Trump administration 2024-2028

[OldSolduer]

The majority of atheists I meet are the latter and are insufferable superiority complex type individuals. Yet they wear their "knowledge" like a cloak and basically do everything required to be called a religious zealot.

Given that almost every group of humans have formed some sort of religious belief or substitute, I have to wonder if we are hard wired to do so. Now if some form of being, superior or otherwise had seeded us here or fiddled with our evolution. It is likley they would program us to eventually seek out the truth of that as we evolved. Given that other parts of the galaxy is about 3 million+ years older than we are, that gives another species the time to develop such technologies and interests.

We are by nature explorers. All of us in our own way whether it be by checking out the new neighborhood or climbing in a rocket to explore space. Some of us explore by researching disease or rocks or even how to properly tape a hockey stick.
We are curious as a species. We love to experiment, sometimes to our detriment.
We also try to explain things away so how convenient that some of our ancestors used to worship a god of thunder? Or a goddess of the hunt?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have to wonder much religious lore is the result of a tired parent trying to answer a curious 7 year old.

Daughter: "Dad, if the earth is flat, what does it sit on?"

Tired dad; "Umm, umm, a turtle"

Daughter: "Ok that explains earthquakes when it moves"

 

[lenaitch]

I have to wonder much religious lore is the result of a tired parent trying to answer a curious 7 year old.

Daughter: "Dad, if the earth is flat, what does it sit on?"

Tired dad; "Umm, umm, a turtle"

Daughter: "Ok that explains earthquakes when it moves"

To a degree I think you are right. Civilization started out as small nomadic family/tribal units trying to make sense of the world around them (and within them). Everything that couldn't be rationally understood was assigned to some unknown power or force simply to fill in the gap (and make the kids go to sleep). What grew from random answers to 'what is thunder' was probably one dude/dudette in the group consistently coming up with seemingly plausible answers and being turned to as some kind of special knowledge keeper.

As civilization grew in knowledge and sophistication, the number of unexplained things started to narrow. As religions became more formalized, most had to continually amend their foundational beliefs. In some cases, that included a shift to a more metaphoric interpretation of texts and beliefs. I doubt many still actually believe that North America is the back of a turtle.

 

[OldSolduer]

. I doubt many still actually believe that North America is the back of a turtle.

Whst? Now you’ve done it!!

Maybe it’s a large wooden badger…

 

[HavokFour]

Whst? Now you’ve done it!!

Maybe it’s a large wooden badger…

Don't be ridiculous.

It's on the tail of a beaver, the mountains are up on it's back so that's why they're taller.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

To a degree I think you are right. Civilization started out as small nomadic family/tribal units trying to make sense of the world around them (and within them). Everything that couldn't be rationally understood was assigned to some unknown power or force simply to fill in the gap (and make the kids go to sleep). What grew from random answers to 'what is thunder' was probably one dude/dudette in the group consistently coming up with seemingly plausible answers and being turned to as some kind of special knowledge keeper.

As civilization grew in knowledge and sophistication, the number of unexplained things started to narrow. As religions became more formalized, most had to continually amend their foundational beliefs. In some cases, that included a shift to a more metaphoric interpretation of texts and beliefs. I doubt many still actually believe that North America is the back of a turtle.

Quite insightful.

I highly recommend this book, to complement any reading of Jared Diamond that you my have already done:

 

[Haggis]

I have to wonder much religious lore is the result of a tired parent trying to answer a curious 7 year old.

Daughter: "Dad, if the earth is flat, what does it sit on?"

Tired dad; "Umm, umm, a turtle"

Daughter: "Ok that explains earthquakes when it moves"

That would make sense since the Mohawk refer to Earth as "Turtle Island"

 

[lenaitch]

That would make sense since the Mohawk refer to Earth as "Turtle Island"

Turtle Island is a fairly widespread myth among several eastern North American cultures. I'm not sure if it has much traction in the western tribes. It generally refers to North America but, to be fair, that would have been 'the world' in primitive view.

Myths have to have a cultural anchor out of necessity. I imagine aboriginal cultures in Sub-Saharan Africa or Inuit would wonder what the heck a turtle is.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Myths have to have a cultural anchor out of necessity. I imagine aboriginal cultures in Sub-Saharan Africa or Inuit would wonder what the heck a turtle is.

There's always a blue-eyed giant named Macomber.

 

[PMedMoe]

The World Turtle, also called the Cosmic Turtle or the World-Bearing Turtle, is a mytheme of a giant turtle (or tortoise) supporting or containing the world. It occurs in Hinduism, Chinese mythology, and the mythologies of some of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The Indigenous mythologies, along with petroglyphs, inspired one of my tattoos.