The end of theism.

[DetlefK]

26. Theism started dying 300 years ago. We can wait.

It's not knowledge that's killing theism. It's a mental attitude towards critical thinking.

At the end of the Renaissance came a change in mentality: It was now thinkable to criticize ideas that had been off-limits forever.
This, the ability to criticize and to ponder without prejudice, that was what kicked off the Age of Enlightenment.
That was what caused materialism to replace theism as the leading philosophy of the natural sciences.

Religion can coexist with any knowledge, but it collapses if you allow too much freethinking and criticism.



Nowadays, the fastest-growing religion-segment of the population is the non-religious. Theism is only kept alive by religion and religion is only kept alive as a tradition. Traditions die.

The current conflict, with the christian religious right in the US or with muslim extremists, stems from the simple fact that they feel under attack. They know that something is wrong with this world. They know that they do not have the standing that their religion makes them believe they should have.

The religious extremists have realized that they are losing. And they are lashing out to reclaim power and respect. In fact, the religious right in the US is so desperate that they are willing to ally with Trump, who's actually an awful sinner according to their religious beliefs. They are willing to ally with heretics and sinners. That's how desperate they are. That's how much power religion has lost.