Could all Religions Come Together?

[Redfish]

Have you ever been to Saudi Arabia?

yes and several other muslim countries, have you?

 

[ding]

Sometimes I think that trust in us may have been misplaced.

Oh ye of little faith. JK

What I find absolutely amazing about the creation account in Genesis is the wording about light at the beginning of the account and all the other things that followed in the account.

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters— Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light.​

The reason I find this absolutely amazing is that it doesn't say God created light. It says God created the heavens and the earth and then said: let there be light.

Why is this significant? Because according to science everything was created at the so-called Big Bang. But for the first ~400,000 years the universe was dark. There was no light. Light didn't appear until the universe cooled enough for radiation to decouple from matter. Until that point the universe was opaque. So science tells us the heavens and the earth were created first then as the universe cooled and expanded everything else occurred as a consequence of that creative act and the logical evolution of space and time. The wording in Genesis reflects that reality. As everything that followed the creation of the heavens and the were introduced by the accurate phrase of "let there be."

 

[surada]

yes and several other muslim countries, have you?

I lived there 2 decades and went to church and Sunday school every Friday without fail. Also briefly in Kuwait and Libya.

 

[Meriweather]

Why is this significant? Because according to science everything was created at the so-called Big Bang. But for the first ~400,000 years the universe was dark. There was no light. Light didn't appear until the universe cooled enough for radiation to decouple from matter. Until that point the universe was opaque. So science tells us the heavens and the earth were created first then as the universe cooled and expanded everything else occurred as a consequence of that creative act and the logical evolution of space and time. The wording in Genesis reflects that reality. As everything that followed the creation of the heavens and the were introduced by the accurate phrase of "let there be."

I, too, am amazed by the creation account in Genesis. I keep wondering how mankind figured it out. What did he see that we are missing? We should be able to see it as well.

 

[surada]

I, too, am amazed by the creation account in Genesis. I keep wondering how mankind figured it out. What did he see that we are missing? We should be able to see it as well.

Foundation myths are teaching narratives not history.

 

[ding]

I, too, am amazed by the creation account in Genesis. I keep wondering how mankind figured it out. What did he see that we are missing? We should be able to see it as well.

I can only imagine divine intervention - a vision of the creation and evolution of space and time - with man putting what he saw into words after much discussion around it's meaning. In a nutshell, God created existence and then everything proceeded from that creative act.

 

[ding]

Foundation myths are teaching narratives not history.

They are man's understanding of the origin questions. It's quite natural for man to ponder where he came from and what his purpose is. So they are both.

 

[surada]

They are man's understanding of the origin questions. It's quite natural for man to ponder where he came from and what his purpose is. So they are both.

Of course, you're right. The early Hebrews borrowed from Sumer and Egyptian mythos.. as well as Canaanite mythos... They borrowed from the civilizations around them...like the Ugarit. It's an amazing legacy.... it's just not history.

 

[BS Filter]

the 1st amendment ...



they distinctly removed religion in particular organized type desert religions from the gov't of the u s as written. the 1st sentence of the bill of rights ...

but the zealots already knew that and decive themseves otherwise - full of bs.

Nothing in the First Amendment about limitation of religious beliefs. It says the opposite "free exercise thereof". It says government can't establish a religion and that's all it prohibits.

 

[ding]

Of course, you're right. The early Hebrews borrowed from Sumer and Egyptian mythos.. as well as Canaanite mythos... They borrowed from the civilizations around them...like the Ugarit. It's an amazing legacy.... it's just not history.

That's not exactly how I see it. How I see it is that the early Hebrews - Abraham - lived in that culture and eventually broke away from the polytheistic beliefs of that culture and became monotheistic. So whatever similarities you see in the first 11 chapters of Genesis is because they had a shared culture but different religious beliefs. These aren't myths. They are allegorical accounts of history so similarities SHOULD be expected.

 

[ding]

Nothing in the First Amendment about limitation of religious beliefs. It says the opposite "free exercise thereof". It says government can't establish a religion and that's all it prohibits.

Technically - at least at the time of founding - the restriction only applied to the federal government. State governments were free to establish state religions of which about half of the states had at the time the constitution was ratified. That all changed with the 14th - which I believe was misapplied - but even that was rendered moot as all states that had state established religions - which was little more than an oath to hold office - abandoned them of their own accord (I believe even before the 14th was ratified).

 

[Dadoalex]

What are morals?

right and wrong.

 

[Dadoalex]

The devil and our sin nature and fleshly desires. That opens another whole can of worms, huh.

since these behaviors are in opposition to "god's will" why then would god include them in his "creations?"

God must be an idiot.

 

[Dadoalex]

The Hebrew day is used as a span of time with a beginning and a close. You will find other instances in the Bible in this manner. It is like saying, "In my grandfather's day...." This is never meant to convey Grandpa lived a single day.

However, if people want to read it as creation happening in six 24-hour days, I really don't see a problem, because the Genesis account isn't about how many 24-hour days it takes for light to generate.

Scanning or even reading the Bible reveals little. Our ancestors provided us with the bare bones and trusted we would have the intelligence to correctly flesh it out. Sometimes I think that trust in us may have been misplaced.

The "Word of God" is then, by your own admission, just something made up to which we can assign whatever meaning we find convenient.

Or, again by your own admission...

If God created the world in 6 days then rested it took him 13.9 billion years to create everything, he's been napping ever since and every word of the bible past Genisis' creation section is just made up fairy tales.

 

[Dadoalex]

Sure we do. The laws of nature preceded space and time. It's just science. dummy. Learn some.

No, the laws of this universe came into being when this universe came into being.

THAT is science. Presuming the event that created this universe can be explained by anything within current comprehension is religion.

YOU should learn the difference. It will decrease your stupidity markedly.

 

[Dadoalex]

I don't really have to worry about you not making moral arguments because it's hardwired into you by God.

You don't have a choice in the matter.

OK.

God is a dick.

According your "logic" I said that because God made me say it and therefore, by your logic, God is, in fact, a dick.

See? I had no choice.

Oh, and
Rapists, murderers, drug dealers, child molesters are all doing EXACT:Y what god wants them to do.

No choice, remember?

 

[Dadoalex]

Sure, he justifies he is being moral. Just like you justify you are being moral right now. Neither of you can abandon the concept of good and evil. You just both see yourself as being good when you are being evil. He's the same as you so to speak, dad-o.

Reported and blocked.

I choose not to take my moral lead from a murdering child rapist. You know. god.

 

[BS Filter]

right and wrong.

Where does that come from?

 

[BS Filter]

since these behaviors are in opposition to "god's will" why then would god include them in his "creations?"

God must be an idiot.

The Bible explains it. Evil is not God's will. Free will and God's will are two different things. That's what confuses many people.

 

[Meriweather]

The "Word of God" is then, by your own admission, just something made up to which we can assign whatever meaning we find convenient.

Or, again by your own admission...

If God created the world in 6 days then rested it took him 13.9 billion years to create everything, he's been napping ever since and every word of the bible past Genisis' creation section is just made up fairy tales.

I see not only do you not understand the Bible, you do not understand me. Shall we try again?

The Bible was written by ancient man. Its inspiration came from God. Ancient man wrote the account in his own language and using the perspective of--not our culture--but the culture of his own time.

What was the original author telling the original audience?

If you wish to dismiss the Bible as a fairy tale, then dismiss it and move on. Others of us wish to discuss deeper meanings and wisdom passed on by our ancestors to those willing to listen to the knowledge and wisdom they were imparting to those of us who care to do the related studies. You want an early dismissal from such studies, so for you, the bell has rung, and you are wished farewell.