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elysiafields -- "smaking"? -- is that the same as shining someone on?
or humouring them possibly? Neither is the case however as I was sincerely asking you where you see the relevancy in your second comment. You add this line in a later comment: "What I meant, is that there might be some truth in the myth of one, universal God, that must be worshipped above all others" A person would have to believe in a God of some sort for this to be relevant. I can understand how a believing mind would arrive at this but from my perspective, this is the introduction of an abstract concept.
posted by
gomedome
on August 15, 2005 at 8:06 PM
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"G"
On that relevancy question, are you smaking me, or are you wondering how my post was relevant to your post?
And yes, I agree about the man making god in his own image.
But I think that something beyond human nature provides us with a universal God.
Something of which nature is a part, and that is, as I've proposed elsewhere, physics.
An interesting question might be, if Physics is God, and if we are created out of the stuff of the entire physical universe, could we be an organic microcosm, or reflection of the universe?
A reflection of God?
posted by
astromuffy
on August 15, 2005 at 6:27 PM
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elysiafields -- that could be true as well
If you consider that man made God in his own image (and no I do not have it backwards) it would stand to reason that a universally accepted God would be derived from human nature while pandering to human need.
posted by
gomedome
on August 15, 2005 at 6:08 PM
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What I meant, is that there might be some truth in the myth of one, universal God, that must be worshipped above all others.
It dosn't exactly make a case for monetheism, as much as it might make a case for pantheism, with one, supreme God as the source of all things...
posted by
astromuffy
on August 15, 2005 at 5:53 PM
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elysiafields -- relevancy was the first thing that came to my mind
the second thing was monotheism may well have been around for so long but it was not alone in the realm of human beliefs.
posted by
gomedome
on August 15, 2005 at 5:31 PM
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Yo "G"
What part(s) got you lost?
posted by
astromuffy
on August 15, 2005 at 5:16 PM
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elysiafields -- in your first comment I do not know if truer words can be
spoken. The temptation is always there, not only to inflate one's ego but to instill a number of other undesirable traits such as arrogance and a sense of invunerability. I'd like to say that I was impervious to all of these human pitfalls but I would be lying. One particular stock market score swelled my head so bad that it became inevitable that I come crashing off of my pedestal with a resounding thud. At least inevitable in hindsight. But all of these things are part of personal growth, we are not born fully mature and there are none amongst us that can say they have never made a mistake. Money can be a powerful allie. First off it beats the heck out of being broke with all of the debilitating depression inherent with poverty. Your second comment lost me.
posted by
gomedome
on August 15, 2005 at 5:02 PM
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truth to the myth
The thing that never fails to astonish me about all myths, are the powerful truths it contains.
The 'myth' of one God has prevaded since the advent of Judiasm, what is that...5,000 years old?
More?
Was it the first commandment that admonished "Thou shalt have no other gods before me".
It did not say "Thou shalt have no other gods."
Elysia
posted by
astromuffy
on August 15, 2005 at 2:34 PM
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food for thought
And what I mean is that, once again, you've given me food for thought...
You made an interesting link between the benevloent voice, and two aspects of capital it commands.
One is the aspect of authority, and how it can be exchanged for influence and respect.
And even cold, hard, cash.
If the money turns out to be the ashphalt path to self-serving narcisism, then the soul is lost in the bargain.
If the potent temptation of ego gratification can be withstood, then money can be a powerful ally.
Elysia
posted by
astromuffy
on August 15, 2005 at 2:22 PM
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zarrothepaun -- I can think of a long list of things that are good about
organized religion in a general sense. The social aspect is hard to duplicate in any other setting, the charitable aspect, though not nearly living up to it's potential, cannot be overlooked either. However, I feel we are reaching a point in our evolution as a species that the negatives are beginning to outweigh the positives. The insistence on a uniform belief in a supreme being as well as the host of societal groups that are discriminated against are things that just don't work any more. Add the ever present resistence to scientific advancement and I have to agree that the bad overshadows the good.
posted by
gomedome
on August 15, 2005 at 7:22 AM
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religions arent all bad
Religions are a mixture of good and bad. Although mostly bad they do account at least to some extent for the sort of morality that we enjoy. It's sort of based on the teaching of the moral leaders like Jesus and Mohamed etc. Certainly not the Moral Majority, which by the way is neither. Or the Christian Coalition that selects the parts of the teaching that they already believe instead of reading what is in the scriptures. Some of religion is good, most is bad. zarrothepaun
posted by
zarrothepaun
on August 14, 2005 at 9:28 PM
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