At least not as important as what we set out to achieve. The rabbi noted that millennial predictions of coming apocalypse aren't necessarily grounded in fact. Despite those facts, however, Ballon argues that religion is what allows us to have a true concept of past, present and future. There was no purpose or sense of a gift of life. It was only when holy days imbued us with a sense of time that life became meaningful.
Religion imbues each passing day with a sense of holiness.
Brewer, whose expertise is in 19th-century America, noted that Americans' attitudes at the turn of a century are tougher to study since the United States is a young nation. But there are some interesting parallels with the past as we come to the turn of this century. Brewer said a mixture of apprehension and hope among Americans marked the approach of the 20th century. In the 1890s, there was an interesting combination of a fear of the future and a faith in technology and government to improve their lives. The Gilded Age promised great things for Americans.