Alain De Botton State Of Religion

State of Religion

In general global belief in Christianity is increasing especially in parts of the developing world. In Africa alone there has been a 22% increase in the number of Christians between the years 1910 and 2010. However year on year more and more westerners are claiming to be unaffiliated with any religion. The Pew Research Centre studies the political, social and technological trends across America. The centre has been plotting the religious landscape of the country since 2004 and their findings indicate a -7.8% decrease in the number of citizens declaring to be Christian between the years 2007 and 2014. While the number of participants that claim to be unaffiliated (Atheist, Agnostic or ‘nothing in particular’) has increased

In his 2012 book ‘Religion for Atheists’de Botton discusses the benefits of religions for non-believers, de Botton argues that belief in the supernatural elements of any religion are entirely fallacious, however religion does still have important lessons to teach the secular world. Religion for Atheists suggests that instead of ridiculing religions, the unaffiliated must copy some of the more successful elements of religious belief. From the sense of community to relationships and morality, de Botton studies the esteemed social elements of Christianity and what they offers society. De Botton believed that for too long non-believers were faced with one of two choices, either accepting the excessive doctrines imposed by the Christian Church or disregarding the range of rituals, constructs and traditions the faith offers. In ‘religion for Atheists’ de Botton seems to have found the happy

This old rule was to avoid obvious conflict between people with opposing views. In the book de Botton does away with this old rule talking in depth about religion and touching on politics. Due to the revolutionary and controversial nature of de Botton's work he received both major praise and extreme condemnation from both religious and nonreligious people alike. Fueled by heated emotions and an unfaltering faith. The book divided a nation. But putting emotions aside does de Botton’s thesis stand to reason in the secular western society, to what extent is Alain de Botton’s claim that religion can survive without God