A New Religion For The West

The world needs a new religion, especially here in North America. With the rise of the scientific process and rationalism in the 18th century for a time it seemed like the west would outgrow its need for religion entirely. Perhaps unfortunately the west, especially in North America has not outgrown its need for religion.

For some people, that need for deeply resonating meaning has been replaced with more superficial methods of satisfaction, like consumerism, obsessively watching television, or obsessively playing video games, chronic drug use, etc. Other people have decided to remain attached to ever-more partisan and subdivided factions of Christianity. Others still are joining bizarre contemporary religions, including one particularity popular one, whose creator, a mediocre science fiction writer, created on a bet with another writer.

Some people seem content to devote themselves to higher callings, like the arts and sciences. Some people seem content to be decent and rational, and not be bothered with such big questions as "Why are we here" "What is God?" "What happens when we die?" and "What the heck am I anyway?" However, it is my experience that this kind of person is a rare one indeed. This kind of person require at once the (very rare) propensity for free thinking and,(perhaps even rarer) the ability to sidestep the big questions with grace.

Personally, I have never been able to sidestep the big question. But then, I never wanted to-- I have most often taken great joy in wrestling with these questions, and even when I haven't taken joy from them, I have been fascinated by them. And despite my great respect and admiration for science, I do not think it can replace religion. Maybe the arts can, but that is a discussion for another day. In any case, the big questions are worth discussing, and there is a clear need to offer a new religion to the western world, which is grounded in rationality, instead of ancient superstitions, modern superstitions, and stupid, blind faith.