The Future of Religion in Europe

[Petros Agapetos]

What do the demographics show. What is the future like for Europe? Which religions will be predominant in Europe 50 to 100 years from now.

Should Europeans revive their animist and polytheist/pagan roots? Or should we abandon religion altogether and embrace atheist secularism instead?

I personally don't see much the point of going back to paganism, polytheism or even animism. We live in the age of science and rationality. Religions are outdated. If Westerners quit the traditional monotheistic faiths (Christianity, Judaism) I would expect that they just become Deists, Pantheists or Atheists - not Polytheists or Animists.

Ancient European religions do not have all the negative connotations of Christianity (prude morals, excessive sense of guilt, illusionary belief in human equality, doctrinal refutation of evolution and genetics, conviction of being the chosen people of god, aggressive proselytism...). In that sense it is better. But the direction taken is mistaken. Pagan religions are not more rational or less superstitious.

I like to picture monotheism as the adolescent belief system of humanity (aggressive, emotional, trying to understand one's place in society, looking for an authority figure as a guide). Atheism and deism are the mature, grown-up visions of the world (rational, independent-minded, responsible). Animism and polytheism, on the other hand, is just childish (naive, dreamlike, superstitious).

[Petros Agapetos]

I think, the difference between monotheism and paganism is not such vertical, as it is horizontal.

Here we have two traditions: Europeans (pagans) and Asiatics (jewish, christian, islam).

Also, christianity has borrowed majority of its religious imagery and symbolics from paganism.

Cross, architecture of church, the Christmass, Easter eggs, etc. all these are from pagans.

And return to paganism doesnt mean primtivity, but in contrary it is prosperity, because we can compare the pagan Greece where science was developed and christian Europe where Human Sacrifice in the form of witch-hunting was very spread across the continent.

[Petros Agapetos]

Group beliefs have an effect on what people think and believe, but mostly because we are hardwired to follow the crowed, like fashion in clothes and music, and what kind of religion people “choose”. In 99% of cases one is mostly influenced by family and close friends group. Sheep instinct has deep evolutionary ruts, and is hard wired in our brain. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what fashion, music or religion is popular in your group. It matters that most people will fallow what is popular.

Same with spirituality, it doesn't matter what you believe, it matters that one believes in supernatural. It's so much easier for spiritual people to believe in something else, be superstitious, change religion, than to become none believer.

How can you explain that after 100 year of indoctrination in atheism in Soviet Union, still about 70% believe in god today? On other hand in Scandinavia, without indoctrination/helping, 50% do.

It was rather easy to change native religions of African slaves in America to Christianity. But this cultural shift wasn't 100% identical. Let's take music for instance. The typical white church music didn't transplant very well. Black people seam to put great emphasis to the rhythm; they clap and dance in churches, even though it was and is inappropriate in white churches. Far cry from white traditions of gregorian chorus or modern church songs, where emphasis is on melody.

The most popular black music is rap and hip hop, again overwhelmed by rhythm. What is most popular instrument in Sub Saharan Africa? Drums!
Again, 200 years of indoctrination of Africans in America in white culture didn't do a dent in what kind of music they should play. Genes, genes, genes.
Cultures are very much of what we genetically are. Strongly in open societies, and influenced somewhat in controlled ones. Genes won't tell you what religion you will be, but they are determinative how it's expressed, or if it's expressed at all.

I understand and experienced most of it. I was born and raised Catholic in Poland, now I'm preaching natural selection and atheism here now. The biggest step for me was to be brave enough to question the dogma. Most big religions have built a trap, making it a cardinal sin to question doctrine or god, and off course you don't want to offend your god by your unfaithful thoughts. What if you made a mistake and you have to go back and apologies. Once traitor always a traitorr? It was like a vicious circle for me. It took me 10 year to get over it. But I did. Lot's of friends of mine in similar situation, they lost faith in church, but they can't shake this constant feeling that there is something bigger out there. And this is where arguments won't help any more. We are finely against the hard wired spirituality. Spirituality, that makes them say over and over: "Yes, I understand all of this, but there has to be something out there...."

Interesting example of strong spirituality are interviews of fighters after boxing match. Most black boxers will thank god after the fight, regardless if they lost or won, and in first sentence. Most white fighters will never mention god at all. I’m not saying is good or bad, it’s just strongly contrasting. Is it cultural, genetic, or both?
One would need to make a strong case that it’s cultural only, because if it’s both, then we have another proof for spirituality gene or genes.

[Petros Agapetos]

All religions are created by humans into a lore to explain Life, the Universe, and Everything basically. It's important to know where one comes from. Culture with customs and tradition is fundamental to us. We shouldn't underestimate the human need of rituals. If we take away the rituals at present we will make up new ones.

We also have a deep need of explaining and ordering the world around us for our survival. It seems obvious to me that religion is a by-product of that, and as such is a part of our genetic behavior.

But religious belief only serves those needs if there are no rational explanation that explains the world better. Paganism and the Abrahamic religions served those purposes but hopefully they are to fade away from modern life. The future should have no need of religion. It is a primitive notion to believe in gods, spirits and souls.

But the emotional needs of people have to be cared for as well. Being a part of something bigger and the meditative state and channeling of thoughts and feelings are common all over the world, and we will always need it. This does not need a religion though, but as religion has always been a part of our societies it is easy to find support for those needs in religion.

Art is another important way of expressing ourselves. Most of the things we do every single day is communicating. Rituals in life and religion, sexual behavior, customs, art, language, the functions of our faces and the sclera emphasizing the human eye movements are all part of the same fundamental human need of networking. It's the difference between our survival or not. As long as we can get a sense of belonging and cater to our "spiritual" needs in society we have no need of a church. If society fails we revert. Bad times and loss of direction always see a rise in religiosity.

But yes. We should be proud of our past cultures. To be aware of where one comes from is important. It doesn't mean one should adhere to it. Paganism as religious reenactments are cultural expressions. They are no philosophical lakes to gather ones water from.

The crown of immortality on our European flag is a European symbol, as it has a history in both pagan religion and Christianity and as such it is a great symbol for Europe. Even if Christianity started as a Jewish sect, it became a religion in Europe and as such is as European as the pagan ones. It seems that the greek pantheon has Armenian roots - - which later was adopted by the Romans. Pagan religions that influenced Christianity.

The Norse religion was influence from the south and the east. It might have some Turkic origins, the east, or Asia if you will. Even though the Ynglinga Saga is of low historic credibility it holds that the Asa (Oden, Thor et al) came from the region around and beyond the Black Sea, as did the Van gods in war with the Asa(Freyr, Njörðr and others). It would be interesting to go deeper into that and learn if the Van has a connection to the Van culture of Armenia. It might not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Culture and history connects us all in Europe, and religion is a part of that. But a rebirth of pagan religions is not something to celebrate.

[TheForeigner]

I prefer atheism to Islam. But I hope Christianity survives.

[Petros Agapetos]

Well, religion is an organized form of our believes in supernatural. It's probably as ancient as first graves found with everyday items buried to help deceased in their afterlife, about 50 thousand years or so. Probably at first it was nothing more than social aspect just helping people to validate their beliefs. It’s easier to believe in anything if everyone believes in same thing.

Later it turned to be quite a force uniting people. One of the strongest socio-political forces in existence. History shows that almost all biggest powers were united under on country and one religion, more so at the time of expansion and height of power. Yet, the trick was one religion in one country. More than one dominant religion and we have a war.

Understanding the world via Darwinism it would mean that religion was a positive force making the tribes and countries stronger. Otherwise it would vanish or evolve in something else. Nature is very efficient.

[Petros Agapetos]

The Return of the European Religions

In Vilnius-Lithuania there was held on 20-24th June 1998 the World Pagan Congress. A lot of traditional-religious groups were represented: France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Norwegan, Sweden, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Estonia, Letonia, Russia, Ukrainia, India, USA... We've discussed about working together, forming a new coordinating organisation for all ethnic religions. So we founded the World Congress of Ethnic Religions. It will be the organisation that contact the Governments to drop their discriminative law and behavior towards the small ethnic religions.

We agreed on following declaration:
We, the delegates of the World Congress of Ethnic Religions, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 20 to 24 June 1998, have gathered to express our solidarity for the ethnic, indigenous, native and/or traditional religions of Europe and the other regions of the world.

All cultures and all native religions and faiths should be valued in the same way. Each region and each people have their distinctive local traditions (native faith, world outlook, mythology, folklore etc.) which articulate their love of their land and history, and cultivate a regard for the sacredness of all life and the divinity of Nature. Just as Nature survives through a wide variety of species, so can humanity be allowed to develop freely and without interference along a wide variety of cultural expressions.
According to our ancient traditional ethics, the Earth and all creation must be valued and protected. We as human beings must find our place within the web of all life, not outside or separate from the whole of creation.

We share a common understanding of our position in the world, based upon our common historical experience of oppression and intolerance. Ethnic and/or "Pagan" religions have suffered great injury and destruction from the other religions of exclusivity in the past. It is our sincere wish to live in peace and harmony, and to strive for cooperation with the followers of all other religions, faiths and beliefs.

We believe that the dawn of a new era of individual and intellectual freedom and global exchange of views and information gives us an opportunity to start again to return to our own native spiritual roots in order to re-claim our religious heritage. We are worshippers of Nature just as whole mankind was, for the last 96 % of its history.
True indigenous religions should give us love and respect for all that we see and feel around, to accept all forms of worship which emphasize sincere hearts, pure thoughts and noble conduct at every moment of our life, towards all that exists.
Let us be proud of our reborn ethnic religions. (...)

http://www.irminsul.org/arc/199806a.htm

[Petros Agapetos]

Religion in Europe has been a major influence on today's society art, culture, philosophy and law. The largest religion in Europe is Christianity. Three countries in Southeastern Europe have Muslim majorities. Ancient European religions included veneration for deities such as Zeus. Modern revival movements of these religions include Heathenism, Rodnovery, Romuva, Druidry, Wicca, and others. Smaller religions include Indian religions, Judaism, and some East Asian religions, which are found in their largest groups in Britain, France, and Kalmykia.

[Petros Agapetos]

Religiosity in Europe

European countries have experienced a decline in church membership and church attendance. A relevant example of ongoing trend is Sweden where the church of Sweden, previously the state-church until 2000, claimed to have 82.9% of the Swedish population as its flock in 2000. Surveys showed this had dropped to 72.9% by 2008 and 64.6% by 2014. However, in the 2005 eurobarometer poll just 23% and in the 2010 eurobarometer poll just 18% of the Swedish population said they believed in a personal God.

The Eurobarometer Poll 2010 found that, on average, 51% of the citizens of EU member states state that they "believe there is a God", 26% "believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" while 20% "do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force". 3% declined to answer.

According to a recent study (Dogan, Mattei, Religious Beliefs in Europe: Factors of Accelerated Decline), 47% of Frenchmen declared themselves as agnostic in 2003. This situation is often called "Post-Christian Europe". A decrease in religiousness and church attendance in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden has been noted, despite a concurrent increase in some countries Greece (2% in 1 year)[citation needed].

The Eurobarometer poll must be taken with caution, however, as there are discrepancies between it and national census results. For example, in the United Kingdom, the 2001 census revealed over 70% of the population regarded themselves as "Christian" with only 15% professing to have "no religion", though the wording of the question has been criticized as "leading" by the British Humanist Association. Romania, one of the most religious countries in Europe, witnessed a threefold increase in the number of atheists between 2002 and 2011, as revealed by the most recent national census.

Eurobarometer Poll 2005 chart results
The following is a list of European countries ranked by religiosity, based on belief in a God, according to the Eurobarometer Poll 2010. The 2010 Eurobarometer Poll asked whether the person believed "there is a God", believed "there is some sort of spirit or life force", or "didn't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".

[Petros Agapetos]

Science and Atheism

Science certainly does not contradict atheism, and even supports Atheism, but that's a tiny little part of what makes an Atheist... (and it is not even the standard physics and chemistry or the scientific medthod that matter for Atheism, but rather psychology and neurosciences, evolutionary biology and genetics).

The basis of Atheism is something quite different from sciences, and a much more powerful tool indeed : Philosophy (of which sciences and maths are only lower servants).

Even mainstream religions like Christianity and Islam need philosophy. It is usually reserved to the specialists of their respective religion : theologians. Theologians are (for me) people desperately trying to reconcile sciences, philosophy and society with the dogmas of religion. They are blinded by their biased approach, which is to prove religion right. Some end up losing their religious faith (like quite a few popes and cardinals in the past), but other keep their faith intact in the hope that one day they will understand God's message.

Anyway, Philosophy is divided in many branches, the most important of which are epistemology ("what do we know and how"), ethics (comparing moral codes of various religions and societies, and determine what really matters), logic (what makes an argument right or wrong) and metaphysics (what is the nature of the universe, does god exist, etc.).

In philosophy, you can't just study one field, you must know everything -- including the basics in all sciences, and a good knowledge of major religions and their history. You can't hope to do metaphysics if you have no knowledge of epistemology, and to be a good epistemologist you should know how the human brain works, its capacities, its limits, how we acquire knowledge, how we process information, etc.

Once you have learned about all that (if you are a fast learner with a good memory, better than average understanding skills, and a lot of dedication, allow for a few years), you can start tackling metaphysics, the most difficult part of philosophy. It is also the most controversial, because it brings the human mind to its limits in the understanding of the universe, the infinite and life, and this is where giftedness makes the difference in opinions (not everybody can become a philosopher, but few philosophers manage to become good metaphysicians).

Naturally, the more advanced our knowledge of (brain) sciences and the better our final understanding of life and the universe will be.

Ethics is a more independent part of philosophy. It doesn't require in itself a good knowledge of other branches, but it is only natural that changes in knowledge in other fields will affect one's view of Ethics.

Let's not confuse Ethics (the study of moral and value systems) with Morals (one's own moral code). Morals is strictly personal, while Ethics is as impersonal as it gets (it usually ends up with "everything is relative and there is no absolute moral, not even about killing"). But you can't live just by understanding that all morals are subjective; people need a moral code to live in society. This is where religion comes in. Independent-minded and strong-willed people can usually make up their own moral code, but others need a ready-made one. They usually find it in religions, sometimes picking and choosing what they like in various religions (they are called Universalists).

This is the good part of religions. Some religions are little more than codes of conducts (e.g. some branches of Buddhism).

What I dislike is powerful organised religions that want to control people, make money, wield political power, and impose their beliefs on others. Any other religion that doesn't do that is fine by me. I just don't think they are equipped to give answers about metaphysics (e.g. life after death, how the universe was created...) or about the nature of life itself (best left to sciences and philosophy).