Teaching the concept of "Spiritual multilingualism" to children

wil said:
Why is that? Why is it in science, literature, archaeology, technology, space exploration, math, engineering, history, damn near whatever the latest and greatest information is currently being discovered, utilized, improved upon at an exponential pace in the past 50 years....

But religion and theology in academic circles has faltered at the same time?
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It is the usual life cycle of a civilization. A civilization rises when it has a sound religion. This causes a rise in science, literature, etc. But also a rise in wealth and in skepticism. And this undermines the religion that made the civilization rise in the first place, which causes decadence and then decline. In the decline, religions goes first, then morality, then the arts, then science, then wealth, and finally military power which allows it to be conquered. We are quite far along in this sequence.
 
StevePame said:
I think this is actually a good time for religion and theology, in addition to the other disciplines, to continue to expand. Archaeology and technology are allowing scholars to engage in analyses of religious texts in ways that they never have before and these examinations might actually help improve our understanding of what original and early authors wrote and borrowed from one another.
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I agree...that is as it should be....
fschmidt said:
It is the usual life cycle of a civilization. A civilization rises when it has a sound religion. This causes a rise in science, literature, etc. But also a rise in wealth and in skepticism. And this undermines the religion that made the civilization rise in the first place, which causes decadence and then decline. In the decline, religions goes first, then morality, then the arts, then science, then wealth, and finally military power which allows it to be conquered. We are quite far along in this sequence.
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Can you tell me which civilizations have gone through what you describe?
 
Senthil said:
I live in a multicultural area of a large city...
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I'm in a minority, a Londoner born and bred.

Senthil said:
But out there in the suburb where the kids had no first hand experience, ignorance abounded.
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I think that's probably the same the world over. When my kids went to uni, they were horrified at the casual racism of their peers who grew up in a more monoculture environment.

Senthil said:
Race and religion soon become irrelevant as it's who likes to play soccer, or discuss the latest video game fad. That's what's important.
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Later, it changes, when they begin to seek their own identities. Then it's important that cultural diversity be embraced, even though (apparently) we're wired to think of 'them and us'.
 
wil said:
so which civilizations grew? Europe? America? Who is dying, who will be overrun militarily?
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In the current civilization, it was the Protestant countries of Europe that grew. The British Empire (including America) was the most successful because Puritanism was the best form of Protestantism. Today it is exactly these cultures that are in most rapid decline. They are far beyond the point of no return and will certainly die.
 
fschmidt said:
In the current civilization, it was the Protestant countries of Europe that grew. The British Empire (including America) was the most successful because Puritanism was the best form of Protestantism. Today it is exactly these cultures that are in most rapid decline. They are far beyond the point of no return and will certainly die.
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while I do think the fall of Christianity is inevitable in the long run (mostly due to what I have read in the Quran) I'm not sure I agree that it will be of its own doing, a loss of principles as a whole, many religions have gone through rebirths over the years in which they are strengthened more than they were originally. Though the moral aspects of Christianity, seem to have decended way low, there is nothing stopping it from returning.
 
Thomas said:
I just commented that this was another example of 'consumer spirituality'.
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This is a tough one. I understand, and even agree to an extent, that making religious mashed potatoes out of different theologies has genuine flaws. At the same time, the need for some form of multicultural look at religions is critically needed if we as a species are ever going to get out of the religious tribal mentality, with all the ills that follow.

It's a fine line and it does need to be drawn somewhere, somehow. Wish I had a solution that made sense, but I don't.
 
fschmidt said:
What I mean by modern interpretation is a modern book about a religion as opposed to a translation of some original text. So for example, if you want to learn about Ancient Greek culture, don't read a modern book about Ancient Greece. Instead read translations of Ancient Greek writing.
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This statement, on the surface of it, makes no sense to me. Someone who translates an original text is automatically golden? And someone who writes about ancient texts are not? All or nothing philosophies are never comfortable for me. What guarantees can you give that original translations are in any way faithful to the intent of the original? I've seen too many translations from folks with agendas to accept that.
 
I don't consider the loss of Christianity or any religion to indicate the fall of civilization.... we don't need to be religious to be civilized....

I believe it could be the very loss of religion that eventually evolves this civilization to a level that is actually civil.
 
I look at our civilization to be pretty global now... The American Empire was created by breaking away from Europe....and then helping Europe maintain through the rise and fall of the third reich... But now with trade treaties and defense treaties...as religions are beginning to wain we are becoming more global...I just can't follow this to a conclusion that our entire global civilization will collapse... and if it does...I live in fear of the religion that reignites it again
 
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