Abortion bans fail in conservative South Carolina and Nebraska legislatures :

“The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words,” she said.

Do Jews typically stay Jews as they grow up? Has there been a trend of young Jews leaving the faith? Or not from what you can see?

I was born to a couple of atheist Jews and grew up atheist. We were culturally Jewish to some extent, socializing predominantly with other atheistic Jews, eating the odd bagel with lox and cream cheese, and uttering the odd Yiddish expression, but not gong to synagogue or observing Jewish holidays until my mother remarried a failed rabbinical student who had me bar mitzvahed at 13, had us keep a kosher home with two sets of dishes and cutlery, and officiated at seders every Passover and lighting menorahs at Hanukkah. But I was an atheist during those years.

Of my four grandparents, all were Jews, but only one observant at all. I only met my grandmothers, and one kept kosher.

Virtually all of my high school friends were the same, and I am still in contact with or aware of about a half dozen. College was assumed, as was common in culturally Jewish homes in America mid-20th century and probably still is. Cliche as it sounds, our mothers wanted us to be doctors and lawyers, and we all did that. Steve, Marty, Dave, Larry, Jeff, and Chris all became lawyers, and all identify as Jews, but they are all atheists. I chose medicine. We all made our mothers proud.

Now, in retirement, I know many Jews, but only one that goes to synagogue, and I don't know if he believes in a god or not. Also, another, who calls himself a Buddhist Jew, has an orthodox Jewish son even though he himself was never orthodox.

Are such people Jews to you? Most people would say so, but they are evidence to me that the religion doesn't play much of a role in Judaism if such people are deemed Jews.

Incidentally, this atheist became a Christian for a decade beginning about age 19, then returned to atheism.

 

[Sand Dancer]

The ultra orthodox Jews are in Israel, while the secular Jew are having way fewer. It poses a big problem for the future of Israel if the orthodox out-breed the secular since the orthodox don't work or join the military, which is mandatory for the rest.

The younger folks don't seem much for ritual. They want to see results.

 

[Sand Dancer]

If we are talking about the world and including the polytheists, probably not. Although it's recently flared in the States in the form of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ activism, Christianity is waning in the West, but may be growing in Africa and Asia.

Africa, yes, with its own flavor of course, but which Asian countries are adopting Christianity? I think a Christianity/Buddhism blend would be nice, and the pacifism, acceptance and emotional calm might tamper the war-mongering and angry, emotional aspects of conservative Christianity.

 

[viole]

False.

This is actually true. If I knew only one Jew, and she were atheist, then it would be indeed the case that all Jews I know are atheists. hence, my statement obtains.

Actually, even less than that would suffice to make my statement true. In fact, even if I knew no Jew, it would still be the case that all the Jews I know are atheists.

so, I am not sure how you can say it is false, since that is really simple logic.

ciao

- viole

 

[muhammad_isa]

This is actually true. If I knew only one Jew, and she were atheist, then it would be indeed the case that all Jews I know are atheists. hence, my statement obtains.

Are all the Christians and Muslims you know atheists, as well?

 

[viole]

Are all the Christians and Muslims you know atheists, as well?

Are all the Christians and Muslims you know atheists, as well?

Nope. None of them is. For obvious reasons.

ciao

- violw

 

[Vee]

Is religion dying i.e. waning in popularity?

Well, you guys are all old, so maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd...

Haha jk

You guys have a certain perspective.

As the youngins take the places of you lot, do you think religion will be as popular or influential?

Atheism seems to be on the rise. Institutionalized religion has traumatized much of millennials and I'm betting gen z too. I get mixed signals when I try to gauge the populace's ever changing opinion on religion. Will the millennials and gen z let religion be a dominating cultural force, as it has always been?

I think Christianity is dying but spirituality is rising. I don't think religion is dying. But I think it is possible. I think atheism and agnosticism will keep rising, and as a result organized religion will lose its influence.

Dying, not yet, but some of it has gone into a coma. Some is still alive and well. Depends on which religion. Things are very different depending on where you go and who you ask.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Religious leanings are natural and ingrained in humanity. It's going no where, regardless of whether or not society is secular.

Tell that to all those who don't have such. Anyway, I didn't say it would die out. There's always some.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Is religion dying i.e. waning in popularity?

Well, you guys are all old, so maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd...

Haha jk

You guys have a certain perspective.

As the youngins take the places of you lot, do you think religion will be as popular or influential?

Atheism seems to be on the rise. Institutionalized religion has traumatized much of millennials and I'm betting gen z too. I get mixed signals when I try to gauge the populace's ever changing opinion on religion. Will the millennials and gen z let religion be a dominating cultural force, as it has always been?

I think Christianity is dying but spirituality is rising. I don't think religion is dying. But I think it is possible. I think atheism and agnosticism will keep rising, and as a result organized religion will lose its influence.

I'm not young or old, but I've seen this trend going on for awhile, even globally. But atheism isn't where they're going to but rather towards neo-Paganism, New Age and non-description spirituality.

 

[F1fan]

That depends on the understanding of what religion is. But of course your understanding of religion is not a cultural tradition, it is the objective truth.

Any understanding of religion will be dependent on what believers explain. What is observed is believers knowing what they believe but clueless about why they believe. This is where critical thinkers turn to the social sciences for explanations.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Any understanding of religion will be dependent on what believers explain. What is observed is believers knowing what they believe but clueless about why they believe. This is where critical thinkers turn to the social sciences for explanations.

Yeah, we are in discussion, so I will leave it here. I shouldn't have debated. See you in debate.

 

[Alien826]

I was born to a couple of atheist Jews and grew up atheist. We were culturally Jewish to some extent, socializing predominantly with other atheistic Jews, eating the odd bagel with lox and cream cheese, and uttering the odd Yiddish expression, but not gong to synagogue or observing Jewish holidays until my mother remarried a failed rabbinical student who had me bar mitzvahed at 13, had us keep a kosher home with two sets of dishes and cutlery, and officiated at seders every Passover and lighting menorahs at Hanukkah. But I was an atheist during those years.

I had a dear friend named David, now sadly deceased for many years (he would never give up smoking). I met him at work and we hit it off right away. We were within a few months of the same age, with me older, and he would refer to me as his "oldest friend". Anyway, it was quite a while before I found out he was Jewish. He didn't keep kosher as far as I could tell and seemed to be pretty non religious otherwise. I found out that he and his wife were part of a very liberal Jewish community. Later he got divorced, and remarried to a more observant women who had the separate dishes and so on. He then turned around and became quite orthodox, though it was obvious at times that he didn't know that much about it. David was a sweet guy who would try to please whoever he was with. I miss him.

My understanding is that one can be Jewish by birth and/or Jewish by religion (and it's possible, though not easy, to convert to Judaism) so one can be one or both. Interesting.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Is religion dying i.e. waning in popularity?

Certain religions become smaller and while others become larger. It is true however that religion most appeals to older generations.

Well, you guys are all old, so maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd...

Haha jk

Exactly. Although I am only 33.

You guys have a certain perspective.

As the youngins take the places of you lot, do you think religion will be as popular or influential?

Atheism seems to be on the rise. Institutionalized religion has traumatized much of millennials and I'm betting gen z too. I get mixed signals when I try to gauge the populace's ever changing opinion on religion. Will the millennials and gen z let religion be a dominating cultural force, as it has always been?

I think Christianity is dying but spirituality is rising. I don't think religion is dying. But I think it is possible. I think atheism and agnosticism will keep rising, and as a result organized religion will lose its influence.

The Zoomers seem to have this attitude which is like, "I'm atheist, but I understand why some people are religious", as most Zoomers are not against religion. I think Christianity's influence is waning off but is slowly being replaced by the alternative theologies of Islam, neo-Paganism, among other religions. Since there is a way for virtually anyone to create a group of people on the Internet, we are now seeing the rise of techno-religions, or spiritual communities that use technology to gather followers. I suspect this will continue, and many Christian religions take advantage of this for themselves too, with Zoom meetings, Facebook groups and many other ways to meet people.

Maybe the traditional way to meet and follow religions is starting to tapper off, but by no means does this mean spiritual communities are dead. In fact, there are now religious organizations that meet now that are either inclusive of atheists, like the UUs, or exclusive of typical religious belief, like the Sunday Assembly. Religion is by no means going away anytime soon.

 

[dybmh]

This is actually true. If I knew only one Jew, and she were atheist, then it would be indeed the case that all Jews I know are atheists. hence, my statement obtains.

Actually, even less than that would suffice to make my statement true. In fact, even if I knew no Jew, it would still be the case that all the Jews I know are atheists.

so, I am not sure how you can say it is false, since that is really simple logic.

ciao

- viole

So you actually don't know anything of value regarding this. Thanks for nothing.

I asked:

So, how many Jews do you know? How do you know they are Jewish? Were they raised Jewish? How much do you actually know about them? How did you determine they were an Atheist?

 

[dybmh]

This is actually true. If I knew only one Jew, and she were atheist, then it would be indeed the case that all Jews I know are atheists. hence, my statement obtains.

Actually, even less than that would suffice to make my statement true. In fact, even if I knew no Jew, it would still be the case that all the Jews I know are atheists.

so, I am not sure how you can say it is false, since that is really simple logic.

ciao

- viole

Nope, still false. If you don't know any Jews at all, then none of them are atheist since they don't exist. You just can't admit that you were wrong.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Nope, still false. If you don't know any Jews at all, then none of them are atheist since they don't exist. You just can't admit that you were wrong.

This link will probably be helpful.

And apparently according to that link's statistic, 68% of the Jewish population believe you can be Jewish without believing in God.