Churches in America are at a crossroad. They can continue with their concern about pleasing an all-powerful, all-knowing, supernatural being or they can focus on the concerns of humankind and the environment.
Most religions, especially the Jewish-Christian-Muslim (JCM) religions have been God-centered. With their fear of death and their fear of a God who will send people to hell for an eternity, religions are concerned with making certain that people do not have to spend an eternity in God’s hell. As reasoning and logic come to play in educated minds, more people are beginning to realize that such a God, if it does exist, is quite capable of taking care of its own needs, desires, and happiness. This thinking segment of the Church attendees will require an institution that will address their needs, not God’s.
While many churches will continue to serve the desires of God, more and more will begin to serve the needs of humankind. That will entail different music, different philosophy, and different attitudes. It will require churches to cater to the needs of an ever-changing population.
These changes will cause rifts in the established churches that will please some and cause others to leave the church. But, change is certain.
No longer will reasonable, logical, educated people accept a wrathful, vengeful, masculine god that does not come up to human standards of morality. More and more churches will be taking the road of service to humanity, not to the service of an all-powerful, air-knowing, supernatural being.
When that happens churches will become more humanistic and theism, which is causing so much strife in the world today, will diminish.
John A Henderson MD
Author of: GOD-COM: A Deity for the New Millennium and FEAR FAITH FACT FANTASY.