The Inevitable 4th Religion
The three steps in Hegel's dialectic are thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.
On the other hand, the quadripartite structure of certain Chinese poetry is introduction, development, turn and conclusion.
Any event in the human world can be observed and analyzed by applying these two sequences of matter.
But, for example, a recent part of the sequence of US presidents is Clinton, W. Bush, and Obama. Can it be analyzed by applying the conceptual movement of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis? Yes, it can be if it is viewed as a sequence of intellectual and social elitism.
Or, other recent part of the sequence of US presidents is Reagan, W.H. Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush. Can it be analyzed by applying the basic pattern of introduction, development, turn and conclusion? Yes, it can be if it is viewed as a sequence of political and popular elitism.
In a long sequence of events and phenomena, some part can be identified as one following the structure of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, while other part can be regraded as being subject to the rule of introduction, development, turn and conclusion.
However, other instance of religion, that is, Judaism, Christianity, and Muslim, might not fit Hegel's dialectic. It looks like thesis, antithesis, turn, and synthesis, though the fourth religion is yet to be manifested to mankind.
And, the US can be one possible place where the fourth religion is formed.
January 11, 2012
Opinion: The changing face of Judaism in the U.S., Israel
BY SHMUEL ROSNER
...
SR: Is there a growing gap between Jewish Americans and Jewish Israelis? If so, why?
HG: The basic historical fact is that Judaism in America and in Israel have evolved along differing trajectories. Given the constitutional separation of church and state in the United States, Jews were free to formulate different religious paths and to organize synagogues, schools and other forms of communal life accordingly. This led to the growth of liberal forms of Judaism, but even Orthodoxy in America benefited from this freedom. Diversity among the various streams grew with time, and no group can force its beliefs and practices on another.
In Mandate Palestine, and then the State of Israel, Jews who were committed to exact religious practice sought to protect their way of life and turned to politics to ensure that formal institutions were in place enabling them to follow their religious conscious. This resulted in the established place of Orthodoxy, and the separate streams of education seeking to ensure the continuity of various Orthodox ideologies and groups.
Thus, while the majority of Jews in America affiliated with Reform or Conservative congregations, these were stifled in the Israeli setting and only slowly attained some recognition. The recent strengthening of strong nationalist rhetoric in Israel, anchored in the conflict with Palestinians, is another factor now driving many Jews in America along religious and cultural roads that separate them from Israel. Liberal ideologies and laws enabled Jews to make their way in America, and many find it difficult to understand why Israel seems to ignore or even run against these principles. There thus have emerged articulate Jewish voices in America that distance themselves from contemporary Israeli life. Simultaneously, other American Jews feel deep connection to Israel no matter what policies its leaders advocate, and some remain attached even as they try to contribute to projects of social change.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/the_changing_face_of_judaism_in_the_us_israel_20120111/
And the fourth religion must have some linkage to American Christianity, as a matter of course, as well as to American Judaism.
I think when Americans, either Christianity-associated or Judaism-associated, come not to call themselves Christians or Judaists, the era of the new religion must be closer.
*** *** *** ***
Joh 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Joh 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Joh 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
And the fourth religion must have some linkage to American Christianity, as a matter of course, as well as to American Judaism.
Christianity is the most popular religion in the United States, with around 77% of polled Americans identifying themselves as Christian in 2009. This is down from 86% in 1990, and slightly lower than 78.6% in 2001. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation. In the mid-1990s the United States had the largest Christian population on earth, with 224 million Christians.
Protestant denominations accounted for 51.3%, while Roman Catholicism, at 23.9%, was the largest individual denomination.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_United_States
I think when Americans, either Christianity-associated or Judaism-associated, come not to call themselves Christians or Judaists, the era of the new religion must be closer.
*** *** *** ***
Joh 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Joh 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Joh 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.