Political Crossfire Forums

[connermt]

I have often wondered if God & all that encompasses God could have been made up by our mind itself. Everything in regards to God seems to simple, yet complicated at the same time. There is a good & evil battle (simple), where good will win, people are 'the most important' of God's creation (arogant) , we were created in His image (arrogant again), God is man in Jesus, yet he isn't fully man (complicated), christianity started in a relatively small area with 'God's chosen' people (simple) & yet leaves out many cultures around the world that existed at the same time (complicated), bibles were translated over time by people FOR people (simple human greed), the same basic story is told at least 4 times with differnt details at times (simple & complicated), beliefs seem to change across time & cultures, the list can go one.
Almost every culture across the globe, regardless of when these cultures existed, all believed in something 'over & above themselves' but they were all so different , yet similiar at the same time. Seem that the only thing that native Americans & aboriginies (sp?), middle eastern cultres, (etc) all shared was the human mind.

Is it not possilbe that we (regardless of culture, when & where we are/were located) created the image of God within our own minds?

[thebreadloaf2003]

connermt wrote: I have often wondered if God & all that encompasses God could have been made up by our mind itself. Everything in regards to God seems to simple, yet complicated at the same time. There is a good & evil battle (simple), where good will win, people are 'the most important' of God's creation (arogant) , we were created in His image (arrogant again), God is man in Jesus, yet he isn't fully man (complicated), christianity started in a relatively small area with 'God's chosen' people (simple) & yet leaves out many cultures around the world that existed at the same time (complicated), bibles were translated over time by people FOR people (simple human greed), the same basic story is told at least 4 times with differnt details at times (simple & complicated), beliefs seem to change across time & cultures, the list can go one.
Almost every culture across the globe, regardless of when these cultures existed, all believed in something 'over & above themselves' but they were all so different , yet similiar at the same time. Seem that the only thing that native Americans & aboriginies (sp?), middle eastern cultres, (etc) all shared was the human mind.

Is it not possilbe that we (regardless of culture, when & where we are/were located) created the image of God within our own minds?

for the most part it all sounds reasonable...just wait though, someone will come in and say one of your statements is wrong thus discrediting your whole explination...happens pretty much every time :(

but avast, i will fight the good fight with you.
I believe that religion was created by rules in order to control their people.

[snow]

thebreadloaf2003 wrote:

for the most part it all sounds reasonable...just wait though, someone will come in and say one of your statements is wrong thus discrediting your whole explination...happens pretty much every time :(

but avast, i will fight the good fight with you.
I believe that religion was created by rules in order to control their people.



Which is why religion set extraordinarily high standards that just about nobody can live up to. . . right? Because if we want to control people, that is the best method.

[LetsGetReal]

To a non-believer this could be true, but to a believer it is ridiculous. My question is, do people who feel the need to downgrade and talk bad about religion feel that they are just so much smarter and have seen the light(excuse the pun) where we have not? You see so much more hatred/name calling about christianity/christians then about atheists or agnostics. I'm sure there is a lesson there :roll:.

[connermt]

snow wrote: thebreadloaf2003 wrote:

for the most part it all sounds reasonable...just wait though, someone will come in and say one of your statements is wrong thus discrediting your whole explination...happens pretty much every time :(

but avast, i will fight the good fight with you.
I believe that religion was created by rules in order to control their people.



Which is why religion set extraordinarily high standards that just about nobody can live up to. . . right? Because if we want to control people, that is the best method.

I can't speak for TBL2003, but most of the arguements I have heard say that religion was 'started' by people to control their subjects/under-lins/minorities, etc.
I have not yet heard that religion was created by people to control themselves, but I suppose that thought is out there somewhere

[connermt]

LetsGetReal wrote: To a non-believer this could be true, but to a believer it is ridiculous. My question is, do people who feel the need to downgrade and talk bad about religion feel that they are just so much smarter and have seen the light(excuse the pun) where we have not? You see so much more hatred/name calling about christianity/christians then about atheists or agnostics. I'm sure there is a lesson there :roll:.

This thread isn't about hatred, name calling, being smarter, etc, so let's stay on topic please

[mattwa33193]

snow wrote: thebreadloaf2003 wrote:

for the most part it all sounds reasonable...just wait though, someone will come in and say one of your statements is wrong thus discrediting your whole explination...happens pretty much every time :(

but avast, i will fight the good fight with you.
I believe that religion was created by rules in order to control their people.



Which is why religion set extraordinarily high standards that just about nobody can live up to. . . right? Because if we want to control people, that is the best method.

It is as long as you add in the part about coming back next week and bringing more money so you can get to heaven.

[mattwa33193]

connermt wrote: snow wrote: thebreadloaf2003 wrote:

for the most part it all sounds reasonable...just wait though, someone will come in and say one of your statements is wrong thus discrediting your whole explination...happens pretty much every time :(

but avast, i will fight the good fight with you.
I believe that religion was created by rules in order to control their people.



Which is why religion set extraordinarily high standards that just about nobody can live up to. . . right? Because if we want to control people, that is the best method.

I can't speak for TBL2003, but most of the arguements I have heard say that religion was 'started' by people to control their subjects/under-lins/minorities, etc.
I have not yet heard that religion was created by people to control themselves, but I suppose that thought is out there somewhere

I've seen a theory that Judaism was started by people to control themselves.

[LetsGetReal]

If you don't see how it is... I can't help you.

[thebreadloaf2003]

LetsGetReal wrote: To a non-believer this could be true, but to a believer it is ridiculous. My question is, do people who feel the need to downgrade and talk bad about religion feel that they are just so much smarter and have seen the light(excuse the pun) where we have not? You see so much more hatred/name calling about christianity/christians then about atheists or agnostics. I'm sure there is a lesson there :roll:.

the way i see it is not as downgradeing and tlaking bad bout yo mama (religion) (sorry for the bad joke) but more as useing strong language to try and ge the point across (granted its not very effective and is not used by everyone)

as for the anger, i think its more frustration of their stubborness against the christian's stubborness

[sLiPpY]

Actually, I always more so looked at it as being a Pyramid Scheme. i.e. People in other regions, being asked to send money back to the Church in Jerusalem. Or, hearing Paul rant about how he shouldn't "have to work", in order to spread the Gospel.

[Pelagius]

Luke 17:20-21

For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.

[DwightEisenhower]

connermt wrote: people are 'the most important' of God's creation (arogant)

That also comes with the moral oppertunity to sin. That's a weakness.

Quote: God is man in Jesus, yet he isn't fully man (complicated),

Jesus is fully man and fully God.

Quote: christianity started in a relatively small area with 'God's chosen' people (simple) & yet leaves out many cultures around the world that existed at the same time (complicated)

How is that complicated? The writers of the New Testament assumably did not contact Native Americans, because no one at that time contacted Native Americans.....seems pretty simple to me

Quote: bibles were translated over time by people FOR people (simple human greed),

I think that has more to do with Bible printing companies making money than Christian theory...

Quote: the same basic story is told at least 4 times with differnt details at times (simple & complicated),

Because four different writers wrote it.

Quote: beliefs seem to change across time & cultures,

...Different time periods have different views of importance. The Ancient Hebrews cared greatly about hospitality to travellers but did not care about Abortion.

Quote: the list can go one.

Forgive me if I missed something, but I really don't see how any of your points back up the conjecture that the notion of God is the power of the mind. You've simply stated several facts, described them in terms of simple or complicated, and therefore asserted that God is the power of the mind. I don't get it.

Quote: Almost every culture across the globe, regardless of when these cultures existed, all believed in something 'over & above themselves' but they were all so different , yet similiar at the same time. Seem that the only thing that native Americans & aboriginies (sp?), middle eastern cultres, (etc) all shared was the human mind.

It started with early human hunters and gatherers that believed bears and other animals "provided" them with their food. In time they began to worship these animals as providers, and worshipped divine nature spirits. They began to see similarities between the menustral cycle and the lunar cycle, and as humans, reasoned that there must be a divine presence.

Then we saw the emergence of priests and shamans as dominant in society; they declared that only they could interpret the gods' wills and eventually abused it to accumulate wealth (as we've seen in almost every religion)

We Christians are different because we include in our faith the experience of Jesus' disciples, having witnessed the Resurrection and proclaimed their faith after the Pentacost.

[connermt]

DwightEisenhower wrote: connermt wrote: people are 'the most important' of God's creation (arogant)

That also comes with the moral oppertunity to sin. That's a weakness.

Quote: God is man in Jesus, yet he isn't fully man (complicated),

Jesus is fully man and fully God.

Quote: christianity started in a relatively small area with 'God's chosen' people (simple) & yet leaves out many cultures around the world that existed at the same time (complicated)

How is that complicated? The writers of the New Testament assumably did not contact Native Americans, because no one at that time contacted Native Americans.....seems pretty simple to me

Quote: bibles were translated over time by people FOR people (simple human greed),

I think that has more to do with Bible printing companies making money than Christian theory...

Quote: the same basic story is told at least 4 times with differnt details at times (simple & complicated),

Because four different writers wrote it.

Quote: beliefs seem to change across time & cultures,

...Different time periods have different views of importance. The Ancient Hebrews cared greatly about hospitality to travellers but did not care about Abortion.

Quote: the list can go one.

Forgive me if I missed something, but I really don't see how any of your points back up the conjecture that the notion of God is the power of the mind. You've simply stated several facts, described them in terms of simple or complicated, and therefore asserted that God is the power of the mind. I don't get it.

Quote: Almost every culture across the globe, regardless of when these cultures existed, all believed in something 'over & above themselves' but they were all so different , yet similiar at the same time. Seem that the only thing that native Americans & aboriginies (sp?), middle eastern cultres, (etc) all shared was the human mind.

It started with early human hunters and gatherers that believed bears and other animals "provided" them with their food. In time they began to worship these animals as providers, and worshipped divine nature spirits. They began to see similarities between the menustral cycle and the lunar cycle, and as humans, reasoned that there must be a divine presence.

Then we saw the emergence of priests and shamans as dominant in society; they declared that only they could interpret the gods' wills and eventually abused it to accumulate wealth (as we've seen in almost every religion)

We Christians are different because we include in our faith the experience of Jesus' disciples, having witnessed the Resurrection and proclaimed their faith after the Pentacost.

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Quote: Jesus is fully man and fully God. Is complicated

Quote: How is that complicated? The writers of the New Testament assumably did not contact Native Americans, because no one at that time contacted Native Americans.....seems pretty simple to me Ok then, arrogant. It appears that their whole world was their immediate area & scr*w the rest of the world (a rather large assumption that they understood the rest of the world).

Quote: Because four different writers wrote it. That is a given. Still leads to more chances for people to 'doubt' the story(ies) & more.

Quote: Forgive me if I missed something, but I really don't see how any of your points back up the conjecture that the notion of God is the power of the mind. The idea that there is so much more of the mind that we don't understand. Some people say that alien abduction (for example) is purely made up by the mind, even though these things physically cause some people illnesses. Religions (including Christianity) seems to play on the basic human emotions & ideals (good & bad, wanting to live forever (heaven), punishment for not making a specific decision (hell), strange ideas about the human body & sexuality, 'our religion is the 'ONE TRUE religion', etc.)
Most every culture has worshipped something. So it appears that worshipping something is inbedded within the human mind, rather or not it is true. To sum it up: How can we be sure the human mind isn't making 'God' up?

Maybe we can't.

That would explain all the different types of religions people created across the world throughout history.