Is Humanity Beginning a Spiritual Awakening? Are You?

Ladies and gentlemen, the poll results are in. And the winner...?

Religion.

Gallup's yearly survey on religiosity just came back, and the numbers show a stark reversal of a downward trend that persisted since 2009.

Highlights:

From 2012-2013, the percentage of Americans considering themselves very religious increased from 40.1% to 41.4%. Until this sudden reversal, this number had been dropping yearly since 2009.

The percentage considering themselves somewhat religious increased from 28.9% to 29.2%.

The number of nonreligious folk dropped from 31.1% to 29.4%.

Full article and survey results can be found here

State over state the trend is clear. More people are actively engaging in religious/spiritual behavior, and self-identifying as such.

So what do you think this means? Are these simple statistical anomalies? Or as more and more people become disenfranchised with politics/government, are they turning to religion as a source of higher authority? Is this the beginning of the "Golden Frequency" shift some people have been preaching about, a return of mankind to its spiritual roots?

Personally I believe something is happening to mankind, and for the better. As Zbigniew Brzezinsky infamously admitted, there's a mass awakening of global political consciousness happening around the globe:



I believe this is going hand in hand with a mass awakening of spiritual consciousness as well. My "awakening" began in 2009 and continues through the present day, going from a time when spirituality had zero place in my life to a point where it became indispensable.

And what about you folks on ATS? Have you found yourselves becoming more religious/spiritual over the past few years? Would you consider yourselves more/less spiritual than five years ago? Have you had any kind of paradigm-shifting awakening that forced you to reconsider your core moral/spiritual values?

People find religion when things get bad or feel their back is to the wall.

I would be interested in which religions are gaining traction. One other thought I had while reading your post is a lot of the hippies of the 60's are getting on in years now. Seems when one gets a little locker to meeting their maker, they ummm reach out a bit more.

I will concur though , something is afoot, and while it seems we only hear so much of the negative, I actually feel very positive about whatever it may be.

ObjectZero
People find religion when things get bad or feel their back is to the wall.

I think this is the answer to the OP's question. When all else fails, get religion and pray that some outside force can save you. It's funny how people are the most religious when they are desperate, but when everything is going good they don't care; which shows that they aren't very religious at all.

If you give Thanks by Sharing Love from your Heart, how much more Awake can you be?
Ancestors by the Millions sang it in UniSon from the Inner Sea.
There ain't Nothing much more to see in this mystery if you be catchin me.

I'll never be spiritually awake nor will I ever seek help from an entity whom is only known from books. I think the back against the wall statement just about sums up religion, no-one wants to feel alone, I get it.

Awakening...yes. Becoming more spiritual...sort of. Becoming more religious...No.

Krazysh0t

ObjectZero
People find religion when things get bad or feel their back is to the wall.

I think this is the answer to the OP's question. When all else fails, get religion and pray that some outside force can save you. It's funny how people are the most religious when they are desperate, but when everything is going good they don't care; which shows that they aren't very religious at all.

edit on 4-2-2014 by Krazysh0t because: (no reason given)

Wow Krazy you sound like God. That's just how He feels about this issue. However He doesn't mind being the wall if that will get you to come around.

reply to post by ObjectZero


Gonna have to disagree with that.

When my life turned good again last year I sort of became more spiritual with it. (If that makes sense).

Not in respect of thanking a God for turning my life around, more in the shape of "Wow, I love everyday".

This has continued now for some 6 months, and everyday is getting better. I seem to be noticing things more rather than walking, head down looking at the ground, and being thankful for them.

Maybe coincidence, cant really describe it.

To quote a song its "More than a feeling"

As Einstein put it:

"science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind"

For myself, a long time strictly science follower, I never held a belief in any god. Over the last few years years I would've labelled myself agnostic as I don't belief there is sufficient 'proof' to prove or deny the existence of any higher power. After pondering the many unknowns in science (there are plenty) I now feel that our current paths in various fields of science won't reveal the entire picture. I guess I am becoming more spiritual (for lack or a better word) but don't confuse that with religious. For the record, I certainly don't have 'my back up against the wall' as others suggest. My logical frame of thinking over the years keeps bringing me to dead ends. I am now finding that I must 'unlearn' some things I used to believe were true and start over.

reply to post by Logarock


I do? Well, call me crazy but one shouldn't only be religious when they are in dire straits they need to recognize while they are doing well as well as when they are doing bad. But what do I know? I'm an agnostic.

when people are persecuted and lost they turn to God
What are the other options

God sent His Son to die for us to show His love

The world is evil and there is no escape

you mean "humanity" as a whole?.....absolutely not. more people across the world are becoming more capitalistic and modern. look around at the hundreds of millions of people that over the last 5 to 6 decades that have risen out of poverty stricken societies, held back by ancient beliefs, and ignorance. there should be only 1 "religion" or "philosophy" on how to live your life, and it's commonly called the "golden rule"....it needs no teachers, mullahs, priests, clergy, or seer. it needs no church or place to worship.....and the 2 most important things...nobody can make money of it, or control people.

jimmyx
you mean "humanity" as a whole?.....absolutely not. more people across the world are becoming more capitalistic and modern. look around at the hundreds of millions of people that over the last 5 to 6 decades that have risen out of poverty stricken societies, held back by ancient beliefs, and ignorance. there should be only 1 "religion" or "philosophy" on how to live your life, and it's commonly called the "golden rule"....it needs no teachers, mullahs, priests, clergy, or seer. it needs no church or place to worship.....and the 2 most important things...nobody can make money off of it, or control people with it.

borntowatch
when people are persecuted and lost they turn to God
What are the other options

God sent His Son to die for us to show His love

The world is evil and there is no escape

Christianity isn't the only religion in the world. So this question:

What are the other options

Has many answers. Most don't involve the Judeo-Christian God.

reply to post by ObjectZero


no thats true. people always have their belief system. even the atheist "believes there is no God". As long as you believe or disbelieve and that has some impact on your life, you're inside a box. the theist and atheist are in the same boat. today, unlike ever before, people long for something more in their lives. People are becoming very bored, thats why you see so many people becoming obsessed with tattoos and piercing. as time goes on people will become increasingly weirder due to their boredom. To run to religion may be the first initial action towards spirituality. To the degraded man religion is spirituality, so of course he will look there. unfortunately if a person's mind is too developed devotional methods will not work. That takes a child like person. For the rest of you, who still care about what their minds tell them there is kriya. A small number of people practicing kriya has an effect on a large amount of people(in ratios). If a certain threshold of people become meditative there is the potential of the whole planet becoming liberated. Will this happen? Yes, will I see it with my eyes? no, i will not see this golden age. But i will help lay the foundation for such a thing to become possible

borntowatch
when people are persecuted and lost they turn to God
What are the other options

God sent His Son to die for us to show His love

The world is evil and there is no escape

god sent his son to die for us?...and who said this?...is it the same people that said the world is flat?...thunder was the voice of god?...floods, pestilence, disease, were caused by the devil, or evil men?

Got the spiritual/paranormal bug a few years ago. Reality became shifted in a very big way for me. It is nice.

By global awakening, I think you mean people can view more things on youtube, and have info delivered to their inboxes in real time. Subsequently, this is also how people delve into spiritual matters.

biggmoneyme
reply to post by ObjectZero

 

That takes a child like person. For the rest of you, who still care about what their minds tell them there is kriya. A small number of people practicing kriya has an effect on a large amount of people(in ratios). If a certain threshold of people become meditative there is the potential of the whole planet becoming liberated.

Nice advice . There are other tools that people can try if they are not into moving their body but mind/spirit (Some people are not physically oriented). For instance: Reiki, Singing, Listening to spiritual music, Meditation, Binaural Beats.