| Spirituality was once what we now call paganism, it was about feeling the presence of nature in a kind of spirtual manner, and ideas that nature is spirit or full of spirits that humans can communicate with though our feelings and even by rituals. Also, spiritualism was this love of life which was felt as a joy - and as wonderment.
Most people have moved away from that and we now have religions, governments, science, and philosophy. Poets are not as popular and facts are in bigger demand.
But was it better to move out of the "garden" and into a nice house with air conditioning and other comfortable things? Most would say hell yes. Who really wants to go back and live like a cave man?
But we still need that feeling of joy that being spiritual can provide, and that sense of harmony and security of knowing our environment provided (few unexpected events).
Religion offered some simular effects, but nature was real and practical also, not toally a faith dominated concept. You can see nature first hand but you cannot see God.
But we can watch movies, hear all kinds of music, read books, and so forth which offers us an escape from the downsides of our progressive momentum - out of the sticks and into modern cities and such. It might be that the reduction in attraction for religion is due to the many other sources of entertainment that is obtainable nowadays ( which resulted from techology mostly developed during only the past 50 to 70 years - what amounts to only one generation of progress).
Well, some thoughts anyway |