Depends on which God you believe in. If he/she is a God of infinite love, then he/she probably has a sense of humor as well. If he/she is a vengeful jerk, he/she may very well punish us. But why would any of us want to worship that?
Yeah. He was kind of smite happy in the early days, of course humans were smite happy too way back when. Actually sometimes I think they're still smite happy. I just wonder who created the phrase, "God created man in His own image." My guess it was a man inspired by God and a couple of pints of brandy, or maybe by just the brandy. =]
I think we are in a fascinating period as far as science and theology are concerned.
The bottom line is that however much we discuss this, the truth is we still don't know.
But as we discover more we seem to be getting closer to an answer, but as always, more answers provoke more questions.
We sort of understand the origins of life on this planet, and we can clearly see an evolutionary trail from early humanoids to present day mankind, and even that was not a direct path, as there were various branches from the core, some of which turned into dead ends.
Stepping outwards, we see the solar system was created through a period of extreme violence, with many more planets than exist now originally in the solar system (20 being a current good guess) and through collisions and so forth we are eventually left with what we see now, even our moon was most likely the result of a collision with another smaller planet, as moon samples tested appear to be originally from earth.
But the end result is either an amazing coincidence or the (rather convoluted) work of a higher being, as we are just the rigth distance from the sun for life to grow and prosper, the moon is just there rigth distance to have the best effects on our tides and weather, we have an atmosphere that protects us from the harmful effects of the sun but lets light and heat through, and we have a magnetic field that protects us from harmful cosmic rays.
Coincidence? - most likely, but it does at least make you think.
One think we can say for sure, if that was creation by a higher being, it was not a simple task like the bible would have us believe, and appears more like a complex esperiment that came good in the end.
I wonder if the rest of the universe was a series of practice attempts until he finally got one right?
I also liked your comment but regarding the fact that the conditions for life as we know it are just right on our planet, we wouldn't be here to appreciate it if they weren't (or at least we would look the way we do). It's not exactly a coincidence but that doesn't mean it was done intentionally either. If you think of it, to sustain the kind of life forms we know of you just need a telluric planet (as opposed to a gaseous ones) big enough to hold an atmosphere and at a distance of its star that allows it to have liquid water. The ozone layer that allowed the colonization of Earth's surface was formed by the production of oxygen by unicellular organisms over millions of years so it's not even a feature that already came built-in in our global home thus it all comes down to little more than having the right type of planet at the right distance from a (right kind of) star. And we can be sure that there are a lot of planets in those particular conditions throughout our vast universe.
I'm not implying by that that life is a common phenomenon across the universe (although some other factors might indicate so, like the fact that some bacteria survive in space, that comets carry organic components that are building blocks of life and that even Earth's water might have had an extraterrestrial origin) because if it was an aleatory event that happened to materialize on our planet, there are probabilistic events of opposed magnitude clashing in the assessment of whether there is also life as we know it elsewhere: there is a lot places where that unlikely event could have occurred. Of course for those who believe that the "seeds" of life are everywhere in space (like the composition of comets and the resilience of some bacteria suggest) and only need an appropriate environment to "germinate", it's likely that any colonizable planet will eventually bear life.
[2 points]167 days ago by nglReplyEdited 166 days ago by ngl
There is of course speculation that we might find evidence that life, in some simple form, may have existed on Mars, and also that some of the moons of the gas giants may have life of some form or other.
So many ifs, such a wonderful time to be alive, yet also sad that so many answers will not be found in my lifetime.
You're right, we're trying to find answers to a lot of interesting questions. :) Some will be answered soon enough so we might know the outcome of those research efforts, other exciting discoveries will lie out of our lifespan (and that might make us want to have been born a bit later so we don't miss the wonders ahead). But being able to contemplate the progress made during our lifetime is also thrilling: the 20th century and the 21st so far have been times of some great achievements in many fields.
It is interesting to survey the religious beliefs of hunter-gatherer peoples. Pretty much, they have strong animistic elements in their religion, and want nothing so much as to be left alone by any gods they do believe in. There is none of this personal religion thing.
Looking at Greek mythology and religion, I get the impression that they saw the Gods as more of a pain in the butt than helpful, and generally wee more in fear of them than had genuine respect and worship for them.
Then again, maybe I just watched too many episodes of Xena :))
Yeah, I guess the constant intervention of the gods in human affairs was seen as a nuisance sometimes and their capricious nature and quarrels between each other, with the consequences those disputes had to human endeavours, might instill fear. But I'm sure they also worshiped them devotedly, especially in times of need, and having different gods to help in the various predicaments one might be in must have come handy (it's nice to have a specific god to attend to a matter of the nature that particular god governs). :)
In later times, some of the respect for their gods might have been lost since some were even subject to a certain degree of mockery, like in the case of Zeus, ridiculed for his numerous affairs and the retaliations from Hera they generated.
Anyway, who can blame the gods for meddling too much? They had an eternity of time to kill and if you could spice up a soap opera you were watching from Mount Olympus or even be part of it, wouldn't you? ;)
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What is god?
I'll go to hell if I say no, so my hands are tied. I can't say "No." I can suspect it, I just can't say it.
This comment was deleted.
[1 point] 168 days ago by deleted user ReplyWhere did you post it?
This comment was deleted.
[2 points] 168 days ago by deleted user ReplyThanks!
This comment was deleted.
[0 points] 168 days ago by deleted user ReplyI rather like to imagine God created the universe, and we were a by-product.
I quite agree.
This comment was deleted.
[1 point] 168 days ago by deleted user ReplyMessy...but amusing!
As a omnipotent creator, he is a very bad one, i mean tail bone, appendix, little toe? completely useless, what is he thinking with?
I think Man created godkind.
Agree.
No doubt about that! :)
GOD WILL GET YOU FOR ALL THOSE SMART COMMENTS!
I think I just heard him in the closet - no, wait it's the tooth fairy!
This was meant tongue-in-cheek, wasn't it JonMarc??
Depends on which God you believe in. If he/she is a God of infinite love, then he/she probably has a sense of humor as well. If he/she is a vengeful jerk, he/she may very well punish us. But why would any of us want to worship that?
Yeah. He was kind of smite happy in the early days, of course humans were smite happy too way back when. Actually sometimes I think they're still smite happy. I just wonder who created the phrase, "God created man in His own image." My guess it was a man inspired by God and a couple of pints of brandy, or maybe by just the brandy. =]
why do you call God he/she? I mean it's not like He's a man or a woman..
I am simply not assuming a "he".
I think mankind was created by the gods of old aka extraterrestrial sentient beings.
I mean God may have created the universe, but mythology suggests something else created mankind...
I think we are in a fascinating period as far as science and theology are concerned.
The bottom line is that however much we discuss this, the truth is we still don't know.
But as we discover more we seem to be getting closer to an answer, but as always, more answers provoke more questions.
We sort of understand the origins of life on this planet, and we can clearly see an evolutionary trail from early humanoids to present day mankind, and even that was not a direct path, as there were various branches from the core, some of which turned into dead ends.
Stepping outwards, we see the solar system was created through a period of extreme violence, with many more planets than exist now originally in the solar system (20 being a current good guess) and through collisions and so forth we are eventually left with what we see now, even our moon was most likely the result of a collision with another smaller planet, as moon samples tested appear to be originally from earth.
But the end result is either an amazing coincidence or the (rather convoluted) work of a higher being, as we are just the rigth distance from the sun for life to grow and prosper, the moon is just there rigth distance to have the best effects on our tides and weather, we have an atmosphere that protects us from the harmful effects of the sun but lets light and heat through, and we have a magnetic field that protects us from harmful cosmic rays.
Coincidence? - most likely, but it does at least make you think.
One think we can say for sure, if that was creation by a higher being, it was not a simple task like the bible would have us believe, and appears more like a complex esperiment that came good in the end.
I wonder if the rest of the universe was a series of practice attempts until he finally got one right?
I would love to know the truth :)
This comment was deleted.
[1 point] 167 days ago by deleted user ReplyI also liked your comment but regarding the fact that the conditions for life as we know it are just right on our planet, we wouldn't be here to appreciate it if they weren't (or at least we would look the way we do). It's not exactly a coincidence but that doesn't mean it was done intentionally either. If you think of it, to sustain the kind of life forms we know of you just need a telluric planet (as opposed to a gaseous ones) big enough to hold an atmosphere and at a distance of its star that allows it to have liquid water. The ozone layer that allowed the colonization of Earth's surface was formed by the production of oxygen by unicellular organisms over millions of years so it's not even a feature that already came built-in in our global home thus it all comes down to little more than having the right type of planet at the right distance from a (right kind of) star. And we can be sure that there are a lot of planets in those particular conditions throughout our vast universe.
I'm not implying by that that life is a common phenomenon across the universe (although some other factors might indicate so, like the fact that some bacteria survive in space, that comets carry organic components that are building blocks of life and that even Earth's water might have had an extraterrestrial origin) because if it was an aleatory event that happened to materialize on our planet, there are probabilistic events of opposed magnitude clashing in the assessment of whether there is also life as we know it elsewhere: there is a lot places where that unlikely event could have occurred. Of course for those who believe that the "seeds" of life are everywhere in space (like the composition of comets and the resilience of some bacteria suggest) and only need an appropriate environment to "germinate", it's likely that any colonizable planet will eventually bear life.
Very interesting points.
There is of course speculation that we might find evidence that life, in some simple form, may have existed on Mars, and also that some of the moons of the gas giants may have life of some form or other.
So many ifs, such a wonderful time to be alive, yet also sad that so many answers will not be found in my lifetime.
You're right, we're trying to find answers to a lot of interesting questions. :) Some will be answered soon enough so we might know the outcome of those research efforts, other exciting discoveries will lie out of our lifespan (and that might make us want to have been born a bit later so we don't miss the wonders ahead). But being able to contemplate the progress made during our lifetime is also thrilling: the 20th century and the 21st so far have been times of some great achievements in many fields.
It is interesting to survey the religious beliefs of hunter-gatherer peoples. Pretty much, they have strong animistic elements in their religion, and want nothing so much as to be left alone by any gods they do believe in. There is none of this personal religion thing.
We not hunter-gatherers anymore, we Walmart shoppers?
Yeah, we sure got dumber along the way.
Interesting.
Looking at Greek mythology and religion, I get the impression that they saw the Gods as more of a pain in the butt than helpful, and generally wee more in fear of them than had genuine respect and worship for them.
Then again, maybe I just watched too many episodes of Xena :))
Yeah, I guess the constant intervention of the gods in human affairs was seen as a nuisance sometimes and their capricious nature and quarrels between each other, with the consequences those disputes had to human endeavours, might instill fear. But I'm sure they also worshiped them devotedly, especially in times of need, and having different gods to help in the various predicaments one might be in must have come handy (it's nice to have a specific god to attend to a matter of the nature that particular god governs). :)
In later times, some of the respect for their gods might have been lost since some were even subject to a certain degree of mockery, like in the case of Zeus, ridiculed for his numerous affairs and the retaliations from Hera they generated.
Anyway, who can blame the gods for meddling too much? They had an eternity of time to kill and if you could spice up a soap opera you were watching from Mount Olympus or even be part of it, wouldn't you? ;)
Wise words, and I love the last point :)
It sounds like a wise attitude that might prevent some of the problems we see associated with monotheist religions.