Religion

[Djinn Raffo]

whhooops sorry Cerek! ~blush~

[Attalus]

As a physician and biology major, I do not find any conflict between my religion and scientific knowledge. I have always felt that if some observer had been present at creation, it would have looked a lot like the "Big Bang." And the "Days" that the authors of Genesis wrote of are obviusly (to me) symbolic in nature. After all, what can a "day" be before God parted the darkness and the light? And, obviously, to me, again, Adam and Eve were not the first humans, they were the first humans with souls, made "in God's image." After all, who was Lilith, and whom did Cain marry, if there were no other folks around? And who did Seth procreate with, since Adam and Eve only had sons?

[*\Conan/*]

Hello Ironworkers! I hope it is still ok for me to post here. Also that you all are having a great holiday season!

I would like to pose some questions about "religion" on a unbiased scope. This is in no way to be disruptive or cracking on what others think, Im just very intrested is all.

1.What is religion?
2.Why do rational, practical people still buy into it?
3.Why do religions of humankind, at times, show striking similarities with each other?
4.Why do genetically unrelated myths and rituals have similar narrative plots or ritual sequences?

Is religion a autonomus system or heteronomous?

And for the so inclined--->Do you beleive the soul preexists the body vs. the soul does not preexist the body;
Is the soul created vs. the soul uncreated?

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Rokenn: quote: Originally posted by Yorick: So has anyone here conducted a carbon dating experiement themselves? If not then you are a person of faith relying on human testimony, no differently than a person who accepts a human testimony regarding God healing them, or Christ rising from the dead.

So by this same arguement since none of us have ever been in earth orbit we are 'taking it on faith' that the Earth is round? I know all those NASA photos were fake! Have to run I am late for my Flat Earth Society meeting![/QB][/QUOTE]Nice try. I've flown around the world, seen the curved horizon, and ended up back where I started.

You ARE missing the point though, which is, you have to take many things on FAITH, not firsthand experience. Faith is a vital part of the human experience. You can never PROVE someone loves you. You have to have faith, and trust that they do. Without that faith and trust, the relationship does not exist.

[Attalus]

Originally posted by *\Conan/*: 1.What is religion? 1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance 2.Why do rational, practical people still buy into it? I feel that it shows us what purpose that our lives have, preparing for eternity 3.Why do religions of humankind, at times, show striking similarities with each other? Because people are aware of forces outside themselves, preferring the good to evil, and struggle to understand them. 4.Why do genetically unrelated myths and rituals have similar narrative plots or ritual sequences? Is religion a autonomus system or heteronomous? And for the so inclined--->Do you beleive the soul preexists the body vs. the soul does not preexist the body; Because, according to Frederick Jung and Joseph Campbell, human experience requires answers to the same questions, hence, since all human experience in the great transitions of life: birth, maturity, marriage, and death, are similar, the human mind recognizes these grand themes and responds in similiar ways, regardless of culture. And, yes, I believe the soul to be a created spiritual entiety, preexisting the body. IIs the soul created vs. the soul uncreated? Created, as is the entire universe.

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by Yorick: Nice try. I've flown around the world, seen the curved horizon, and ended up back where I started. You ARE missing the point though, which is, you have to take many things on FAITH, not firsthand experience. Faith is a vital part of the human experience. You can never PROVE someone loves you. You have to have faith, and trust that they do. Without that faith and trust, the relationship does not exist.[/QB]

Well I have not flown around the world, so I should take your word for it that the Earth is round? Believing in someting that has been proven millions of times over in reproducable experiments and beliving the Earth is 6000 years old based on a book written by unknown authors are two entirely different things imo.

[Garnet FalconDance]

::nods Attalus' way:: Yep, yep.

Do I remember correctly that *\Conan/* (or someone else maybe) possted the same or very similar questions in another religion-themed thread?

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Rokenn: quote: Originally posted by Yorick: Nice try. I've flown around the world, seen the curved horizon, and ended up back where I started. You ARE missing the point though, which is, you have to take many things on FAITH, not firsthand experience. Faith is a vital part of the human experience. You can never PROVE someone loves you. You have to have faith, and trust that they do. Without that faith and trust, the relationship does not exist.

Well I have not flown around the world, so I should take your word for it that the Earth is round? Believing in someting that has been proven millions of times over in reproducable experiments and beliving the Earth is 6000 years old based on a book written by unknown authors are two entirely different things imo.[/QB][/QUOTE]Fair enough. That 'book' states that the earth is round btw.

Why are we talking about the earth being round anyway. We're talking about the huge leap of faith required to accept the validity of carbon dating. Many blindly accept it without understanding how it works! Talk about being spoon fed sheep not thinking for themselves!

Are scientists the new Priests?

Or are economic forecasters?

[ 12-04-2002, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Madriver]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Rokenn: quote: Originally posted by Yorick: Nice try. I've flown around the world, seen the curved horizon, and ended up back where I started. You ARE missing the point though, which is, you have to take many things on FAITH, not firsthand experience. Faith is a vital part of the human experience. You can never PROVE someone loves you. You have to have faith, and trust that they do. Without that faith and trust, the relationship does not exist.

Well I have not flown around the world, so I should take your word for it that the Earth is round? Believing in someting that has been proven millions of times over in reproducable experiments and beliving the Earth is 6000 years old based on a book written by unknown authors are two entirely different things imo.[/QUOTE]Fair enough. That 'book' states that the earth is round btw.

Why are we talking about the earth being round anyway. We're talking about the huge leap of faith required to accept the validity of carbon dating. Many blindly accept it without understanding how it works! Talk about being spoon fed sheep not thinking for themselves!

Are scientists the new Priests?

Or are economic forecasters?[/QB][/QUOTE]There's a lot more to dating than just carbon dating. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by Yorick: Fair enough. That 'book' states that the earth is round btw. Why are we talking about the earth being round anyway. We're talking about the huge leap of faith required to accept the validity of carbon dating. Many blindly accept it without understanding how it works! Talk about being spoon fed sheep not thinking for themselves! Are scientists the new Priests? Or are economic forecasters?[/QB]

I was using the roundness of the earth as something else many people have not experienced directly. Since the crux of your arguement is that since none of us have not actually done a carbon dating ourselves how can be possible accept it at face value.

I respect you Yorrick, but I have to say the line about spoon feeding is a bit of a flame-bait.

As for scientists being the new priests I have no problem with that analogy. As their results are peer-reviewed and independently verifiable. Economic forecasters on the other hand are nothing more then soothsayers poking through the tealeaves to make half-baked guess on what is going to happen next week [img]tongue.gif[/img]