In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore how Western civilization shifted from a deeply religious, meaning-filled worldview to modern materialism and nihilism over the past 500 years, and discusses why this "death of God" is a global phenomenon affecting everything from birth rates to political movements.

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KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISCUSSION

The Core Thesis

500-year shift from spiritual worldview to materialist nihilism affecting global civilization
Not science vs. religion - it's a fundamental change in human consciousness

Historical Timeline

1500s: Protestant Reformation splits religious authority
1600s: Science artificially separated from religion and mysticism
1700s: Enlightenment creates "pure reason" without context
1800s: Nietzsche predicts 20th century nihilism and tyranny
1900s-present: Complete removal of sacred from life

Real Causes

Elite desire to control populations without religious competition
Religion became bureaucratic moral policing vs. genuine spirituality
Society only values measurable, material things (left-brain dominance)

Modern Consequences

Global birth rate collapse and rise of substitute religions (leftism, progressivism)
"Society of the last men" - glorifying weakness and mediocrity
Complete disconnection from human nature and meaning

The Path Forward

Reintegrate science, religion, and mysticism under "natural science"
Recognize this as a transitional phase - previous civilizations have recovered
Humans are innately religious - when genuine religion dies, destructive substitutes fill the void

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