Share your belief

[dimreepr]

I notice you steered away from the issue of religious anthropocentrism...man's unique (and somewhat strange) relationship with God which is centred on the premise of sin and its inherited guilt, the need to repent, all of which is entirely at odds with the evolution of our species other than the result of primitive superstition that rooted itself into our psyche.

 

 

 

I think we can all admit the bible is out of it's time and beyond our true understanding; as you've said Jesus suggests forgiveness, tolerance (and loving your enemies) in the NT.

 

Forgiveness is not about forgetting what someone has done to us, it's about letting go of the anger and hatred that can only destroy ourselves, it has no affect on that certain someone (unless we can confront them directly/individually); then vector in the fact that we're all guilty of something we aren't proud of and that often the most difficult person to forgive is oneself.

 

Perhaps then we've just misunderstood the concept of original sin and the need to repent; to my mind the idea of god/devil is a means to build the pyramid of understanding.

 

We so often forget, we don't have to like something in order to tolerate it, and again not tolerating/forgiving can only harm ourselves.

 

Loving your enemies can be a little tricky but as George Orwell said “the quickest way to end a war is to lose it”.

 

None of the above requires a god, to work, but we do have to believe it for it to work; heaven and hell is here and now, we only have too choose which we want.

memammal I'm not singling you out in this post, it's just a convenient platform.

Edited November 14, 2016 by dimreepr

[Memammal]

None of the above requires a god, to work, but we do have to believe it for it to work; heaven and hell is here and now, we only have too choose which we want.

memammal I'm not singling you out in this post, it's just a convenient platform.

I am just highlighting part of your post, not ignoring the rest. I have no problem with what you posted, except the specific references to Jesus as if his teachings were any more unique than for example Buddha or any of the other "philosophers" of old. That being said, I realise that you probably just reacted to what I wrote. And just to clarify, (some of) these same teachings that are credited to Jesus (and to Christianity) were allegedly not original. They were already in use at that time.

 

As for good and bad, heaven or hell, personally I prefer the notion of yin and yang​...both good and bad, light and dark that are reliant on each other. They form part of our (and all sentient beings') inner nature; deep down we have both. Fortunately we also acquired morality along our evolutionary path, something that we as highly skilled social animals learned to fine-tune to a point where we were able to engage in what appears to be a social contract (ethical behaviour) with one another. That ability comes with lots of underlying psychological skills/intelligence under the skin though.

 

So I am still of the opinion that god(s) and religions are mere human constructs, perhaps a projection of that inner wrestle between good and bad against the backdrop of our highly superstitious nature.

 

* Edited to correct a few grammar errors in a hastily written post *

Edited November 14, 2016 by Memammal

[dimreepr]

I reference Jesus because I was brought up a Christian, (I think the basics are reflected in most, major, religions) the rest of my post doesn't need a god or superstition to be true.

 

my dog doesn't need either to live in the moment and be content with it; in a dogs world, social interaction just requires a wagging tail, in ours a smile will do just fine.

[Phi for All]

A very scholarly friend told me at an office Christmas party last night about a thesis he wrote while at university. In it, he presented the idea that God kept Heaven's gates open, and that all people were invited in the afterlife. God Himself imposes no strictures. He can allow suffering, because everyone is allowed into Heaven.

 

The twist is, Heaven is so awesome to behold, so perfectly meant to be the afterlife of humanity, that when you stand in front of the open gates, you judge yourself to be worthy or not. If you've been a decent and loving person, you'll have no problem allowing yourself to walk on in. And if you aren't a good person, you won't be able to inflict yourself on Heaven, no matter what. Instead, you'll stand at the gates of Heaven, unable to go in until you deem yourself ready. You'll be outside open gates, BURNING with the desire to enter rightfully.

 

I thought this perspective offers interesting answers to some questions that have long plagued the Abrahamic religions.

[Bushranger]

Sharing my belief:

 

I believe that it is more likely that the belief in God(s), is most likely a sociological construct rather than reality. Deep in the desert, amongst a homogenous population of muslims, there are few/no atheists...due to the sociological norms and frequent socially reinforced rituals, it would not likely occur to a person that God does not exist. On the other hand, a person living amongst diverse religions within a population, one can envision a person beginning to wonder if, first he may be practicing the "wrong" religion (or worshiping the "wrong" god), and then progressing to the point where he begins to consider that if a particular religion can be "wrong" , then all religions can be false and there may not be a God at all.

 

 

[dimreepr]

A very scholarly friend told me at an office Christmas party last night about a thesis he wrote while at university. In it, he presented the idea that God kept Heaven's gates open, and that all people were invited in the afterlife. God Himself imposes no strictures. He can allow suffering, because everyone is allowed into Heaven.

 

The twist is, Heaven is so awesome to behold, so perfectly meant to be the afterlife of humanity, that when you stand in front of the open gates, you judge yourself to be worthy or not. If you've been a decent and loving person, you'll have no problem allowing yourself to walk on in. And if you aren't a good person, you won't be able to inflict yourself on Heaven, no matter what. Instead, you'll stand at the gates of Heaven, unable to go in until you deem yourself ready. You'll be outside open gates, BURNING with the desire to enter rightfully.

 

I thought this perspective offers interesting answers to some questions that have long plagued the Abrahamic religions.

 

I think it means both are here and now, and illustrates how, at a deeper level when we're honest with ourselves, and we ALL know what level I'm talking about. Only when we can forgive ourselves shall we know peace, the location is immaterial.

I say 'we' because it's not just about forgiving oneself.

[Velocity_Boy]

Use this thread to share your personal beliefs so we can build on each other and improve our own theories- Here's mine I am a Catholic and believe in an all powerful all knowing ever present perfect and infinite God I believe that all of existence is a result of Gods actions "thoughts" and words I believe you can go forever in forever out forever up forever down forever right and forever left in anything

Atheist.

 

Recovering Catholic.

 

I sometimes believe there is a slight possibility of a Deist God. That is a non personal Universal Intelligence, one that does not intervene in human affairs. But however can be tapped into for guidance and intuition if our minds are in the requisite mode.

 

Philosophically, I am a devout Epicurean. Enjoy this life, because it it the only one we can be sure to have. And boy is it short!

 

I do not believe there are any absolute morals. They are all subjective to culture. And, since I be!Idve in ET intelligence .....They're subjective of course to different worlds.

 

Politically..... Independent, and ten to lean a bit to the Right. As does most of the Nation.

 

Thank you!!!!

[ProgrammingGodJordan]

 

...that beliefs are not essential?

 

For example, insects, bacteria don't believe...

[Strange]

What if I told you

 

...that beliefs are not essential?

 

For example, insects, bacteria don't believe...

 

 

I would say: "Thanks for stating the bleeding obvious."

[Velocity_Boy]

 

...that beliefs are not essential?

 

For example, insects, bacteria don't believe...

 

Obviously they are not for lower life forms with smaller brains and lower levels of consciousness than us homo sapien sapiens. But what if I told you that more than a few psychiatrists and neurologists believe that we are hardwired to believe in God? And that such belief is a by product of our evolved brains? Albeit, some of those atheist neurologists would term it an undesirable by product. This, of our minds obsession with seeking reasons and patterns.

Even when, alas, there are none.

[ProgrammingGodJordan]

Obviously they are not for lower life forms with smaller brains and lower levels of consciousness than us homo sapien sapiens. But what if I told you that more than a few psychiatrists and neurologists believe that we are hardwired to believe in God? And that such belief is a by product of our evolved brains? Albeit, some of those atheist neurologists would term it an undesirable by product. This, of our minds obsession with seeking reasons and patterns.

Even when, alas, there are none.

We are hardwired to do many things.

And yet we may avoid doing those things...

[Strange]

We are hardwired to do many things.

And yet we may avoid doing those things...

 

 

Then we are not hard-wired to do them.

[Itoero]

But what if I told you that more than a few psychiatrists and neurologists believe that we are hardwired to believe in God? And that such belief is a by product of our evolved brains? Albeit, some of those atheist neurologists would term it an undesirable by product. This, of our minds obsession with seeking reasons and patterns.

Even when, alas, there are none.

We are 'hardwired' to believe but not necessarily in God.

How else do you explain the decline of religion in peaceful and wellfaring countries/area's ?