My cheap two cents.....Not a well thought out intellectual or measured statement, but one off the "top of my head" if you will.
IMHO I feel that historically people have needed some form of an answer to the who, what, where, and why's of the world. People are a LOT smarter now than we ever were then. People have better resources now, than we had then, etc. etc. etc.
Back then people needed each other more so than we do now. If a large rich man owned property, had many other men backing him, and they all believed in the same system, and preached a greater good, it sold and grew. Business men needed growth and higher profits back then just like they do now. People banded together because they needed to have the necessities in life, or to gather the necessities easier. Especially women. Women were not as strong or self sufficient then as they are now, so many of them had to cling to a man in order to find comfort, family and a future. Women (back then) werent allowed to be free willed and create their own beliefs. They were advised what to believe by the men in their lives be that their father, husband, etc. So in layman terms women were forced into whatever their dominant man figure in their life chose for them.
So get a group of people, tell them that we are stronger in numbers, tell them that if they are part of your group they will be better off, and sell them the things that people want to hear. It was like giving money away. It was easy to say yes and be a part of their group back then....
Communication is about the CREATION of shared meaning. Ask any COMM 1010 teacher that and he/she will agree with you. When two or more people generate a creation of shared meaning the sky is the limit be it that religion, theory, or whatever.
Now a days people arent as willing to buy. Shift your paradigm for a moment. What if I knocked on your door one day (During dinner of course) and told you that I am from the church of the sun. You invited me in, and we talked about the sun. I told you that the sun was responsible for all life, and without the sun we couldnt have life. It is responsible for nourishment, plant and animal growth, heat, energy, etc. and without the sun everything and everyone would die. You can see, and feel the sun, and you cant look directly at it without it burning your eyes. The sun is there and you cant deny it.
You would probably say, yeah sure, the sun, the sun rocks! Then I asked you to come with me, join my group, and worship the sun with me. That is where you would kindly tell me to get the f*ck out of your house.
Then I knock on your door every couple of weeks and ask for money. LOL!
People research "stuff" a lot more, and need more evidence in order to commit. How many of us research everything before we buy? Hell it could be a toaster, and some of us are reading reviews on Amazon before we give Target our $14.99. Still though, people are willing to give money to a cause or a group because the people before them taught them this, or because they are ok with purchasing prayers.
What I said about the sun makes more sense than anyone from any church has ever tried to sell me. I dont believe in imaginary best friends that we only talk to when we need something, preferably at night near our bedside on our knees. I certainly dont believe in killing people for something I cant prove, and I certainly dont believe in flying spaghetti monsters. People though in general still feel like they need something to look forward to. No one finds comfort knowing that they are just going to be a pile of rotting flesh, 6 feet under, in a shiny casket once they die. They need to hear about shiny happiness, angels, and cars that dont require gas or oil in order to wake up in the morning. GAY!
Finally, since this is a rock crawling board, I will end with this. I feel that if people put the same effort or research into their religious beliefs as they do their next set of tires, or gears, or lockers, etc. We would have a lot more Atheists. I watch the news every day, and I have yet to read or hear about that "Damned group of Atheists who molested children, blew up a building, killed a village of non-Atheists", etc. It just isnt going to happen. Some of the smartest people in the world are Atheists and they certainly didnt become succesful because they prayed about it.
All in all (IMHO) The world would be a much better place if we had more Atheists in it. It would certainly lessen the HOMICIDE rate.
