What is the future of religion?

[rational experiences]

There is actually no takeover.

Conscious awareness would quote, Christianity would own in a future less participants as we do not own the population growth of Muslim communities.

Christianity would never not exist, for it owns a basic community support condition that humans who seek it, being any form of group support in a community, a place to confer belief, self information. And what we claim as a spiritual organization, should be spiritually motivated to teach love, kindness, care and mutual human family acceptance.

For a belief and a practice is no different to someone doing athletics or going to a gym, as a human choice and group gathering in reality.

The only reason anyone disagreed with group gatherings in any organization is when they preached against their own humanity and life continuance in truthful human assessments.

 

[Heyo]

What is the future of religion worldwide? In some countries, particularly in the West there has been a dramatic increase in secularism and decline in those identifying with traditional religious beliefs. However according to Pew research we're unlikley to see these trends worldwide in the next few decades. Paradoxically we will see an overall rise in the number of those who identify with some of the mainstream religions.

What is the current state of religion worldwide? Pew research has done some interesting studies and analysis that I'm sure has been discussed on RF before.

Christians are the largest religious group in 2015




So in 2015 Christianity was the largest religion in the world at 31% of the world's population with Islam 24%, Hinduism 15% and Buddhism 7%. So there is 77% of the world's population affiliated with four religions, and 55% of the world's population affiliated with either Christianity or Islam.

World’s largest religion by population is still Christianity


The future of religious affiliation in the next 50 years is likely to see Islam overtake Christainity as the largest world religion. If we take some of the projected figures from another Pew research analysis the numbers by 2050, just 30 years from now based on population growth and trends within each country, a clear picture emerges. The projected percentages of adherents sre: Christainity 31%, Islam 30%, Hinduism 15% and Buddhism 5%. So those four main religions now make up 81% of the worlds population with a clear predominance of both Christianity and Islam (61%).

The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050

Does this analysis concur with your own perception of the changing demographics of the affiliation with the major religions? If not, why? More importantly, how might these changing demographics impact the state of the world and international relations in the decades to come?

These predictions are interpolations based on two crucial assumptions: 1. the trend will go on, 2. all other parameters stay constant.
That is a rational method for a first-order prediction.

Even without a black-swan-event, I don't see the predictions as realistic. There are parameters which won't stay constant and will have impacts on population and choice of religion. Climate change will put pressure on population growth. Automation will change choice of religion.
My prediction is that the percentage of non believers will stay constant or rise as living conditions in developed countries will further improve and population growth in developing countries will be limited by climate catastrophes.

 

[blü 2]

Christianity is far less violent.

Really? From the people who brought you Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Thirty Years War, Napoleon, the colonization of the Americas, Africa, much of Asia, the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand ─ and not forgetting WW1 and WW2 and so much else.

They were pretty good at slavery too.

 

[Heyo]

Really? From the people who brought you Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Thirty Years War, Napoleon, the colonization of the Americas, Africa, much of Asia, the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand ─ and not forgetting WW1 and WW2 and so much else.

They were pretty good at slavery too.

They were. Overall Christians have become less violent.

 

[blü 2]

They were. Overall Christians have become less violent.

Let's hope we all have.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I can only imagine the kind of societies that will develope from the Islamic faith.

The Bible at least had the audacity to consider love as a way of life.

I never read the Qu'ran. But I hear that it has warring language in it with little to no peaceful resistance ideas in it. In that case they might have one lengthy crusade.

Actually Islam plays out more like the old testament in terms of control and subjugation.

 

[Deeje]

The Bible indicates that all religion that is not sanctioned by God will be eliminated. All who do not worship the one true God will not be permitted residence in the Kingdom of God.

Original Babylon was the springboard from which all false worship originated. Most of the core beliefs of every religion find their origins in Babylon.

When the Bible speaks of a “greater Babylon” and God tells us to “get out of her” before he brings her to ruin, we will have had to remove ourselves from any form of false worship in obedience to that command or go down with her. (Revelation 18:4-5) The Bible indicates that all false worship is abhorrent to God. He demanded exclusive worship.....there was to be ‘no other gods but him’.

People can ignore him at their own risk.

As Paul said.....there is just “one Lord, one faith, one baptism”....not many. (Ephesians 4:4-5)

 

[firedragon]

What is the future of religion worldwide? In some countries, particularly in the West there has been a dramatic increase in secularism and decline in those identifying with traditional religious beliefs. However according to Pew research we're unlikley to see these trends worldwide in the next few decades. Paradoxically we will see an overall rise in the number of those who identify with some of the mainstream religions.

What is the current state of religion worldwide? Pew research has done some interesting studies and analysis that I'm sure has been discussed on RF before.

Christians are the largest religious group in 2015




So in 2015 Christianity was the largest religion in the world at 31% of the world's population with Islam 24%, Hinduism 15% and Buddhism 7%. So there is 77% of the world's population affiliated with four religions, and 55% of the world's population affiliated with either Christianity or Islam.

World’s largest religion by population is still Christianity


The future of religious affiliation in the next 50 years is likely to see Islam overtake Christainity as the largest world religion. If we take some of the projected figures from another Pew research analysis the numbers by 2050, just 30 years from now based on population growth and trends within each country, a clear picture emerges. The projected percentages of adherents sre: Christainity 31%, Islam 30%, Hinduism 15% and Buddhism 5%. So those four main religions now make up 81% of the worlds population with a clear predominance of both Christianity and Islam (61%).

The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050

Does this analysis concur with your own perception of the changing demographics of the affiliation with the major religions? If not, why? More importantly, how might these changing demographics impact the state of the world and international relations in the decades to come?

Its like this, If you go back in history there was huge rise in atheism and then declined. There are ups and downs in the trend or rather "fad" because in the length of humanity these are very small time periods.

The growth and decline is calculated based on an algorithm in retrospect but not centuries in retrospect thus may have some probability flaws.

It could be that in the future there will be a major rise in Atheism and strangely as Pew Research has pointed out, about 1/5th of Atheists are not really atheists though they identify as atheists. Thus, this is an identity statement. Same may go with other "identities" as well. For example a Muslim may identify as such but actually be an atheist. So could Christians and Hindus. Its an identity. Like in the United States 3/4th of the population would identify as Christian but how many would go to church? Out of these people how many may in their hearts be atheists? If the self proclaimed atheists have a huge percentage of of 18% who are in their hearts theists (Believing in anything divine or higher power), then others also would show similar patterns.

Thus trend seems to be to identify yourself in such a manner. It may be a fad to identify yourself as an atheist in some geographical area because of the blaring statements of some of the atheists that theists are just stupid, said in better words and the neighbour might wish to be aligned with the so called "enlightened". Thus though they believe in a divinity, and in their hears are theists, might identify as an atheist. Due to secularism reaching far and wide this I predict to be a trend in the near future.

Joseph Stalin would kill you if you are a Christian priest. And sometimes even for having a Bible at home. So maybe you would lie and pretend that you are an atheist just to escape persecution. The same thing right now is happening in China, though it is not mass scale murder. Thus being the largest population in the world we don't know how much this one country would affect the numbers we are speaking of. One may not want to be a theist in China and it seems like a fad to be identified as an atheist, communism style.

 

[firedragon]

I can only imagine the kind of societies that will develope from the Islamic faith.

The Bible at least had the audacity to consider love as a way of life.

I never read the Qu'ran. But I hear that it has warring language in it with little to no peaceful resistance ideas in it. In that case they might have one lengthy crusade.

So even this thread is turned into this. Great to see.

Osgart, just think about what you are saying. You have never read the Quran, but you hear about it. Is that good enough? Now what you could do is quickly google something like "warring language in the Quran" and you will get a website with "lists". Its a shameful manner of research that most people do, and you have heard from that type of people.

Anyway, you see the Bible also says in the so called "parable of the ten minas" that when Jesus comes back as a so called "king", he would order death to all of those who dont believe in him. And you see mate, Arsenokoites (Gay), methusoi (Drinkers), pornos (Fornicators), malakoi (Soft men), are all damned. They will never "inherit" this Kingdom of God. Not just punished, not just jailed, but will "never" inherit the kingdom of God. Even the one who has jealousy is excluded. It seems like an unavoidable urge to bring in this comparison of "yours is bad, mine is better" thing in to every single thread but it seems like its a trend to see most who do this have not even read the books they are speaking about, but a few are honest enough to say that they have not read like you I must say.

Thus maybe you didnt even read the Bible but you heard about it. Just curious.

 

[Marcion]

The future of spirituality is that people will feel less and less bound by the irrational aspects of religions and feel more attracted to real spiritual practices.

So eventually, when more and more people receive higher education and living standards rise for the poor, people will start to reject religious dogma en religious superstitions and feel more attracted to the universality of spirituality as a human birth right that cannot be claimed by any religious system.

This is already visible in my own country, where the religions are now in the minority but more and more people are practising meditation and oecumenism and syncretism is much on the rise even between so-called religions.
This was the first country that allowed legal gay marriages and this is now spreading to other countries.

The future of religions is that they will have to shed their irrational and dogmatic aspects and will have to realize that their differences were manmade and unnecessary. In the future people will only accept spiritual humanism and reject the constraints of religions.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Really? From the people who brought you Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Thirty Years War, Napoleon, the colonization of the Americas, Africa, much of Asia, the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand ─ and not forgetting WW1 and WW2 and so much else.

They were pretty good at slavery too.

Yes, Christendom has an atrocious rep! But those are counterfeit Christianity.
Why do I say that? Simply stated below:
WWJD?
Or rather, WDJD ...what did Jesus do?

Never once, did Jesus advocate his followers killing anyone. He indicated God might, but his followers were to love —- even their enemy.

Doesn’t it strike you as odd, the sheer number of professed Christian sects, in comparison w/ the other major religions?
Judaism has about 50-60 different branches. Islam has about 70? Idk about Buddhism & Hinduism, maybe about 30 each.

But then, there are those professing Christianity,,,,, about 30,000 to 33,000?

Why?
If you take the Bible as speaking truth, you accept there’s an Enemy of truth, Jesus even calling him “the ruler of this world.” John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11. Cf Luke 4:5-6


What better way for your enemy to hide something, than by making haystacks of fake ‘needles’?

Take care, my cousin.

 

[Dawnofhope]

I think the religious groups will keep changing their doctrines to better conform with reality through social pressures and just the plain and simple truths that are out there. It would be more interesting to map out the changing beliefs and doctrines, than to map out how many people are born into which families.

I agree the narrative within religions is of great interest and importance. To what extent does religion incorporate the contemporary challenges of our time or regress into fundamentalism and become disconnected from reality. Religious communities have the opportunity to grow and adapt to the modern world. Some are unable to and will eventually fade away.

 

[danieldemol]

I think that for those of us who have realised just how untruthful many religions are we can only hope the future is brighter than religion in spite of what the trends may indicate - impacted as they are by the ridiculous drive of Muslims to reproduce in the face of overwhelming effects of overpopulation.

 

[Heyo]

Yes, Christendom has an atrocious rep! But those are counterfeit Christianity.
Why do I say that? Simply stated below:
WWJD?
Or rather, WDJD ...what did Jesus do?

Never once, did Jesus advocate his followers killing anyone. He indicated God might, but his followers were to love —- even their enemy.

Doesn’t it strike you as odd, the sheer number of professed Christian sects, in comparison w/ the other major religions?
Judaism has about 50-60 different branches. Islam has about 70? Idk about Buddhism & Hinduism, maybe about 30 each.

But then, there are those professing Christianity,,,,, about 30,000 to 33,000?

Why?
If you take the Bible as speaking truth, you accept there’s an Enemy of truth, Jesus even calling him “the ruler of this world.” John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11. Cf Luke 4:5-6


What better way for your enemy to hide something, than by making haystacks of fake ‘needles’?

Take care, my cousin.

So what is the future of counterfeit Christianity and of True™ Christianity?
What are the numbers now and how are they going to develop?
And do True™ Christians put sugar on their porridge?

 

[blü 2]

Or rather, WDJD ...what did Jesus do?

Never once, did Jesus advocate his followers killing anyone. He indicated God might, but his followers were to love —- even their enemy.

Let's be fair about this. If I remember correctly, he kills an innocent fig tree at some stage, drives someone else's hogs over a cliff, damages the property of some unfortunate temple traders lawfully going about their business and gives them a bashing, and is constantly rude to his mom.

Doesn’t it strike you as odd, the sheer number of professed Christian sects, in comparison w/ the other major religions?

FitzGerald in his Omar Khayyam refers to

The Grape that can with Logic absolute
The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute:​

so Islam has its problems too; but as you say, six dozen doesn't seriously rival the Christian situation.

Take care, my cousin.

And you. Indeed, it's getting close to when we'll be exchanging season's greetings! (Memo to self: do some grandfatherly shopping in the next few days.)

 

[SalixIncendium]

I think every religion will have its heyday and decline where it takes its place in history.

Old religions will eventually pass and new religions will take center stage.

I don't see the top three going anywhere in the foreseeable future. 4,000 years later, Hinduism is still in its heyday, and Pew projects all three to continue on their trends.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I don't see the top three going anywhere in the foreseeable future. 4,000 years later, Hinduism is still in its heyday, and Pew projects all three to continue on their trends.

I'm pretty sure no religion will be the same from its original inception over the course of time as
I'm pretty sure the recent versions are, or will be, drastically different from its past.

The name likely will stick around far longer than its orginal practices and/or worship.

 

[Kenny]

Does this analysis concur with your own perception of the changing demographics of the affiliation with the major religions? If not, why? More importantly, how might these changing demographics impact the state of the world and international relations in the decades to come?

I think that statistically it may be right but it doesn't factor in reality.

great-awakening

When there is a move of God, rational projections go out the window.

 

[Clara Tea]

Religion has no future. This is because life has no future. The world is ending and all life will be killed, according to the Christian bible (New Testament, Revelation).

DRAGONS: Worldwide, many cultures also predicted that dragons would destroy the world. The Mayan calendar ends very very soon because of their prophecy that their God, Kukulkan (feathered dragon that rides the wind) will destroy the world. Chinese predictions that feathered dragons that ride the wind will destroy the world. The Aztec believed that their dragon God, Quetzalcoatl (same as Kukulkan that preceeded it, called the second sun in the Aztec legend of the four suns) rides the wind and will destroy the world. President George H. W. Bush, and his son, George W. Bush, both started their terms of office during the Chinese year of the dragon (which comes around every 12 years).

Bronze Buckle Shows Ancient Trade Between Eurasia and North America | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine

Please see the link above for a picture of the bronze (belt buckle?) which is forged Chinese bronze found in an ancient settlement in Alaska.

It seems obvious that there was contact between the Chinese and American Indians (such as the settlement recently found in Alaska with a forged Chinese bronze preColumbian artifact). This might account for the various myths (and end of the world scenarios) involving dragons. Even the Olmec civilization had both African and Asian artifacts (giant heads and smaller statues). Aztecs have artifacts that "might be" elephants, and very clear artifacts that definitely are elephants (which means they must have had contact with either Africa or Asia, where elephants are, since all elephant-like creatures disappeared in the Americas at the arrival of Native Americans (17,000 years ago).

 

[Vinayaka]

I don't believe in future predictions, as the rate of change is accelerating. Entire large groups of folks can switch, within one generation. So my personal answer, is 'Who knows?"