The simplest solution is usually the right one. So a super powerful, all knowing being controls everything we don't understand? And santa claus brings me my christmas presents too!
basically existed since the beginning of recorded history? I'm happy to hear you believe in Hinduism! that is about 1000 years older than christianity. Or even judiasm! that's clearly older! Although there was still history recorded about 10k years before jesus =\ 2k is almost 12k, right?!
If we're talking strictly about the origins of all these religions, I'd argue that the difference is in sincerity. The older religions promised something and actually intended to live up to that promise. Scientology promises something enticing (it seems to change frequently), but never really intends to fullfill that. Instead they use lies, force, and intimidation to keep people from leaving. Those older religions all have ended up using the same tactics, but not when they first originated.
I'm not sure how you could know what pressures might or might not have been put on people two thousand years ago, or how sincere those promoting the religion were. barfo
Well I know Constantine was the first Roman Emperor in 500AD to force the Population to be Christian. So 500 years is a while, but they eventually did force their beliefs.
If you mean Christianity, it's barely pubescent in age related to most religions. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_oldest_known_religion_in_the_world
i wasn't speaking about any specific religion. in regards to christianity, to me it seems it should be considered the same age as judaism, though i guess i could see some people disagreeing with that. i suggest you read my post again. i never spoke as to which religion is correct or that any religion is correct. i said it's harder to instantly dismiss a religion that has been in existence since recorded history than to dismiss one that started 60 or 200 years ago. i know what the flying spaghetti monster is and its purpose. no it doesn't. that says nothing about free will. just because we don't know the exact data for everything doesn't mean that everything isn't already predetermined.
To each their own People can believe whatever they want as long as they don't have the "holier than thou" mentality. I do have a hard time taking people seriously who take a literal interpretation of the Bible. I really encourage people to read up on the historical context of both the Old and New Testament. The scripture as you know it has been assembled by various people at different dates and then translated at least two or three times. Also check out this website detailing the similarities between the story of the Egyptian God Horus and Jesus. It's pretty crazy.
You were replying to Barfo who said 2000 years old, and you said "a religion" which implies a specific religion... sounds like you're dancing edit: around the subject of christianity /edit What with the whole Jesus being a jew first... It clearly does not say there is free will, but it is an example suggesting there is not, not free will.
Re: To each their own You don't suppose someone would take another mythology, like the Greeks, and turning it into their own, like the Romans? Or taking a ceremony like the virgin birth, see egyptians. Or something as simple as a christmas tree from pagans.
I thought this was interesting. I've decided that Oden is going to be Solar Messiah! [video=youtube;bkXq-DNpD3Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkXq-DNpD3Q[/video] [video=youtube;_8B67UFDdDk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8B67UFDdDk[/video] [video=youtube;0PXcAlxPudE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PXcAlxPudE[/video] If you believe in god or not these are worth watching.
right. i said a religion. that could refer to any religion. if you'd been reading the thread, you would have seen me mention 4 religions by name that i said were much harder to dismiss than scientology or mormomism. for the purposes of this thread, it really isn't relevant that i single out one. i don't think it should be too difficult to figure out why i would say that.
" 'you just came here to be an ass' wait I changed my mind, and I'll join the name calling" hahaha I was trying to make the point that, a super powerful being does not seem very rational to me. I shouldn't have been rude about making my point.
That is fine. And to many a singularity before the Big Bang does not seem very rational. Or to some, there isn't an either/or for those types of things.
Okay, if you insist you did not mean christians, than I must have been mistake for assuming. Please forgive me for making a misconnection. Are you saying that jews and christians are the same? Otherwise I think it's clear that Jews came first.
Just because most people are dumb and don't understand something, doesn't mean it's not true. I'm pretty sure physicists don't believe there was a singularity before the big bang, rather there is nothing before the big bang. Atleast in our universe I will admit that there could be some kind of god that kick started things, the one that winds the gears and let's it go. But I have yet to see evidence of an active god, that plays a role constantly.
