The Future of Humanity on Earth

[We Never Know]

Yes, lovely, but what does that do to mitigate the fact that we are destroying the planet that sustains us? Today's religions are NOT all about what you claim, no matter how much you'd like them to be. They are, mostly, about what we'll be after the world has ended. Which, in my view, is pretty defeatist.

Is religion destroying the planet?

People, religious or not, with their ignorance and greed are destroying the planet but the planet will bounce back when we end up destroying ourselves. .

 

[cladking]

Consumer driven free market capitalism. It's great for a while...

Consumers never asked food producers to add more chemicals so food will hold more water. They didn't ask for smaller containers at a higher price or for more air in the packaging. They didn't ask for lower quality and mining products in their food. We didn't ask for shorter lifetimes.

But we get what rich people allow us as we vote the exact same Congress into power one election after another.

 

[cladking]

Don't agree, but then I wouldn't, I am leftist. A socialist. I believe the free market is indifferent to human suffering.

Them used to be fighting words but the way things are today isn't very much different than communism except the "party" is composed of the rich and powerful and "central planning" is based more on what consumers will tolerate rather than what government wants.

We have an economy based on taking in each others' laundry and greed is the glue. We operate on about a 3% efficiency and if anyone wants to know what this has to do with "evolution" or "change in species" just wait around a little while because a bottleneck may be at hand. Those island dwellers are about to real what they've already sown; death and destruction.

 

[Little Dragon]

Those island dwellers are about to real what they've already sown; death and destruction.

Ah the wages of Sin and the Salary of Virtue.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Is religion destroying the planet?
People, religious or not, with their ignorance and greed are destroying the planet but the planet will bounce back when we end up destroying ourselves. .

Yes, I agree that the planet will bounce back but ' before ' we end up destroying ourselves.
There will be divine involvement into mankind's affairs.
The war to end all wars aka Armageddon is the final war because God will bring an end to war - Psalm 46:9
The people left standing are the figurative 'sheep' mentioned at Matthew 25:31-34,37.
The 'sheep'-like ones will live by the Golden Rule and will learn war No more - Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3

 

[YoursTrue]

I googled this:

Ishtar Is the Earliest Deity in Written Evidence

They date back to the Late Uruk period of Sumer in Southern Mesopotamia, from around the 5th century BCE, a period we might call the very dawn of history. In later centuries, the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians called her Ishtar.Jun 10, 2022

I don't know about evolution but the pattern I see with gods, and goddesses is one where people mourn death, or feel a lack of significance, they want retribution for all the harm done to them, fear of the unknown, regret, a source of motivation from their capacity to think, an obsession that everything should make perfect sense, coincidences they can't explain, the ability to dream and imagine, lack of knowledge, desperation, the appearance of order, regularities, purpose, and a way to satisfy needs, and troubles in their minds. Then also people come along to use it for manipulation and control, power and influence. Also some people desire righteousness and ideals beyond the everyday world. It's a coping strategy as well.

Glad you researched this. I'll try to look up stuff about Ishtar and reports of gods. and goddesses. I was bringing out a few points but now I'm still thinking that humans are different in cognition and relating their thoughts and findings than gorillas. Agreed? I know it sounds basic but it's primary in the essential sense in understanding.

 

[YoursTrue]

I googled this:

Ishtar Is the Earliest Deity in Written Evidence

They date back to the Late Uruk period of Sumer in Southern Mesopotamia, from around the 5th century BCE, a period we might call the very dawn of history. In later centuries, the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians called her Ishtar.Jun 10, 2022

I don't know about evolution but the pattern I see with gods, and goddesses is one where people mourn death, or feel a lack of significance, they want retribution for all the harm done to them, fear of the unknown, regret, a source of motivation from their capacity to think, an obsession that everything should make perfect sense, coincidences they can't explain, the ability to dream and imagine, lack of knowledge, desperation, the appearance of order, regularities, purpose, and a way to satisfy needs, and troubles in their minds. Then also people come along to use it for manipulation and control, power and influence. Also some people desire righteousness and ideals beyond the everyday world. It's a coping strategy as well.

Glad you researched this. I'll try to look up stuff about Ishtar and reports of gods. and goddesses. I was bringing out a few points but now I'm still thinking that humans are different in cognition and relating their thoughts and findings than gorillas. Agreed? I know it sounds basic but it's primary in the essential sense in understanding. In my next post I hope to go over some things I found about her. I tend to keep things short, so it likely will not be complete.

 

[YoursTrue]

I googled this:

Ishtar Is the Earliest Deity in Written Evidence

They date back to the Late Uruk period of Sumer in Southern Mesopotamia, from around the 5th century BCE, a period we might call the very dawn of history. In later centuries, the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians called her Ishtar.Jun 10, 2022

I don't know about evolution but the pattern I see with gods, and goddesses is one where people mourn death, or feel a lack of significance, they want retribution for all the harm done to them, fear of the unknown, regret, a source of motivation from their capacity to think, an obsession that everything should make perfect sense, coincidences they can't explain, the ability to dream and imagine, lack of knowledge, desperation, the appearance of order, regularities, purpose, and a way to satisfy needs, and troubles in their minds. Then also people come along to use it for manipulation and control, power and influence. Also some people desire righteousness and ideals beyond the everyday world. It's a coping strategy as well.

Glad you researched this. I'll try to look up stuff about Ishtar and reports of gods. and goddesses. I was bringing out a few points but now I'm still thinking that humans are different in cognition and relating their thoughts and findings than gorillas. Agreed? I know it sounds basic but it's primary in the essential sense in understanding. In my next post I hope to go over some things I found about Ishtar. I tend to keep things short, so it likely will not be complete. HOWEVER -- -- gorillas do not have written accounts of gods or goddesses they may have met. Just to say...

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Glad you researched this. I'll try to look up stuff about Ishtar and reports of gods. and goddesses. I was bringing out a few points but now I'm still thinking that humans are different in cognition and relating their thoughts and findings than gorillas. Agreed? I know it sounds basic but it's primary in the essential sense in understanding. In my next post I hope to go over some things I found about Ishtar. I tend to keep things short, so it likely will not be complete. HOWEVER -- -- gorillas do not have written accounts of gods or goddesses they may have met. Just to say...

What does this have to do with this thread?

 

[YoursTrue]

What does this have to do with this thread

A lot. Because of the difference of type of communication. Take care.

 

[YoursTrue]

I googled this:

Ishtar Is the Earliest Deity in Written Evidence

They date back to the Late Uruk period of Sumer in Southern Mesopotamia, from around the 5th century BCE, a period we might call the very dawn of history. In later centuries, the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians called her Ishtar.Jun 10, 2022

I don't know about evolution but the pattern I see with gods, and goddesses is one where people mourn death, or feel a lack of significance, they want retribution for all the harm done to them, fear of the unknown, regret, a source of motivation from their capacity to think, an obsession that everything should make perfect sense, coincidences they can't explain, the ability to dream and imagine, lack of knowledge, desperation, the appearance of order, regularities, purpose, and a way to satisfy needs, and troubles in their minds. Then also people come along to use it for manipulation and control, power and influence. Also some people desire righteousness and ideals beyond the everyday world. It's a coping strategy as well.

OK, well I did a little research and just to settle another question, yes, this does have to do with who says what about the future of the world. I mean like you're you, I'm me, others are others and can say different things about the future. Now that we have that settled, I'll go into a little bit about Ishtar, although I haven't read any writings about what she supposedly said, so I don't know if she said anything about the future. But it is significant to understand some things about this, since -- humankind is different from gorillas, who do not profess meetings or communication with gods and goddesses. And prophecies about the future. I wonder who in that period wrote about her.
So here goes a little about Ishtar, and I thank you for bringing it up.

In his book Les Religions de Babylonie et d’Assyrie (The Religions of Babylonia and Assyria), French scholar Édouard Dhorme said of Ishtar: "She was the goddess, the lady, the merciful mother who listens to prayer and intercedes before the angry gods and calms them. . . . She was exalted above all, she became the goddess of goddesses, the queen of all the gods, the sovereign of the gods of heaven and earth.”
I'd have to check out how the author knows that, but it seems agreed on that she was the principle goddess of the Babylonian pantheon of gods.

Now I don't know the dates, but it wasn't like millions of years ago. However, that's not my point. My point is in part that humans are different in their aspect and approach to the earth. I don't know what if anything Ishtar is said to have said to her worshippers or followers about the future of the earth.

 

[YoursTrue]

@osgart A little more research showed me that she was around from the 4th millenium BCE. Babylonia. I'd have to do more research about 'her,' but it's a very interesting analysis. Later...
From one website, "Ishtar comes from a very early time in the history of complex civilisations, with her cult attested at Uruk as early as the late 4th millennium BCE." I find it interesting they say "complex civilizations..." Nevertheless, was this part of the genetic heritage humans have? Or -- how did the knowledge of Ishtar come about? There were others just like Ishtar in other civilizations at the time as well.

 

[osgart]

OK, well I did a little research and just to settle another question, yes, this does have to do with who says what about the future of the world. I mean like you're you, I'm me, others are others and can say different things about the future. Now that we have that settled, I'll go into a little bit about Ishtar, although I haven't read any writings about what she supposedly said, so I don't know if she said anything about the future. But it is significant to understand some things about this, since -- humankind is different from gorillas, who do not profess meetings or communication with gods and goddesses. And prophecies about the future. I wonder who in that period wrote about her.
So here goes a little about Ishtar, and I thank you for bringing it up.

In his book Les Religions de Babylonie et d’Assyrie (The Religions of Babylonia and Assyria), French scholar Édouard Dhorme said of Ishtar: "She was the goddess, the lady, the merciful mother who listens to prayer and intercedes before the angry gods and calms them. . . . She was exalted above all, she became the goddess of goddesses, the queen of all the gods, the sovereign of the gods of heaven and earth.”
I'd have to check out how the author knows that, but it seems agreed on that she was the principle goddess of the Babylonian pantheon of gods.

Now I don't know the dates, but it wasn't like millions of years ago. However, that's not my point. My point is in part that humans are different in their aspect and approach to the earth. I don't know what if anything Ishtar is said to have said to her worshippers or followers about the future of the earth.

From human to human we can be vastly different in our approach to other life and the environment we live in. Homo sapiens have a greater self awareness, greater capacity to reason, imagine, and greater capacity for both good things, and horrific things as well. I for one don't see that belief in gods actually benefits humanity. At best some gods are benign. At worst people destroy in the name of their god. Humans have an animal nature, and also the ability to transcend that animal nature and operate on a higher moral plane, and the contrary is also true; people can be depraved, wicked, and rotten to the core beyond what any other animal can do. Some secular people deny free will, and some are given to total insignificance and nihilism, other secular people cherish this life and hold themselves to a high moral standard and responsibility toward creating a higher quality of life, and maintaining equality under law for all life. If anything secular people hold this world, and this life in higher regard than say someone who is waiting on the destruction of a perceived evil world. Secular people are more conscientious about the plight and condition of humanity and the earth as we live this life here and now. Often certain religious people are awaiting armagheddon, secular people are trying to make the world a greater place to live in.

At the end of the day regardless its best to see the truest picture of reality as possible. I for one would rather live my best in the here and now, and see greater hope in humanity and their capacity for good things. My personal opinion is that every human has a choice between doing good things, or being absolutely wicked. That choice is within themselves and what is in their heart of hearts they fall completely for. Not everyone is a wicked sinner, and those that believe in God i cannot and will not put on a pedestal as the only light in this dark world.

As far as other animals go, there are many animals, that are loyal, and empathetic. I don't see humans as being more alive than other forms of life. If anything we all have a responsibility to humane treatment of other animals.

 

[PureX]

Well, I do agree with you that our own selfishness has much to do with it. Is it not strange, I wonder, that so many are thinking that being wonderfully, wonderfully wealthy means you can buy anything at all -- including life on a planet that may not support it (or at least our kind) for much longer. Sure, cockroaches'll get along -- they always have -- but much else that we depend on is already disappearing faster than we know how to control.

How is it that we can be so clever, and so stupid at the same time?

 

[al_berk]

What you might miss in your speculations is that the majority of the world population struggles with everyday existence. You surely remember Maslow's pyramid - most of the world is eager to forfeit the planet's future for something to eat. I bet you don't have this kind of concern.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

It seems to me that our world might continue to support human life if, and only if, we learn to manage climate change and the other ecological challenges that we humans are in fact responsible for.

It further seems to me that this could only ever happen if we (all humans) learn to cooperate with one another on a global scale. And further, I'm pretty sure that as long as religion plays a major role in humanity's ability to dialogue across our species, we will never be able to cooperate at the level needed.

That would seem to spell doom for our planet's ability to support us.

The poll question is this: "Can this planet host both humans and their religions, or will it eventually have neither?"

My answer is none of the above.

It is the nature of humankind to be diverse, both as individuals and as groups with distinctive cultures. Absolutely nothing is going to change this, because diversity is primarily adaptive. Let's say that only ONE way of doing X were known to humans, and a problem with it arose. There would be no other culture to turn to for a possible solution. Cultural diversity is every bit as necessary as genetic diversity.

Will our divisions end in our demise? I think we are learning to be more tolerant of our diversity, without giving that diversity up. I think that this tolerance will prevent us from self destruction.

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

It seems to me that our world might continue to support human life if, and only if, we learn to manage climate change and the other ecological challenges that we humans are in fact responsible for.

It further seems to me that this could only ever happen if we (all humans) learn to cooperate with one another on a global scale. And further, I'm pretty sure that as long as religion plays a major role in humanity's ability to dialogue across our species, we will never be able to cooperate at the level needed.

That would seem to spell doom for our planet's ability to support us.

The poll question is this: "Can this planet host both humans and their religions, or will it eventually have neither?"

I voted for the first one. But I would say that without religion people would still cling to beliefs that would cause division and result in the same end. In my opinion. People are people, humans are all the same no matter if they believe in religion or not. Some religious people cause evil in the world but so do non religious people.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

My answer is none of the above.

It is the nature of humankind to be diverse, both as individuals and as groups with distinctive cultures. Absolutely nothing is going to change this, because diversity is primarily adaptive. Let's say that only ONE way of doing X were known to humans, and a problem with it arose. There would be no other culture to turn to for a possible solution. Cultural diversity is every bit as necessary as genetic diversity.

Will our divisions end in our demise? I think we are learning to be more tolerant of our diversity, without giving that diversity up. I think that this tolerance will prevent us from self destruction.

There are more than one way to be diverse -- we don't always need to be afraid of the differences of others. In fact, we can learn to value and use the different ways of thinking, different modes of doing of others. That has a huge potential to strengthen us.

The problem with religious diversity, however, is that it often contains within itself the notion of "absolute truth," which if not abated will eventually lead to efforts to impress that "truth" and others, rather than accepting that they might have their own "truth."

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

just an observation....

Once upon a time, it was very difficult to be on another side from others of your immediate community...everyone spent all their lives in the same community, the same geographical and social space...there were few alternatives to the basic community institutions...

Today, people are not limited to the same geographical and social community for their entire lives...We're the Best! Who is 'WE?' We're the people from the US! No, we're the people from Germany! No, India. (Wait a minute, what about people who have lived in more than on place...What about sports? Go Inter Milan! Go New York Yankees! No, go Phoenix Suns! Hold on! Who likes watching reruns of 'Friends?' Yay for us! You kidding? I'd much rather watch the Sopranos...

and on and on...infinitely divided, we have to get along together, or we'll end up killing each other over all sorts of minor differences...oh wait...uhhhhhh...

Never mind, then...

 

[thebenbenstone]

Future for humanity?. .I personally think, its the volcanoes we need to worry about. They have the power to filter light & darken the sun. Thus stopping the process of photosynthesis. The activity in 'Iceland' at the moment is a good indicator of possible future events. I imagine the air must get toxic when filled with volcanic ash? The atmosphere must become cold.... is this Gods 'Justice'?....ice-land? Any way these are just a layman's thoughts.