What factors are important in the growth of a religion in a free society?

--
FFF
Dirk

http://www.neopax.com/technomage/ - My new book - Magick and Technology

Dirk Bruere at NeoPax wrote:
>
> What factors are important in the growth of a religion in a free society?

Probably the best way to answer that is an extensive historical study
with a ton of demographic data. Religions act like a market. They need
to address an existing need.

On Mar 28, 9:42�pm, Dirk Bruere at NeoPax <dirk.bru...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> On 29/03/2011 02:01, Doug Freyburger wrote:
>
> > Dirk Bruere at NeoPax wrote:
>
1)> >> What factors are important in the growth of a religion in a
free society?
>
> > Probably the best way to answer that is an extensive historical study
> > with a ton of demographic data. �Religions act like a market. �They need
> > to address an existing need.
>
> Some needs always exist eg fellowship.
> Others:
> Explanation of life and death
> Comfort in adversity
> A mission in life
> Transcendence
> Spiritual quest
> Mutual aid
> �...
>
> Any more?
He said "demographic data," not just data. Data must contain
differential information." Many religions offer all the benefits that
you mention. Maybe we can conclude that one or several of these
religions will grow in a free society. However, there is no data on ho
the religion will manifest. Or why religions lose ground to atheism
and neglect.
You have to compare different religions, different people,
different times, different geographical areas, different climates,
etc. A list of reasons that apply to all religions doesn't work too
well.
If the data show no variation between religions and societies,
than the conclusions of the analysis will make no sense. From you list
of advantages, we can't even address the issue:
But why do some religions seem to grow more than others?
I suspect that the original poster was interested in a question
closer to the second question than the first. Religions grow because
they satisfy a need. However, the real question for this newsgroup is:
Under what conditions would Asatru grow faster than Christianity or
atheism in America?
The analysis needs demographic information :-)

Darwin123 wrote:
> Dirk Bruere at NeoPax <dirk.bru...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Doug Freyburger wrote:
>> > Dirk Bruere at NeoPax wrote:
>
> 1)> >> What factors are important in the growth of a religion in a
> free society?
>
>> > Probably the best way to answer that is an extensive historical study
>> > with a ton of demographic data. �Religions act like a market. �They need
>> > to address an existing need.
>
>> Some needs always exist eg fellowship.
>
> He said "demographic data," not just data ...
> But why do some religions seem to grow more than others?

The two largest faiths in the world are the two that teach that other
faiths are wrong. If we're not willing to do that (I am not willing to
do that) then we are limited. We can't rope in the gullible who will
believe such claims simply because someone made them.

Currently Christianity is in decline and Islam is on the rise. Islam is
a religion based on authority. Humans are animals of small tribal
groups who follow our leaders. Islam has found a way to tap that and
turn it wider. Tribal ways are also on the rise as Christianity fades.
As the grip of Christianity loosens both options have been doing well.
But Islam is one and we polytheists are many. It is "united we stand"
or is it "there is strength in diversity" that can win this phase of
evolution?

And so I look to the second and third largest population faiths in the
world - Buddhism and Hindu. Both survived the first onslaught of the
monotheists. In Europe and the Americas it could too easily be the fall
of one monotheism and the rise of another.

If the goal is for the polytheist options to grow then we should look to
how Hindu resisted.

On 29/03/2011 02:01, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> Dirk Bruere at NeoPax wrote:
>>
>> What factors are important in the growth of a religion in a free society?
>
> Probably the best way to answer that is an extensive historical study
> with a ton of demographic data. Religions act like a market. They need
> to address an existing need.
>

Some needs always exist eg fellowship.
Others:
Explanation of life and death
Comfort in adversity
A mission in life
Transcendence
Spiritual quest
Mutual aid
...

Any more?

--
FFF
Dirk

http://www.neopax.com/technomage/ - My new book - Magick and Technology