Religion, according to Yuval Noah Harari, is one of the fictions we create to bind our tribe together. It is a cohesive force similar to Kings (presidents), Nations and money. They are all fictions we have created that we give great importance to – sufficient to even die for. We have to believe in them or the structure of our society falls apart.
I believe that is what we are seeing right now. The structure of our societies is falling apart. People no longer believe in fictions like they used to. They are not prepared to put their bodies on the line for the old fictions of God, King and Country.
Many do not believe in god.
Many do not believe in nations.
Many do not believe in politicians.
Many do not have faith that their money is going to be stable. It could collapse again.
A world-wide communication has opened our eyes to corners of the world we do not normally see, to ways of life, religions, worship and human nature.
We see different people being devoutly religious but believing in totally different gods, heavens, rituals, customs and dress. We know they can’t all be right. It calls into question what we believe in.
We see that nations were artificially drawn up and their boundaries change. War, politics and arbitrary decisions have created nations. What are we prepared to die for?
We see lying politicians, tyrannical leaders, lies and lust for power and we doubt the wisdom of their leadership or veracity of what they say. We are no longer prepared to believe them or follow them into battle.
We see currencies and banks collapsing. We know that money can cease to have value, house prices tumble, markets dive. It undermines our trust in the stability.
Our belief in these fictions that we have based our modern way of life is crumbling.
We have to base our lives on a new and better fiction – I would suggest that a universal brotherhood/sisterhood and a peaceful, sustainable future valuing nature and helping it thrive might be a worthwhile fiction that could be worth dying for.