My hypothesis about God/gods

[Delta4Embassy]

I think the belief of gods came about to impose order onto society before large-scale governments and nations existed. Also, because much of the world works by way of counter-intuitive thinking, explaining things as being because God did it was more satisfying than microscopic germs caused the ifnection killing your kid. Demons did it because our village has been naughty was easier to accept.

And when you have a lot of discrete little settlements each doing their own thing, ensuring everyone works together instead of competing with each other and warring is only achievable if everyone's on the same page. So you invent a powerful deity who'll punish you if you do anti-social things until we all learn how to get along.

Fast foward thousands of years to now, and we have governments and laws doing what religions used to. But religions became so powerful that the ones earning their livings from them naturally don't want to relinquish that power so they compete with law and governments.

Bit by bit though, religions are falling away as people see the truth. If your 'all-powerful' god never actually does anything, then why continue to surrender your will to it? We surrender our will to governments because all the conjecture and disbelief in the world wont alter the fact that police can come arrest you if you start breaking its' commandments (i.e. laws.)

We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly.

We don't need God any more.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11

...Well, except when wrapping up points with something clever.

 

[Mad Scientist]

We don't need God any more.

Because WE are Gods right?

 

[amrchaos]

We don't need God any more.

Because WE are Gods right?

That is not what he is suggesting.

He is suggesting something that has already been demonstrated--man can govern himself without the need to invoke an unknown authority.

Now before you go and claim that we know about god, it must be pointed out that everything you know about god are statements claimed by men that you know nothing about. In other words, the God you may believe in may not be the correct description of the actual God(s), if there are any actual God(s).

 

[amrchaos]

By the way

I think religion does a lot more than play the role of imposing order on society. In fact, I think religion got its roots mainly from a philosophical grounding of basic questions about existence. Its used to justify laws and shape society came later.

 

[sealybobo]

I think the belief of gods came about to impose order onto society before large-scale governments and nations existed. Also, because much of the world works by way of counter-intuitive thinking, explaining things as being because God did it was more satisfying than microscopic germs caused the ifnection killing your kid. Demons did it because our village has been naughty was easier to accept.

And when you have a lot of discrete little settlements each doing their own thing, ensuring everyone works together instead of competing with each other and warring is only achievable if everyone's on the same page. So you invent a powerful deity who'll punish you if you do anti-social things until we all learn how to get along.

Fast foward thousands of years to now, and we have governments and laws doing what religions used to. But religions became so powerful that the ones earning their livings from them naturally don't want to relinquish that power so they compete with law and governments.

Bit by bit though, religions are falling away as people see the truth. If your 'all-powerful' god never actually does anything, then why continue to surrender your will to it? We surrender our will to governments because all the conjecture and disbelief in the world wont alter the fact that police can come arrest you if you start breaking its' commandments (i.e. laws.)

We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly.

We don't need God any more.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11

...Well, except when wrapping up points with something clever.

Good points.

They also came up with religion to get people to police themselves when the police aren't around. The law can only catch so much crime. So, with religion people police themselves.

And what about sleeping with other men's wives? That's not illegal, so they came up with religion to get people to not do things that aren't illegal but are also not nice.

Kings also loved religion. They said they had the divine right to collect taxes.

I'm not sure if kings made religion or just took advantage of it once they realized it was here to stay. Regardless, the powerful love religion because it makes the masses real stupid sheeple.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

I think the belief of gods came about to impose order onto society before large-scale governments and nations existed. Also, because much of the world works by way of counter-intuitive thinking, explaining things as being because God did it was more satisfying than microscopic germs caused the ifnection killing your kid. Demons did it because our village has been naughty was easier to accept.

And when you have a lot of discrete little settlements each doing their own thing, ensuring everyone works together instead of competing with each other and warring is only achievable if everyone's on the same page. So you invent a powerful deity who'll punish you if you do anti-social things until we all learn how to get along.

Fast foward thousands of years to now, and we have governments and laws doing what religions used to. But religions became so powerful that the ones earning their livings from them naturally don't want to relinquish that power so they compete with law and governments.

Bit by bit though, religions are falling away as people see the truth. If your 'all-powerful' god never actually does anything, then why continue to surrender your will to it? We surrender our will to governments because all the conjecture and disbelief in the world wont alter the fact that police can come arrest you if you start breaking its' commandments (i.e. laws.)

We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly.

We don't need God any more.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11

...Well, except when wrapping up points with something clever.

Pretty much.

Religion first manifested as a consequence of man being aware of his own mortality – a response to the fear of death.

Deities came about at the advent of civilization, some 10,000 years ago; as you noted, as a means to control now static populations existing in towns and cities, absent any form of government.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We don't need God any more.

Because WE are Gods right?

No.

Because we've come to the correct realization that religion and god were created by man as a means by which to cope with the fear of death and to compel conformity.

 

[alang1216]

Here’s my $0.02.
Religion started as a way to control nature. Man wanted to cure an illness but he had no idea of the cause. Through trial and error some plants or techniques were found to be effective. Their use was passed down through generations as rituals. As the rituals increased in number and complexity it became an important but challenging job, going to the best and brightest, or at least the best connected. I think that tradition continued right thru the Middle Ages where it was the priests who were literate. In ancient cultures where opportunities for learning were limited, these educated men performed a valuable service and religions developed. The early polytheistic religions were inclusive, you could worship many gods, so they served to unite people and foster cultural interactions. It was not until Christianity and later Islam that religions became exclusive. They now show signs of being discarded so maybe the days of religion have passed.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Polytheistic system began much as described, but the monotheistic did not. They began with certain sets of realizations, such as the impossibility of an infinite regression, an authorless system of order, or an amoral origin of universal morality systems.

Pathetic ignoramuses, ignotheists, and brain damaged libertines want there to be no God so they dismiss what they do not know as irrelevant.

They will come to know the Truth, but by lesser methods.

 

[jwoodie]

1. Do you believe human beings are the highest form of intelligence in the universe?

2. If not, explain your belief in a higher intelligence.

Why is it that self-proclaimed Atheists refuse to answer these questions?

 

[Mad Scientist]

That is not what he is suggesting. He is suggesting something that has already been demonstrated--man can govern himself without the need to invoke an unknown authority.

He suggests it right here:
"We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly."

Now before you go and claim that we know about god, it must be pointed out that everything you know about god are statements claimed by men that you know nothing about. In other words, the God you may believe in may not be the correct description of the actual God(s), if there are any actual God(s).

Really? The Bible was written by men? Gee I didn't know that!

And apparently, the Bible is the ONLY book or experience I based my decision on eh? The place I am now isn't a result of a lifetime of seeking out the truth?

Typical Liberal Condescension that's a result of thinking you're Gods or can become Gods.

 

[JimBowie1958]

That is not what he is suggesting. He is suggesting something that has already been demonstrated--man can govern himself without the need to invoke an unknown authority.

He suggests it right here:
"We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly."

Now before you go and claim that we know about god, it must be pointed out that everything you know about god are statements claimed by men that you know nothing about. In other words, the God you may believe in may not be the correct description of the actual God(s), if there are any actual God(s).

Really? The Bible was written by men? Gee I didn't know that!

And apparently, the Bible is the ONLY book or experience I based my decision on eh? The place I am now isn't a result of a lifetime of seeking out the truth?

Typical Liberal Condescension that's a result of thinking you're Gods or can become Gods.

"You must spread some Reputation before giving it to Mad Scientist again."

damnit

 

[Blackrook]

Religion is a comfort for poor people who struggle to survive.

Religion is a comfort to those who have lost loved ones.

Religion is a comfort to the dying, the sick, and the lonely.

Atheism is great when the sun is shining and everything is going your way.

But when your life plunges into darkness and despair, you will need God, and hopefully you will seek him out.

He is waiting for you.

 

[jwoodie]

1. Do you believe human beings are the highest form of intelligence in the universe?

2. If not, explain your belief in a higher intelligence.

Why is it that self-proclaimed Atheists refuse to answer these questions?

I'm waiting...

 

[The Irish Ram]

I think the belief of gods came about to impose order onto society before large-scale governments and nations existed. Also, because much of the world works by way of counter-intuitive thinking, explaining things as being because God did it was more satisfying than microscopic germs caused the ifnection killing your kid. Demons did it because our village has been naughty was easier to accept.

And when you have a lot of discrete little settlements each doing their own thing, ensuring everyone works together instead of competing with each other and warring is only achievable if everyone's on the same page. So you invent a powerful deity who'll punish you if you do anti-social things until we all learn how to get along.

Fast foward thousands of years to now, and we have governments and laws doing what religions used to. But religions became so powerful that the ones earning their livings from them naturally don't want to relinquish that power so they compete with law and governments.

Bit by bit though, religions are falling away as people see the truth. If your 'all-powerful' god never actually does anything, then why continue to surrender your will to it? We surrender our will to governments because all the conjecture and disbelief in the world wont alter the fact that police can come arrest you if you start breaking its' commandments (i.e. laws.)

We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly.

We don't need God any more.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11

...Well, except when wrapping up points with something clever.

Good points.

They also came up with religion to get people to police themselves when the police aren't around. The law can only catch so much crime. So, with religion people police themselves.

And what about sleeping with other men's wives? That's not illegal, so they came up with religion to get people to not do things that aren't illegal but are also not nice.

Kings also loved religion. They said they had the divine right to collect taxes.

I'm not sure if kings made religion or just took advantage of it once they realized it was here to stay. Regardless, the powerful love religion because it makes the masses real stupid sheeple.

So let me get this straight. We don't need God anymore, we can police ourselves, and yet religion is used to police us so if we do away with it we............?

The morals in the Bible are there to prevent you from making poor choices, and bearing the consequences of those choices, like getting shot by the husband of the woman you're sleeping with......

A lack of Bible morals and the things we had in play as children, should lead to a big decrease in crime and bad behavior, now that we are all grown up, or at least a decline as we mature and start relying on our own righteousness. When do we mature to the "no nuclear bombs are being made" stage?

America has no religion and yet it taxes unmercifully. Since you can't blame religion, what else could cause a spike in and entitlement to your paycheck..........?

 

[THE LIGHT]

I think the belief of gods came about to impose order onto society before large-scale governments and nations existed. Also, because much of the world works by way of counter-intuitive thinking, explaining things as being because God did it was more satisfying than microscopic germs caused the ifnection killing your kid. Demons did it because our village has been naughty was easier to accept.

And when you have a lot of discrete little settlements each doing their own thing, ensuring everyone works together instead of competing with each other and warring is only achievable if everyone's on the same page. So you invent a powerful deity who'll punish you if you do anti-social things until we all learn how to get along.

Fast foward thousands of years to now, and we have governments and laws doing what religions used to. But religions became so powerful that the ones earning their livings from them naturally don't want to relinquish that power so they compete with law and governments.

Bit by bit though, religions are falling away as people see the truth. If your 'all-powerful' god never actually does anything, then why continue to surrender your will to it? We surrender our will to governments because all the conjecture and disbelief in the world wont alter the fact that police can come arrest you if you start breaking its' commandments (i.e. laws.)

We've developed to the point where we don't need fairy stories to understand why things happen. We have science. We don't need justice in the afterlife because we have justice immediately and swiftly.

We don't need God any more.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11

...Well, except when wrapping up points with something clever.

Good points.

They also came up with religion to get people to police themselves when the police aren't around. The law can only catch so much crime. So, with religion people police themselves.

And what about sleeping with other men's wives? That's not illegal, so they came up with religion to get people to not do things that aren't illegal but are also not nice.

Kings also loved religion. They said they had the divine right to collect taxes.

I'm not sure if kings made religion or just took advantage of it once they realized it was here to stay. Regardless, the powerful love religion because it makes the masses real stupid sheeple.

So let me get this straight. We don't need God anymore, we can police ourselves, and yet religion is used to police us so if we do away with it we............?

The morals in the Bible are there to prevent you from making poor choices, and bearing the consequences of those choices, like getting shot by the husband of the woman you're sleeping with......

A lack of Bible morals and the things we had in play as children, should lead to a big decrease in crime and bad behavior, now that we are all grown up, or at least a decline as we mature and start relying on our own righteousness. When do we mature to the "no nuclear bombs are being made" stage?

America has no religion and yet it taxes unmercifully. Since you can't blame religion, what else could cause a spike in and entitlement to your paycheck..........?

Case and point, the during the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905, so many people got genuinely saved and convicted by the Holy Spirit that the crime rate went down drastically. Crime was so low that judges and police officers were said to be out of work.

On the other hand, we continue to add more secular laws to the books each year in America and yet the crime rate, mass murder rate, and suicide rate continues to rise. Coincidence?

 

[Politico]

Whatever you hypothesize I support it. If believing or not believing in some god keeps you from going nuts good for you. Whatever keeps you crazy asses out of my hair.

 

[JimBowie1958]

1. Do you believe human beings are the highest form of intelligence in the universe?

2. If not, explain your belief in a higher intelligence.

Why is it that self-proclaimed Atheists refuse to answer these questions?

I'm waiting...

Dude, it might help if you put a name to the person you are asking.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Good points.

They also came up with religion to get people to police themselves when the police aren't around. The law can only catch so much crime. So, with religion people police themselves.

And what about sleeping with other men's wives? That's not illegal, so they came up with religion to get people to not do things that aren't illegal but are also not nice.

Kings also loved religion. They said they had the divine right to collect taxes.

I'm not sure if kings made religion or just took advantage of it once they realized it was here to stay. Regardless, the powerful love religion because it makes the masses real stupid sheeple.

So let me get this straight. We don't need God anymore, we can police ourselves, and yet religion is used to police us so if we do away with it we............?

The morals in the Bible are there to prevent you from making poor choices, and bearing the consequences of those choices, like getting shot by the husband of the woman you're sleeping with......

A lack of Bible morals and the things we had in play as children, should lead to a big decrease in crime and bad behavior, now that we are all grown up, or at least a decline as we mature and start relying on our own righteousness. When do we mature to the "no nuclear bombs are being made" stage?

America has no religion and yet it taxes unmercifully. Since you can't blame religion, what else could cause a spike in and entitlement to your paycheck..........?

Case and point, the during the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905, so many people got genuinely saved and convicted by the Holy Spirit that the crime rate went down drastically. Crime was so low that judges and police officers were said to be out of work.

On the other hand, we continue to add more secular laws to the books each year in America and yet the crime rate, mass murder rate, and suicide rate continues to rise. Coincidence?

Not a coincidence at all.

Think about it; does a tyrannical state want more law abiding people or a nation of law breakers?

They want law breakers, of course, since that gives them a pretext to search you, seize your possessions, fine you, incarcerate you and put you in front of a wall to be shot.

A nation of people that respect the law cant be so easily treated this way.


“Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with.”

― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged


This is why the Oligarchs that run this country are attacking Christianity and promoting deviancy at every turn in the popular media.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Whatever you hypothesize I support it. If believing or not believing in some god keeps you from going nuts good for you. Whatever keeps you crazy asses out of my hair.

Yeah, moral evasion at its finest. Maybe if you hide in your corner long enough the Hangman will miss you?

Not a chance, bubba. Eventually he will get to you too.