Originally Posted By planodisney A better question is what if there never was a Bible, any notion of God, and we had no spirit. I think any honest, rational person would have to admit that would be a scary world to live in.
Originally Posted By mele If the Bible were outlawed today, I'd finally be able to throw away the old, junky bibles that we have stacked on a shelf. I'd be guilt free! I would hide the bible that I have had since I was little, though.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf I personally believe that our idea of a higher power and purpose in life is the evolutionary trait that led us down the path of "progress" that we're on right now. We're programmed to find answers, even if we have to invent them ourselves. "Creativity" and the "creator" come from the same root word for a reason.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***A better question is what if there never was a Bible, any notion of God, and we had no spirit.*** No, that'd be an entirely different question. Why not start a topic?
Originally Posted By Elderp So to understand your viewpoint Eigth, you kinda believe God did the initial push and everything else was evolution?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <A better question is what if there never was a Bible, any notion of God, and we had no spirit.> Those notions predate the Bible.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<So to understand your viewpoint Eigth, you kinda believe God did the initial push and everything else was evolution?>> I am more inclined to believe that the idea of god was an invention of man - but it was the most important idea ever created. It led mankind to think about what was not possible at the momemt but possible in the future. It helped mankind explain things they couldn't explain. And it gave manking an idea of what to ultimately aspire to. The idea of god is the evolutionary trait that sets our species apart from animals and caused the divergence away from apes hundreds of thousands of years ago. If you look at the powers we attribute to god, they are the same powers that we as a species are trying to harness right now. I believe mankind has the ability to achieve immortality and have dominion over the universe without having to die first. We have the ability to live in peace and apply justice. We have the ability to become gods ourselves without the help of an imaginary higher power. Why? Because we have imagined it. The god that mankind has imagined into existance is the future of the human species.
Originally Posted By Elderp Your beliefs in this thread dont corellate to your beliefs in the other thread, but if that is what you honestly believe so be it.
Originally Posted By Mr X Elder, why would you say that? He wrote "I am more inclined to", right? That doesn't strike me as a hard and fast belief. And yet you go on the defensive. See, here's the funny thing about the non-believer types, we actually aren't sure sometimes, and are unafraid to say it. Unlike the rigid and oh so certain comments from the church types, it's okay for non-believers to just, well, sort of wonder what might or might not be out there. I, personally, am inclined to believe lots of stuff, but I have no certain idea of what's out there (if anything). ***I believe mankind has the ability to achieve immortality*** I wouldn't go so far. Perhaps something called "near-immortality", to the point where you pretty much live as long as you want til you decide to die...but immortality, again, brings up the concept of forever and nothing, NOTHING can live forever.
Originally Posted By Elderp " And yet you go on the defensive." Sorry if it sounded defensive. I like to understand where people are coming from. I was merely trying to understand Eigth beliefs, whose statements seemed to me contrary. On that note I wouldn't try to deny someone else's belief. I might not agree with someone else's beliefs, but I wouldn't ever say say someone didn't believe in what they did. I am no mind reader I have no idea what people are really thinking.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<Your beliefs in this thread dont corellate to your beliefs in the other thread, but if that is what you honestly believe so be it.>> In the other thread, I am arguing that Mormons aren't Christian -- not that I'm a Christian and you're not. I think you guys are misunderstanding me.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<I wouldn't go so far. Perhaps something called "near-immortality", to the point where you pretty much live as long as you want til you decide to die...but immortality, again, brings up the concept of forever and nothing, NOTHING can live forever.>> You may be right of course and I don't know if we'll ever even get that far. My point was that this is what we are aspiring to.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster You really should read "The Age of Spiritual Machines" by Kurzweil. It's a book about man achieving, through technology, the powers we currently ascribe to God.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf Hmm, I'm sure you've told me about that before but I've never picked it up. I'll read it this summer.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster I have a copy if ya wanna borrow it. I'll bring it to you at the end of May.
