When will humanity move beyond religion and superstition?

At one point in history, humans believed the sun, the planets, weather, natural phenomenon, etc. were the result of gods or supernatural beings. People created gods to explain why these events occurred. As science evolved, humans were able to explain these natural occurrences or objects.

The belief in the abrahamic god still stands. Muslims, christians and jews still believe 'god' created the heavens and the Earth. The main basis of their case consists of "something cannot come from nothing, god must have created the universe".

When do you think this archaic belief system will cease to exist? Will science need to prove how the universe began? Its already explained rainbows, rain, reproduction, etc.

Thoughts? My family tells me that I need Jesus, yet they are poor and starving and I am not.

Probably never. Even things as simple as how electromagnetic radiation work seem to scramble the brains of many within the talking ape race, hence all that 5G coronavirus nonsense. As understanding of reality get even more advanced and complicated, there will always be people who would rather cook up simplistic fairy tales that make sense to them instead of simply admitting that they're out of their depths and try to learn something.

A knowledge gap can just be a knowledge gap. We can fill that gap later, we don't need some magic sky wizard to act as a placeholder.

When we become a big hive mind like the Borg and effectively have no individuality left?

Sure, why not.

Hopefully never.

Never.

Not soon enough.

Religion might be on the decline overall, but you sure could not tell in the US. Plus the idea of atheists still confuses and repulses a good amount of people; you ask them if they'd vote for an atheist presidential candidate, most people would have issues with that.

This is why you don't need Jesus. Because you don't need anything. And if you did, you could rely on yourself to get it.

Why is that the only option? Because society can't be areligious unless it is to an extreme?

Why hopefully?

@mrbojangles25: Assuming we don't snuff ourselves out (which is far more likely), I don't see why this wouldn't be a likely outcome.

Hive minds coming to together to achieve far more with far greater efficiency than ever possible divided. A different kind of thinking where everyone's thoughts are shared at once, acting as a single super entity.

Well I tend to think of humanity as god, it'd be nice if we actually came together and actually became one.

Sometimes I feel like the only one that thinks a hive mind existence would not be all bad.

Remember that story about Christopher Columbus tricking the indigenous people and wonder if in the future (again if we aren't snuffed) if we'd still do that, but on a planet-wide-scale to get what we want via religious engineering. i.e. Dune

Not at all.

Ultimately, our superstitious thinking is a byproduct of our evolutionary past. And we cannot escape our innate biological intuitions, ones that helped our ancestors not get eaten by predators.

Advances in physics will not change this. Because not only does this allow for more phenomenon for superstitious thinking to attach itself on. But your average person is completely ignorant in any physics outside of classical mechanics outside of some familiarity with some terms, and even in classical mechanics, most have very limited knowledge/understanding.

Just look at the New Age movement.

Just look at all the nonsense flowing around in regards to COVID-19.

Not going to happen.

Give it another 500 years...

Ghost and magic exist.

We already know enough about the universe and nature to effectively rule out any religious explanation, but people continue to believe in a God because their belief is based on faith and not observable facts.

I don't think our level of understanding alone will ever put an end to religious belief, it's human nature that needs to change for that to happen.

There's also the idea that the more we know, the greater the boarder is between the known and unknown. There will always be unknowns that people with supernatural beliefs can latch on to.

Never. It's something that'll always be here.

500 years.

Tuesday, it will happen on Tuesday.

As long as there is fear, there will be religion. For as much bad which comes from religion, it also brings millions comfort and something to help them keep going and for that reason I can never see it disappearing.

I have a better question...…...when will we learn to be tolerant? Doesn't seem likely anytime soon.

@LJS9502_basic: Sure...but what does tolerance have to do with religious beliefs fading out as humans become more enlightened?

I'm tolerant of my dingbat, Trump-supporting family. That doesnt mean they arent insane.

Never. In fact don't be surprised if there's a surge at some point. It's actually quite simple. Most humans can't stand the thought of an omnipresent being not existing. A deity that is looking out for them during bad times - in addition to contemplating that they'll never see someone they love in the afterlife. Plus being highly religious gives you a sense of community and belonging, which includes a sense of superiority because your belief according to what you're taught is the only right way to achieve a positive outcome for what comes after death.

Religion gives you a sense of security. I don't blame people though, when you have a crazy world like this, who can you turn to? Unless you accept reality and realize that it's part of our existence and that you don't really serve a higher purpose other than to be a piece of poop for the worms.

Apparently some religious lack enlightenment as well...……..

When greed is no longer a part of it. Never.

I give it 200 years.

There's probably an innate belief present in a subset of our population due to evolutionary characteristics, so never. However, over time we'll probably become less religious due to changes in upbringing and increased knowledge. The best killer of religion is education and learning. I'm hopeful that less and less of us will continue to be religious over time.

@HoolaHoopMan: Yes nobody with any sort of intelligence can also be religious.

I highly doubt that is the reason for majority of religious people.

Then what is it? Because the only thing I mainly hear for example Christians is eternal salvation - the fear of the afterlife. Same with Muslims and Hindus. They also pray if things aren't going their way, as if this being is going to magically solve their problem.

Two hands working accomplishes far more than a million hands praying.

Not what I said, but keep draping yourself in pity if that makes you feel better.

They won't.

As long as the leading voices continue to be the most tribalistic ones. We wont see any progress on that part.

If you only listen to fundamentalists or know of religious people through media. That is the view that people are familiar with. Much easier to denigrate religious people if you oversimplify their beliefs.

all I gotta say is... F*** World War 2.

Not until.

You ever see a televised Christian sermon or attended one? They generally end the service by asking if anyone wants to come to the front and receive the Holy Spirit. Typically what you'll see is the pastor walk up and down a line of people standing there and touch them on the forhead. People will react differently to this. Now i've seen this countless times myself from childhood and it does look somewhat ridiculous from an outside perspective, i definitely didnt take it very seriously. Until one day i was laid out on the floor, unable to move. It is unfortunately not something that can be publicly proven or shown to another person. Its only possible through prayer on an individual basis. I suspect a good amount of Christians dont actually get direct communication from God in this manner and is why they dont discuss it but for me, this is when Christian belief stopped being blind faith and became fact.

Are you saying christianity mythology became fact for you?

As a child I went to catholic school. I remember thinking ‘no one believes this crap, right? (thinking of my classmates as none of them seemed religious by their actions). I figured when I got older, religion would be gone because we were smarter than our elders. Man, was I wrong. Christianity is stronger then ever, muslims have come by the boatload and none of them seem to be anti religion (which I found more odd because I thought they left backwards theocracies to escape that nonsense).

To come to peace with my incorrect assumptions, I’ve just accepted that some people are simply dumb. And by some, I mean a hell of a lot.

Christianity is actually on the decline thank god. I wish Islam was also dying as well.

Fitting that someone with a Patrick Bateman avatar would post such an arrogant and pompous topic. Little does TC know that anyone with half a brain can see the true insecurity and need for validation that we know they crave. Huge tool alert!

Is that really the best you've got?

christianity stronger than ever where?

No where. He doesn't seem to be up-t-date on the general trends with the Christian population.

I can understand leaving behind things like prosperity gospel of American evangelism, but there is an innate benefit to mythology and mystery and how the human mind processes it, at least theoretically. And so long as there is a class system in place, those higher up will need a means to control those beneath, and religion plays the perfect role for that.

That I'm sure will happen sooner or later. We just have to convince people to live in the now.

Soon. They are self-eradicating.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/21/us/california-church-pastors-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

You'll continue to see a decline, but it's not going to go away.

Religion is the backbone of humanity. And superstition points to expanded awareness. I’m back on these forums fourteen years later.