What's More "Hopeless," Atheism or Denominations


Countless times a theme is repeated in comments here and articles by Christian pundits. It goes something like this, "Atheism has no purpose. It has no values. It has no future." These have a grain of truth, atheism is not telling people about the future or guaranteeing anything. If it has a message it is enjoy your life.

Within denominations there is a claim they will find their way forward. But it will be necessary to change in certain ways. These changes seem impossible. That is why the message in Christian denominations seems bleaker than the "message" of atheism. 

Even though in my long life there have been several tension-filled times when the future was unclear, the Vietnam War being one, today's world is perhaps more exciting and interesting than any other. It is made even more interesting because I am retired and the internet allows one to poke inside institutions to see what is going on. For example, inside the Catholic church there are priests pointing out the dead-end circumstances it faces. I'm seen the same in Protestant denominations. It's like these institutions are headed toward a brick wall but those running the train are all looking down at their shoes. Today I read a nice example of this from inside the Catholic Church.

For a century or more, male Catholic clergy have raised their power within the denomination and reduced the power of lay people. This was a rational strategy for male clergy, the opportunity was there and they benefited from exploiting it. Now this same strategy is working against the interests of male clergy. The momentum of the past, however, keeps to old thinking locked in place with no way to change course.

There has been a reversal of fortunes, male clergy now need laity, laity no longer needs the clergy. This epic change is playing out slowly. One would think there is time to adjust but there seems no ability to do so.

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