I suspect that you are an athiest and that's OK. But for the sake of discussion, what if it turns out that God is real and there is a life after death? I say this from the Christian perspective.Quote by: Starboy
BTW Religions are, by definition, based on the belief of the supernatural. Douglas Adams is an athiest and he is entitled to his view. There are many people, as educated as he, who will strongly disagree with his opinion, myself included.
Last edited by SNPete; 5th June 2005 at 12:32 AM.
1 Timothy 2:5
Hey if your aunt had balls she would be your uncle. Does your aunt have balls?
Starboy
Thank you for your well thought out response to my simple question. Everyone who reads this thread will think you a fool. Is this the best atheism has to offer?
Now please, back to my original question. Do all religions lead to God?
Last edited by SNPete; 5th June 2005 at 12:50 AM.
1 Timothy 2:5
Depends on which "God" you're talking about. It would perhaps be more accurate to say all religions are about the worship and obedience of a superior being or beings and their teachings.
SNPete, that particular phrase is commonly used as a retort when somebody asks an inane "what if" question.
I would not be so sure if orgainzed religion can lead anyone to God, by whatever name that religion might have. Perhaps it can help you imagine that such is the case.
But let's look at a garden, we have many different kinds of flowers, different shapes, designs, and colors. But all the different kinds of flowers are reaching for the same sunlight, and reaching for the same water and other things in the soil. All the different flowers are consuming the same air.
So it is with religions, they are all reaching for truth and understanding. And truth has but one source. Buddha said "truth comes from truth and evil comes from evil". Each religion speaks of that one Light which is like a sun that gives life to all. And the need for belief. Even science shares that common goal.
Jesus repeated that concept when he said " I AM the truth, (and so forth). You must remember that the term "I AM" was used back then as one of the many names used by the Jewish religion for God. ( I AM that I AM). That name was also used in Eqypt with the same meaning. So if you translate that saying correctly you get "God is the turth, the Light, and the Way and none come unto God except by God" as Jesus was speaking in what we call the 3rd party. A common manner of writing then and now, because he did not speak his self but it was God speaking through him.
I am sorry to report that often organized religions lead people to the dead letter of the word and not to the spirit of life. Allow me to give you an anology - the tree lives directly from the light of the sun, but the green moss lives on the darkside of the tree, and lives off the life of the tree, and never comes into the light of the sun for its life. A few people live directly from the light of revelations and then they make books (life a tree makes bark) and other people then live off those books but always remain on the darkside and never come into the Light of life. Religions often are that darkside.
That is you bible study for today
Technosoul.,
ROFL. Red state outreach. I love it.
What do you humanists believe in?
What is the leftist belief system based upon?
As far as the question asked in the thread title. I believe all of the major religions lead to the same place. Think of it as the spoked wheel. God is the Hub and each spoke on the wheel represents one of the major religions. Each leads to the same place in the center.
I'm not sure what you mean by "humanist," I guess that means that you don't like humans, but as an atheist and skeptic, I try not to believe. I try to think instead.
The usual reason for the sort of response given by Starboy in post 14 is the inability or unwillingness to answer a question. A poor way of handling your side of a discussion.
The fool has said in heart, there is no God. Psalm 14:1
Last edited by SNPete; 5th June 2005 at 09:22 AM.
1 Timothy 2:5
I am so impressed. Your thoughts are food for my soul. I just got out of a discussion group where it was normal to insult the other person and say nothing about the subject.
Truly human beings need reasoning and agreements that are above their basic animal urges. I am in favor of a concept of God, because it lifts our thoughts above that basic animal condition of life. It lifts our potential, be it the GreeksGods or later concepts of God.
I have been told by a Jew that Jews focus less on God and more on ethical relationships with people. I believe Christianity is more superstitious than Judaism or Islam, but clearly they share the same basic concept of God and the same prophets of old. Christianity once separated from Greek philosophy was later very influenced by Aristotole and Plato, but unfortunately this is not well known. I think all these, and early Greek and Eyptian beliefs were influenced by Sumer.
The story of creation is almost certainly a Hebrew interpretation of a Sumerian story of a river being cursed to death because it ate a Goddess' plants. A fox convinced the Goddess to let the river live, and when the river was healthy again, it asked for helpers to help him stay in his banks so he wouldn't eat her plants. She made a man and woman from mud and breathed life into them. In this story one of the Goddesses who helped the river live was the Goddess who heals rib "lady of the rid" and "the lady who makes live". Because the Hebrews believed in one God when they translated the story, the Goddess of the rib becomes Eve "lady of the rid" and "the lady who makes live". The purpose of keeping the river in its banks gets dropped, but the Hebrews go on to tell of the great flood that was also a Sumerian story. Importantly the concept of sin was changed in the Hebrew translation and gets tangled with the need to make animal and human sacrifices.
Relgions do not necessary move in the direction of God, but can move in the direction of self interest. This was clearly so with the concept of patron Gods and Goddesses, which later becomes patron saints, and is clearly so with Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Last edited by Athena; 5th June 2005 at 10:20 AM.
Consider the possibility that fairness and cooperation are also animal urges if the animal happens to be of a species that is social. Humans are a very social species. But built into every social species is a normal variation. Just as there is a variation in height, hair color and so on there is also a variation in how cooperative or selfish people are.
I have known a few Jews in my life and for the most part have found them to be good people. I especially like the fact that other than the Christian Jews they do not proselytize, not even the extreme orthodox. There are also many Jews that see god more as the personification of guiding principles rather than the personification of reality. I do not care much for animist. Their thinking is much too magical for my tastes.I have been told by a Jew that Jews focus less on God and more on ethical relationships with people. I believe Christianity is more superstitious than Judaism or Islam, but clearly they share the same basic concept of God and the same prophets of old. Christianity once separated from Greek philosophy was later very influenced by Aristotole and Plato, but unfortunately this is not well known. I think all these, and early Greek and Eyptian beliefs were influenced by Sumer.
Have you ever read any Joseph Campbell?The story of creation is almost certainly a Hebrew interpretation of a Sumerian story of a river being cursed to death because it ate a Goddess' plants. A fox convinced the Goddess to let the river live, and when the river was healthy again, it asked for helpers to help him stay in his banks so he wouldn't eat her plants. She made a man and woman from mud and breathed life into them. In this story one of the Goddesses who helped the river live was the Goddess who heals rib "lady of the rid" and "the lady who makes live". Because the Hebrews believed in one God when they translated the story, the Goddess of the rib becomes Eve "lady of the rid" and "the lady who makes live". The purpose of keeping the river in its banks gets dropped, but the Hebrews go on to tell of the great flood that was also a Sumerian story. Importantly the concept of sin was changed in the Hebrew translation and gets tangled with the need to make animal and human sacrifices.
It is very easy to do when you are an animist.Relgions do not necessary move in the direction of God, but can move in the direction of self interest. This was clearly so with the concept of patron Gods and Goddesses, which later becomes patron saints, and is clearly so with Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Starboy
No silly. It means I believe there is a higher power than man. Humanist=Communist
Ah. You obviously have strong amount of faith that your views are correct. Otherwise you would not be on a web-board spewing your silly beliefs.but as an atheist and skeptic, I try not to believe. I try to think instead.
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