ChatterBank1 min ago
Question of Faith Revisited
32 Answers
I was just looking at the post below, asking why Christianity gets "torn to shreds".
It put me in mind of an answer given by Prof. Richard Dawkins to a question about what he would say to a true believer, who has felt the power of Christianity. His answer was along the lines of this ...
If you are brought up in the West, you are taught to believe in Jesus.
If you are brought up in India, you are taught to believe in Hundu deities.
If you are brought up in Afghanistan, you are taught to believe in Allah.
If you had been brought up in ancient Denmark, you would believe in Wotan and Thor.
If you were brought up in ancient Greece, you would believe in Zeus.
If you are brought up in central Africa, you might believe in the Great Juju.
Etc.
There is no evidence (other than "evidence" generated by each of the faiths themselves) to suggest that any one of these beliefs is more likely that any other.
Quite simply ... we believe, because we are taught to believe. It was the first attempt of the elders in our society to explain why we are here. We are taught to believe it.
By the same token, our elders seek to explain the appearance of presents on 25th December by teaching us to believe in Santa Claus (who, like Jesus, was probably based upon some real person).
So, of the 1,000 or so "Gods" who have been worshipped in the past few millenia, maybe there is only a 0.1% chance that Christians have plumped for the right one ... and a 99.9% chance that the Judeo-Christian God is the wrong one.
Maybe we need to pick a new God, and start dancing naked in the woods ... before it is too late !
It put me in mind of an answer given by Prof. Richard Dawkins to a question about what he would say to a true believer, who has felt the power of Christianity. His answer was along the lines of this ...
If you are brought up in the West, you are taught to believe in Jesus.
If you are brought up in India, you are taught to believe in Hundu deities.
If you are brought up in Afghanistan, you are taught to believe in Allah.
If you had been brought up in ancient Denmark, you would believe in Wotan and Thor.
If you were brought up in ancient Greece, you would believe in Zeus.
If you are brought up in central Africa, you might believe in the Great Juju.
Etc.
There is no evidence (other than "evidence" generated by each of the faiths themselves) to suggest that any one of these beliefs is more likely that any other.
Quite simply ... we believe, because we are taught to believe. It was the first attempt of the elders in our society to explain why we are here. We are taught to believe it.
By the same token, our elders seek to explain the appearance of presents on 25th December by teaching us to believe in Santa Claus (who, like Jesus, was probably based upon some real person).
So, of the 1,000 or so "Gods" who have been worshipped in the past few millenia, maybe there is only a 0.1% chance that Christians have plumped for the right one ... and a 99.9% chance that the Judeo-Christian God is the wrong one.
Maybe we need to pick a new God, and start dancing naked in the woods ... before it is too late !
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I think I was aiming for "inquisitive" more than profound, Boxy.
But your feeling that "there is more to this than we know of, but you don't know what it is" may be the root of the whole problem.
In every society, since the dawn of time, some group of people has come along and said ...
"You don't know the answer ... but we do!"
... and everyone goes "Wow, really??"
And faiths are born. Different faiths. Lots of them.
And everybody who adopts any one of those faiths is convinced that theirs is right.
Well ... I'm in the market for a faith which is fun, and sexy ... like Voodoo, maybe?
But your feeling that "there is more to this than we know of, but you don't know what it is" may be the root of the whole problem.
In every society, since the dawn of time, some group of people has come along and said ...
"You don't know the answer ... but we do!"
... and everyone goes "Wow, really??"
And faiths are born. Different faiths. Lots of them.
And everybody who adopts any one of those faiths is convinced that theirs is right.
Well ... I'm in the market for a faith which is fun, and sexy ... like Voodoo, maybe?
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Looks like its going to be one of those religions JJ if wyzard has anything to do with it.
Mythology shows that the Greeks and Romans worshipped gods and goddesses, in reality gods representing the seasons the wind, sea etc. Egyptians worshipped Ra the Sun, How long had these different religions evolved and died off before the present ones came about?. Indeed the worship of God is mythology in itself.
Don't get me wrong, I believe in something, when I see tropical birds flowers. and the wonders of human capability and I can't really believe it is accidental, there is a lot to be explained but it looks as though we weill never know.
Mythology shows that the Greeks and Romans worshipped gods and goddesses, in reality gods representing the seasons the wind, sea etc. Egyptians worshipped Ra the Sun, How long had these different religions evolved and died off before the present ones came about?. Indeed the worship of God is mythology in itself.
Don't get me wrong, I believe in something, when I see tropical birds flowers. and the wonders of human capability and I can't really believe it is accidental, there is a lot to be explained but it looks as though we weill never know.
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