Topics with Tag: Religion

Is Religion Still Relevant?

Christopher Hitchens said that religion was our first attempt to make sense of the world. It was the best we could do at the time, but has gradually been made obsolete by modern replacements. Religious myths have been replaced by scientific understanding. Religious laws and morality have been replaced by modern notions of law, justice and ethics. Our desire for art, entertainment and community can now be catered by an endless array of secular sources. Is there any use or place for religion today? Should traditional, organized religions be replaced by personal or new-age spiritual beliefs? Or should we abandon the notion of faith-based belief altogether?

Tolerance and Religious Indoctrination

Religion occupies a special place in our culture as one of the few domains where indoctrination is widely accepted. It is generally considered normal for parents to decide that their child is Catholic, or Muslim, or other, and to raise them in this particular worldview. Should religion be passed on from parents to children, or should children be given more agency and choice in the matter?