Luka Petrovic Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Since the resignation of Pope Benedict the Catholic world has been in a frenzy trying to predict how the next Pope will handle the church's dogmas, scandals and declining church attendance in North America and Europe. What do you think about Benedict's traditionalism, the Second Vatican council and what the church needs to thrive in the future? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningtheif_loveslayer Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 I have no idea what they are going to do but they should move fast because more and more people are not attending church and living crappy lives. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luka Petrovic Posted February 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 The church has been successful for almost 1000 years. What has changed? Well apart from the scandals regarding child abuse what has marred the image of the church so much to the point where its not valued at all in the public opinion? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwich Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 I think that religion generally needs to come up with some reasons for people to continue being religious. Perhaps a policy change on their more traditionalist ideas might help, but I feel almost like that's a move which would placate people on the fringes and help generate a more mainstream contingent of worshippers, rather than adding to the sect. In terms of recruiting new souls, I just feel that the church needs to come up with some cogent reasons for why it's advantageous and so on to be religious in the first place. And if they can't do that, then they're pretty much set to decline. I highly doubt it'll ever dwindle completely just because in many parts of the world, including over much of Southern Europe, it's still a really big deal. Some personality types seem to thrive on the idea of religion a thousand times more than others do (or so it seems to me) and these people will always want a religious crutch with which to prop up their lives and ideas.You do wonder why it is that geography (in Europe at least, Europe being the area I know the best!) is gradually proving to separate out religion most effectively. The further North you go in Europe, the less religious people are. It's curious to wonder why! Scandinavians have very low levels, and then the British, Dutch and Belgians slightly higher but still low... and then you make your way down into Southern Europe and the story is completely different I don't really know what they could do specifically, but if I were to identify the problem, I would say that it's one of irrelevance to daily life. You can live a perfectly happy and fulfilled life without religion, and I think more and more people are coming to this conclusion. If the church could come up with something that it can add for everybody (and not just religious type personalities) then it might help. Off-hand, perhaps community? Although whether people would accept it as a reasonable trade to do religion just for the sake of community is another thing. Evidence thus far suggests no. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luka Petrovic Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) Thats an interesting observation, the geographical one I mean. Personally I'm of the opinion that people don't necessarily lead more fufilling lives without religion, its jus seems that we do in developed countries as we have so much stuff. mean while we're inventing pills to try and make us happy, sleep, skinny and a whole host of other things making a small minority perpetually unhappy and a vast majority not thankful for the riches. (and if you live a decent life in a developed country, your better off than some leaders in other countries, much safer too) In developing countries many people experience great hardship and instability. You can debate whether or not praying works or if there is a god, but organized religion for sure gives many people a strong community and stability. They find happiness from the inside no matter what, rather than rely on getting it from transient materialistic goods. That being said, two communities not agreeing get pretty violent!... Oh and is there anything to be said about wisdom? I mean the institution has been around longer than any of us, they must be right on something. I'm not sure what its like in the UK but old people don't get enough respect here Edited February 21, 2013 by Luka Petrovic Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwich Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Personally I'm of the opinion that people don't necessarily lead more fufilling lives with religionJust before I reply, I was wondering whether you in fact meant the opposite of this? It seems to me that it doesn't fit with the rest of what you said, and I apologise if I'm wrong! 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luka Petrovic Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 No you're right *facepalm.* Please retort! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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