The Future of Religion
The Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran are arguably the most influential texts of the past two millennia. The human race has made many advances socially, politically, scientifically, and technologically since the times when these texts originated and these religious texts still have and impact on society. However, these texts are on the verge of becoming outdated. Science is now a very important part of human life and science has provided answers to questions that religion attributes to a higher being. Now that science has such a large impact on the life of individuals, do humans have valid reasons for joining a religion? This essay will examine this question and the compatibility of science and religion.
One reason why followers believe in a religion is because that particular religion gives its believers comfort that everything will be for the best (even after death), because everything that happens in this world is an expression of the intentions of a higher being. This comfort comes from the belief that if you worship this higher being you will be protected from the evils of this world (or the afterlife). "And God said to him, I am God, the Ruler of all: be fertile, and have increase; a nation, truly a group of nations, will come from you, and kings will be your oRABpring (Genesis 35:11)." In this verse of the Bible God entices his believers for the comfort of prosperity.
Nonetheless, there still lies the question of the existence of a higher being. Freud might argue that the higher being exists only in men's minRAB. He might say that humans created him psychically out of the need for structure and protection from the superior forces of nature, Fate, and death. Voltaire might also comment on his reason for joining a religion. He might say that a higher being cannot exist because everything is not for the best, as he illustrates in Candide.
In argument someone might say that the complexity and yet the simplicity of nature seems to indicate that an intelligence exists which far exceeRAB the understanding of man. This seems to be true, but the understanding of man is always expanding and growing. Science as a practice makes way for revision of its faults, whereas religions do not allow questioning of old ideas favoring the introduction of new ideas. This seems to be another shortcoming of religion.
Another good reason for joining a religion is the rewarRAB that are given to the followers of that religion. The Koran says, "[The believers] will be exalted and forgiven by their Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them (Spoils, 8:4)." The Bible also says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 4:10)." Voltaire might claim that the Portuguese's God did not make provisions for His people. This is because the day that they held the auto-da-fé to stop the earthquakes "the earth sustained a violent concussion (p. 13)." Freud might also have something to say about this reason for joining a religion. He might relate this reason back to the infantile need for protection and love. Freud might say that the human race in an infantile state needed a father figure to provide protection from, and explanations to, such dangers as the forces of nature, Fate, and death. Thus, Freud says that religious belief is an illusion because a "wish-fulfillment is the prominent factor in its motivation (p. 40)."
Science has brought about a shift in culture from belief in the abstract to a belief in what can be proved. Science has started to impose on the impact of religion because the existence of God cannot be proved, and many religious explanations for natural phenomena have been proved otherwise through science. Now the question arises, can science and religion co-exist?
Freud accepts the need for some people to have religious beliefs, but his work suggests the eventual extinction of religion:
Thus I must contradict you when you go on to argue that men are completely unable to do without the consolation of the religious illusion, that without it they could not bear the troubles of life and the cruelties of reality… They will, it is true, find themselves in a different situation. They will have to admit to themselves the full extent of their helplessness and their insignificance in the machinery of the universe; they can no longer be the centre of creation, no longer the object of tender care on the part of a beneficent Providence. They will be in the same position as a child who has left the parental house where he was so warm and comfortable. But surely infantilism is destined to be surmounted. Men cannot remain children for ever; they must in the end go out into 'hostile life'. (p. 62-63)
This section of The Future of an Illusion shows Freud's hope for the future. He thinks that in order to progress further men must acknowledge their place in life and in the universe and be comfortable with it. The position is not that science and religion are two opposing forces, but that in the natural order of things the concept of religion will fade into a concept of science.
In my opinion, the two anti-religious texts, Candide, and The Future of an Illusion, and the old religious texts are compatible only to a certain point. Freud accepts the fact that the human race as an infant needed religion to help it find some meaning to life, but he also sees that the human race is no longer an infant and neeRAB to leave behind religious ideas. In Candide, Voltaire does not speak out about religion on such a scale as Freud, but he too sees problems within society and satirizes them. Candide's final solution to the riddle of life is to "cultivate our garden", which is similar to one of Freud's conclusions about non-religious people. "As honest small-holders on this earth they will know how to cultivate their plot in such a way that it supports them (p. 63)."
The meaning of life is probably the most important question that could be answered today. Religions try to answer that question, but no two religions give the exact same answer because each religion is different. Believers of Freud's doctrine would agree upon the necessity of religion in previous years because man had no way to survive without religion. Today, however, man does not need religion in order to live a productive life, and followers of Freud's doctrine will also advocate change in the current system because they have recognized that humans are not the center o attention in the universe, but part of a scientific evolutionary process.
Science and religion seem now to be two opposing forces again, but they are not. Science is like the adulthood of human life, where religion is the childhood. You cannot have the adulthood without experiencing childhood. However, at present, we are not a totally scientific race of beings, nor are we a totally religious race; we are experiencing the adolescence of humanity. We need to gather the good things in our global society and treasure them as we progress upon this path to the future, 'hostile life'.
The Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran are arguably the most influential texts of the past two millennia. The human race has made many advances socially, politically, scientifically, and technologically since the times when these texts originated and these religious texts still have and impact on society. However, these texts are on the verge of becoming outdated. Science is now a very important part of human life and science has provided answers to questions that religion attributes to a higher being. Now that science has such a large impact on the life of individuals, do humans have valid reasons for joining a religion? This essay will examine this question and the compatibility of science and religion.
One reason why followers believe in a religion is because that particular religion gives its believers comfort that everything will be for the best (even after death), because everything that happens in this world is an expression of the intentions of a higher being. This comfort comes from the belief that if you worship this higher being you will be protected from the evils of this world (or the afterlife). "And God said to him, I am God, the Ruler of all: be fertile, and have increase; a nation, truly a group of nations, will come from you, and kings will be your oRABpring (Genesis 35:11)." In this verse of the Bible God entices his believers for the comfort of prosperity.
Nonetheless, there still lies the question of the existence of a higher being. Freud might argue that the higher being exists only in men's minRAB. He might say that humans created him psychically out of the need for structure and protection from the superior forces of nature, Fate, and death. Voltaire might also comment on his reason for joining a religion. He might say that a higher being cannot exist because everything is not for the best, as he illustrates in Candide.
In argument someone might say that the complexity and yet the simplicity of nature seems to indicate that an intelligence exists which far exceeRAB the understanding of man. This seems to be true, but the understanding of man is always expanding and growing. Science as a practice makes way for revision of its faults, whereas religions do not allow questioning of old ideas favoring the introduction of new ideas. This seems to be another shortcoming of religion.
Another good reason for joining a religion is the rewarRAB that are given to the followers of that religion. The Koran says, "[The believers] will be exalted and forgiven by their Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them (Spoils, 8:4)." The Bible also says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 4:10)." Voltaire might claim that the Portuguese's God did not make provisions for His people. This is because the day that they held the auto-da-fé to stop the earthquakes "the earth sustained a violent concussion (p. 13)." Freud might also have something to say about this reason for joining a religion. He might relate this reason back to the infantile need for protection and love. Freud might say that the human race in an infantile state needed a father figure to provide protection from, and explanations to, such dangers as the forces of nature, Fate, and death. Thus, Freud says that religious belief is an illusion because a "wish-fulfillment is the prominent factor in its motivation (p. 40)."
Science has brought about a shift in culture from belief in the abstract to a belief in what can be proved. Science has started to impose on the impact of religion because the existence of God cannot be proved, and many religious explanations for natural phenomena have been proved otherwise through science. Now the question arises, can science and religion co-exist?
Freud accepts the need for some people to have religious beliefs, but his work suggests the eventual extinction of religion:
Thus I must contradict you when you go on to argue that men are completely unable to do without the consolation of the religious illusion, that without it they could not bear the troubles of life and the cruelties of reality… They will, it is true, find themselves in a different situation. They will have to admit to themselves the full extent of their helplessness and their insignificance in the machinery of the universe; they can no longer be the centre of creation, no longer the object of tender care on the part of a beneficent Providence. They will be in the same position as a child who has left the parental house where he was so warm and comfortable. But surely infantilism is destined to be surmounted. Men cannot remain children for ever; they must in the end go out into 'hostile life'. (p. 62-63)
This section of The Future of an Illusion shows Freud's hope for the future. He thinks that in order to progress further men must acknowledge their place in life and in the universe and be comfortable with it. The position is not that science and religion are two opposing forces, but that in the natural order of things the concept of religion will fade into a concept of science.
In my opinion, the two anti-religious texts, Candide, and The Future of an Illusion, and the old religious texts are compatible only to a certain point. Freud accepts the fact that the human race as an infant needed religion to help it find some meaning to life, but he also sees that the human race is no longer an infant and neeRAB to leave behind religious ideas. In Candide, Voltaire does not speak out about religion on such a scale as Freud, but he too sees problems within society and satirizes them. Candide's final solution to the riddle of life is to "cultivate our garden", which is similar to one of Freud's conclusions about non-religious people. "As honest small-holders on this earth they will know how to cultivate their plot in such a way that it supports them (p. 63)."
The meaning of life is probably the most important question that could be answered today. Religions try to answer that question, but no two religions give the exact same answer because each religion is different. Believers of Freud's doctrine would agree upon the necessity of religion in previous years because man had no way to survive without religion. Today, however, man does not need religion in order to live a productive life, and followers of Freud's doctrine will also advocate change in the current system because they have recognized that humans are not the center o attention in the universe, but part of a scientific evolutionary process.
Science and religion seem now to be two opposing forces again, but they are not. Science is like the adulthood of human life, where religion is the childhood. You cannot have the adulthood without experiencing childhood. However, at present, we are not a totally scientific race of beings, nor are we a totally religious race; we are experiencing the adolescence of humanity. We need to gather the good things in our global society and treasure them as we progress upon this path to the future, 'hostile life'.