relgion becoming secular

The argument of secularisation lies greatly in the defining of the measurement of significance. To say that religion is dead because it plays no great part in politics or economics of our society would be wrong because religion is still in practise, not in other fields perhaps but stream-lined down to concentrate on religion itself. However, to say that religion is dead because no one attends church services anymore would also be wrong because people may privately worship at home.

There has definitely been a decrease in the number of people attending church (less than 25% of the adult population attends church at least once a week) over the past fifty years. The debate lies in whether religion has become privatised- more people worship at home, therefore there is no need to attend church, or less people go to church today because they don't want to or are not religious. Bryan Wilson is scientific in his arguments of secularisation, he looks at observable data such as church attendance figures and church marriages. He believes that secularisation is occurring.

However, other sociologists disagree. David Martin argues that statistics are unreliable. He believes that going to church was "the done thing" in the past but now most people haven't got the time, so religion has become privatised. Martin's theory is backed up by substantial evidence: in 1983 4.3% of the population went to communion; in 1986 76% believed in a "God" or an "after-life," and 96% wanted Religious Studies a compulsory subject in schools.

Many sociologists, including Comte, Durkheim and Weber, assumed that when societies achieved "scientific and technological complexity" people would not need to rely on religion to explain the world/life, instead they would use rationalism.

Weber said that as societies industrialised, rational and scientific ideas would destroy traditional ones. He said that this would lead to the world becoming "less enchanted and sacred". Weber also said that "rationalism has replaced mysticism". I think he uses this term to point out that in our ever-advancing society our own discoveries about our existence and the environment are destroying the 'wonders of the world' and replacing them with scientific, rational explanations.

In 1983 64% of white British people considered themselves Church of England, whilst only 4.3% went to communion. This suggests that most people "Believe without Belonging" (as suggested by Gracie Davies). This theory applies again in the 90's and 00's, with a probable decrease in figures as society today is very demanding and very few people find the time to attend church.

If people today were as religious as they were fifty or sixty years ago there wouldn't be as much violence, hatred and lack of respect in our society. For example, the number of young teenage women becoming pregnant in the last ten years has increased to a shocking level, compared to the very few percentage of teenage pregnancies in the 1940's or 50's (if any teenage pregnancies occurred at all!). Perhaps this is an unfair example, maybe teenage pregnancies are just more accepted in today's society; but why is it accepted as easily today- is it because of the lack of religious principles enforced onto the next generation? If you compared a family living in 2002 to a family living in 1950 there would probably be a difference in the way the children were brought up; religion played a greater part in the families of 1950 than the families of 2002. This is why today's society has more delinquent youths.

So, is religion dead in the U.K?

Although church attendance has decreased and perhaps even the level of belief people in God and of an afterlife I think that religion still plays a part in our society. Religion is not as influential as it once was, it is not as powerful- the church has no influence in the governing of Britain, it no longer participates in education nor does it own as much land, but religion still gives people guidance and sanctuary from the busy and chaotic life they lead. So in one aspect religion isn't dead, but it has no future. As technology and science advances soon people will cease to 'privately' practise religion, by this time church going may have stopped altogether. America is one step ahead as usual; churches have adapted themselves. With many 'religious' preachers touring the country (such as Joyce Meyer, who is probably more of an entertainer than a preacher), and with the adaptation of the churches it is understanding to assume that religion itself has become secularised. There is a very low percentage of American people who don't go to church. Most of the churches have changed to bring more people in to 'worship'. Worship in America is very different to that of the U.K. In the U.S they tend to worship everything American: 'The American Dream' as they say. Church services are very charismatic, singing, dancing and clapping hands. Whole families go to church on Sundays in America, whereas in Britain hardly any families attend.

In Britain religion is declining, secularisation is happening. In America secularisation is happening in the churches itself, is this as bad as it seems? After all the more people who are religious, the more people there will be who are diverted from the aspect of the fact of life: there cannot be an after-life, for we are just animals, living beings. Why should there be an after-life for us, just because we are more advanced than a dog, for instance. We are the same, except we hide death because we are cowards, we rely on a 'greater force' or being to explain things and to hide things- death, suffering. Humans are just evolved forms of apes, why would there be a heaven for the cleverer being? I don't think it is possible for every single living thing to have an after-life or a reincarnation, it wouldn't allow the process of life and death to carry on. Thus, my theory comes into play; we as the greater being, with higher intelligence and greater emotions, have to create an almighty power and a 'heaven' so that we prevent ourselves from multiple depression and to stop us being in constant fear of death, for if we knew what death entails then no one would leave their bed for fear of dieing. Religion therefore is not just a belief, it is a way of surviving in today's society for if we didn't have religion to block out the aspect of death then we wouldn't be able to survive; no one would work, for fear of death, causing a shortage of food and after awhile people would die anyway of starvation.

The only way for religion to survive in today's society is for it to adapt, give the people what they want. Therefore I conclude that religion (as in exact to the bible which supports traditional religious practises) is in decline, and adapted religion (which relies on nationalism to attract people/ 'customers') is the only way forward.