Why God was invented

[manifold]

Doesn't this whole discussion pretty much prove my assertion that it's nearly impossible for athiests to not be condescending and arrogant? I mean seriously, the notion that God was invented is just accepted as a given.

You are absolutely right! And to illustrate, let me jack up the arrogance and condescension by equating God to Santa Clause.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Ravi]

Doesn't this whole discussion pretty much prove my assertion that it's nearly impossible for athiests to not be condescending and arrogant? I mean seriously, the notion that God was invented is just accepted as a given.

You are absolutely right! And to illustrate, let me jack up the arrogance and condescension by equating God to Santa Clause.

Fixed it for you.

heh, you're pathetic. I'm not an atheist, btw, but your arrogant and condescending attitude shows pretty well on this thread.

 

[JBeukema]

and manifold complains about atheists

 

[JBeukema]

You are absolutely right! And to illustrate, let me jack up the arrogance and condescension by equating God to Santa Clause.

Fixed it for you.

heh, you're pathetic. I'm not an atheist, btw, but your arrogant and condescending attitude shows pretty well on this thread.

Shall we ignore the child and continue our discussion?

 

[manifold]

Shall we ignore the child and continue our discussion?

Nope, nothing arrogant or condescending here folks. Nothing at all.

 

[AllieBaba]

Lol

 

[Diuretic]

I read an interesting article last week dealing with evolution and the single most important factor that allows some species to evolve. The factor is understanding cause and effect. Some mammals have a rudimentary understanding of cause and effect but for the most part have no real understanding of how their actions effect results.

Only humans have a clear grasp of cause and effect. Thus the logical mind of a human is forced to invent God to explain the unexplainable.

And bit by bit as things become explainable the concept of supernatural beings which created the universe is further refined to take account of the new findings. That indicates that we may have an actual need for the concept. That could be linked to our evolution as a species. Now that causes me to ask if, as we evolve, will the god concept be seen as a passing phase in human understanding?

 

[AllieBaba]

So, so narrow minded and foolish.

 

[Diuretic]

And now I'm wondering if religion and worship of the supernatural is a means or an end.

 

[JBeukema]

And now I'm wondering if religion and worship of the supernatural is a means or an end.

In a sense, it is both.It is a cycle which feeds itself

 

[Ravi]

I read an interesting article last week dealing with evolution and the single most important factor that allows some species to evolve. The factor is understanding cause and effect. Some mammals have a rudimentary understanding of cause and effect but for the most part have no real understanding of how their actions effect results.

Only humans have a clear grasp of cause and effect. Thus the logical mind of a human is forced to invent God to explain the unexplainable.

And bit by bit as things become explainable the concept of supernatural beings which created the universe is further refined to take account of the new findings. That indicates that we may have an actual need for the concept. That could be linked to our evolution as a species. Now that causes me to ask if, as we evolve, will the god concept be seen as a passing phase in human understanding?

Sounds about right.

 

[editec]

I don't doubt that our primative anscestors had their share of atheists.

But for some reason every culture ended dominated by some theology or the other.

I suspect that's because a culture with a dominant belief system is easier to mold into a more complex society with laws, a class system and heirachy based on divisions of labor.

Religion used to be the best tool of governance that we had, folks.

Cultures based on a single theology have a history of stability and longevity.

In fact, we can see, thanks to the Jews, that even without control over society, or a land to call one's own, having a theological belief system can give people a sense of indentity, hence giving those people a social cohesion which is enormously valuable for keeping a society going in the face of enormous adversity.

Next to language, no single thing, I think, gives people that sense of identity with a group that they find by having a shared theology.

 

[strollingbones]

Only humans have a clear grasp of cause and effect. Thus the logical mind of a human is forced to invent God to explain the unexplainable.

How do we know this? How do we know whale songs are often not some ancient hymn to a long remembered cetacean God?

I suppose we can all dream. Have whales evolved to the point where they can elude capture by humans?


(have human evolved to the point where they can elude capture by humans)

Jane Goodall claims chimpanzees have at least transcendent experience (a prerequisite to religion), that there is a waterfall where a chimp group she observed would regularly go to, they would go for no utilitarian purpose, but rather just arrive and then start displaying the body language, making the sounds that chimps usually use paying homage to dominant male, swaying back and forth in honour of the water fall.

(elephants seem to have rituals for an elephant that dies and they move the bodies)

Religious experience may be indeed the first spark of conciseness itself, the first step to self awareness, to even knowing one is alive in the first place.

Since we are so closely related to chimps this doesn't dispute my post. btw, how did she know they were honoring the waterfall?

(who know what was being honored but you do not know why they were doing it or if they are honoring....evolved humans and all)

A sea sponge may live in a Darwinian vacuum of meaning, as well as Richard Dawkins, but I would wager most evolved and higher life forms experience some form of the transcendence of religion.

What evidence do you have that supports that?

raised in india your a hindu...parents are normally the higher life forms forcing experiences on kids....

 

[We Are They]

raised in india? You stink.