Religion evolving to fit modern world

Ashley-Anna Aboreden/Contributing Writer

 

Studies show a decline in religious affiliation across the country. In seven years, there has been a nearly eight percent decrease in Christianity and an over six percent increase in people unaffiliated to a religion, including Atheism and Agnosticism, according to the Pew Center. Non-Christian religions, such as Judaism and Islam however, have slightly increased in America.

Former FIU Student Media writer Esdras Lopez, sophomore biomedical engineering major, seems to think that a main reason people are less religious is because they believe it to be outdated.

“Perhaps another reason why Millennials are turning away from religion is because they feel that they cannot relate to it, that it’s mere superstition from another time.”

Nevertheless, some believe that because religion is outdated, it is adapting, or rather, updating to fit current society. This belief is one that Erik Larson, a professor from the Religious Studies department holds.

Because church attendance is lower, people tend to think it’s a sign religion is becoming “passé” but Larson doesn’t believe that.

“I actually find it quite the contrary, that there’s still a groundswell of interest, it’s just that in the day that we live, there are so many different ways to be in touch with your own spirituality and your own feelings for a connectedness to a higher being–a supreme power,” Larson said. “So I think sometimes where we live in a day where institutions change incredibly quickly, that if they don’t change, they get a little bit out dated and people just find ways….I think eventually people create new institutions when the old institutions don’t meet their needs.”

Daniel Prinz, a senior majoring in marketing, sees himself as somewhat religious, valuing some Christian principles. He also believes that throughout his time in college, his religious views have changed and adapted.

Religion is less popular in this generation than previous generations, Prinz said, because of various factors, such as the growth of self-interest.

“…We’re gonna do what we wanna do and what we think is right and I feel like a lot of people think religion is outdated and it doesn’t apply to us anymore,” Prinz said. “But then, I feel like the ones who are actually analytical and actually think about things have started to question a little bit and because they can’t really make up their mind on what they think about [religion],  just don’t tie themselves to a religion and just do their own thing.”

Katherine Padrón, an alumni who majored in English and a practicing Christian, also believes this idea of self-interest and relying on yourself is what causes people to lack a desire for religion.

However, both Prinz and Padrón believe there is still a search for deeper meaning in many young people.

“A lot of my generation has a lack of meaning or no sense of meaning or purpose. So in that case, they look for it,” Padrón said.

Authority and absolute truths, Padrón said, are the main factors in why people reject religion.

“I think I would change the … mistrust of any absolute standard. I think if they were allowed to see how we can’t live on that, that as much as you profess to live on no standards, a life is not Biblical without any standards of truth,” Padrón said.

Padrón said that if people could see how senseless a world without a system of ethical standards would be, they would change their minds about religion and start to seek it out.

Larson believes that humanity’s ability to adapt applies to religion and is a main reason as to why there have been various changes in religion and religious institutions.

The Internet, Larson said, is one of the main factors driving humanity’s adaptation and its ability to learn more about religion.

Larson also believes that the search for religion, spirituality and meaning is something that will continuously be a part of humanity.

“Religion seeks to answer 3 questions: Where have I come from? What am I doing here? And where am I going? And those three questions are always there no matter what is happening with our career and what is happening with our personal life,” Larson said. “We still wanna know the answers to those questions and that’s why I feel like this religious impulse still has power to it.”

 

Featured image  and infographic courtesy of Natalia Farfan/Panther Magazine