In many countries around the world, a fifth or more of all adults have left the religious group in which they were raised. Christianity and Buddhism have experienced especially large losses from this “religious switching”, while rising numbers of adults have no religious affiliation, according to the latest Pew Research Centre surveys of nearly 80,000 people in 36 countries.
The point is: Why is this happening? Why are more and more educated and thinking people leaving religion (and also all gods)? While religiosity is increasing in third-world countries, advanced countries are fast doing away with all faiths. Yuval Noah Harari is of the view that evolution and devolution of the human mind are happening simultaneously. Now faith and no-faith are juxtaposed, living cheek by jowl. Somewhere, thinking people have begun to realise that religion ends and philosophy begins, just as alchemy ends and chemistry begins, and astrology ends and astronomy begins.
So very apt! It succinctly captures the evolution of human knowledge and understanding throughout history. It draws a parallel between various fields of study, highlighting the natural progression from ancient beliefs to more rational and evidence-based disciplines. Just as alchemy paved the way for the emergence of chemistry and astrology led to the development of astronomy, religion provides the foundation for philosophical enquiries into the nature of existence, morality, and human purpose. It suggests that with the advancement of humanity's intellectual and scientific capabilities, a transition from religious explanations to philosophical reasoning is inevitable, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the world and our place in it.
Religion claims to have all the answers, yet it only creates more questions. Religion often presents itself as the ultimate source of truth and guidance, offering explanations for life's most profound mysteries. However, in this pursuit of certainty, religious doctrines tend to raise more questions than they can adequately answer. Their reliance on faith and metaphysical concepts, like a divine being or an afterlife, leads to a perpetual state of inquiry, where believers and non-believers alike are left grappling with unanswerable questions. Celebrated atheist the late Christopher Hitchens rightly said that the world would be a better place without the influence of organised religion.
Religion, when organised into specific institutions, has the potential to foster division and intolerance and hinder human progress. Organised religion often promotes dogma and ideology at the expense of critical thinking, leading its followers to blindly embrace doctrines that may perpetuate discrimination and conflict. A world without organised religion would allow for greater freedom of thought, scientific advancement, and a more inclusive society, where individuals can live harmoniously based on reason, compassion, and shared human values.
Although some may find this idea controversial or offensive, it serves as a thought-provoking critique of the potential drawbacks of organised religion and highlights the need for a nuanced examination of its influence in shaping our world. Thinking people across the world have started realising that dogmatism is the enemy of progress and the oppressor of free thought. Dogmatism is a mindset that discourages skepticism, open-mindedness, and critical thinking, ultimately impeding the development of new ideas and solutions. By clinging to fixed doctrines and refusing to consider alternative perspectives, dogmatism restricts our ability to explore different paths or challenge established norms. It suppresses free thought, stifles creativity, and perpetuates the notion that one's own beliefs are absolute truths, thereby limiting the evolution of societies and the minds within them.
To truly achieve progress, it is essential to embrace the principles of intellectual openness, flexibility, and the willingness to embrace diverse viewpoints.
Religion is a huge dogma, and God is an illusion. People have begun to defy all dogmas and question every illusion, even if that is 'divine’. Religion comes from the period of human prehistory where nobody, not even the mighty Democritus, who concluded that all matter was made from atoms, had the smallest idea of what was going on. Religion originated during a time in human history when even brilliant minds like Democritus lacked a clear understanding of the nature of existence.
Religion emerged as an attempt to explain the mysteries of the world, bridging the knowledge gaps that prevailed in primitive societies. Religion often thrives in a state of uncertainty, offering explanations and comfort where none other existed. But as humans evolved intellectually and scientifically, relying on empirical evidence and rational inquiry, the need for religious explanations diminished. In short, religion arose out of a period of human prehistory marked by ignorance and serves as a testament to the progress of human understanding. Science is taking us to knowledge of the physical world; the clergy, on the whole, have been forced to retreat. With the advancements in various scientific fields, humanity has gained a deeper understanding of the natural world, challenging religious doctrines that often rely on supernatural explanations.
Consequently, the authority and influence of religious leaders have been weakened in many aspects, as society increasingly turns to scientific reasoning and empirical evidence to comprehend the complexities of our existence. Because of the advancements in the fields of evolutionary biology, neuroscience and modern psychology, people have understood the futility of religion-based primitive knowledge and discrepancies in the 'holy' books of all faiths.
At this juncture, more and more people are questioning the validity of all man-made faiths and their fabricated gods. So, they're leaving all religions. By the way, Maharashtra is home to the highest number of atheists, agnostics, rationalists and non-believers, followed by Meghalaya and Kerala. In 2016, there were just 33,000 atheists in India, and Delhi had only 541 non-believers. Many evolved couples in Poona are raising their children sans any religion. They also don't mention any faith in the religion column of various school and government forms. This is certainly a cerebral development in the right direction.
Sumit Paul is a regular contributor to the world’s premier publications and portals in several languages
