by The Berean 76 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Has anyone read any of OSHO's books, particularily The Book Of Understanding?
He brings up metatrons argument. He thinks that mankind needs to embrace both- Western science to improve the physical world, and Eastern spirituality to improve ourselves.
Not technically a religion, but seems to fit this thread
Romans, Aztecs, India today, China today, Japan...................... not Xtian.
Atheism is not a "religion" per se, however, since it requires evidence and holds to a standard of "provableness", it is reasonable on a level that other religions that require "faith" are not.
just my
Atheism isn't generally useful. Civilizations need myths, not facts. Guys like Dawkins could be 100% accurate and completely worthless. There is a wonderful speech in "Secondhand Lions" that highlights this principle.
metatron
???
Useful to who?
I have been touched by his noodly appendage! He touched me in a naughty place! (but the worse part was, he didn't call back.)
Atheism isn't generally useful.
Is religion "generally useful"? If so.. for what? Controlling people? Telling them what to believe, what to think, on behalf of a few narrow-minded individuals who fear social change? Imagine a world where it was easy to do what is right. Where people didn't struggle against their own nature and hormones because it was socially acceptable to be ourselves. Does religion actually provide that? Or does it create rules that contradict our instincts?
Civilizations need myths, not facts.
Care to prove it? I, of course, disagree. Knowledge is power. Realizing that our purpose has not been pre-destined, and that it is up to us, as humans, to decide and act upon the whole destiny of all life on Earth.. what greater purpose could there be? We have a responsiblity to all other creatures in the Earth's family tree. We have to decide what purpose all life will serve, and what purpose we as individuals will serve. The earth is a complex living creature in it's own right - with material needs and oragans - and we humans form it's collective neural network. What does religion have to offer that compares to that? Some rules? Some old traditions founded in the ignorance of ages we've long moved past?
If TRUTH is the best policy, then why don't we teach the TRUTH about the strong fossil and DNA evidence for evolution, and drop all the ignorant bullshit?
- Lime
PS: Who is likely to commit a crime? The person without hope, or the person without physical opportunity?
"... it is the "Christian" nations that developed technology..."
I believe it would be more accurate to say that it was the Enlightenment that created the atmosphere in which our current type of technology was developed. Christianity gave us the dark ages.
As to which religious belief seems the more reasonable, I believe it still awaits us in the future. I would prefer a Pantheistic spirituality combined with the scientific method.
"... it is the "Christian" nations that developed technology..."
It was also the Chrisitans who killed Galilaos for his (correct) idea that the world was not the center of the universe... and the same Christians that deny humans evolved in complete ignorance of the fossil and DNA evidence that continues to mount year after year.
Faith is a deliberate excersise in ignorance. To intentionally choose to ignorethe facts - to close your ears and minds to them.. so that you can continue believing in something that blatantly contradicts those facts. As Dawkins put it - Faith is a "process of non-thinking".
Really, it all boils down to fear. Most humans fear death - they want a happy story to listen to so they don't have to mentally accept death. You might not like it, but you will die. I gaurentee it. Lights out, dirt nap. Worms eating your body. The end.
Our genetic material however.. now that just could be immortal.
- Lime
Religion is a word that describes organized systems of worship. I don't think you need an organization to be a spiritual human being because we are that naturally, at least if it's cultivated. Religions are man made vehicles that often use our natural spirituality to control society and people. The benefit of that is variable, as are all things man made.
Spirituality is innate to humans, if you want to define it as the ability to leap beyond the senses and the tangible. Things do exist beyond what we can perceive through ordinary means, quantum physics proves it. There's been scientific research that verifies that our brains are affected positively by meditation and positive emotions towards others that some belief systems encourage. Some "religious" ideas are practically universal, like "the golden rule" because they're based on reciprocal behaviors that help us survive and promote group harmony. They exist because they've helped us become what we are now and what we will be in the future.
In as far as a spiritual system promotes these things, it's beneficial. The rest is probably about certain social and material needs, and for some, the need to control.
Not all mythos now and in history have affected human beings negatively, but myth and belief in myth has such power for some that we need to question where it directs us and how.
