The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment really diminished the power that the religious leaders held in the church. They were used to telling others what to do, how to worship, and what to believe, but when the Enlightenment happened, lots of people decided to believe what they wanted, and were more encouraged to try or find new religions. When the religious authority was challenged, because people decided to think for themselves, and create their own opinions, it encouraged others in the political field to believe what they wanted as well. People stopped listening to authority because they were told that they needed to start thinking for themselves. While it is good for everyone to have opinions and discover those opinions on their own, that does not mean that it is okay to completely disregard authority in the meantime. ( please explain in own words 50 words please)