More than half in UK are non-religious, suggests survey - what about you?

[AlterEgo]

Just because something is not currently explain by science does not mean it can't or won't be in the future. Indeed science is just the name for our observations based on evidence. Thus even if things like consciousness do end up being related to phenomena we describe as "spiritual" in the present, we will then have evidence and thus that explanation will be science.

But that's pretty much exactly what I said, isn't it?

So for me, in terms of consciousnesses and the like, my opinion is that it is simply a thing we do not yet understand, similar to how we didn't understand the development of some illnesses in the past, and that by continued research, observations, experiments, fact gathering and checking, we will eventually gather and understanding of it.

Indeed, but consciousness and spirituality are not areas where science has made much of an impact so far. It seems reasonable to suppose that one day, science might get there. But until then, it seems most reasonable to keep an open mind about the nature of consciousness and being, rather than discounting the idea of a deity from the outset. This would strike me as in fact the most scientific approach you can take; there is good evidence for neither supposition, so it is best to mark the question as unresolved until further notice.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

I'm currently in Australia where worryingly they are still religious and worryingly also still find of the monarchy it's like stepping back to the 50s in England?

 

[najaB]

I'm currently in Australia where worryingly they are still religious and worryingly also still find of the monarchy...

Not sure why either of those are 'worrying'. Interesting I can understand but I don't get why you'd be worried about it.

 

[fowler9]

After visiting Mostar last week and seeing where Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Muslims were all on the front line against each other I would tend to say it is more likely they are all wrong. It is all made up fantasy realm stuff and I'm sorry if that offends anyone, if it makes you feel better about dying good on you, if it makes you help other people to die then you can jog on. Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us. Good song.

 

[Bevan Price]

I have mixed views about religion. I think that Jesus was a great person, and many people would do well to follow his example. But personally, I feel no need to attend church & participate in collective worship.

Also, I think that parts of the Old Testament are more like a fairy tale imagination of history written by, and intended for, primitive people who comprehended little or nothing about science.

There may be a God, but we are not "in his image" if they mean we look like Him. We know that our universe was created following a big bang - but if the laws of physics were slightly different, matter as we know it would not exist. Is this a coincidence - or did some "supreme being" define the laws of physics such that matter could exist ? We will probably never know.

To me, the problem with "organised religion" is that throughout history, there have always been minorities who believe "selectively", distorting & corrupting "the Faith" in order to justify their personal (or group) agendas / ambitions / desire for power - and who often create violent havoc to try and impose their "vision" on the rest of us.

Just a few examples:

King Henry VIII murdered catholics who opposed him.
Queen Mary I murdered protestants.
Bishops murdered translators of The Bible into English, because they thought they would lose power & influence if the ordinary people could read the bible.
Hindus & Muslims murdered millions after India partition in 1947.
Jews have been persecuted & murdered for centuries.

etc., etc....