A Closer Look at Religion
IF ASKED, you might agree with Voltaire when he called religion “the parent of fanaticism and civil discord, . . . the enemy of mankind.” Or in a spirit of indifference you might say, as did 17th-century Anglican clergyman Robert Burton: “One religion is as true as another.”
Possibly you might admit to being like the person who, as described by 18th-century French essayist Joseph Joubert, “finds in it his joy and his duty.”
Skin-Deep Religion
Nowadays, a person who truly “finds in [religion] his joy and his duty” has reasons to be disturbed. Even in religious countries, many people have only a foggy idea of what they should really believe; their religion has little influence on their daily lives. In some places, statistics show a drop in church membership. For example, recent statistics on Germany revealed that only 6.8 million Catholics attended Mass out of a total of 26.3 million. No wonder Catholic churchmen say they do not consider the Federal Republic to be “a Christian country except in only the most superficial interpretation of that term.”
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, published in 1982, “it is not Christianity alone which is in decline; it is the entire phenomenon of religion.”
Why Review Religion’s History?
In view of such circumstances, just what is the future of religion? Our series of 24 Awake! articles to appear during 1989 has been designed to answer that question. By reviewing religion’s past, from its early years down to modern times, these articles will present a concise, and yet comprehensive, history of world religion. A glance into the rearview mirror of history will enable us to look into religion’s future in accordance with the well-known principle: You reap what you sow.
Do not be hasty in saying, ‘Religious history is not for me!’ The present is based on the past and whether one is a believer or not, the history of religion has affected everyone, directly or indirectly.
People who deny God’s existence are still in fact religious. How so? By replacing God as the object of their devotion with something else. J. M. Barrie, Scottish novelist of the early 20th century, expressed it this way: “One’s religion is whatever he is most interested in.”
As used in this magazine, religion is defined as a form of worship, including a system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices, either held personally or advocated by an organization. It usually involves belief in God or in a number of gods, or it treats humans, objects, desires, or forces as objects of worship.
We hope you will enjoy “Religion’s Future in View of Its Past.” Since religion has long been a source of conflict, it is most appropriate that we begin with the subject “Religious Disunity—How It Began.”