Modern Religion

There are a multitude of religions, denominations, cults, sects and isms. Then there are faiths that are not really religions but tend to take the place of a religion. Olivia Solon in the March 2017 Wired magazine spelled it out in an article The God Complex: How big data will fuel a new religion.

Olivia referred to Yuval Harari's book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow where he predicts two new religions: Techno -Humanism which sees human interests and desires as the highest authority in the universe. The other is Dataism a new ethical system in which modern science has superseded humans making them redundant (unneeded).

Without getting into an argument, let's simply say that modern inventions and premises are affecting society in many ways. One of them no doubt is a decline in religious attachment in favor of exemption or something else. While the decline in religion only occurs within a religion, there are signs that there is a rising interest in religion (particularly Christianity) where it has not prevailed previously. Part of this is occurring where technology has helped make it possible.

Our interest (and concern) is that the allegiance to techno-humanism doesn't entice religious believers anchored to the unseen, supernatural (divine) realm into dataism abandoning spiritual for the natural which at times can seem supernatural.

It is interesting to remind ourselves that modern science and booming technology is built on existing laws and postulates. Discoveries are made, not invented. Creations are built on the skills and brains of humans who make drones and driver-less autos plus medicine via the internet. This is marvelous indeed but the Creator of the universe and its occupants made all this possible when humans came into existence. Of course, many disbelieve this, which is understandable because it must be taken by faith just as science and technology depends on faith as well. Worshiping the internet is at best not a substitute for the highest authority and new ethical systems.Maybe we should recite Great things human have done without forgetting what Great things God has done. Without our God-given human ingenuity, genius, perseverance, determination, skill, faith, belief, hope, vision and charity, we would still be living in the darker ages.