considering all the money hungry pastors out there i can see why some people dismiss all the coincidences this world displays. That being said some believe organized religion came about when populations got concentrated in city states such as ancient sumer/mesopotamia. I believe religiousness and religions predate humans and actually goes back to Apes and chimpanzees and even monkeys.
There was no Allah to speak of, for example, until the advent of the Islamic religion, regardless of whether He existed prior to that ... — Maureen
Regardless of whether God(s) of any religion do exist or have always existed, their existence has never been considered substantial for whatever reason until their respective religion was developed. There was no Allah to speak of, for example, until the advent of the Islamic religion, regardless of whether He existed prior to that, and in fact there have been hundreds or thousands of other religious breakthroughs that have come and gone over the years, along with their respective God(s). This alone should put some perspective on the credibility of the Gods of even current major theistic religions, but that is another discussion. The actual purpose of this post is to determine if any given God(s) had a presence prior to thee advent of their respective religions, and if so in what capacity. This is probably difficult if not impossible to say since much of what we now consider to be "God's work" was not and effectively could not have been said to be such until it was thought that God existed, but the main point is that one cannot say with any level of certainty that God even does exist as anything more than a matter of religion without having existed or having been identified prior to the advent of any given religion. Since this was clearly not the case, it can be argued that God(s) came about and had an identity only in light of their respective religion, and the implications of this are anyone's guess, although I would argue that it is a definite sign that God is a pure matter of religion. Of course there is nothing wrong with this, but I'm sure other people will think differently if they have a different belief about God. — Maureen
Regardless of whether God(s) of any religion do exist or have always existed, their existence has never been considered substantial for whatever reason until their respective religion was developed. — Maureen
my problem is that people such as pastors are getting paid and money is being made in the face of religion even in spite of what it is or what it supposedly is. — Maureen
we want to be god. — Arne
We are the most week and insecure animal on the planet. — Gnostic Christian Bishop
It would be like if someone was being paid to tell stories and told everyone who heard the stories that they are true, although (obviously) there is no way to know if they are actually true. But the person is getting paid regardless, and in my opinion it is immoral to be paid when there is even the possibility that something might not be authentic, or when it is being presented as unmistakably authentic to those who are funding the payment. If people were not getting paid millions of dollars then it might be different, but a million dollars isn't exactly chump change, especially if it is based on a sham. — Maureen
I don't think that's true. I can speak for the Ancient Egyptian Religion, which is my personal area of study. There are some elements: tree goddesses (Nut, Hathor), gods of vegetation as symbols of rebirth and virility (Osiris, Min), the young sun being born from a Lotus flower(Creation Myth of Neith). But this coherent, universal story about the tree of life and its flowers? I can't see that anywhere in Egyptian mythology, least of all at its core. — WerMaat
How did our selfish gene that drives us to be the fittest in your conception allow this to happen? — Coben
It then leads the soul through the earth to experience good & evil & learn how to be good — Ocean777
We are the most week and insecure animal on the planet.
— Gnostic Christian Bishop
How did our selfish gene that drives us to be the fittest in your conception allow this to happen? — Coben
And with us, our DNA, the selfish gene, made us the most weak and insecure animal on the planet?I would not use the word allow.
We are a part of nature.
Nature demonstrably creates for the best possible end of all organisms. It can only work with what it has in terms of the DNA available to it. — Gnostic Christian Bishop
As you say this gene that drives us to be the fittest. — Coben
No, I am asking you questions...Are you trying to say that our genes are not pushing all of us to be as fit as possible? — Gnostic Christian Bishop
How do these ideas fit together?Nature demonstrably creates for the best possible end of all organisms. — Gnostic Christian Bishop
Seriously, what are you talking about. I asked questions to get clarification about your ideas. That's pretty fundamental discussion behavior. I am not clear about something. It seems like some of the ideas don't fit together. I am not sure. I ask for clarification. There are no word games at all here.Let's have your argument instead of your word games.
How do these ideas fit together? — Coben
Nature demonstrably creates for the best possible end of all organisms — Gnostic Christian Bishop
.... the most weak and insecure species.
and...
Our DNA, the selfish gene, drives us to be the fittest. — Coben
Those statements give true facts and all three stand on their own merit.
We are the weakest and most insecure and nature does the best it can with what it has to work with in insuring that we work to be the fittest of our species.
If you disagree, tell us why? — Gnostic Christian Bishop
I don't see nature making sure most people are the fittest of our species. Though I am not sure what you are referring to as nature, since earlier you contrasted nature with our dna. Nature is working with each individual to insure they are the fittest homo sapien? I don't see this. Many seem content with less than being fittest, some content with not being fit at all. And I don't know what process you are referring to where nature is ensuring they are not like this.We are the weakest and most insecure and nature does the best it can with what it has to work with in insuring that we work to be the fittest of our species — gnostic
well it all comes down to whether you believe your fellow man or not. I've watched countless people join forums to report a miracle or encounter they had with God or angels etc, & without fail 'most' all the forum members attack & insult the new poster & force them into silence. There are millions, if not billions, of people who have witnessed God &/or miracles & they all were insulted & silenced when they joined a forum &/or tried to tell the world what they saw.In what capacity did God exist before religion came about, if at all? How do we know this?
We instinctively know the good, in fact, we default to doing good as it is the best survival strategy. History shows us that what we are learning to do is mitigate the evil we must do as we compete for resources to survive. — Gnostic Christian Bishop
but the main point is that one cannot say with any level of certainty that God even does exist as anything more than a matter of religion — Maureen
well personally God has Always proved His Existence to me — Ocean777
We can only know about God from the words of our fellow man & if we refuse to believe them then that is the end of the proof we have been given. — Ocean777
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