| In the present day society as well as in history, religion | | | | your life? Are we beginning to examine our actions |
| is and has been the main driver in people's thoughts, | | | | and questioning the reasons as to why we do things a |
| actions and intentions. | | | | certain way? |
| Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, all have | | | | If we are truly changing to the perspective of personal |
| books that are used as guide books for them. The | | | | responsibility, than the doctrine and dogma of religions |
| Bible, the Tao, the Bhagavad Gita, The Tibetan Book | | | | is in jeopardy of going the way of the dinosaur. Is |
| of the Dead, the Torah, the Koran to name a few. | | | | there signs of the waning popularity of following the |
| They have one statement or concept that is the same | | | | rigid rules of the world's religions? I see it. In Europe, |
| for all. Different variations but the same meaning. "Do | | | | where religion has always been such a huge part of |
| unto others as you would have them do unto you". | | | | daily life the attendance statistics are plummeting. |
| Unfortunately that tenet sometimes gets lost in the | | | | Rejected by a generation of people who are |
| many applications and interpretations of these books. | | | | questioning the validity and authority of the church. |
| Religion has had such a huge role in human history that | | | | I believe the key to the survival of religion is a |
| to try to define it and source it is a daunting task. Each | | | | complete overhaul of doctrine. The major change |
| culture has variations of the answers to the "how's | | | | coming from the amount of tolerance they |
| and why's" of existence, but really they all have a | | | | demonstrate for other religions. Understanding that |
| common thread. When you stand back and observe | | | | there are different flavors of the "truth" and all can be |
| the practices and beliefs they all saying the same | | | | respected and acknowledged as being valid. Not |
| basic things, in my view. | | | | discounted or persecuted for their differences as has |
| The main tenet is that there is a God or supreme | | | | been the case in history. |
| being outside ourselves that creates and controls all | | | | Also, a change of the use of fear that religions have |
| things in our lives. This gives us the comfort of not | | | | practiced as a "control" mechanism for people. The |
| taking responsibility for anything that happens and puts | | | | fear that if they don't follow the rule book there will be |
| it outside of us where we have no control. With a set | | | | grave consequences for them in their lives. Religion |
| of rules given to us from the holy books we can live | | | | has and does use this tactic to keep their "flock" in the |
| our lives with the assurance that we will go to | | | | fold, asking them to give their personal power over to |
| "heaven" when we die if we follow the rules. | | | | God and all will be well for them. |
| "New Age" belief looks at things from a different | | | | And lastly, a shift in how the religions describe our |
| perspective. Instead of following the leader the choice | | | | relationship to God. That we are lowly servants unable |
| is to follow ones self. A belief that we are God also | | | | to think or create for ourselves. I believe if you really |
| and have the power to create what we desire. How | | | | listen to the teachings of Jesus, he describes how are |
| we choose to experience life is up to us, not set out in | | | | all like him and have the same attributes that he has |
| a rule book or determined by any power outside of | | | | but that is a topic for another time. There is room for |
| ourselves. | | | | all these changes in religion without changing the |
| A controversial concept to say the least as it goes | | | | essence of the reason they were created in the first |
| against the ingrained norms of our society. Is the next | | | | place. |
| step in human evolution the shift from the mentality of | | | | Can we all worship together? Can we learn to not |
| following the leader? Doing things how they have been | | | | only tolerate but celebrate the differences that each |
| done in the past just because that's how they been | | | | religion has? I believe so. And I also believe that, if there |
| done? Or is it a totally new perspective of following | | | | is no change, then world religions are destined to follow |
| yourself and taking full responsibility for all events in | | | | the path that leads to extinction. |