This is the kind of thing that has me question religion

[DosEquis]

Nepal declares girl new living goddess - World Faith - MSNBC.com

I mean......how ridiculously dumb is that. Normally I am of the thought process that says "its their own business" but that kind of thing is just beyond reason. Its absurd....3 year old girl is a god...Palin getting the witches prayed out of her......seriously.

It makes me think that religious faith is truly an obsolete way of thinking. It served its place and time, and deserves a lot of credit for getting human beings to where we are today.... but I think it is time to grow up. Follow the moral teachings of the religion, understand its roots, the foundation of it... but do we really need to keep praying to do things like get rid of witches and make 3 year old girls in to gods?

It's kind of like... they still have the queen of england to keep the tradition going but she really doesn't have much to do or say... why can't religion be like that? Have the faith sure... but realize what it truly is.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Originally Posted by DosEquis

I mean......how ridiculously dumb is that. Normally I am of the thought process that says "its their own business" but that kind of thing is just beyond reason. Its absurd....3 year old girl is a god...Palin getting the witches prayed out of her......seriously.

They always look ridiculously dumb. Watch how Joseph Smith can start a religion and have it spread relatively fast even though it is completely asinine.

It makes me think that religious faith is truly an obsolete way of thinking.

It is a substitute for thinking. In ancient times, a man would ask where does lightning come from? The priest would berate him and say, "Of course, it comes from Zeus." You don't actually learn or gain knowledge by pointing to the supernatural.

It's kind of like... they still have the queen of england to keep the tradition going but she really doesn't have much to do or say... why can't religion be like that? Have the faith sure... but realize what it truly is.

That's pretty much what many liberal Christians act like already. They are Christian because it is tradition. They don't think about it at all.

[7960]

I remember reading an article about "looking" for "the new dalai lama" and they finally "found him"

I realize he's a reincarnated spirit so to them it's quite possible he's out there to be found. But how would you like to be playing with GI Joe action figures one day and the next have someone come tell you "You are the spiritual leader for all of Tibet!" and whisk you away?

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by DosEquis

I mean......how ridiculously dumb is that. Normally I am of the thought process that says "its their own business" but that kind of thing is just beyond reason. Its absurd....3 year old girl is a god...Palin getting the witches prayed out of her......seriously.

It certainly sounds absurd, but so do most religious stories when you have not been exposed to them before.

Christianity has more "reasonable" beliefs right? If you remove the context we have for accepting Christian beliefs they are just as silly.

[up|dn]

In some ways, Liberal Christians are great. They live almost a completely secular life, but have enough respect for a culture's traditions that they will suspend their disbelief every once in a while and keep alive the parts of religion that are worth keeping: social justice, tolerance, respect, and community living.

[Dispatcher]

First of all, you have to understand, as a species, we are hard wired to believe in some deity. Evolution has provided us with this "God gene" for a good reason. People who believe in a all powerful god live longer than people who don't. How can that be, you ask? Well, think about it. Suppose you were working hard physical labor for 12 hours a day and living on a half a cup of rice a day. Or you were very sick. People who don't believe in a god are more likely to give up hope. And sometimes hope is the only thing that keeps a person alive.
Many people think believing in something we can't see and that we can't prove exists is silly. But 100 or so years ago, doctors thought the notion of tiny organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye causing infection in open wounds ridicules. That's why they didn't even wash their hands between each surgery. And there is a huge body of paranormal evidence that spirits do in fact exist.
How do you know air exists? You can feel it when a breeze blows and you can see the trees move, but you can't see air.
I'm not saying there is a God or there isn't. Unlike both atheists and the devoutly religious, I don't know if a God exists or not. And if one does exist, it well could be that all the religious doctrines are wrong about him/her.
Obviously they can't all be correct in what they believe.
All I am saying is that from a purely logical point of view, we have to have an open mind about ALL things. The things we can see and the things we can't see.
And if it was proven somehow, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was no God. There would be times in our life that most of us still believed.
It's in our genes. And it serves an evolutionary purpose....to give us hope.

[Photon1001]

What do you have against the Queen of England?

[HughRuss]

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

First of all, you have to understand, as a species, we are hard wired to believe in some deity. Evolution has provided us with this "God gene" for a good reason. People who believe in a all powerful god live longer than people who don't.

Where in our DNA is this "god gene"?
What study suggests that theists live longer than their counterparts?

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

How can that be, you ask? Well, think about it.

Uh-oh. The mark of an unfounded argument "think about it," isn't a provable rationalization, but rather a subjective opinion.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Suppose you were working hard physical labor for 12 hours a day and living on a half a cup of rice a day.

Like the majority of the world's population?

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Or you were very sick.

Like the majority of Africa's population?

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

People who don't believe in a god are more likely to give up hope. And sometimes hope is the only thing that keeps a person alive.

Hope? Hope is majestic, it is a beautiful thing, it gives people something in which they can believe or entrust faith. HOWEVER, there are limitations to this. Hope is not a life-and-death matter (keep your political views to yourself for now), and faith must be abandoned in the face of factual evidence.
"I have faith that some God had to create that grass out there," my grandmother postulated the other day.
"Yeah, I planted grass seed, watered, fertilized it, and have, after about 5 years of maintaining the coat, been able to stimulate its growth pattern through a strict regiment of water, nutrients, and mowing. Thank you for thinking so highly of me."

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Many people think believing in something we can't see and that we can't prove exists is silly.

It is.
If I told you I believe in an invisible pink unicorn, you would probably right me off as silly.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

But 100 or so years ago, doctors thought the notion of tiny organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye causing infection in open wounds ridicules.

Right, and thankfully the art of science has progressed such that we can see microorganisms with the aide of microscopes.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

That's why they didn't even wash their hands between each surgery.

Or they were lazy?

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

And there is a huge body of paranormal evidence that spirits do in fact exist.

Let's see evidence...

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

How do you know air exists? You can feel it when a breeze blows and you can see the trees move, but you can't see air.

Yes, I can tell you that I know air exists. Thankfully, I have more than just the sense of sight. Whatever would humans do without sight? Let's ask a blind person. Ask him/her if they know whether or not air exists. They would tell you that as sure as they can fill their lungs, air exists, no matter the specific compounds that go to make it up.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

I'm not saying there is a God or there isn't.

No, but you're tossing out unfounded subjective opinions without backing evidence. What other facet of human society does that? It rhymes with pigeon... or smidgen.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Unlike both atheists and the devoutly religious, I don't know if a God exists or not.

Then you are instilling your trust in the phrase "I don't know."
Agnosticism is a safe approach.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

And if one does exist, it well could be that all the religious doctrines are wrong about him/her.

Everything man has explained about God can be proven wrong by modern day science. So, if a God *does* exist, it is an ABSOLUTE that no religion has its description correct.

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Obviously they can't all be correct in what they believe.

Or maybe none of them are correct anyway?

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

All I am saying is that from a purely logical point of view, we have to have an open mind about ALL things. The things we can see and the things we can't see.

And for the 2000 years after Christ's crucification, and even the thousands of years before that, Man has been looking for evidence (concrete, objectionable evidence) that a deity exists. So far, the only transcendental, surviving argument is "well, look around you. Huh? HUH?!"

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

And if it was proven somehow, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was no God. There would be times in our life that most of us still believed.

Yeah, people used to believe that the Earth was flat, or it was the center of the Universe, or outside the Earth's atmosphere is a substance called aether. We proved:
1. Earth is round
2. Earth isn't even the center of the solar system
3. There is no aether.
Are there times when you look up in the sky and say "I don't know... how can we be sure not everything is revolving around us?"

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

It's in our genes. And it serves an evolutionary purpose....to give us hope.

Trying to tie it back to the original point, nice closer.

Now, proof please.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Originally Posted by HughRuss

Where in our DNA is this "god gene"?

It isn't even a scientific theory, just a hypothesis that some people like.

Let's see evidence...

Now, proof please.

That's just asking too much.

[HughRuss]

Originally Posted by Schrödinger's Cat

It isn't even a scientific theory, just a hypothesis that some people like.

and thus should be dismissed as fallacy.

Originally Posted by Schrödinger's Cat

That's just asking too much.

I know

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Originally Posted by HughRuss

and thus should be dismissed as fallacy.

It may well turn out to be true. It surely isn't impossible. However, to parade as if it were true is premature and wishful thinking.

[Photon1001]

Yeah, that monkeyman is a funny one. I hope he still doesn't think we're giving nuclear weapons to India too.

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by DosEquis

It served its place and time, and deserves a lot of credit for getting human beings to where we are today.... but I think it is time to grow up.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 Corinthians 3:11

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

First of all, you have to understand, as a species, we are hard wired to believe in some deity. Evolution has provided us with this "God gene" for a good reason. People who believe in a all powerful god live longer than people who don't. How can that be, you ask? Well, think about it. Suppose you were working hard physical labor for 12 hours a day and living on a half a cup of rice a day. Or you were very sick. People who don't believe in a god are more likely to give up hope. And sometimes hope is the only thing that keeps a person alive.
Many people think believing in something we can't see and that we can't prove exists is silly. But 100 or so years ago, doctors thought the notion of tiny organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye causing infection in open wounds ridicules. That's why they didn't even wash their hands between each surgery. And there is a huge body of paranormal evidence that spirits do in fact exist.
How do you know air exists? You can feel it when a breeze blows and you can see the trees move, but you can't see air.
I'm not saying there is a God or there isn't. Unlike both atheists and the devoutly religious, I don't know if a God exists or not. And if one does exist, it well could be that all the religious doctrines are wrong about him/her.
Obviously they can't all be correct in what they believe.
All I am saying is that from a purely logical point of view, we have to have an open mind about ALL things. The things we can see and the things we can't see.
And if it was proven somehow, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was no God. There would be times in our life that most of us still believed.
It's in our genes. And it serves an evolutionary purpose....to give us hope.

wow.

[Photon1001]

god ˈgäd also ˈgȯd
noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German got god Date: before 12th century

1 capitalized : the supreme or ultimate reality: as a: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe bChristian Science : the incorporeal divine Principle ruling over all as eternal Spirit : infinite Mind
2: a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship ; specifically : one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality
3: a person or thing of supreme value
4: a powerful ruler.

I suppose this girl could be seen, as some of those in Nepal may, as definition 3, or maybe even 4.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Originally Posted by Photon1001

I suppose this girl could be seen, as some of those in Nepal may, as definition 3, or maybe even 4.

Since she is supposed to be the incarnation of Durga/Taleju, definition 2 also covers it.

[Photon1001]

^ you might be right

On July 3, 2007, Sajani Shakya was removed from her position as Kumari of Bhaktapur after visiting the US to attend the release of the movie Living Goddess at Silverdocs the American Film Institute/Discovery Channel documentary festival in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. The visit, according to the elders, had tainted her purity.[3] A couple of weeks later, temple authorities at Sajani Shakya's home town recanted their previous statement and said that she will not be stripped of her title because she is willing to undergo a "cleansing" ceremony to remove any sins she may have committed while traveling.

[link]

that sounds nuts.

[HughRuss]

Why would a deity need to undergo cleansing?

That seems counterintuitive to the idea of "deity"...

[Photon1001]

uuh.. it actually sounds kid of ..creepy..