Perhaps we forget that we’re in the middle of human history rather than at its end. That being said, we can only wonder how the religious landscape would appear two millennia from today. What would these religions preach that we find familiar? What strange, new developments may there be? Is there anybody left from the plethora of today’s faith traditions?
Within the history of religion, non-eastern religions aside, we went from polytheism to monotheism, to a monotheism of three, to becoming gods ourselves, hitching up with other gods, and together taking ownership of another planet.
Our interpretation of objective truth, or reality, itself may very well be the driving force behind the establishment of all these agreed-upon institutions we hold collectively to exist. Objective truth does not reside within these institutions. Rather, it underlies them.
A whole system of abstractions collectively held by members of society to be true are true — as far as we’re concerned — like that tree outside my window. With a system of laws, its lifeblood belonging to the collective abstraction, I can get my food easily and safely.
It’s not out of the question for a Christian apologist or a secular historian to fail to admit any false claims made in the past. After writing so many bestsellers, making good money, and establishing a respectable reputation, it would be extremely difficult to backtrack.
This termination of an institution is not merely the crumbling of its infrastructure, or the leader’s fall from power. Rather, the ultimate cause of its termination belongs to a common acknowledgement that x is no longer x. Either x is something else, or x simply no longer exists.
Despite the impossibility of making everyone happy, you consistently deny reality and stress out over your decision. You can see their angry faces now — all in your head.