There's a strange conflict in how we deal with spirituality nowadays in Finland. I cannot say anything about other scandinavian / baltic countries, but in case you have the knowledge, please comment. In Finland 4 out of 5 persons are the members of Evangelical Lutheran church. The rest are not only atheists, but also members of other religious and/or spiritual movements. However, for example last year, only 95 persons on average participated into a single church service. Only about 2-3% of parishioners do go to church.
I don't care to discuss about people's different ways of participating or practicing their religion. If the core of religion - the parish and church service - do not gather more people, something's wrong. But not necessarily in the church itself, but in a way we generally react to spirituality nowadays. Here comes the conflict. Most of the people belong to religious order, but somehow, it is not considered tactful to start a conversation about spirituality in general with just anyone. In my opinion church is one of the biggest factors in this process. By not letting people freely practice and study their own inner spirituality, you will eventually manage to suppress it. You can't kill it, no, but shame is a great tool in affecting people's behavior.
This affects not only in spirituality, but also in science. For example I was taught in a school people invented agriculture and moved to big cities and after that came the religions. When today this is not necessarily the ground theory anymore. Places like Göbekli Tepe and similar archaeological discoveries has forced us to think that the basic spirituality in human has been the factor to drive us together. The agriculture being mere an innovation to feed the people gathering together.
Spirituality is still big force or driver for many people and it has many ways in manifesting. It is the source of innovation, motivation, creation and strength. I can't stop thinking about the power it'd release if we'd get rid of our shame of being spiritual.
1 comment:
...kind of relates...
New study:
"Seventy-five percent of Church of Sweden members do not believe in Jesus, and 15 percent claim to be atheists, according to a recent survey."
Read more: http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/06/26/most-swedish-church-members-do-not-believe-in-jesus/#ixzz1QQ1IynWN
On the other hand:
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”
- Albert Einstein
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