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Has mankind outgrown religion?
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by cpmcd2000 | April 23, 2007 at 05:21 pm
1267 views | 3 Recommendations | 5 comments
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I
read a very interesting article from a magazine recently talking about
where the real debate is happening in the science community. Anyone
knows that matters of whether a god exists or not is not really a
matter anyone can prove. Further, the matter of if that god was a
personal god and even cared about anything happening here on earth is
yet another entirely different matter - all of which most religious
people make rash assumptions, claiming to know all these things for
fact.
The real debate is
not over these immaterial matters but rather taking a closer look at
mankind and our brains. Tracing back the steps of our evolution
(which isn't really up for discussion anymore - - - it is proven) to
see where religion has helped us along in this voyage of life on this
earth.
Such an interesting point was that of religion being a
tool of mankind very necessary for our survival. An indirect result of
our evolving to the current state we find ourselves.
If one
builds a stair case, you will find that in many cases, you have a void
of space beneath the rising stairs, ideally triangular in shape. Never
the less, the bottom and top destinations are connected effectively but
the space beneath is another matter. Some choose to make this a pantry
or storage closet. Some simply close it up and never use it. This is
what is known as a spandrel. Now
in this case, this spandrel is an indirect result of building the
staircase but still can be utilized in a an effective manner. It is a
tool in and of itself.
This is exactly what many
scientists are saying happened with religion. It was an indirect result
of our evolution yet a very helpful tool which at many times was
crucial in our survival. This life and world is a messy affair. Life
lives on death, and death is a very upsetting occurrence as we all
know. So much of this world and universe which we couldn't understand
before was explained by religion. It WAS helpful.
What I ask is
this... is this tool we have used for years wearing dull? Is it not
effective any longer? Is it in fact getting in the way of our
advancement and success on this earth?
I say yes. It is time for
us to retire this tool and fill that void with new experiences, some I
am sure could be even more awe inspiring and mystifying than anything
modern religion could bring us
As one Carl Sagan once much more eloquently explained...
"A
religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as
revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of
reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths."
-Carl Sagan / Pale Blue Dot
If
we answer these questions with science there many not be any need to go
about arguing with true believers about whether a god exists or not. It
is simply a waste of time to argue with a true believer, and this must
be stopped.
I fear that this transition from religion to reason
is happening on earth right now as you read this. The many events
happening around this world are discouraging and the media simply adds
the exclamation point to it all.
Survival of the fittest...
Evolution itself is a very destructive force, ridding itself of
impurities ruthlessly. We all are subject to this evolution and when it
comes down to it, it isn't our decision if religion should stay or go.
The trend is quite obvious, but at no point should anyone think of this
as a negative thing.
Life itself becomes more valuable when one
realizes that this is our heaven. That for us to exist at this moment
is more astonishing than all the universe we have seen so far. We are
that miracle - that one in a billion. If we ruin it for ourselves, that
is entirely up to us and will be our fault. But if we cherish each
moment properly and soak up all that is life with each passing day...
than I think we will all benefit. Pray we not squander our riches.
Let the age of Aquarius begin!
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at 03:29 on April 24th, 2007
cpmcd2000, an excellent and thought-provoking editorial. You've obviously spent some work on this. Good stuff!
at 08:55 on April 24th, 2007
That's right!
Let's cast off the rudder of standards and cultural reason in favor of self aggrandizement.
Three cheers to the new way while we get blown up by one of the least evolved old ways without a counter balance.
So, where does one go to recover from addiction and bad personal choices? To just other humans that think like you ... or do they reach to a power outside of themselves and humans that think like you and live on a clearer, more directed and personal spiritual plane?
This rebuttal comes from someone who has not consumed mind altering substances and smoked tobacco (a previous 26 year habit/addiction/practice) in 15 years by the time the end of this month has come and gone. Trust me on this point ... it was not achieved in the exclusive vacuum of evolved Human thought and reflective experience.
at 12:08 on April 24th, 2007
Edmund, as someone who clearly believes in religion, you're operating under the wrongheaded assumption that people are incapable of change or self-improvement without subscribing to a higher power. There are studies that show that Alcoholics Anonymous actually has poorer results than people who just simply attempt to stop drinking on their own. While your use of religion to better yourself worked for you, on a macro level it isn't the best option. Check out this link I just found- now of course these people are trying to say that their way is the best way - I'm not saying it is. But their digs at AA I think are pretty dead on:
http://www.clearhavencenter.com/our-alcohol-drug-rehab-center/why-12step-fails-and-why-cognitive-is-superior.php?gclid=CP_X7JmT3IsCFRB_TAodUkq0ZA
While I've never had any significant drug or alcohol problems, I did quit drinking coffee and did not have to call upon anything more than my own intelligence that it would mae me a healthier, more productive person.
at 16:06 on April 26th, 2007
The History is a prove that we don´t need "god" anymore!
Since the 19th century, with Darwin claiming that we not descent from god but lower life-forms, with Nietzsche saying that god was dead, that Freud explaining that religion is a disease and the very source of neurosis... We had an excellent 20th century!
URSS was the first laicism state in history, in an experiment that left over than 150 K people dead (together with other communist states). We faced two World Wars with a savagery that maked old wars children´s toys.
Yes! We do not need god anymore. We evolved since we left this anacronic piece of belief behind. It´s like an appendix for the human body. Right now the human "attic" is fed-up with niceties since we ousted god from there.
I can´t wait for the future!
Luís Afonso