The Ego-Centric Society is a term used to describe a society that is centered on itself, and its relationship with itself being the center of existence.
These sentiments reflect the shift from a socio-centric to an ego-centric culture, in which religion has become less important (church, temple, etc.) is considered as a handy pseudo-spiritual watering hole for the individual, rather than a group meeting site.
Individualism today requires that traditional religion be customized to the needs of the consumer era, and as a result, people only want to be bothered with religion when it is convenient for them.
When the church, for example, can provide a beautiful backdrop for a pricey family wedding, christening, or burial, the vicar is expected to welcome everyone with open arms, even if regular attendance is not included in the package.
Whether we like it or not, the majority of people live by the philosophy of "what's in it for me?"
However, if we have spiritual requirements that aren't being addressed, it's not irrational to look for an option that is more intellectually interesting. It does not mean that we need to discover an alternate religion at this point; rather, we need to discover a new perspective.
Even if our grandparents weren't devout believers, stepping beyond our own religious group would have generated social criticism in their day. It was nearly unheard of for people of various cultures to mix socially in our parents' day, and how many youngsters sleep over at the houses of school-friends of a different race or religion nowadays, in our multicultural society?
If we are compelled to live in an egocentric culture, we should at the very least use it to our spiritual benefit by fostering communication with others who have diverse lifestyles and religions.
Regardless of our specific histories, when we remove the cultural trappings and ways of communicating, we will uncover a rich vein of experience just waiting to be tapped.
Make a list of your own personal feelings towards organized religion.
- Do you believe that religion should be used to meet people's needs?
- Should people be encouraged to worship in the ways, places, and times that they see fit?
- Should cross-cultural religion instruction in schools be mandated?
The essential choice is whether you want to pursue your spiritual search as part of a larger group or whether you want to do it alone and learn from other people's experiences.
You may also want to read more about Spirituality and Healing here.
Be sure to check out my writings on Religion here.
