New Views of Islam - 119. A Short History of Religion - (9a)
Altway
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Part A
Religion as a comprehensive worldview, which informed perception, thought,
motivation and action, has reigned over human affairs with varying degrees
of power from the very beginning of human history. But its influence
steadily declined over the last few centuries. This decline appears to have
the following causes:-
(1) The rise of science. The scientific method requires that phenomena
should be analyzed and events described by immediate causes and that they be
observable by all scientists or reproducible by all experimenters. It
discounts special revelations. All things were, therefore, explained in a
mechanistic deterministic fashion that left no room for the intervention of
a Creator. All one needed was a knowledge of the laws of nature and the
present conditions, one could then calculate forwards or backwards in time
and so control a great number of events.
(2) The development of technology that was improving life in a manner
religion did not. Man was gaining control over nature. Machines and
instruments were extending his senses and abilities and even his capacity
for thinking and calculating. Poverty, and disease were gradually being
abolished. Man was being released from the drudgery of labour and this gave
him greater leisure and freedom to do anything else he wanted. This gave man
a feeling of omnipotence. The interests of people changed and their
attention was diverted to other thing. There were far more goods to acquire
and thing to do and occupy minds than existed in the past. But this
increased competition and caused an increase in the pressures and pace of
life. Most people became occupied with making a living or striving to
recover from the strains and stresses by seeking pleasure, entertainment and
relaxation. The monotony created by mechanization and mass production
methods also divided work from pleasure, so that the need to seek diversion,
pleasure, excitement or escape also increased. Alcohol, drugs, fantasies,
various kinds of sport, daredevil activities, adventures, wild parties,
various kinds of perversions and depravities all have this function.
(3) The spread of education. This has allowed people to think for
themselves. On the other hand it also inculcates certain kinds of knowledge
and skills required in order to adjust to the economic and political system
while ignoring other things. Religion is still being taught in the same way
as it was in the past when people were uneducated and life was quite
different. Religions were formulated when mankind was still in the wholly
Agricultural Age. Experience and thinking is now quite different owing to
the altered conditions of the Industrial Age. Things are thought of and
understood in quite different ways. People can no longer understand
Religious ideas. It could be argued that it is a good thing that religion
which has been reduced to superstition by misunderstanding should decline,
because this makes room for a more useful rational version to arise and
spread.
(4) The world has contracted owing to the development of transport and
communication. People have come in contact with other religion all based on
faith so that they cannot justify one over the other. A great number of new
ideologies and Philosophies have been created. The proliferation of books,
magazines, advertisements, propaganda etc., all pulling in different
directions cause bewilderment and then apathy.
(5) The increasing complexity of life leading to specialization. Each person
sees and deals only with a small part of the whole. The Underlying Unity of
life and existence on which religion depends has been lost. Perception has
become superficial owing to speed of life.
(6) The increasing political and economic organization has produced a
certain amount of stability and security. The unknown is no longer something
which needs to be considered or as frightening as formerly. The Market and
Democracy promotes the idea that the consumer and the citizen have the
choice and the control and that everyone is equal, not just before the law,
but also that everyone's opinion is as good as anyone else's. This tends to
create arrogance and the erosion of respect for objective truths and values.
The individual comes to regard himself as god.
(7) The functions that were formerly performed by priests and organized
churches have been taken over by others. Education has been taken over by
the State,; Art which was exclusively religious with a spiritual message has
fallen to the patronage of the rich. Religions used to provide the
festivals, spectacles and entertainment. This is now provided by cinemas,
television, tape recorders, computers, restaurants, holiday resorts etc. The
function of the priest has been taken over by Psychiatrists, Counselors,
Agony Aunts, Advice Agencies and Politicians.
(8) Religions were causes of wars, conflict, and persecution as well as of
superstitions. They are now seen as harmful and obsolete.
(9) The most important reason for the decline of religion is probably the
fact that the conditions of life which have been set up are incompatible
with religion. It is the political and commercial powers that have gained
the upper hand and the society has come to be based on selfishness and
greed, on taking rather than giving. Usury is an important part of this.
Indeed, all the characteristics which are regarded as vices in religion such
as lust, pride, vanity, aggression, envy, gluttony, avarice, egotism,
laziness are stimulated and used to enhance wealth and power. Pyramidal
Hierarchies have been set up such that the few at the top control the many
at the bottom in increasingly more ways. Those who control the purse, the
power and the prestige control the conscience, as well as the perception and
will of the people. The most frightening thing about the situation is that
conscience in most people is so weak that they can be made to do and accept
almost anything by those who have the wealth power or prestige.
Part 9b follows
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H. S. Aziz
www.altway.freeuk.com