Is the Church Obsolete? — Obsolete Worldviews and the Problem of Evil

We’ve outgrown worldviews that once defined our understanding of the world. From theism to the flat earth theory, worldviews become obsolete as we discover new facts and truths. Holding onto a backward, obsolete worldview has negative consequences. See how we can learn to move forward to create a better world.

If you hold onto an obsolete worldview, you are holding back the world. Theism was a dominant worldview for centuries. This complex ideology focuses on believing in an imaginary friend commonly known as God. However, as science and logic progressed, the limitations of theism became apparent.

The Creation of Evil

The Abrahamic tree of faith has three branches: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. (1) These branches rely on the concept of good and evil as justification for their faiths. But beliefs based on regressive, backward, obsolete worldviews disconnect us from the modern world. So, it poses the question, is the Church obsolete? If it is, what about the other branches of the Abrahamic tree, Judaism, and Islam?

Many religions have worldviews that attempt to explain why evil exists. However, their reasoning doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. For example, some explain evil as the result of our sinful nature. Others attribute evil in the world to demonic entities. These antiquated explanations don’t hold up as we learn about the universe. We that people make choices to do evil deeds. Climate change, poverty, inequality, and violence result from our choices.

The problem with outdated worldviews is that they are roadblocks. They can prevent us from engaging with the world meaningfully. We need a good understanding of the underlying causes of social problems. A clear and unbiased understanding is the foundation for effective solutions. Additionally, outdated views may prevent us from empathizing with those suffering. This can lead to a lack of compassion and a sense of disconnectedness from our fellow human beings.

Western theology attempts to balance two conflicting concepts in one religion. Dualism and evil are incompatible, so it takes some work to explain how they can coexist in the same framework.

Dualism is two opposites that balance each other, like day and night, yin and yang. But this is not the situation with the Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The creation of evil is a difficult concept for theism to explain. It contradicts the idea of an all-loving, all-powerful God and is incompatible with the reality of suffering. Deism attempted to reconcile this by saying God created the world but has since abandoned it, leaving humans to fend for themselves.

We must examine our beliefs as we embrace new technologies and global perspectives. We must ask ourselves whether these antiquated ideas still serve us in this new era. Perhaps it’s time to let go of theism, organized religion, and the Church. We must reject the flat earth theory and embrace a broader, more inclusive worldview. It’s time to shed the limitations of the past and embrace the present and future possibilities.

Oh No! Is the Church Obsolete?

The Abrahamic tree uses mitigated dualism, in which one of the two forces is greater than the other, yet they still need each other to exist. This is the situation with good and evil. Thus, we run into “the problem of evil philosophy” in Western theology.

One of the ways the dilemma of evil is handled is with “theodicy,” from the Greek theos, “god”; dikē, “justice,” which means to justify God. This explains why God chooses to allow evil. This is incompatible with the assertion that God is love, omniscient and omnipotent.

The other way to handle this issue is to say we are too stupid to understand why God does what he does. Why would anyone with a half-a-brain create a system with these inconsistencies?

Backward Obsolete Worldviews and Theories

Western theology presents itself as an example of moral purity. It portrays itself as a positive social institution intended to guide believers. The Church, in particular, has faced numerous scandals that have eroded its authority. Many people view organized religion as restrictive, dogmatic, and contradictory. Extremists have taken control of the religious and political arms of the belief system. They use their power to discriminate and promote violence.

So why did the Abrahamic tree invent a system that is so contradictory? The simple answer is that it didn’t. It adopted all of its doctrines from the mystery religions it absorbed. The Abrahamic faiths are not new. They are copies, the result of a rebranding effort.

The roots of the Abrahamic tree lead straight to the ancient mystery religions—the religions of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and Persia. These ancient mythologies are where you find the framework of mitigated dualism. But this problem also provided Western theology with an opportunity. It makes truth subjective based on what it tells you to believe.

Regressive Backward Obsolete Worldviews List

Let’s take a look at some examples of outdated beliefs, paradigms, and worldviews:

1. Theism and Deism—The belief in Gods tops the list of backward ideologies. They use mitigated dualism and the Creation of Evil to justify the belief in an imaginary friend. This inconsistent ideological point of view tops our list.

2. Creationism—Some people still believe in the biblical story of creation. They likewise reject the scientific theory of evolution.

3. Racism—This is the belief that one race is superior to another, which has been proven to be completely false. Yet, some still hold onto this destructive and divisive worldview.

4. Climate Change Denial—Despite the scientific evidence, some people still deny it. They want the problem to go away. Since they don’t understand the science behind it, they reject it. They can’t believe that climate change is occurring or that humans are contributing to it.

5. The Flat-Earth worldview—This may shock some of you, but no, the Earth is not flat. People once held this belief in ancient times, but with modern science and technology, we know that the “Earth is a spherical shape.” Although less prominent than theism or organized religion, the flat earth theory is still an obstacle to society. It, too, is an example of a worldview that has become obsolete. Despite the evidence, some people believe the Earth is flat. This belief highlights the limitations of relying on backward, obsolete worldviews and theories.

6. Young Earth Theory—While we are the subject of the Earth, we don’t want to forge those who believe that it is only a few thousand years old. Scientific evidence has widely disproven this, yet some individuals and religious groups still hold onto it.

7. Women are the inferior gender and belong in the kitchen—The belief that women are subordinate to the male gender is a backward worldview. Believing women should be relegated to the kitchen or domestic duties is a thing of the past. This kind of thinking is outdated and detrimental to society as a whole.

8. Interracial relationships are wrong—The belief that people of different races shouldn’t be together is a form of bigotry. It is the cornerstone of racism. People of all races should be free to love and be loved by whomever they choose, regardless of skin color.

9. Homophobia—The belief that being homosexual or bisexual is immoral has been debunked numerous times. However, there are still individuals and groups who hold onto the idea that it is abnormal or sinful. These beliefs are borne out of the opinion that non-heterosexual orientations are deviant. It has been debunked and disproven countless times, yet it persists in many parts of the world. Sexual orientation is a natural part of who we are and should be respected and accepted by all.

10. Anti-Vaxxers—These People deny the evidence of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Some still refuse to vaccinate children, which places them at risk. When they are in large numbers in the community, we see the reoccurrence of previously eradicated viruses. They are a health risk to everyone. They prefer to believe conspiracy theories spun by talk shows and greedy celebrities rather than science.

The backward, obsolete worldviews and theories above are a few current examples. There are countless others. As we move into a more interconnected and progressive world, we must acknowledge the past and let go of views that no longer serve us.

The Harmful Effects of Worldviews and the Problem of Evil

The harm in continuing to cling to outdated worldviews is that they can cause us to miss out on progress and new opportunities. They are also notorious for promoting racism and other discriminatory ideologies. People cling to backward and outdated beliefs for several reasons. These beliefs are part of family or cultural traditions. They fear their loss because these beliefs are a part of their identity.

Because outdated worldviews always conflict with progress, it takes a lot of effort to deny the facts of the modern world. This stress also causes a mental condition known as cognitive dissonance, which psychologists use to describe this pain. Cognitive dissonance occurs when you try to reconcile differing ideas and data. Believing that an imaginary friend is real requires unbelief in the facts contradicting it. Pretending fairy tales takes a lot of work.

Let’s take a closer look at the concept of evil.

The Arguments for the Creation of Evil

When someone in a place of authority tells you they have the knowledge, ability, and power to do something, it is reasonable to believe them. But, when they can’t or don’t make it right and can’t fix the problems with it, you doubt they are telling you the truth. That’s what happens when you have a God who is supposed to be all-powerful and loving but fails to deliver on either promise.

How do you reconcile the coexistence of two gods? You have a god with the attributes of omniscience and omnipresence, which should make them all-powerful. Yet we also have an evil adversary with equally, or nearly equal, god-like qualities. Why doesn’t the Good God defeat or convert the lesser God?

Learning to live with worldviews and the problem of evil is challenging. It brings all these kinds of issues to the surface. This dilemma is a huge problem for the average follower. Why would God, who can see the future, create such an opponent? Why would a God who is all-powerful fail to deal with the Devil?

And, if God can’t fix this obvious problem, what about all the other things he’s supposed to do? What about that afterlife he promised? The problem of evil philosophy exposes these issues.

Why would an all-knowing Supreme Being create an adversary in the first place? They should have known what was going to happen. If the Supreme Being created the lesser God, knowing it would rebel, why could they not forgive and re-covert the lesser God? These are questions children ask, and they convince Sunday School teachers that their religion doesn’t make sense.

Attributes of a Supreme Being

Time to review the seven essential attributes of a Supreme Being in Western theology:

1) Eternal Existence—There is no beginning and no end; existence is outside the confines of the dimensions of time, height, and width.

2) Self-Existence—self-sufficient, self-reliant, inexhaustible, boundless, and independent of any other cause.

3) Omnipotence—Almighty, possessing unlimited power and authority, having no equal.

4) Omnipresence—Being present everywhere simultaneously and continuously.

5) Omniscience—The quality or state of complete universal knowledge of all things and events.

6) Immutability—The state or quality of being unchangeable, unalterable, or invariable.

7) Perfect—The state of being complete without defect or fault. It is a condition of excellence and faultlessness that can create no disharmony or imperfection.

You see why backward, obsolete worldviews and the problem of evil philosophy don’t make sense. The concept of evil in Western Thought violates the main attributes of a Supreme Being, which is the cornerstone of the ideology. You can’t have a good God who makes the mistake of creating a Bad God.

“Is God willing to prevent evil but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” ― Epicurus (2)

Learning to live with these puzzling questions is challenging. It brings all these kinds of issues to the surface. This dilemma is a huge problem for the average follower. Why would God, who can see the future, create such an opponent? Why would a God who is all-powerful fail to deal with the Devil?

And, if God can’t fix this obvious problem, what about all the other things he’s supposed to do? What about that afterlife he promised? This exposes some of the main issues with backward, obsolete worldviews and the problem of evil.

You Aren’t Smart Enough to Understand the Mind of God

The most used argument in Western theology is that ordinary people don’t have the mental capacity to fathom God’s reasoning. Only the clergy, selected by God, understand it, even though they cannot articulate it. They can’t explain it because the reasons are illogical and don’t make sense. Or, simply put, we can’t explain it, so you are too stupid to understand. So I won’t try to explain.

Circular Logic and the Creation of Evil

The above excuse is a good example of circular logic. One way to circumvent the paradox of evil philosophy is to use circular logic. Of course, circular reasoning is not logical at all. The general form of circular logic is “A is true because A is true” or “A is true because B is true, and B is true because A is true.” Religion uses this tactic to prevent an assertion from being challenged or questioned.

Another example is “I’m right because I know I’m right.” Another example: I know I’m right because the Bible says it’s right. The Bible is right because it came from God. And my proof of God in the Bible. This tactic provides for the intentional misrepresentation of mythology as fact.

If you see through their circular reasoning, they fall back on the argument that “it’s beyond your ability to understand.” Circular logic provides an answer which does not stand up to common sense. So, is the Church obsolete? Is it a stumbling block to progress?

Evil as an Agent for the Supreme Being

Another popular argument is Evil Beings exist to execute the Supreme Being’s judgment. God’s judgment is a “tough love” process. But the Supreme Being doesn’t want to do all the dirty work. So, it delegates the authority to the evil entity, thus keeping his hands morally free of Evil deeds. In this way, they can portray the Supreme Being as a loving God because they get someone else to do the evil deeds. They delegate the bad stuff.

When God gives the power to execute his judgment, it also means delegating authority to the Evil Being. The concept of delegation undermines the assertion that “God is love.” Hiring an agent to perpetrate evil acts on your behalf is a conspiracy to commit a crime. So, the belief system sets up an endless list of potential violations that assure us we are guilty of something, even if we do not know we violated the law.

Misuse of Free Will

Here, evil comes from a misuse of free will. That means God gives us free will but makes us imperfect, so we are apt to make mistakes in judgment. So then, he punishes you if you don’t make the right decision. Why doesn’t the omniscient Being prevent this from happening since he knows the future? God sets up a game we cannot win and punishes us when we fail because we cannot know God’s mind.

Justifying Backward Obsolete Worldviews and Theories

How did this dualistic approach make it into Western theology? To answer this, we provide quotes from the authority on Christianity, The Catholic Church, via their Encyclopedia. We refer to the 1907 version of the Catholic Encyclopedia, so copies are scarce (3). However, the information in this version is quite revealing. Clearly stated, they admit appropriating everything in their system—the beliefs and practices from earlier ‘Pagan‘ traditions in their entirety.

Identification of Pagan Ideology

The first primary construct of the evil adversary works hand-in-hand with blood sacrifice.

Devils and Sacrifice

“Sacrifice among the Iranians or Persians—the kindred religion of the ancient Iranians centered, especially after its reform by Zoroaster, in the service of the true God Ormuzd or Ahura Mazda.

This religion promoted a life of purity, the conscientious fulfillment of all liturgical and moral precepts, and the positive renunciation of the Devias, Devils, and all demonical powers. It was essentially a religion of sacrifice in as much as, in the old Avesta, the sacred Scriptures of the Persians, the war between the good god Ormuzd and the Devil ended eschatologically with the complete victory of the good Deity. Sacrifice and prayer played an important role in paralyzing the diabolical machinations of Ahriman (the great adversary) and his demons.

The central feature of worship was of fire worship not dissimilar to the modern Mopeds in India, where priests carry portable altars.” ― The Catholic Encyclopedia and International Work, Vol. 13 (1907). (3)

Communion through sacrifice

We see how they use rituals to counter the evil deeds of man.

“The sacrifice of flesh (myazda) and cakes made from prepared holy water and grain (darun) were offered to the good god (s) and then shared with the congregation in a type of pre-Christian unholy communion. To a still greater extent sacrifices a part of the religion of the Romans than even the Greeks before them. The Romans readily adopted Mithraism from the Persians, including the sacrificial aspects.

As always, the object of sacrifice was to win the favor of the gods and ward off their sinister or diabolical schemes of calamity. The fact that human sacrifice and human blood were a part of the sacrificial systems of the secret sects was easily derived from the historical records recently made available. These loathsome ceremonies primarily used age-old methods of torture to extract the victim’s blood for use by the elect cult members in their blood-drinking rituals. For the public, the so-called taurobolium was frequently used. This Mithraic soul-cleansing ceremony prescribed that the cult members run through a trench under a just-killed bull. As its blood was extracted, the cult members ran beneath to be sanctified by its warm blood.” ― The Catholic Encyclopedia and International Work, Vol. 13 (1907) (3)

Admission to Usurping Everything Pagan

The above two points are only examples of the theology that becomes the bedrock of these paradigms.

“Symbolism in a greater or lesser degree is essential to every kind of external worship, and we need not shrink from the conclusion that in the matter of baptisms and washings, of genuflections and other acts of reverence, of lights and sweet-smelling incense, of flowers and white vestitures, of spiritual unction’s and the imposing of hands, of sacrifice and the rite of the Communion banquet, the Church has borrowed without hesitation from the common stock of significant actions known to all periods and to all nations. In such matters as these, Christianity claims no monopoly or originality.” ― The Catholic Encyclopedia and International Work, Vol. 13 (1907) (3)

The Problem of Evil Philosophy Creates An Opportunity

You would think all of these inconsistencies would make it hard to sell these religions, but you’d be wrong. The creation of evil and a Devil created a theological opportunity. The antidote for the Devil was to become a protected believer. You do this by supporting the religious construct. Backward, obsolete worldviews are a trap. When you buy into this construct, you are taught that any other beliefs are evil and of the Devil. You fear going outside of the designated paradigm. This way, you won’t encounter any ideas that threaten your core beliefs. It keeps you a paying customer for life.

More importantly, it mandates the believer to provide financial support. At the same time, it is allowing them to dictate values and personal rights. This control includes arranged marriages and the number of children you may have. And this control reaches into the culture itself. Thus, creating a self-policing practice helps maintain control at the least cost.

The problem also creates an excellent opportunity for financial gain. First, you create a problem. Then, you provide the only solution to that problem at a substantial cost. Now, you are the only place to get the antidote for the issue you created. You have a 100% market share.

This is another rabbit trail to the idea of original sin. If we are all born evil, we must get absolution via whatever means set by those who created the theology. By the way, this is another example of circular logic. The solution is payment for atonement, which includes indulgences and other money-making mechanisms.

These are income-generating mechanisms that play upon the fear of the unknown. It’s an exchange for money that entitles you to the Afterlife rewards. You see, God loves, and there is eternal life in heaven for those who believe. But, just if you decide not to become an acolyte, there is also a Hell to suffer torture for eternity. It is a classic example of the carrot and the stick. You get the carrot if you believe and pay your way. Otherwise, you get the eternal “stick.”

“Eternal suffering awaits anyone who questions God’s infinite love.” ― Bill Hicks

Demonizing and persecuting competing ideologies while assimilating their beliefs is their overriding strategy. Take terms like magic and “the craft,” for instance. These rituals are appropriated and rebranded simultaneously, demonizing the sources.

The primary tool for salvation is “mystical, mental appropriation.” Here’s how it works. You reach out mentally with intent. This makes a mystical connection with the divine. The religions of the Abrahamic tree need a specific formula to obtain salvation or other favors. This formula often uses some type of power word or phrase, such as invoking the name of Jesus. This process is the essence of magic and “craftwork.” they persecute people who use a similar approach to work magic outside the paradigm. It’s a way of protecting their customer base.

In Conclusion

When we understand backward, obsolete worldviews and the problem of evil, it gives us insight into the culture. It helps us to deal with those who hold firmly to their brand of theism. As we embrace a global perspective, we must examine our beliefs and ask ourselves whether they still serve us in this new era. Perhaps it’s time to let go of theism, organized religion and the Church, and the flat earth theory and embrace a broader, more inclusive worldview. It’s time to shed the limitations of the past and embrace the endless possibilities of the present and future.

It’s time to ask yourself some important questions. Do you hold any of the beliefs on the obsolete worldviews list? If you do, you know it’s difficult to maintain them, and you are likely to encounter many conflicts in our modern society.

Is the Church obsolete and outdated? If so, then so are the other branches of the Abrahamic tree, which come from the same seeds and use the same theological roots.

So here’s to the future and the hope that we can continue to evolve and grow as a society. Let’s embrace new ideas and technologies. Let’s grow and leave behind the backward, obsolete worldviews and theories.

References

(1) Abrahamic Religions, Wikipedia
(2) Epicurus, Wikipedia
(3) The Catholic Encyclopedia and International Work, Wikipedia, Vol. 13 (1907)