I was listening to Interfaith Voices on NPR this morning while walking my dog, Seamus. The topic was rapture theology and the human longing for immortality. Maureen Fiedler, the host, was interviewing Stephen Cave, the author of Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How it Drives Civilization, and asked him this question:
…many philosophers have argued that the core of religion is just a way to comfort us from the fear of death. Do you agree with that?
I think I scared Seamus by shouting out “yes!” In primitive societies, religion is used to explain what is not known, and to allay fear of the unknown. Death is the ultimate unknown.
What if there’s nothing beyond the event horizon, as I believe? What if this is all we get? Shouldn’t I be afraid of my end?
No, because there’s nothing to fear beyond that horizon. Once I’m gone, there’s nothing that can hurt me. My awareness will cease to exist. It also provides an urgency to get the most out of what we have while we’re here. If you think there’s more coming, why not procrastinate forever?
Religion is losing its original value as we become less primitive, and more of everyday life can be explained. While there will always be mysteries, they become increasingly obscure, and less of interest to the average person. This explains the growth of atheism in America today. Eventually, I believe, we will evolve beyond this need, and no longer will we need this crutch.