I read an editorial on Friday from the UK’s National Secular Society that put forward the idea that religion is losing out to individuals own private spirituality. A survey in the US of 12 to 25 year olds revealed a significant proportion (one third) distrusted organised religion and that they preferred being spiritual to being religious.
93% of the young people interviewed expressed a belief in a spiritual aspect of living. However, like me, they seem to view spirituality as a connection with nature, community and other people rather than a supernatural spirituality. It seems the word is gradually losing it’s religious meaning.
Why do you think that is? Terry Sanderson seems to think that the homophobia and sexism expressed by some faith leaders is significant. Similarly the authoritarian nature of attending a worship and being led in some way may be the cause of rebellion in freedom loving Americans. People naturally desire their independence and are extending this to their religious beliefs.
It is ironic that many people immigrated to North America in order to practice their religion without state restrictions and now they are expressing their own spirituality apart from perceived religious restrictions. Or perhaps it isn’t that at all. Perhaps religion is undergoing a transformation once again. Perhaps the next generation are rejecting the faith of their parents in order to redefine it in their own terms.
“Spirituality” is a way of getting back to the root of a belief after rejecting all the perceived baggage. A way of starting over. If that is the case then some people will inevitably manage perfectly well without religion, some will return to the established path of organised religion and others will define religion in new terms meaningful to them. If they really are then I wonder what it’ll look like.
Posted in A Cacophony of Posts | 13 Comments »An inspirational story:
The Dallas Morning News reported on Wednesday that the Cowboys quarterback took a homeless man to the movies recently.
The man, who goes by Doc, was outside a theater in in Dallas when a man came up and offered to pay his way to see a movie. Planning on passing out fliers for a consignment store across the street, Doc declined. But then he realized that he had just turned down Romo.
He ran across the street, asked for the day off and ran back to the theater. Romo and Doc ended up sitting together watching the movie “Role Model.” Doc told the newspaper that he informed Romo that he hadn’t showered in days.
“Don’t worry about that,” Romo said, according to the newspaper. “I’m used to locker rooms.”
“For me, it was a blessing,” Doc said. “It came at just the right time. It gave me some encouragement and faith in mankind. I just wanted to say thank you.”
This is challenging to me. I want to start doing more stuff like this. Awesome!
I can only wonder the thoughts that went through Doc’s head…
Posted in A Cacophony of Posts | 5 Comments »Something a bit lighter this week.
Posted in A Cacophony of Posts | 10 Comments »