Just some ramblings and some musings. It is apparent that religions have a life-span, some long and some short and a few even medium. At present Christianity shows all the earmarks of slowly dying out; but then, with the exception of a cataclysm of some sort, most religions have died out at a slow pace in the past. It took several centuries for Christianity to kill off (many times quite literally) all their “pagan” competition, the Egyptian religion stuck around in one form or another for well over 3000 years (that we can actually trace) and may even have existed for 4000 years or more and was one of those killed off by Christianity. The Semite Gods/Goddesses were almost as long lived as the Egyptians (longer if you consider that YHWH was a Semite war god before his present gig as the “Almighty”), dying out with the onslaught of the Greek Pantheon brought in to the area by Alexander’s soldiers. All of this considered, we might live to see Christianity shrinking into a small handful of adherents (Africa may be Christianity’s last stand historically – it presently is the only place that the religion shows any real growth) and if not us, then probably our children will. When Christianity dies, what will replace it? Somehow, I can’t see Western society picking up the Islamic sword of Jihad and converting to that later version of Judaism, nor can I see Judaism becoming a power player. What can the new replacement for Christianity be? I would like to see society learn that even if we disagree strongly on matters of faith, ultimately we need a society where people are free to make their own decisions about their lives and bodies and are judged solely on their actions, rather than on whether their views fit within a religious orthodoxy or not.. What you be your choice or thoughts on the matter. Christians, I know you think your religion will be around forever (or till the Christ comes home), but play along anyway.

The reason why Christianity is dying out so to speak is people don't want a religion that is so hard on them.

But let us say God allowed his people to smoke, drink, and have sex with protection. Would God still be undesirable.

I pray and read my Bible and other books every day. I have a personal relationship with him. God and I have a bond. I ask him all the time to help me and guide me. If I were to drink or smoke which I do. I am not commiting a sin because I am not doing any harm to my fellow men. God understands that some of us battle with addiction and cannot smoke or drink on a daily basis or they will soon make beer a god or drugs a god. If I were to smoke and not go to church because it controlled me God would be mad. I don't think people give God a chance to even be their friend. They only see him as a enemy. But God said whosoever will can be saved. Not whosoever will give up sex, alcohol and then come to me. I think people fear God will reject them or they aren't worthy of his love.

Maybe one day reason will be a religion, what a glorious day that will be. It's just too good to be true to ever happen!

There will be a steady decline in religions throughout the 21st century I think. Religion will be left behind in certain colonies that travel out into the universe but some colonists will still believe in religion and god, but as we spread out into space some humans, post humans or whatever will stop worshiping gods. With the expanding human knowledge and intelligence we wont need gods, we will be gods

LOL makes me think of the movie "Starship Troopers" where the one colony that was overrun was a Mormon colony and the spaceport was called "Joe Smith" space port!

In a sense Science is a god.

So why does a man not give credit to God where credit is due. Our minds were created by him and we use them to better man's world.

Stupid religious fanatics telling you you can't do stuff....
God never said don't smoke, don't drink, don't have sex, the church did.

I used to be a smoker and the last thing I would of said is I valued and honored my life, I knew darn well that i was damaging my organism and others especially my kids , had of I continued i would of eventually paid the price with bad health and so would of my family members( who would of had to take care of me watch me inhale my oxygen) so to say you aren't hurting anyone is untrue, drinking is very hard on the body the body was not designed with drinking in mind, ( If you don't beleive that start reading the medical journals in the world of doctors and health care drinking causes alot of health issues) Anyone can jump all over this but the truth is you do not value your life as a gift when you smoke or drink or there is absoluteley nothing good about smoking so lets not say there is , I used to be a personal trainer the one question I was asked was How can you smoke??? I wasn't an example for anything, Lets not turn this into an advertisement for smoking we finally have the communication tools to maybe end this deadly disease once and for all, On the other hand we all do the best we can. So maybe 101 you need the severness of religion but not all of us do,That will probably be the next sales tactic of religion smoke drink our God allows this, 101 the God of reliogn is a made up idea or understanding those that don't choose to beleive in this idea have transceneded the concept of a human diety, Namaste sheri

people might find peace in some form of neo-buddhism. Maybe a judeo-buddhist variant, where you reincarnate and annoy the same people again?

*I am looking into my crystal ball and I see......*

The Abrahamic religions have their Armageddon. When they are done we Pagans, Buddhist, Shamans, spiritualists, Native Peoples and, etc... crawl out of the woods and start over with religions that honors the Earth, Peace and tolerance.

Darkwind will dance naked on the beach.
Darn that image cracked my crystal ball.

What Dark says X)

It sounds pretty good to me SC and Darkwind, Namaste sheri

You'd like my blog Wisdom Now! (http://wisdom4today.blogspot.com) - I have a hard time not talking about this subject and explaining their desperate tactics for brainwashing children. I'm not kidding - in the US they go so far as to claim that what they do has nothing to do with religion while they try to wire neuronal associations like church=fun by having a game room full of x-boxes and such instead of sunday school and so on -

Roy

I am looking forward to that day! When that day gets here our children will then know what peace (World peace) really is.

I did not say God condones smoking. I said he understands why I do. But I know I am damaging my body. I am not stupid but I also know I am at a point where I don't think a cigarette every day will keep me from enjoying life.

I do not know where the verse is in the Bible but it says just about anything you like is a sin.

Go figure!

I don't know which one you are talking about either. But in excess anything can be bad. Eating a lot is bad too.

Loving you family is a sin also.

Only if your family is more important then your love for God.

Exactly.

101 I'm confused, a few posts forward you are professing that its a sin to love your family I'm wondering why your God isn't as understanding of that?? If your body is a temple and GOd created you and you clearly worship this god How is it that you are so blase in Damaging It?? the majority of your posts are about what God wants and doesn't want then it gets to something you are doing and this compassion and kinder gentler God comes out, Is it possible you are the one deciding what God wants or doesn't want right beside religon that maybe its not Gods word after all just humans making things up as they go??? this smells like double standards to me 101 namaste sheri

Okay.... I am a little confused on this issue... I would think that putting your family before God would be better than putting that cigarette before God? But that is a sin... Yet, putting a cigarette before God is not condoned?

As you put it 101 a kinder, gentler, and more loving God still wants to get between a person and their family?

Sorry but something does not sound right there.

I struggle with smoking. I admit. But what I struggle with only makes me human. Not a god. I have issues as well as others but I profess them more so then you or anyone else. Is that bad. No I am honest. But God doesn't want you to love your family more then him. If being a mother is going to come between your relationship with christ that serves the problem. Only a christian knows if something comes between a relationship with God, I love my family with all my heart but my love for God is different. Just as anyones love for God is different.