Replacing the Church; social function of the institution

I didn't imagine to start with such an academic subject but this is the thought that hit me... Discussing with someone his marital problems, theirs is a problem for many, their relationship has become too insular, too wrapped up around each other to the exclusion of all else.

There are loads of lonely people out there today, singles and couples alike. Modern living is insular, people do not have to interact with anyone outside of their private lives and work if they don't want to, or don't make an effort to. The village is pretty much gone the way we live today. Community is still a very necessary part of what it is to be human but in a lot of ways it's something you need to take an active effort in creating for yourself, creating a community for yourself that you can feel a part of.

Granted, some lucky people have a rewarding work life, that they are happy doing and feel like they are contributing to the world around them. The rest of us working stiffs have to do things outside of work so that we can feel connected, that we are valuable and meaningful, if only to those small group of people who we care about what they think.

I've thought about this a lot, about the loneliness I see in soooooo many New Yorkers and also in regards to raising kids. It does take a village to raise a child. This whole business of "it's the parents' responsibility" and the schools and community institutions have no right breaching the sanctity of privacy is a load of crap. I do think kids today wouldn't be so warped if they had a village, a community to feel connected, valuable and meaningful.

Without getting too much into child rearing, this now gets into the social function of the institution of the church (or temple, or mosque, or house of xyz). Leaving aside the religion itself, the institution provides numerous social functions. Social revolutions of the 60s wouldn't have happened the way they did if it wasn't for black churches that provided the social cohesion, awareness, organization... long before the students got involved. Nearly the entire country was colonized on the basis of building utopian communities founded through their religious organizations! (Ok, I'm exaggerating on the entire country part but it is a main byline in the stoy of America).

At any rate, though it cannot be denied that the role of the church has diminished over the last 50 years, if you look at the institution itself, there is something absolutely beautiful about a place to come together with your community, to feel a family, among your "brethren". I've been to a couple churches before. The rituals themselves encourage togetherness. Sure, as all rituals, that everyone knows the same steps and symbolism, yes. The singing I'm sure has some cathartic affect. But it seems they always have you hold hands or embrace your neighbor or some sort of group thing. Reminds me of some of the exercises they do at leadership camps and support groups and things.

The problem with the church today is the secularism that is in essence the same as was the problem with sectarianism. The same forces that drove the religious groups to colonize what's now the US was, if you'll remember, the printing press and increased literacy enabling individual interpretation of scripture, whereas this power was previously entirely within the hands of the Roman Catholic Church. This was, at the same time, the same origin of the beginnings of sectarian scientific thought (eg. Aristotle was excommunicated from the church) and went right along with secularization of political institutions.

So now if the printing press shook things up... we are long past that. Information seems to necessarily cause fragmentation. The more information that's out there, the more varied, the more that it becomes up to individual interpretation. The more so people have to make up their own minds about what they're going to believe, confronted with so many options, or the un-option of opting to do nothing and being one of the herd.

I am going off on a tangent that I'm not so sure how I got here but on a side note, I think it's why it's so hard for people to find "the one". With so much variety in the world it becomes a game of numbers. The more unique you are the less likely there's someone else who you'll be in complete sync with, no?

Anyway... where did I wander from? Er... science, secularism, literacy, education, independent thought... it's all caught up on the church. National polls show that the US is actually one of THE MOST religious countries in the world. Based on how many people say they believe in god. But the churches are going broke. Shit, with
Americans with some of the longest work hours in the world, who the hell has time to go to church every Sunday?! But forgive me if I'm wrong, most people that I've spoken to who don't "practice" their faith say it's because it's not related to the institution of the church and many take issue with the "herd mentality" of being preached to, being told what to think, how to behave. Religion has become a very private matter, the social institution of the church isn't entirely appropriate any more. (The church has been outmoded. That's kind of funny, lol).

Soooooo, after having explained all this.... My warped brainchild I was think about this morning is creating a social institution that provides the same community function, replacing the church. The church has been outmoded but there are gaping holes left where it used to facilitate community building functions. Considering we can all read scriptures for ourselves, the basis of, and problem for the church is consensus on one accepted version for "the way things are", which then provides the basis for community and shared values. Given that, wouldn't it be possible to slightly shift the premise for "the way things are" to a more universal theme? Especially considering all religions share the same basic principles. Can't it be a nonsectarian agreement on civility, decency...? I mean, that was the first function of the religion right? Practices of a certain tribe that distinguished them, This is how Our people behave.

The church provided identity, inclusion in a social community, and helped people figure out their "place in the world" and that by holding to practices xyz, god will be happy, and by virtue of that, security is assured (afterlife included). The big questions of Why things are the way they are. What is the meaning of life. Science and philosophy have worn upon theology but it hasn't changed people's need to have answers for those questions. People still need a supportive community who can help make sense of this oh, so, ever more complex world. Ethics, right and wrong, feeling part of something that could make an impact and not just one person...

Wait, next I'm going to start getting into what would be a very long discussion about fear, ignorance, and faith. Ugh, stop me now. Brain fart. Anyway, that was what I was thinking about this AM. Creation of a social institution that fills community functions the church used to but minus the focus on religion.