Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mhmm.


I just thought I might as well post.

I was at a church service a friend of mine invited me to. We were taking a moment of silence to ponder a little sheet of certain Bible verses, and I was wandering off on my own trail of thoughts. Just a vague sort of wondering, about the history of the Christian religion, how it's switched paradigms three or four times since the time when the man himself lived. The Catholic and Orthodox churches, Martin Luther, modern conservativism, and such.

And.. it hit me. I've said it for years, but in a brief moment, I realized just how it was things have progressed. The teachings and martyrdom of Jesus Christ and his first followers served to change the shape of the world. Were it not for them, we might well still be fumbling around with druids, tree-gods, and wizardry. Once the oppression faded, organized churches brought order to the chaos and united all their followers as one. Centuries later, a man by the name of Martin Luther questioned the massive powers the churches had become, and brought about the revolution of protestantism. Following those footsteps were the utterly exemplary Puritans who bestowed their moral code upon the Americas, the echoes of which helped us to carve out our system of laws and beliefs today.

Islam, Judaism, too. Despite their flaws, look at each of them carefully. They were organized to do good in the world, and for a time, good they did. In ways, they still do.

Just as I had that thought, I had the strangest feeling. A quick shiver, though it wasn't cold, and it was as though something... As best I can put it, tapped me on the shoulder.

It hasn't been sudden, dramatic, miraculous changes that have shaped the world to be what it is. It was coincidences. A deranged leader, an enlightened philosopher, an untimely death, all of these things have formed our world to be what it is. Gentle changes.

I believe, there just may be something beyond us. Perhaps benevolent and loving of us like pets, to be so crude, or perhaps inquisitive and watchful, like the scientists of this world. No, not as drastic as we've made him, her, it, out to be, but perhaps, that being is real. Perhaps we have no afterlife, perhaps the kindest and strongest souls among us are stored as that scientist's prized subjects.

Until we can find or disprove those potential little links of influence.. Who is to say, but warring researchers, and bickering philosophers?



I believe I'll stay around, if it's alright, and still pop in from time to time. (Not much better a place to sharpen one's wit, to be honest. Some of the fiercest debates I've seen have spawned here, in one way or another.)




[I consider this a personal statement, not a point for retort. Anyone who may wish to make an argument or issue out of it can do so privately. I kindly ask that this thread not be a point of conflict or debate.]

I could make this retort HUGE, by going indepth on my opinions to all the themes you just touched on, but I think I can summerize.

In short, I feel that what you are saying is that the general influence of religion is towards a "greater good," and that this influence must come from something "greater-than-man" due to historical events that have coincidently aided in this.

Firstly, there is no way to prove "divine intervention." Therefore, it can't be proven that these incidents were/are nothing more than events. But more importantly, I feel that you are missinterpreting a main point. I think the reason all religions essentially have good at their core is due to the fact that all humans have good in their hearts. Religion is a human form of expression of what they think is right, and is then enforced by mythical personas. The influence that you think is God (in one form or another) is the will of man. Even if the pegan religions were allowed to live on, I'm pretty confident that we'd still be in a similar situation that we are now. It is the will of all people to live in love and peace. And hopefully one day we will be able to embrace this universal ideology as our own, insted of as the will of someone or something else.

Having said this, as an Atheist I am very aware of mortality. In this guild I am very cocky, crass, and sometimes a plain old jerk about religion, but that is only because I am among like-minded peers. In truth, this is the only life you're gonna get. So do whatever you need to in order to be happy. If you feel you're happy believing, then believe your little heart out and leave this world without regret.

We gonna miss ya! wink

Okay, if that's how you feel, I'm sorry for editing your post.