Which Religions Will Die Out?

[Kirran]

Within the next thousand years, which major religious traditions of today (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, whichever others you'd like to talk about) can you see dying out entirely? If any.

Will your own religion die out? I imagine not

Other side of the coin, which ones do you think are likely to flourish, grow, spread? What'll be the changes to such religions as they grow? Might they include religions that are currently pretty small, like the Baha'i Faith, the Rastafari movement, Raelianism, Cao Dai?

I'll be interested to hear people's opinions.

 

[Jumi]

It seems that even religions that were thought to be dead when I learned about them in school, seem to be alive and well on the internet, even if not living their glory days. I see only those religions dying out that are against science, or as modern knowledge becomes more widespread changing into another form that accomodates what we know.

 

[Deidre]

For some reason, despite the numbers exceeding it, showing Christianity and Islam as having more followers than Judaism...I imagine Judaism will outlast them both, eventually. Just a hunch.

And the eastern religions/philosophies outlasting all of the Abrahamic faiths.

 

[Nietzsche]

There's only one I can think of that is actually likely to die, and it's honestly not a religion. I am of course talking about $cientology. But as for Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and such?

Christianity will continue shrinking, Judaism as well. Islam is going through a "boom" phase of sorts, but it too will start to level off and then start shrinking. Now, none of those are going to die, but they're going to become less and less relevant.

Hinduism is an interesting case, however. It's positively ancient, and it'll probably stay as it is, not growing or shrinking by any appreciable amount. Shinto & Buddhism are likely going to do the same.

 

[Sees]

The proselytizing, exclusivistic traditions are the only thing I know of which kills off other religious traditions or brings them to the point of barely holding on. What are the chances that the people of those traditions succeed in forcing out other major religions or that their Last Days events finally happen and supernatural help kills off the other religions? I think chances are very, very slim.

Taking advantage of isolated peoples who are very hungry, sick, vulnerable in general is one thing...forceful persuasion of a certain weak region is one thing...but the world religions are world-wide and pretty much set.

 

[Vinayaka]

They will all die out, or at least have names changed, or be altered to a state not comparable or recognisable as they are today. It may take longer than 1000 years though.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Within the next thousand years, which major religious traditions of today (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, whichever others you'd like to talk about) can you see dying out entirely? If any.

Will your own religion die out? I imagine not

Other side of the coin, which ones do you think are likely to flourish, grow, spread? What'll be the changes to such religions as they grow? Might they include religions that are currently pretty small, like the Baha'i Faith, the Rastafari movement, Raelianism, Cao Dai?

I'll be interested to hear people's opinions.

I think every religion dies out over time.

Look at how progression changes the face of a religion by which people are familiar to where each gives way to changes whereas it's original identity becomes something new to which it as well over time gives way each subsquent generation of practioners.

 

[Vinayaka]

In seriousness, Sanatana Dharma is incredibly hard to get rid of. It keeps getting re-verified by mystics who go deep within themselves, and discover the same truths that the ancients discovered. Sometimes the language changes a bit, but the essence is the same. Mystics do this without ever reading a single philosophical book. It suggests that that same knowledge in inherent within man, so how exactly can we get rid of that?

 

[Iti oj]

hard to answer. I suspect Christianity will die, but the new agers will keep the Jesus so that will continue.

 

[JRMcC]

Other side of the coin, which ones do you think are likely to flourish, grow, spread? What'll be the changes to such religions as they grow?

I can see Buddhism doing well while the number of Christians declines. At least in the west, I think people would live by Buddhist principles without a belief in God and reincarnation.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think most organized religions will die out. I also agree Judaism will probably outlive both Christianity and Islam. The Eastern philosophies and religions will probably be the last ones we know today that will be replaced.

 

[nazz]

Within the next thousand years, which major religious traditions of today (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, whichever others you'd like to talk about) can you see dying out entirely? If any.

Will your own religion die out? I imagine not

Other side of the coin, which ones do you think are likely to flourish, grow, spread? What'll be the changes to such religions as they grow? Might they include religions that are currently pretty small, like the Baha'i Faith, the Rastafari movement, Raelianism, Cao Dai?

I'll be interested to hear people's opinions.

Declining birth rates among Jews could be a problem. Also other religions with small numbers of adherents like Zoroastrianism. Most religions will survive but I believe will also have to adapt. One of these days I am going to start a thread on that.

 

[Nietzsche]

The proselytizing, exclusivistic traditions are the only thing I know of which kills off other religious traditions or brings them to the point of barely holding on. What are the chances that the people of those traditions succeed in forcing out other major religions or that their Last Days events finally happen and supernatural help kills off the other religions? I think chances are very, very slim.

Taking advantage of isolated peoples who are very hungry, sick, vulnerable in general is one thing...forceful persuasion of a certain weak region is one thing...but the world religions are world-wide and pretty much set.

Mmm. +1

From the far end of the world and of times untold
I bring message to your midst of the ways of old
Ways reluctantly abandoned if truth be told

Ways abandoned for a scavenger of our souls
Living on malicious lies, hiding in their holes
Cruel and credible as any our tale of trolls

 

[Jainarayan]

I think it depends on what will happen to society as a whole. In the past 1,000 years not much has changed religion-wise, though society has changed almost unrecognizably since the Middle Ages. Except for the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic - Anglican split they are all still Christian with the same basic beliefs. In the past 1,000 years some religions have been trampled to death but they are re-emerging, albeit as recons. They are the ones I'm curious to see what happens to... will they grow again, or will they fizzle out? One thousand years really is not a long time.

 

[LuisDantas]

Within the next thousand years, which major religious traditions of today (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, whichever others you'd like to talk about) can you see dying out entirely? If any.

Will your own religion die out? I imagine not

Other side of the coin, which ones do you think are likely to flourish, grow, spread? What'll be the changes to such religions as they grow? Might they include religions that are currently pretty small, like the Baha'i Faith, the Rastafari movement, Raelianism, Cao Dai?

I'll be interested to hear people's opinions.

Historically, religions tend to meld with others instead of dying out properly.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think it depends on what will happen to society as a whole. In the past 1,000 years not much has changed religion-wise, though society has changed almost unrecognizably since the Middle Ages. Except for the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic - Anglican split they are all still Christian with the same basic beliefs. In the past 1,000 years some religions have been trampled to death but they are re-emerging, albeit as recons. They are the ones I'm curious to see what happens to... will they grow again, or will they fizzle out? One thousand years really is not a long time.

Within the last 1000 years we have killed god. Our societies between then and now are completely different on a religious level. The world isn't so much of a mystery anymore, life isn't as scary or threatening, and we don't live with the idea that today may be our last like people back then did. 1000 years ago the Vatican ruled, today Secularism has become the leading ideology.

 

[Nietzsche]

Within the last 1000 years we have killed god. Our societies between then and now are completely different on a religious level. The world isn't so much of a mystery anymore, life isn't as scary or threatening, and we don't live with the idea that today may be our last like people back then did. 1000 years ago the Vatican ruled, today Secularism has become the leading ideology.

Sigh. That isn't what Nietzsche(Philosopher, not me) meant when he said "Gott ist tot. Gott bleibt tot. Und wir haben ihn getötet"/"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him".

 

[Jainarayan]

Within the last 1000 years we have killed god. Our societies between then and now are completely different on a religious level. The world isn't so much of a mystery anymore, life isn't as scary or threatening, and we don't live with the idea that today may be our last like people back then did. 1000 years ago the Vatican ruled, today Secularism has become the leading ideology.

Given the number of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples being built I'd say God is alive and kicking. Remember, I said society has changed, religion largely hasn't. The Catholic Mass is still the Catholic Mass, Passover is still Passover, Ramadan is still Ramandan, Hindu festivals are... well... beyond count. Saints and religious figures and leaders come and go, but the core religions have remained largely unchanged ove the past 10 centuries.

 

[Goblin]

I imagine the abrahamic faiths will all die off.
WiccA, asatru, and new age will become major faiths.
Hinduism and Buddhism will go on like they always have.

That's my prediction

 

[catch22]

Die out altogether? Not many. None. Someone somewhere, on the internet, is practicing some obscure faith from whenever and wherever.


Shrink. I do believe in shrinking. Christianity I think for sure. In the near term, this will have more to do with people being able to better identify themselves, and consequently, polls and reporting being a bit more accurate.

It seems these past 30 years or so people seem to equate "I believe in God" to Christianity. Like, I mean to say, it's a vanilla response for a lot of people. Like polls ask what religion are you, and you aren't a Jew and you're not a Muslim, so what else do you say? Language, understanding... why isn't "theist" just an option?

For example, I live in the United States and I don't think this country is anywhere near as Christian as reports would otherwise suggest, while the level of overall spirituality isn't too far off over the same course of time.