THEISTIC RELIGIONS AND GOD - SHOULD BELIEVERS QUESTION THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADERS MORE? FINAL PART.

Same object but  a different way of perceiving the world

In these posts, I have sought to explore the rationale for religions, especially theistic ones which has a 'divine entity' at their core, and then attempt to explore whether these religions, with the removal of their largely redundant god/s, could continue to serve humans.

In this the final part of this article, I have argued that religions which are now theistic in their centrality, could continue to play a very valuable role in the enrichment of people's lives, even when the mysticism and deceptions which have been used to convert the masses, have been removed.

See what you think.

Churches, especially those which have been built centuries ago, are oftentimes veritable places of awe. Many of them speak of the great inspiration which their architects and builders felt in conceiving and building them. Whether or not we are believers, many or most of us can find ourselves marvelling at these delicately and skilfully engineered edifices. 

Visiting an old church, mosque or temple, can, without any thought of divinity or god, inspire them with visitor with a sense of peace and humility; not because of any god, but because the building has evolved and exude a unique spirituality which is an embodiment of itself and the essence of those who build it and those who, throughout the ages, worship in it.  

There is nothing to say people could or should not continue to visit these places of worship to express and renew their spirituality, without any emphasis on any perceived deity; other than that of striving for the attainment of human happiness, in this life.

Similarly, churches are doing allot of charitable and peace-promotion work, none of which requires god as a sine quo non to continue, as it is the people themselves who are doing the work and not god; even if, too often, religious people then to give their god the credit for their hard work.

Probably the biggest change in mindset which this ‘god-less’ Church would have to make, is that of accepting that its current ‘god-based’ doctrines are false, and the realization that, although some or many within the church hierarchies are likely to have known this to be the case, they have failed to declare it to the faithful and consequently perpetuate the deception. 

What was built to the 'the greater glory of god, could now be perceived as symbolic of the greatness of humans.

If the church could make this morale and courageous leap, in accepting and declaring that it can no longer, with a sufficient degree of proof, ask the faithful to commit themselves to an uncertain god, then, it could either continue to preach the current doctrines and liturgy, but with a proviso that it is not intended to be taken literally, and/or it could begin to develop a more humanistic doctrine.

Although I have mainly used the Christian church or faith, in this article, it is meant to apply to all theistic religions.

We now have a better understanding of what is up there, so the self-deception has to increase, if the belief is to be sustained.

OWOHROD