The God Delusion
Oct. 23rd, 2006 11:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skull_bearerI really seem to be racking up these controversial posts, aren't I? Again, if it angers you when someone critisises religion, don't bother reading this.
So this fellow, Richard Dawkin, a famous scientist, has published this book called "The God Delusion", which basically states that God doesn't exist, but is a figment of our need to have nice, clean-cut answers to the questions of life, the universe and everything (funny, I thought it was 42). Since I've a feeling that I'm going to quite happily agree with everything the guy says, I'll be asking for that book for my upcoming birthday.
I've mentioned before that I'm not exactly a fan of religion (understatement of the century there), And I have quite a few reasons. The first and main one was an event I attended a few years back, just before the third Matrix was coming out. Literally the day before. I came along thinking it would be a meeting for fans of the Martix, which, let's face it, is one cool film. Instead I found a bunch of people who thought all the answers for the questions of their existance could be found in the Matrix. I left feeling very confused, and part of me secretly gloated when the third film sank like a stone and crushed all their crackpot theories (the rest of me was pissed at having spent all my money on such a shite film).
But, I wondered later, what is the difference between those Martix-ites and modern Christians? They're both looking for meaning in things, one in a film, another in a book that was written several thousand years ago and is as dated as the dinosaurs. I saw a lot of other cults and religions spring up as time went by, and again there was this pattern, all were looking for meaning somewhere. And since I'm pretty sure there isn't much meaning in the Martix films- or Star Wars for that matter- I couldn't help but wonder if all religions had started off like this. Everywhere people were looking for meaning in things, and I wondered if it might not be God that was universal, but human need for explanations. And let's face it, religion does explain things a lot more comfortingly than science. Religion tells us that God (or Gods) created the world, and we're their chosen people, and that God is looking over us and looking after us (which, I think, has a lot more to do with old memories of being looked after by our parents, than any divine attention). Science on the other hand says that we're just one small planet in an unbelieveably large cosmos (of which there may be more than one, Moorcock's Multiverse theory might be right!), which came into being quite by evolutionary chance, and which may not even be unique.
When I was young, my mother always told me I was a very arrogant person, and I think she had a point, and ever since I've been careful to check the way I behave. Because of this, I've been quite good at seeing arrogance in others too, and the belief in religion that we, out of an infinately large universe, are chosen by God and the hightest state a species can aspire to, is far more arrogant that anything I ever believed! More than that, it make a whole lot less sense than science. Of course, I'm not daft enough to think science can explain everything, but I think it can do it a lot better than religion (I'm also one of those odd people who does believe in ghosts and UFOs, I can say that there is a lot more proof of their existance than than of any God).
Of course, there's also the 'majority vote'. I don't deny that most people in the world believe in God(s), but a few hundred years ago, the majority of people thought the earth was flat and that the sun revolved around the earth. I don't think that was true either.
Then there's the whole topic of hell, which I find repulsive, and here I hope God doesn't exist, because if he does, he's an arsehole. How come we can condem horrific acts on the part of mankind, but when it comes to the divine we just meekly accept it. I don't think anyone, whether it's Osama Bin Ladin or Hitler or Stalin deserve an eternity of burning agony, because lets face it, an eternity is exactly that, forever. No one deserves that. We're quick to condem those who burn innocent people to death, yet we can happily bow down to a 'holy' book that tells us that anyone guilty of the crime of not believing in the deity has to burn forever! Double standards much? This is coming from someone who has been repeatadly told by Christians she is condemmed to the everlasting fires for... a few snarky remarks and general disbelief.
I've mentioned before that I'm not exactly a fan of religion (understatement of the century there), And I have quite a few reasons. The first and main one was an event I attended a few years back, just before the third Matrix was coming out. Literally the day before. I came along thinking it would be a meeting for fans of the Martix, which, let's face it, is one cool film. Instead I found a bunch of people who thought all the answers for the questions of their existance could be found in the Matrix. I left feeling very confused, and part of me secretly gloated when the third film sank like a stone and crushed all their crackpot theories (the rest of me was pissed at having spent all my money on such a shite film).
But, I wondered later, what is the difference between those Martix-ites and modern Christians? They're both looking for meaning in things, one in a film, another in a book that was written several thousand years ago and is as dated as the dinosaurs. I saw a lot of other cults and religions spring up as time went by, and again there was this pattern, all were looking for meaning somewhere. And since I'm pretty sure there isn't much meaning in the Martix films- or Star Wars for that matter- I couldn't help but wonder if all religions had started off like this. Everywhere people were looking for meaning in things, and I wondered if it might not be God that was universal, but human need for explanations. And let's face it, religion does explain things a lot more comfortingly than science. Religion tells us that God (or Gods) created the world, and we're their chosen people, and that God is looking over us and looking after us (which, I think, has a lot more to do with old memories of being looked after by our parents, than any divine attention). Science on the other hand says that we're just one small planet in an unbelieveably large cosmos (of which there may be more than one, Moorcock's Multiverse theory might be right!), which came into being quite by evolutionary chance, and which may not even be unique.
When I was young, my mother always told me I was a very arrogant person, and I think she had a point, and ever since I've been careful to check the way I behave. Because of this, I've been quite good at seeing arrogance in others too, and the belief in religion that we, out of an infinately large universe, are chosen by God and the hightest state a species can aspire to, is far more arrogant that anything I ever believed! More than that, it make a whole lot less sense than science. Of course, I'm not daft enough to think science can explain everything, but I think it can do it a lot better than religion (I'm also one of those odd people who does believe in ghosts and UFOs, I can say that there is a lot more proof of their existance than than of any God).
Of course, there's also the 'majority vote'. I don't deny that most people in the world believe in God(s), but a few hundred years ago, the majority of people thought the earth was flat and that the sun revolved around the earth. I don't think that was true either.
Then there's the whole topic of hell, which I find repulsive, and here I hope God doesn't exist, because if he does, he's an arsehole. How come we can condem horrific acts on the part of mankind, but when it comes to the divine we just meekly accept it. I don't think anyone, whether it's Osama Bin Ladin or Hitler or Stalin deserve an eternity of burning agony, because lets face it, an eternity is exactly that, forever. No one deserves that. We're quick to condem those who burn innocent people to death, yet we can happily bow down to a 'holy' book that tells us that anyone guilty of the crime of not believing in the deity has to burn forever! Double standards much? This is coming from someone who has been repeatadly told by Christians she is condemmed to the everlasting fires for... a few snarky remarks and general disbelief.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-23 01:36 pm (UTC)I'm not religious (which would be difficult in a family of mixed creeds and with a hell-and-damnantion-preaching stepdad who did all, but live up to his own moral standards), but I do believe in god, somehow, although it's certainly not the god of the thora, bible or koran. I've always loved sciences (with the exception of maths *g*), but I don't think they contradict what I believe in. After what we learnt in philosophy at school (now that was a lovely subject!) I'd call myself a pantheist and since nobody can know for sure (which is why I hate fundamentalists), it's as good an attempt as any other (-though I guess I'm not making myself very credible, loving cars and hair-dye and hating health food. *lol* Say hello to hypocrite me). Also, the god=nature, so god=rather-a-universal-spirit, thing solves the whole problem of well-meaning-god-but-evil-world and the amusing Good vs. Evil issue. (I mean, who defines that, anyway?) Nature is cruel and everyone knows. But its also very beautiful.
I think people believe in heaven and hell (and ghosts for that matter), because nobody wants to be just dead and gone one day. Meaningless lives and mortal souls are just too sad to believe in. I'm not sure we've got souls, but if I could choose, I'd like to have one and keep it. Eternal oblivion is immensely frightening. Most people are too self-important to realize they and their entire world are only little grains of sand in an incredibly huge universe.
Another thing is, that, I guess, simple people at all times thought it comforting not to be responsible, to have a fate and a god who plans their life for them. (Though I think that's frightening as well.) But in case they believe in free will, they want to see the good guys (themselves) rewarded with an eternity in heaven, while the bad guys (everyone stronger or just more ruthless and therefore more successful) punished in hell. Maybe the whole system is more ingenious than it looks, because it bmakes both parties feel good: the people who largely stick to morals feel good and righteous and secretly gloat over those who will go to hell, while those who have no moral inhibitions live a comfortable life. Of course that's simplified, but it might be roughly true. Someone once said heaven and hell were metaphors for the human concience, but I suppose that's another theme for a scholarly work.
I'll stop now, because I noticed -besides the fact that I might fill pages- I started confusing myself. *g* And the whole discussion is just depressing (though interesting). Moreover, I'm not sure I'm explaining exactly what I mean, because it's a rather difficult topic with no solid ground to stand on and I'm not following any argumentative structure.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-23 02:58 pm (UTC)Now, I know very little about the bible. I used to own one but I have no idea where it is otherwise I'd look this up. I have no idea if this is really in there or if its just hearsay. But if it is in there, I don't know why but something about it makes me feel vaguely ill.
Also I hate the whole hellfire and damnation thing. Firstly, I hate the thought that I am apparently going to suffer eternal torment just for being who I am, but secondly because the biblical 'God' is supposed to be merciful. Punishment is one thing, but eternal torture with no hope of ever redeeming oneself doesn't seem very fucking merciful to me.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-23 04:27 pm (UTC)I thought of this while I was researching the Holocaust. I just thought, hey, if Auschwitz was supposed to be hell on earth, then what kind of sick god are we worshipping here?
And yes, that part of the bible was completely accurate, although what the people of Sodom meant by 'knowing' the agnels, I have no idea. Besides, who said it was homosexuality god hated? Maybe it was just rape. And yes, it made me sick, 'cause I guess those poor girls didn't want to be gang-raped.