Are Religions and Gods manmade?

[chinu]

Everything around us was and is created by evolution. The Earth has been constantly evolving for the last 4.5 billion years.

"Creat-ed" or "Creat-ing" ?
How can you use the word "creat-ed" and "evolution" together ?

If evolution is still creating -- then in order to claim your point -- you have to wait until evolution finish creating everything.
If evolution created. then it is NOT evolution because evolution means which is constantly evolving (Even evolving while when we making post to each other)

Hence, your claim stands inappropriate.

 

[PAUL MARKHAM]

"Creat-ed" or "Creat-ing" ?
How can you use the word "creat-ed" and "evolution" together ?

If evolution is still creating -- then in order to claim your point -- you have to wait until evolution finish creating everything.
If evolution created. then it is NOT evolution because evolution means which is constantly evolving (Even evolving while when we making post to each other)

Hence, your claim stands inappropriate.

Because everything up to now was created by evolution. Everything being created is in the process of creating.

When we're typing we are making a post when we post we made the post.

You can only criticise my grammar, not scientists and facts.

Artist’s concept of a rainforest in what’s now West Antarctica.

Interactive map lets you travel back in time to see our planet over 600 million years of its history | Daily Mail Online

 

[chinu]

When we're typing we are making a post when we post we made the post.

You made the post, but, am still reading this side......

 

[Trailblazer]

Okay. But on what basis do you have this belief? What are your reasons for having it?

The basis is what my religion teaches about religion, that there are many true religions that were revealed by God, but over time men disagree about what the scriptures mean so the religions split into many different sects that have different teachings. The only way that can be prevented is if there is a written Covenant as we have in the Baha'i Faith, which prevents division from ever taking place.

Bahá’u’lláh and His Covenant

 

[Trailblazer]

Did god tell different tribes to follow different religious practices at the same time?

No.

 

[Trailblazer]

The old all other religions are false, but mine is real.

So what proof do you have?

That is not what I said.
I said: I believe that some are real and some are not and of the real ones many offshoots came into being.
So that means I believe that religions other than my religion are real.

I cannot prove that, but there is evidence that indicates it is true.

 

[Trailblazer]

Different tribes had different religions at the same time.

Maybe that is true, but who is to say that these were religions of God? They might have been religions of man.

Religion is meant to serve a god, not Man. If Man created it he makes it to serve himself or the group he wants to entice.

I fully agree.

 

[syo]

he has left artefacts that can be inteptetated as religious.

I disagree. Religion is in the heart. Artefacts are, well, artefacts. I don't really pay attention on artefacts.

 

[CG Didymus]

Did god tell different tribes to follow different religious practices at the same time?

Or, like what you're saying, did different tribes invent their different religious beliefs and their Gods at the same time? What is wrong with that explanation?

 

[CG Didymus]

I believe that some are real and some are not and of the real ones many offshoots came into being.

The hypothesis that gods and religions are human inventions, explains all the relevant facts. Like how distinct cultures tend to have their distinct religions. Like how not a single culture has the same religion or variation thereof as another culture with which it never came into contact with.

Trailblazer, which ones of the ancient religions we know about are real? All of them are filled with superstitious and mythical beliefs.... and, for me, that would include beliefs found in Hinduism and Judaism.

 

[CG Didymus]

Did god tell different tribes to follow different religious practices at the same time?

No.

So then how did they get different religious practices and beliefs? But actually a lot of them do have similarities, Shamanism, ancestor worship, many Gods, like a Sun God, an Earth God, a Wind God... Sounds to me, these things came from people.

 

[Trailblazer]

Trailblazer, which ones of the ancient religions we know about are real? All of them are filled with superstitious and mythical beliefs.... and, for me, that would include beliefs found in Hinduism and Judaism.

The criteria I use is that any religion that was revealed by God through a Messenger is a real religion.
So I would consider Hinduism and Judaism real religions. the problem with Hinduism is that it is so ancient that we cannot trace it back to an original founder, and for me it is not worth the effort to try. Judaism is another matter because we have the Torah and the Bible, so if we believe those scriptures (and what Baha'u'llah wrote about Moses and the other Prophets) we have something to go on.

The way I see it is that there are many superstitious mythical beliefs that probably have nothing to do with God, so they are man-made; but there are also superstitious mythical beliefs associated with the true religions of God and that all goes back to what Baha'u'llah wrote about those religions having been corrupted by man.

“This is the Day when the loved ones of God should keep their eyes directed towards His Manifestation, and fasten them upon whatsoever that Manifestation may be pleased to reveal. Certain traditions of bygone ages rest on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by past generations, and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. Thou dost witness how most of the commentaries and interpretations of the words of God, now current amongst men, are devoid of truth.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 171-172

Speaking of superstitions, recently I found this quote from Abdu'l-Baha where he explains how the superstitions of older religions obscures reality and as he said, to such an extent has these superstitions have prevailed they have taken away the heavenly light of divine truth .

“Alas! that humanity is completely submerged in imitations and unrealities notwithstanding the truth of divine religion has ever remained the same. Superstitions have obscured the fundamental reality, the world is darkened and the light of religion is not apparent. This darkness is conducive to differences and dissensions; rites and dogmas are many and various; therefore discord has arisen among the religious systems whereas religion is for the unification of mankind. True religion is the source of love and agreement amongst men, the cause of the development of praiseworthy qualities; but the people are holding to the counterfeit and imitation, negligent of the reality which unifies; so they are bereft and deprived of the radiance of religion. They follow superstitions inherited from their fathers and ancestors. To such an extent has this prevailed that they have taken away the heavenly light of divine truth and sit in the darkness of imitations and imaginations. That which was meant to be conducive to life has become the cause of death; that which should have been an evidence of knowledge is now a proof of ignorance; that which was a factor in the sublimity of human nature has proved to be its degradation. Therefore the realm of the religionist has gradually narrowed and darkened and the sphere of the materialist has widened and advanced; for the religionist has held to imitation and counterfeit, neglecting and discarding holiness and the sacred reality of religion. When the sun sets it is the time for bats to fly. They come forth because they are creatures of the night. When the lights of religion become darkened the materialists appear. They are the bats of night. The decline of religion is their time of activity; they seek the shadows when the world is darkened and clouds have spread over it.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Foundations of World Unity, p. 71)

 

[Trailblazer]

So then how did they get different religious practices and beliefs? But actually a lot of them do have similarities, Shamanism, ancestor worship, many Gods, like a Sun God, an Earth God, a Wind God... Sounds to me, these things came from people.

I believe that these different religious practices and beliefs were man-made, so I agree with you that they came from people.

 

[Ancient Soul]

Not entirely true (see below), and we can't say this about all those who existed before for whom we just don't have sufficient evidence.

Pirahã people - Wikipedia

According to Everett, the Pirahã have no concept of a supreme spirit or god, and they lost interest in Jesus when they discovered that Everett had never seen him. They require evidence based on personal experience for every claim made. However, they do believe in spirits that can sometimes take on the shape of things in the environment. These spirits can be jaguars, trees, or other visible, tangible things including people.

Bad choice of words on my part. So I edited it to read:

"The belief in a God, a "higher power", a "creator", etc... is universal to people of all times."

That aside, your example is flawed. Because Jesus is not God. So just because these people don't believe in Jesus, doesn't mean they don't believe in a "God", Supreme Being, Creator, Higher Power, etc. As there is no mention of what "attributes these "spirits" are suppose to represent.

To my mind the existence of God /gods/ spirits and such can be explained by the nature of humans, their development and vulnerabilities in many ways, together with a natural curiosity and need to understand and find meaning - which seemingly occurred at some point in the past when their ancestors didn't do so, or didn't so as to have any marked affect.

Which is just an opinion that does not negate my statement of:

"From visions, dreams, NDE/OBEs, ancient cities, writings, verbal stories passed down thru the generations, all tell of a God. That cannot be ignored."

There are just too many people having spiritual "encounters/experiences" with God to explain away that easily.

Like my own personal experience during my childhood NDE/OBE when I met God, that was imparted to me that he was the all powerful creator and ruler of everything. I was just a toddler, and this happened W-A-Y before I even knew anything about the concept of God. There are just too many accounts like that to discount.

I suppose if God was playing a game of survival of the fittest (religions rather than humans) then that might explain the number and variety of different beliefs, but given the conflict this has caused, and still causes, what does that say about any God? Not really that bothered if millions die? Couldn't think of anything better at the time?

Not sure what this is suppose to prove or disprove.

 

[Ancient Soul]

Trailblazer, which ones of the ancient religions we know about are real? All of them are filled with superstitious and mythical beliefs.... and, for me, that would include beliefs found in Hinduism and Judaism.

The criteria I use is that any religion that was revealed by God through a Messenger is a real religion.
So I would consider Hinduism and Judaism real religions. the problem with Hinduism is that it is so ancient that we cannot trace it back to an original founder, and for me it is not worth the effort to try. Judaism is another matter because we have the Torah and the Bible, so if we believe those scriptures (and what Baha'u'llah wrote about Moses and the other Prophets) we have something to go on.

The way I see it is that there are many superstitious mythical beliefs that probably have nothing to do with God, so they are man-made; but there are also superstitious mythical beliefs associated with the true religions of God and that all goes back to what Baha'u'llah wrote about those religions having been corrupted by man.

“This is the Day when the loved ones of God should keep their eyes directed towards His Manifestation, and fasten them upon whatsoever that Manifestation may be pleased to reveal. Certain traditions of bygone ages rest on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by past generations, and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. Thou dost witness how most of the commentaries and interpretations of the words of God, now current amongst men, are devoid of truth.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 171-172

Speaking of superstitions, recently I found this quote from Abdu'l-Baha where he explains how the superstitions of older religions obscures reality and as he said, to such an extent has these superstitions have prevailed they have taken away the heavenly light of divine truth .

“Alas! that humanity is completely submerged in imitations and unrealities notwithstanding the truth of divine religion has ever remained the same. Superstitions have obscured the fundamental reality, the world is darkened and the light of religion is not apparent. This darkness is conducive to differences and dissensions; rites and dogmas are many and various; therefore discord has arisen among the religious systems whereas religion is for the unification of mankind. True religion is the source of love and agreement amongst men, the cause of the development of praiseworthy qualities; but the people are holding to the counterfeit and imitation, negligent of the reality which unifies; so they are bereft and deprived of the radiance of religion. They follow superstitions inherited from their fathers and ancestors. To such an extent has this prevailed that they have taken away the heavenly light of divine truth and sit in the darkness of imitations and imaginations. That which was meant to be conducive to life has become the cause of death; that which should have been an evidence of knowledge is now a proof of ignorance; that which was a factor in the sublimity of human nature has proved to be its degradation. Therefore the realm of the religionist has gradually narrowed and darkened and the sphere of the materialist has widened and advanced; for the religionist has held to imitation and counterfeit, neglecting and discarding holiness and the sacred reality of religion. When the sun sets it is the time for bats to fly. They come forth because they are creatures of the night. When the lights of religion become darkened the materialists appear. They are the bats of night. The decline of religion is their time of activity; they seek the shadows when the world is darkened and clouds have spread over it.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Foundations of World Unity, p. 71)

But your "criteria" is flawed because it's based entirely upon an unsubstantiated religion that has no proof it actually came from any "god". And like all other man religions, the quotes you presented are just the usual exclusiveness found in most religions.

While the true criteria is if any of them actually contain any actual understands of true spiritual matters. Of which they are all lacking on, because they came from man, and have nothing to do any "god".

 

[Bear Wild]

"The belief in a God, a "higher power", a "creator", etc... is universal to people of all times."

Not true

 

[Bear Wild]

The criteria I use is that any religion that was revealed by God through a Messenger is a real religion.

False statement. Religions do not have to have a god or messenger to be a real religion. There is nothing to support that.

 

[Bird123]

Where's your evidence?

So god tells us different stories long before he told Abraham anything. He tells us 100,000 different stories.

The evidence is everything around us. Do you see?

Do you really search for the real truth or does your belief that God does not exist satisfy you? Discovery takes effort. Discovery takes one being open to all possibilities. Discovery takes a Wide view and great thinking.

Truth is not always an agreeable thing. Will you stop your journey short? Is it all just too much work? How badly do you really want to know?

I can point you the direction to Discover the evidence you require, however your journey to Discover it must be yours.

God has told no stories. You listen to mankind. Your thinking has been corrupted by religion because you follow those stories.

Do you search for something to Believe in or do you search for Truth?? Are beliefs good enough for you or must you Discover the Real Truth for yourself. Truth is not believing and accepting stories served up on a silver platter.

To question is the start on the journey to Discovery. There should be an almost unlimited number of questions to those who really seek truth.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

 

[Bear Wild]

Maybe that is true, but who is to say that these were religions of God? They might have been religions of man.

All religions are religions created by men/women. None are created by a god

 

[Trailblazer]

But your "criteria" is flawed because it's based entirely upon an unsubstantiated religion that has no proof it actually came from any "god".

No religion can prove that it came from God because nobody can ever prove that God communicated to them.

While the true criteria is if any of them actually contain any actual understands of true spiritual matters. Of which they are all lacking on, because they came from man, and have nothing to do any "god".

Who is the judge of true spiritual matters? Who knows what is true? How do they know that? What is their proof?