Science is always an approximation of the truth; in the practice of science we always seek to refine and improve our understanding of what should be absolute or ultimate truth.

Most religions I have experienced believe they already fully know and understand the truth, at least when it comes to certain fundamental principles. And yet, my pastor always seems to have something new to talk about, perhaps a new angle on an old problem, or a fresh perspective.

I think religion gives a sense of security to people as you have said, it is not subject to change. People feel insecure when things change as change implies the unexpected to some extent and requires some adaptation effort on their part.

So, most people like to stick to their daily ruts, where there is no unexpected and no effort required.

Who is going to do it?
Don't they have to wait for the second coming of Christ? (Or Buddha, or Mohamed)
Isn't he the only authority they will trust?

I don't think religions need to change but people who are interpreting their religions according to the understanding of the middle ages need to re-look and interpret their understanding according to the information available now. God's word does not change but man's understanding level has come a long way since the start of each religion.

Religions, by definition, are a body of beliefs about God that a group of people all believe together. We would hope that they come to these beliefs through some sort of spiritual truth that the leaders of the religion then interpret into what their adherents must do to be "proper" followers of that religion.

I am not Catholic, for example, and do not at all agree with the Church's stance on birth control. It seems almost archaic that this religion holds onto this belief in the face of world population growth, especially in third-world countries that cannot afford to feed the people they already have on the planet.

But this belief comes from the Bible- the injunction that Man Go and populate the Earth. Birth control is a way to prevent people from obeying this tenet of the Bible. So the Catholic Church does not believe what others believe about birth control.

It does not help that the leaders of the church are celibate, and do not have six kids each to feed and clothe.

I can see that this policy needs to change; but I do not believe that I have the right to change it for them. This is because I believe in the First Amendment and Freedom of Religion.

Hope this helps! Jai

ALL religions are based on truth. You may have to study, however.

Religion, Philosophy, Petroleum and Sex, the deeper you go, the better it gets!

I agree with Phil: the religions endeavour to change some nuances, the apparences, but not the doctrine founded on the fear of punishment. Also I agree with Roy: this is too few, but maybe not too late.

I don't just believe into a radicaly change of doctrine, associated with "mea culpa" for manipulating the people along almost 2000 years after Jesus Christ. Such a line of conduct could discredit the religions and could generate the loss of their moral, social and financial support.

They do to some extent, like for example I remember when the Pope came out and declared it was no longer a sin to eat meat on Fridays. I don't know if the Popes changed other things to no longer be sins or not. However I do know these have a ripple affect that effects all of Christianity.

So things can be changed and sometimes as I pointed out Popes change their minds about rules then that benefits humanity because those that used to sin are no longer sinning.

I don't claim to understand it but it seems to work.

It reminds me of a board game, "HEEEEY you can't do that!!!! That is cheating!!!" "Oh then I'll just change the rules." "Oh okay that is better now, no problem, I can do that now too."

Edit Added more 2-14-12 Happy Valentine's Day...

That was an observation on the Pope. I am not Catholic myself. Now here is my observation on Christianity from my point of view.

Jesus teachings stand the test of time. Our Bibles update for the wording. Keeping the language modern helps people understand concepts that makes ancient things clearer to us.

His concepts on, Love your neighbor as I love you, Treat others like you would want to be treated, Pray and believe you already have received it, are timeless. They are as applicable today as ever since he spoke them. His teaching about God being the vine and us being the leaves, that we are the living temple of God, that we are the children of God, his family his brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, his teaching that as we treat each other we threat him without knowing it, these are timeless and are very good for today as they were over 2000 years ago. He was teaching us of our inherent divinity, that all we need to do is accept him, it is like claiming your relation and with our father God through the acceptance of Christ. Christ is that door way and we can have that closeness if we just walk through that door way.

He taught us miracles are ours if we have the faith, that is the full knowing, and trusting that as you pray it is done. Similar to the Egyptians "So let it be written so let it be done." But the the thing is this is much more powerful as this is a prayer to God himself.

Some things have changed for the better. You just aren't keeping up to date.

Take Limbo, gone since the early nineties.

What does greed have to do with your question?

Science? Like global warming ? Vaccines ?