Can we expect an epoch making school of thought in this century as a contemporary religion?

[petrushka.googol]

I wonder if a new religion will emerge in this century in keeping with new realities. I am not an authority on religion and I am neither for nor against any religion. I just wonder if like esperanto which arose from the need to bridge the linguistic gap some form of religion will evolve that will appeal to the common man without the need to elicit contempt or angst.

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks for your ideas in advance.

[SlavicWolf]

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster seems to fill that role just fine. Other religions won't die out as most of their claims are unfalsifable.

[Phi for All]

The appeal to the common man seems achievable, and I'm not sure you can ever rid religion of its angst, so concentrating on removing the contempt would seem most beneficial. For believers, there is usually a lot at stake (immortal soul, eternal afterlife good, eternal afterlife bad) and I think there is a basic need to know that you're worshiping the right being. That can automatically create at least some contempt for those who believe otherwise.

 

I think there are already quite a few branches of existing religions that offer a more modern perspective on their faith. Perhaps those branches might recognize their need for unity and join together to form a new church more in keeping with modern society.

[Prometheus]

I believe the Bahai faith is an attempt to do this, though i'm not sure how 'in keeping with new realities' it is.

[Phi for All]

I've been to Unitarian Universalist churches before. They seem to focus on less of the dogma and more on the concept of faith within religion, and often have guest speakers from other religions, looking for the commonalities rather than the differences.

 

Could people form a major church based on the concept that "something" is going to happen after you die, and how you live your life on Earth is going to prepare you for whatever "something" you'll experience after your consciousness leaves this body, and whatever that "something" is it's going to be unique to the individual believer? This has always seemed like the best way to eliminate the negative aspects and focus more on what's real to the believer.

[pears]

I wonder if a new religion will emerge in this century in keeping with new realities. I am not an authority on religion and I am neither for nor against any religion. I just wonder if like esperanto which arose from the need to bridge the linguistic gap some form of religion will evolve that will appeal to the common man without the need to elicit contempt or angst.

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks for your ideas in advance.

 

Would quakerism be the kind of thing you are thinking of? http://www.quaker.org.uk/quaker-beliefs