Could Meditation be the New Church?

“There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are temples; my philosophy is kindness.” — Dalai Lama

Some interesting statistics are flying around about the decline of Christianity. Last year the Pew Research Center concluded that 63% of Americans identified as Christians, which was down 12 points over the previous decade. Additionally, the decline of Christianity is an ongoing trend in Europe.

What is happening?

A new generation is upon us that hasn’t necessarily been raised with mandatory religion. The news of sexual abuse scandals surrounding the church and the denial of same-sex marriage have both been contributory factors in the rumblings of those who want to live outside the restraints of the church and organized religion.

Many, if not most of the upcoming generation, have been raised without the dogma of sin and hell, leaving them free to choose a spirituality that resonates with them personally in lieu of being fearfully forced to choose the religion of their parents or grandparents. Katherine Ozment says, in Grace Without God, “Today, one-third of adults under the age of 30 are religiously unaffiliated.”