The increasing disaffection with organized religion is a statistically relevant modern trend. Futurists, in projecting the tomorrow reality we are likely moving toward are totally unbothered, when not deeply irritated, by the hysterical prognostications of religious extremists from both Christian and Islamic camps who can envision nothing but war, anarchy and pandemonium in whichever apocalyptic version of Biblical or Quranic narrative they have been indoctrinated with. For them, the future is in God’s Hands and that doesn’t appear to be too comforting a thought as He does not seem to be a very nice person. They are terrified of Him. And their religion reflects that.
But fundamentalist pessimism is shared not only by the religious-minded. There is an abundance of rational concerns for the viability of the continuation of our species beyond the present century. The pace of technological innovation has continued to exponentially increase and promises to continue so to do with vastly increasing acceleration. Technological innovation has always been the main factor fuelling social, cultural and political change, which has generally come with significant initial negative impact before existing systems finally marshal ways of harnessing the new capacities in balanced and productive ways. Can we keep up with this pace or will it eventually consume us is a very valid question, and there is a fair share of Silicon Valley Apocalyptists who find very non-religious reasons of their own to ground their pessimism with respect to the future of the human race.
I have made my own comments before in Compelling stories on the notion of sacrifice as a learned technology for shaping choice futures, whether from a religious or non-religious perspective – this includes not only modern dogmas of capitalism such as savings, stocks, bonds, Insurance, and the legitimate and illegitmitate institutionalization of profit from speculation; but also anachronistic if not totally bizarre notions of animal sacrifice, so central to religious practice, including witchcraft, but let us not forget, both Christianity and Islam as well have sought with varying degrees of success to distance themselves from the primitive religious impulse to appease the wrath of the gods by spilling blood, apparently the most delectable of offerings, much moreso than food or money or any other items of value.
As Biblical Cain discovered too late, the gods love animal blood and the more valuable the animal, the more pacifying and efficacious the conciliatory meal (birds then livestock then of course human beings of varying degrees of social status: first vagabonds then prisoners of war, progressing to beautiful virgins, firstborn sons of promise, and in Christianity the supreme sacrifice of Divinity himself in the firstborn son of God, Jesus Christ.)
The staunch new atheist critics of religion are perhaps too narrow-minded to notice that even without the religious ideation, mankind continues to live out the reality that future promise is purchased by present sacrifice, and human blood continues to feature as the currency of choice for the transaction. What else explains the culture of murderous crime in our cities or the sacred ritual of international war except that on some deep level of our psyche (should we not wish to use religious terminology) there is a requirement that for some dreams to be fulfilled, others must be terminated, and that the pertinent choice is always and only which and whose.
‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is a non-functional and totally fantastic narrative as far as our expectations of real life are concerned. A sweet-by-and-by carrot-on-a-stick to orient us in the right direction but unviable as a functional guide to daily living. It is that functional capacity to serve as a practical guide to daily living and a blueprint for future formation that the present generation of the religiously disinterested are interrogating. When their observations confirm their suspicions that religion is the timid’s detour from reality at best, or the deliberate tool of distraction from reality wielded by the intimidator at worst, they immediately disconnect and tune out, having no time or inclination for probing deeper questions when real life concerns in the present milieu demand so much attention and effort.
On this one point in particular however, I am in total agreement with Jordan Peterson, that among the time-honoured truths that have featured centrally in successful living for centuries, regardless of how those truths are conveyed, whichever familiar language games are deployed, sacrifice as a foundational principle for securing desirable outcomes (perhaps we could even say salvation) is a cornerstone that generations and civilizations throughout time immemorial have and can continue to anchor their existence on and with much assurance.
It is with this in mind that I have found absolutely fascinating my recent foray into the Biblical narratives of the Book of Hebrews, whose crowning climax in chapters 11 and 12 (chapter 13 is the afterglow) locate the believer as witness to the sprinkled blood of Jesus around the altar of the Divine throne, and the Book of Revelation picks up from that introduction with a complete exploration, in metaphoric terms, of the entire saga of human existence in the language of Eucharistic ecstasy centered on this central character referred to as ‘Lamb of God’ now enthroned at the right Hand of Majesty in Heaven. Equally striking has been my rereading of the Book of Luke which speaks of the preparation of the sacrifice, a thing I know intimately from past relationship with animal-sacrificing ritualists, is as important as the sacrificial act itself which is rendered inefficacious without the qualifying consecrations.
What stands out to me now are some little but absolutely telling things, like John the Bapist’s practical answers to those whose response to his preaching was “What should we do?” (You can read it for yourself in Luke 3: 10- 14) One would have thought upon listening to today’s preachers that his answers would have been religious – “Let me baptize you”, “Join my tabernacle in the wilderness”, “Raise your hands in the air and repeat this prayer after me”. But authentic religion is always measured by social, economic, and political impact. Anything that leaves those domains untouched while spending great time, energy and attention on a conjectural hereafter deserves to be condemned and repudiated. A religion however, that illuminates the here and now will always be of interest to new generations because that is the timeless fascination of man. Why are we here … now? What should we do …now? We all require illuminating answers.
Something I have always maintained about true knowledge – whether of the physical or metaphysical domains: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The evaluation of whatever principles of life or doctrines of truth are presented us in any system of knowledge or field of discipline are substantiated in the lived reality of human experience. To discard or to adopt whatever scientific theory or theological doctrine without first considering its ability to produce reliable results in human experience is folly.
The real challenge has never been with the generation that emerges to question the foundations of their cultural formation or the received wisdom of the past. From such comes all new discovery and innovation. The real challenge has always been with faithful carriers of purported ancient truths and professors of access to timeless wisdom – to demonstrate the efficacy of their claims in every new context of human experience and in every difficult and trying context of human relationship. That requires, and is the acid test, of true faith, true humility and true love. These, the real currency of genuine religion, always vital to human existence and community.
