It’s something I think about quite often as any study into the history of religions always show how fluid they’ve been. They don’t quite adapt, but they do cycle: tradition, conflict, reaction, new tradition.

Sometimes that conflict is with society and sometimes it’s within itself. It’s usually a mix of both.

Right now, we are on the precise of the reaction and new tradition part of the cycle. The conflict that’s been happening is a heavy dose of society and internal—specifically, the mass education of those within who are not some form of clergy.

The reactions are forming at various seams within traditions, resulting in a splintering that can only be described as a window whose minor cracks have exploded outwards.

In other words, people are pissed and they’re taking matters into their own hands.

I don’t see this as an end to Religion any more than the Internet killing the music industry. Obviously the music industry transformed (no judgement on whether it’s been positive or negative), but artists are still creating.

What I would like to see is less of a partisan attachment to a particular thread of tradition and a move towards conversation that will push us all forward.

What I would hate is further silos.

The question is how do we ensure the conversation can happen?