Although around 80% of the world's population claim to be religious, practicing religion is declining - and it's dragging morality down with it.
Many years ago (or perhaps not so many, depending how old you are), the majority of most populations would probably claim to be religious; and with that, the majority of them would probably attend their local place of worship – usually the church – and bring their children up accordingly.
Fast forward to 2007 and it’s still the case that the majority of the world claims to be religious, but the difference is that they don’t take religion as seriously as their forefathers. With that, the place of worship is not likely to be the hub of the community any more and the vibrant source of life it once was.
With the advent of technology, there are other forms of entertainment; forms, which for one reason or another, may be easier to access and more enjoyable. The place of worship – and religion with it – is no longer needed.
Where does morality fit in with this? The decline in attendance at the place of worship and the decline in practicing religion, which is really what religion is all about, is having an affect on how future generations grow up. New technology is supposed to make life easier, but it often creates more problems and is a distraction to what is really important in life.
As priorities change, so lives are impacted. Social circles no longer need revolve around the local community as the global community becomes increasingly easy to access. And with this change comes a more laissez-faire attitude to life, that expression is more important that guidance and freedom more positive than boundaries.
So there is now a situation in which the modern world is being saturated by technology, gorged by its own search for freedom and broken by its resulting lack of moral standards. While most people will probably agree that religion has something to offer in terms of moral guidance, few will be willing to accept the God that comes with religion and so instead adopt an empty morality which has no more basis than a set of laws without a police force to keep order. Out with the bath water, out with the baby.
This isn’t to paint a totally negative view of the world. Plenty of people will not be religious yet be a perfectly upstanding member of their community. But before they totally reject religion, ask them where there moral code stems from and most of them will find religious roots which they have since cut off.
The copyright of the article Our Lack of Morals in Religious Intolerance is owned by Ben Hughes. Permission to republish Our Lack of Morals must be granted by the author in writing.
Dear Mr. Hughes, for the sake of clarifying your pious rambling in these Suite 101 articles, could you offer a explain of "god" that does not involve circular definition or reference to the self-justified, contradictory, outdated, misogynist, male-dominated writing in your bible. A few words on what you mean, when you say god, would help me as an atheist understand what you mean when you refer to your deity. Also I am curious as to whether you know the difference between first person singular and first person plural possessive. I have been reprimanded for this among other violations of the ever-shifting editorial guidelines, that apparently allow you a greater latitude than others. Why,in your opinion, are you special? Sincerely, April Rose Schneider
Jun 15, 2007 5:12 PM
Ben Hughes
:
Hi April Thanks for your post - sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but having been rushed off my feet at work, I haven't had much time to do anything. Anyway, thank you for pointing out my pious ramblings. I often write pretty much as I speak so I tend to talk around the subject as well as get to the point. In terms of god, I believe my God is no specific gender, is ageless, omnipotent, omniscient, personal and benevolent. Without going into theological history, I feel that God was given the male quality because of the male-dominated society at the time the Bible was put togther and because it gives God a human face and human qualities that people can relate to rather than being an impersonal god that doesn't interact with the world. As to the "self-justified, contradictory, outdated, misogynist, male-dominated writing" in the Bible, if you would like to give me examples, I'll do my best to try to explain them, as this is a section about religious tolerance as well as intolerance. As for any grammatical errors, I write as I speak as I said above, whether it's possessive, past, present, plural or singular, if it reads fairly clearly then I'm happy. If I'm controversial then sometimes I'm even happier because then it sparks some debate. But I genuinely don't write to cause offence. If I'm picked up on it, I might change, but then again it's all down to what I could call poetic licence. As for being special, I believe we're all special and unique to God, but I'm no more special than you or anyone else. In fact, I think that people who feel more special are probably those most in need of God. By the way, if you don't believe in God, who is the God you think I believe in and why do you think God doesn't exist?
