New study proves someones "god" is nothing more than one's own image! Religion crumbles...

reply to post by A Fortiori


Yes, the study noted in the OP is interesting. I said so many pages ago. I think the member that started this thread poisoned the well with his/her nasty responses to those who posted first.

This could've been an interesting thread; Instead it is yet another "God sux/no he doesn't and can't because He doesn't exist" thread.

I think I'm not the only one who has lost the will to intelligently discuss a psychological study and the potential ramifications of our changing perceptions as they relate to religious dogma/writing/books.

Perhaps I'm just being pissy because I don't want to contribute to the OP's thread because his/her attitude ticked me off. hmmmmmmm. that seems like a choice of higher than average probability. I guess I'm not doing what Jesus would, or what I THINK he would, although I do seem to recall a Biblical temper tantrum or two.

reply to post by reasonable


So you have chosen, let it be done.

reply to post by A Fortiori


This, my friend, is what we call the master/slave revolution. The self-identified slave gets sick of it and says, "Hell no!" The slave overthrows the master, and makes the master the slave. This ex-slave says, "Hell yes" to the now slave, but former master. The slave becomes the very thing it hates. Round and round it goes and where it stops, noBODY knows.

Too bad this enslaves all to the master/slave paradigm. If anyone is truly interested in getting out of this loop, one must alter the perspective which birthed it.

Originally posted by reasonable
The burning only comes though after we do not bend the knee and bow down before the lord. THEN we are cast into an eternity of fire and torture. So let me check my options:

1. Spend eternity in heaven with a bunch of xtian self righteous zealots and a psychopathic sky daddy

2. Spend eternity burning in hellfire experiencing unimaginable pain and torture

I'll take option 2

Well, now I'm confused. Is this thread that you started supposed to be about "how a human brain interprets God in its own way", or is this simply an excuse to bash the Judeo/Christian/Muslim version of God?

If this thread is simply about bashing, then it should be pointed out that there are other belief systems that do not adhere to the Judeo/Christian/Muslim version of things, so bashing the Judeo/Christian/Muslim God is not the same as bashing all other ideas of a supreme creator.

[edit on 12/1/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Originally posted by ALLis0NE
reply to post by reasonable

 

O.M.G. you have a child?

Hey ladies and gentlemen, I think I just found out what is wrong with this world.

Yet again another very unchristian statement made by a xtian. I'm sure you'll pray for forgiveness on that one.

reply to post by reasonable


No. He lacks your agenda. Gee, first the tired over used illogical suffering argument, now this? This paragraph sums up the message beyond what you wish it would say:

Psychological studies have found that people are always a tad egocentric when considering other people's mindsets. They use their own beliefs as a starting point, which colours their final conclusions. Epley found that the same process happens, and then some, when people try and divine the mind of God. Their opinions on God's attitudes on important social issues closely mirror their own beliefs. If their own attitudes change, so do their perceptions of what God thinks. They even use the same parts of their brain when considering God's will and their own opinions.

And besides you're being illogical again. *big suprise, not really* Just because people are inclined to believe such is in no way a measure of existance or lack there of. Hate to tell you. Reality doesn't care about what us hairless monkeys think it should be.

And besides, this is something that has been known for a while.

[edit on 1-12-2009 by Watcher-In-The-Shadows]

Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People

Originally posted by reasonable
..What we get from these people are them trying to shove their crap down our throats. Don't even get me started about what they are trying to do at my child's school. I will fight this lunacy as much as possible. I will fight for freedom from religion...

What does that have anything to do with "A human brain uses its own attitudes when forming its idea of God" (which is so damn obvious), and also what does it have anything to do with "does God exist?"

So, organized religions have some bad aspects (OMG! newsflash!) -- However, what does that have to do with the study you linked in the OP?

[edit on 12/1/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Because the study FURTHER validates that this 'god' bollocks is all B.S. perpetuated by psychological disorder, and all of this discussion in this thread is on-topic btw - the OP study shows why all of this discussion comes up in the first place.

The Bible heads have learned to survive in todays jungle, they have to earn their "Bible Cred.." like rappers.

Just thawing out a box of chilled Rattle Snakes and dancing around like crazed heathens of God is not good enough now-a-days...

They now seek biblical credibilty from the streets... often using street slang to DRAW IN unsuspecting victims with words like...

God's is in da house!
Fo Jeezy!
Let me hit yah wit Da message of G-dog!
I'm pimpin and Prayin!
Mary Mag... huh... Dat's my girl!
I'm Blingin in da name O-God!
Rollin da hard way with G!
Playa-Playa-Praya-Praya!
Let me hit you with da Salt of Wizzzzzdom!
Ho's for God!
and... Take ah hit ah da biblical wit me!


[edit on 1-12-2009 by Level X]

reply to post by reasonable


Yet another unintelligent person who thinks there is one religion and it's Christianity.

You are so far from reality that I can't even fathom how you are able to raise a child.

B.t.w. why did you ignore my first post that pretty much proves a higher intelligence?

[edit on 1-12-2009 by ALLis0NE]

reply to post by reasonable


I said this in a previous post.

With certain terms like psychological manipulation, and his obvious bias toward there being no God, and a whole slew of speculative words like may, mainly, and suggest seem to convince people that he is right when he is guessing. The picture of the brain scan is just one person. I would have to view all of them to make a proper guess, just as he did. It would seem to suggest that when one thinks of himself and his views he aligns them with the thoughts of God, which would make Christ's saying,"God is within you." hold true. As far as what part of the brain lights up? That has nothing to do with anything but what center of the brain processes information. To say the information that is being processed is wrong or right is the delemma. What he has proved is that by manipulation of one's thoughts gets them confused. lol. Like we didn't already know that. I feel it offers no real insight into the proving or disproving the existence of God.

religion is the only thing that made people believe that there's an invisible man.

Originally posted by Level X
The Bible heads have learn to survive in todays jungle they have to earn their "Bible Cred.." like rappers.

Just thawing out a box of chilled Rattle Snakes and dancing around like crazed heathens of God is not good enough now-a-days...

deserves 100+ stars

reply to post by die_another_day


Oh, so religion is independent of man? Seeing as to how he "makes" man do things after all.

Originally posted by Agree2Disagree
reply to post by reasonable

 

We were made in His image and hence share similar qualities.

Say that to a Grey Alien or a Reptilian. They will laugh at you for thinking so egocentrically.

Originally posted by Agree2Disagree
reply to post by reasonable

 

I don't find it devastating at all. I don't even find it intriguing. We were made in His image and hence share similar qualities. Of course when thinking about God we normally reference our own opinions and point of view. What else are we going to do?

This doesn't effectively prove anything...

According to who? Who told you that God made you in his image and what evidence is there for this claim? Here's an idea what you can do. Base opinions on objective evidence rather than making things up as you go along. If you want to assert there is an invisible wizard that made you, then present some kind of objective evidence. Let me simplify - produce more evidence for your invisible wizard then there is for the premise that you were created by 8ft talking lobster that always votes republican. (Hint: a story book told me or my mom told me is not evidence).

Your brain maintains its sanity by looking at a chaotic world and trying to find patterns to simplify it. Throughout history, God has been used and abused to fill in answers to questions that rational thought has been unable to answer. It's simple to throw out, "It's that way because God made it that way." However, it's much more difficult to embellish on the "Why?" In order to answer why, you would have to invent a personality for this being with motivations. If you want that "God" to be consistent with your own inflated ideals, what better source material then your own personality?

Save yourself having ethical arguments with an imaginary friend by you making God in YOUR image! Our species has got to be the most arrogant in the universe.

1. First we but the Earth in the Center of the Universe, having all the stars and planets revolving around it. We even executed people that tried to argue to the contrary.
2. We presumed the world was flat because if we were too scared to go there, then it simply did not exist.
3. When we got to that "new world," we slaughtered the native population, the savages, because they looked different from us, believed in different things, and lacked our technological sophistication. We used the idea of "Manifest Destiny" to take whatever we wanted and call it "God's will."

Man invented God and made God in his image to please his own sense of entitlement. Everything we hated about ourselves and the world was blamed on external forces, demons, because we did not want to tarnish our own image and especially not that of our perfect creator who just happens to make one mistake after another. The perfect being that can create an entire universe out of thin air but has to drown a whole world in a flood when he messes up. Absurd!

The definition of God changes over time as the people who carry on the story change. For a timeless and immortal being, he just happens to become a supporter of equal rights for women and minorities at the same time that society is. How convenient.

Feel free to laugh at a child who thinks a giant rabbit is going to come into his house at night to deliver chocolate eggs. You're no better. Seriously, why don't you people just grow up and put your toys away? Religion is the only mental health problem that won't get you locked up and medicated. Nonetheless, if you describe to a psychiatrist all your God delusions and switch out "God" for an invisible leprechaun, you'll be institutionalized.

Our species is never going to progress if we continue to live comfortably with so many contradictions. We determine the rules of the universe and then draw out exceptions for ourselves, exceptions that just happen to make us more "special" then anyone or anything else. As long as this is the case, we will always be arrogant hypocrites.


[edit on 1-12-2009 by andrewh7]

[edit on 1-12-2009 by Watcher-In-The-Shadows]

Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People

Originally posted by reasonable
The burning only comes though after we do not bend the knee and bow down before the lord. THEN we are cast into an eternity of fire and torture. So let me check my options:

1. Spend eternity in heaven with a bunch of xtian self righteous zealots and a psychopathic sky daddy

2. Spend eternity burning in hellfire experiencing unimaginable pain and torture

I'll take option 2

Well, now I'm confused. Is this thread that you started supposed to be about "how a human brain interprets God in its own way", or is this simply an excuse to bash the Judeo/Christian/Muslim version of God?

If this thread is simply about bashing, then it should be pointed out that there are other belief systems that do not adhere to the Judeo/Christian/Muslim version of things, so bashing the Judeo/Christian/Muslim God is not the same as bashing all other ideas of a supreme creator.

[edit on 12/1/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

It's blatantly obvious that any thread taking on religion is bashing, trolling, etc. The most absurd aspect of this thread is the xtians in here spending HOURS arguing. If they were true "christians" they would be donating said time to charitable causes.

reply to post by sphinx551


Provided they exist....

Originally posted by reasonable

Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People

Originally posted by reasonable
..What we get from these people are them trying to shove their crap down our throats. Don't even get me started about what they are trying to do at my child's school. I will fight this lunacy as much as possible. I will fight for freedom from religion...

What does that have anything to do with "A human brain uses its own attitudes when forming its idea of God" (which is so damn obvious), and also what does it have anything to do with "does God exist?"

So, organized religions have some bad aspects (OMG! newsflash!) -- However, what does that have to do with the study you linked in the OP?

[edit on 12/1/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Because the study FURTHER validates that this 'god' bollocks is all B.S. perpetuated by psychological disorder, and all of this discussion in this thread is on-topic btw - the OP study shows why all of this discussion comes up in the first place.

Oh, so it's a disorder? Is that what the study says? Can you clarify it further?

And, no, this is not all "on topic" or else it doesn't explain you, the non-believer who brought it up, as you say, "in the first place."

reply to post by andrewh7


Brilliant. -but will fall on deaf ears