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Tokyodreamer
SFN Regular
USA
1447 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2001 : 09:45:33
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Poll Question:
Do you think religion's influence on the world in the 21st century will grow, decline, or stay relatively the same?
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Poll Status:
Locked »» |
Total Votes: 0 counted »» |
Last Vote:
never |
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Tokyodreamer
SFN Regular
USA
1447 Posts |
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Lisa
SFN Regular
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2001 : 17:36:48 [Permalink]
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I voted for "decline", but if you want to add "New Age Wackiness" under "religon", I'm afraid I'm engaging in wishful thinking. Even here in ultra-conservative South Dakota, this town regularly has psychic health fairs at the civic center. Unfortunately, they're well attended.
Silliness is here to stay, we're just fighting rearguard action.
Lisa
"If I'm on thin ice, I'd might as well dance the whole way across!" |
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2001 : 02:56:19 [Permalink]
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Yeah, I voted decline as well. It may just be that I am basing this on the decline of traditional religion. That seems to be a very real thing. Yet, I can't overlook that almost everyone seems to believe that magic works, that people have souls and someone is calling that Cleo woman on TV that has a new way to take money every month. Gads I hate those commercials so much! LOL
@tomic
Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law! |
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Dog_Ed
Skeptic Friend
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2001 : 05:10:07 [Permalink]
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Lisa: Psychic health fairs? Arrgh! The Guerrilla Skeptics should bomb the joint with leaflets!
"Even Einstein put his foot in it sometimes" |
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Lisa
SFN Regular
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2001 : 12:38:56 [Permalink]
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Oh yes, all the latest in crystals, aura readings, and energized water. My next door neighbor's ex-wife was on the radio advertising the last fair. As he said: "At least she could have changed her last name".
"If I'm on thin ice, I'd might as well dance the whole way across!" |
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Tokyodreamer
SFN Regular
USA
1447 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2001 : 22:09:33 [Permalink]
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quote:
Even here in ultra-conservative South Dakota, this town regularly has psychic health fairs at the civic center.
Recently at Marshall Space Flight Center here in Huntsville we had a so-called "Health and Fitness Expo". Numerous booths with information and advertising were on display. It should have been called the "Health and New Age Nonsense Expo". I couldn't believe that here in the midst of scientists that put men and women in space there were booths on aromatherapy, magnet therapy, chiropratic, and alternative herbal supplements. The worst part, when I was so outraged that I almost went to try to find someone to complain to, was when I walked into a section of the complex, and saw a woman laying on her side on a table, with another woman holding a lit candle to her ear! 
Maybe I should change my vote...
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2001 : 14:49:57 [Permalink]
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I voted that the influence of religion would grow. I do include all the new age nonsense as religion. I have attended a few psychic fairs and new age expo's and have both talked to and overheard the "faithful" speaking among themselves. They seek enlightenment and answers to such things as what happens to the "spirit" after death. They are looking for the same things that the traditional religions offer. They are simply replacing the stodgy old traditions with new, fun ways to get to heaven. Many times these new ways are based on traditional religions. The eastern factor can't be ignored. Almost forgotten religions of American Indians often appeal to these seekers too. The "Cabala" is big. The Unarians have based a whole religion on UFO's. In fact, there is a smorgasbord of philosophy and faith these people draw on.
Build your own religion! The new age may be a loose affiliation, but the object is the same as it ever was...
You can read about one of my visits to a new age expo at:
http://www.skepticfriends.org/kil_evil.html
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sega
Skeptic Friend
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2001 : 15:52:51 [Permalink]
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Ear Candles, herbal supplements and such at a NASA event? Well I guess you guys do pray every time you launch a space vehicle
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Lisa
SFN Regular
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2001 : 22:28:37 [Permalink]
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Kil, you made the remark about "build your own religon".
Wasn't it L. Ron Hubbard who made the crack about the sure way to get rich: start a religon.
Well! This is the start of the "Lisa Sect". Motto: She's nice to her Mom. Dogs don't crings when she walks by. Beer is food. Send money.
Lisa
"If I'm on thin ice, I'd might as well dance the whole way across!"
Edited by - Lisa on 05/06/2001 22:33:10 |
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Bradley
Skeptic Friend
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2001 : 11:54:50 [Permalink]
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I voted for stay the same because I think that thinkers will always be a minority, while the masses will never give up the security blanket of religion. The best that the intellectual community can hope for is not to convert the masses, but to reach those thinkers who live isolated in a sea of credulous dunderheads and obtain its own voice in the public forum.
Bradley R. Sampeer |
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broven
New Member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2001 : 19:13:19 [Permalink]
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I voted increase. As the world becomes more and more technological and people feel less and less in control of their lives, things naturally tends toward more religion. Like it or not, religion is here to stay.
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey. |
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2001 : 20:04:31 [Permalink]
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Religion has been around since the beginning, long before there was much in the way of technology. If the reason for religion's influence increasing now is technology, what was the reason 10,000 years ago?
@tomic
Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law! |
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broven
New Member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2001 : 21:48:00 [Permalink]
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quote:
If the reason for religion's influence increasing now is technology, what was the reason 10,000 years ago?
Well, ignorance, I suppose. . . 
I didn't mean that techno was the only reason for religious resurgances (or the initial surgance?) Just that currently, that seems like a fairly logical assumption. Some buried urge to balance techno with spiritual. I really don't think I'm too far off base here. Change is scary. Religion is a safe haven in scary times. No?
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey. |
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Slater
SFN Regular
USA
1668 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2001 : 10:44:26 [Permalink]
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quote:
[quote]
...Some buried urge to balance techno with spiritual. I really don't think I'm too far off base here. Change is scary. Religion is a safe haven in scary times. No?
Ya know, I have heard this line of reasoning so long that I just accept it without question. Times are bad, the world is in worse shape than ever, and religion gives you comfort and fills spiritual needs.
Perhaps I'm wrong not to question these assumptions.
Are these times so bad?
Lets look at one little spot on the California coast called the Marine Mammal Center. They take care of sick and injured seals, sea lions, sea otters and the occasional cetacean. They are in the Marin Headlands about 15 minutes north west of the Golden Gate Bridge. Mostly people volunteering their time staff it and they have a fabulous success rate.
If you were there 40 years ago you would find that it was a Nike missile base that was filled with short-range nuclear missiles ready for the end of the world to happen.
If you were there 60 years ago you would find huge shore cannon and troops ready to fight the Japanese to the death.
150 years ago, cowboys each with a 45-caliber revolver strapped to their waists ready blast claim jumpers or injuns.
200 years ago, Dons each with sword, dagger and flintlock as part of their everyday costume, but not for decoration.
I would say that compared to the past things are really good right now. I'd even hazard to say, never better.
Sure we hear a great deal about violence on the news. But when you consider the amount of violence compared with the vast numbers of people that there are, it's just not that bad. It seems bad because we hear about awful things that are happening across the entire planet. In the past we would hear about our own town and perhaps some travelers tales.
Religion is a comfort. Is it? Is that its purpose? Sure, Jesus will save you from hell fire and torment. But wait a minute! Who was it who told us that there was such a thing as eternal torment to begin with? Why it was the very people who claimed that they could (if we did exactly as they instructed) save us from it. Suspicious, isn't it?
Religion fills a spiritual need that we all have. Do we all have a spirtual need? Or is this just "programming" by the same people who claim that they can fill it?
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When the dead talk -- they talk to him |
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2001 : 11:00:27 [Permalink]
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quote:
I would say that compared to the past things are really good right now. I'd even hazard to say, never better.
I have to agree with you. I hear that bit about times being so bad "nowadays." I think that sort of saying has been around for thousands of years. When most people say that, I don't think they are considering anything that happened before they were 10 yeas old or so. People say the same thing about narural disasters and how there seem to be more and more of them and that they kill more people even though some of the worst natural disasters happened over a hundred years ago.
@tomic
Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law! |
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