religion
Posts about religion, skepticism, and how it fits into the scientific world.
Evolution of Cults
The decline of secret "orders" like the Masons has been balanced by new and weirder quasi-religious sects, which intrigue science-surfeited youngsters with obscure philosophies. The 60s brought with it hippies saying it was the Worst of Times. Respond to the polluted air and the putrid rivers and the unsafe streets by leaving the cities altogether, they said. Dance in tune with nature out beyond cemented-over civilization to find your authentic self. Most of us are not about to take that step, yet we have embraced their entire array of neo-religions, para-religions, pseudo-religions. In a word, cults.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismWhat Was the Star of Bethlehem?
It’s a scientific detective case, really, not unlike some modern UFO reports: cold clues, conflicting observers, many possible explanations, lack of data from people who should have seen what others reported, plus a need to come up with an answer. The nature of the Star of Bethlehem, or the Star of the Magi, used to come up every year around December and was the subject of planetarium shows all over the Western world. It was the case of trying to identify a historical event using available records, modern knowledge of the sky, ancient astrology, and was subjected to the errors of interpreting extinct tongues.
Mark R. Chartrand IIIPublished 8 years ago in FuturismThe Wheel of Time is Too Long
"Surprising what you can dig out of books if you read long enough, isn’t it?" Character Rand spoke these words in The Shadow Rising: Book Four of The Wheel of Time but they are just as true for the series itself. The book series, The Wheel of Time has become a sensation amongst young and adult readers alike. A mystical and fantastic storyline makes it appealing to all. The book has sold very, very well and is among the best fantasy books of all time. Many fans of this innovative and exploratory series believe that it deserves a movie like its counterparts Eragon, Divergent, Hunger Games etc. While a film on The Wheel of Time would be most intriguing, the likelihood of it ever happening is very, very slim.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismReligious Fanaticism is Dangerous
The difference between religious fundamentalism and fanaticism is belief and action. One could be a fundamentalist in any given religion and believe in the literal truth of their holy scriptures. Most Christians, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jewish people follow this strict dogma. For the most part, fundamentalists act within society's law, and while it may pain them that secular society doesn't adhere to God's will, they recognize and respect that they are part of a larger collective. Fanatics, on the other hand, are an extremist sub-set of fundamentalists who see only their own point of view. They seek to force their ideology on others through intimidation and are more than happy to break the law and commit religious blasphemy, including, murder in the name of their God. From the Medieval Holy Crusades to modern-day terrorists committing atrocities in the name of Islam, to illegal Israeli settlement in the Gaza strip and right-wing Christian groups threatening US government from within, it seems that strict adherence to one's holy book of choice has been a source of much division throughout human history. It's interesting to think how many great scientific discoveries would have happened centuries earlier, if not for religion? What if Copernicus and Galileo were never tried as heretics?
George GottPublished 8 years ago in FuturismFinding Meaning Without Religion
Traditionally, people have had churches and religion as a support system for life's emergencies. No matter the enormity of the crisis, God and his local representative, one's priest or minister, would be there to serve as a reminder of "what a friend [one has] in Jesus." But people who have grown alienated from religious orthodoxy or even from religion itself, what do they have?
Joshua Samuel ZookPublished 9 years ago in FuturismWeird Scientology Facts
Leah Remini once believed in it. Tom Cruise still believes in it. The "it" would be the mysterious and sometimes devious Church of Scientology. Unless you are on the inside, the beliefs system of Scientologists is a curious matter. Try as you might to understand it, some things are better left alone. But, if you would like to broaden your horizons and learn a little something something about what all the fuss is about, take a journey into Scientology. Read on and learn 10 things you most likely did not know about the place that John Travolta calls home.
Matthew WilderPublished 10 years ago in Futurism