Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
What Does It Mean to Live in a Secular Age? - Coggle Diagram
What Does It Mean to Live in a Secular Age?
Before
Religion was authoritative.
Religion was part of their obligation/duty.
Religion was a societal requirement.
True atheism was not exactly an option. Now we have many
possible
perspectives/religions.
You may have been ostracized if you didn't believe in God in the age of religions.
Now
Religion is seen as part of taking care of your health.
Religion is seen as part of subjective fulfillment.
Spirituality vs. Religion
Spirituality:
Individualistic: More about being a better person and improving one's self.
Self Discovery: finding who you are as an individual.
Similarities with religion: You can practice religious habits and traditions, but unless you subscribe to an
authority
, you are not religious but only spiritual.
People are choosing to be spiritual rather than religious because of the "age of authenticity".
Religion:
Authoritative: claims that they have a mandate over people, rules that you have to obey and often about the community rather than the individual.
Sacrifice: belonging to a group and sacrificing for the greater good.
Religion, atheism and spirituality are now
choices
.
Age of authenticity:
You are the final authority and therefore decide your own destiny. Not a religion or society.
Example: There are many emerging humanistic therapies.
"We have raised the possibilities of choice to the highest degree."
The more choices = the happier you are.
Therefore:
Authority
gives you less choices, so authority is not preferred today.
Social media: a "mutual display" allows you to show what you want to show.
Corporations are a sort of controlling authority but more subtle.
Secularity: the age of choices, where you can choose between infinite worldviews (atheism, religion, spirituality, a combination).