Thoughts 4/11/2007 April 11, 2007
Posted by Kelsey Martineau in Religion.Tags: Religion
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Have you ever considered that when you feel religion, it could be just emotion? Don’t mistake me for not believing in spiritualism when I say that, because I do believe that God intervenes in our lives. I’m simply saying, how many times have we mistaken our own emotions for God? Or thought that something that we felt strongly about was God, but it really just ended up being emotions. So that raises the question, is God simply emotion in our brains? I don’t think so, but it’s something to think about. I think a lot of Christians have problems talk to God, or knowing how to identify His voice. I know I do. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist, it just means that it is a possibility that He doesn’t intervene as much as we think he does.
On a philosophical note, would God exist if no one knew about Him? Ahh, now that will hurt your brain. I mean what makes God feel so real? Is it the fact that most people are Christians? What if every single bit of evidence of God got wiped out, and everyone on earth lost their memory of Him? What would happen? Would that mean that He would have to send his son again, or would a copy of the bible appear miraculously to show us the way? Or would it be phased out, and new religions created by people? I definitely think religion gives us a feeling of purpose, but is it necessary for life? That’s the biggest question.
Of course is emotion. The nervous system is the one that comes directly from the brain(cerebrum), this one is the body’s information gathering, storage and control system. Through the complexity of neurons which are cells that fire or signal an electrical impulse from the axon terminals which allows the body to contract or release emotions through endocrine or hormones which in the process affect the brains circuit. That is why always we portray God as powerful, and all preachers about divine matters tend to do the same. When Jesus spoke to the multitudes, he used emotion to build confidence in a very righteous manner, which delivers TRUTH like a thunder.
This is exactly the reason that “religion” should be done away with. It is not your religion that will give you peace and fulfillment and a future in Heaven, it is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven. “I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except by me.” There are many religions in the world, but there is only one true God. It amazes me how people think that they can pray to a little statue or symbol and expect that thing to give them peace and joy and direction for their life. First of all, that statue or pic or whatever that they are bowing down to, is NOT real. There is a verse in psalms that talks about these certain idols. It basically asks the question, why? It says they have no hands, eyes, ears, nose, nothing, and yet people still believe that something that has never had life can give them life! That doesn’t make any sense. So to sum it all up, yes i agree with you that religion is directly tied to emotion. That is why we never need to rely on how we feel or think about a certain situation. We need to pray to God and read His truth and only then will His plan for our lives be revealed. Then we will KNOW peace and joy!
Would God exist if no-one thought about Him? That is any easy one. Think about your computer. If you stopped using it, or even thinking about it, would it cease to exist? It doesn’t need you to exist. If your PC doesn’t need you for its own existence, why should God need us? I’ve hardly ever needed anything I made
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A very very very very interesting blog. Finally found a person with the same interest. Will be back often to look at what you have written. Meanwhile, blog on!
P.S: Anyway, your blog inspired me to blog about experiences & God, do drop by and comment. Would love to have your view on it.
Just like to leaving you with an ending thought. Would the existence of colours be dismissed if you were colourblind? Even if God was an emotion, why would we have such an emotion placed in our head? I cant seem to find the need and purpose for such an emotion. Perhaps you can. =)
WIth a pinch of salt, this could be considered phenomenology of religion. In truth, it’s really just unrigorous speculation.
Some more specific criticism:
1. “I mean what makes God feel so real? Is it the fact that most people are Christians?” Most people are not Christians, so ‘no’ is the answer to this.
2. “On a philosophical note, would God exist if no one knew about Him? Ahh, now that will hurt your brain.” It seems a little odd to even ask this question if you subscribe to a traditional Christian view of God. If God is that which nothing greater can be conceived, it does not follow that his existence is predicated upon this conception.
3. rydelp15 – Your argument is just a nonsense.
Kelsey’s original question was whether religion is just a matter of emotion. It’s important to distinguish organised and revealed religion. There’s no doubt that emotional manipulation forms a significant part of organised religion, be it fear of going to hell, excitement at the prospect of 400 vigins in heaven, guilt (popular with Catholics) or whatever. I take your real question to be about whether we can adopt a religious attitude or have religious experiences which are non-emotional, or at least not exhausted by a such an account. I wouldn’t have thought so, since it would suggest that one could have a religious experience which was unemotional. Such an experience would be unlike typical religious experiences. If there can be such experiences, it is likely to occur outside of organised religion. Spinoza’s pantheism might be one candidate: it’s worth recalling that it was considered heretical and he was hounded by the church.
Hi blackthumb and others. Thanks for the excellent comments on the topic. Blackthumb, I can’t tell if you’re ridiculing me or half-way agreeing with me. To correct you though, the majority of people are Christians. Check out this link for a graph of the world, as of the year 2000 (Source). If I may, I’d like to comment on your speculation about my statements. The one that I’m mainly talking about is blackthumb’s number two. Why’s it odd to ask that? Are you forgetting the purpose of my blog? To have insight not only from a religious point of view, but a philosophical point of view as well (among a few others) Have you seen God? I would guess not, as I have not. I do feel like I have “felt” his presence though. Did you ever hear about that city, I think it was in California or something, that had people gather at night, swearing that there was a leprechaun in a tree, but when they would shine their light at it, it would vanish? I’m not saying God is a leprechaun, and I’m not saying he isn’t real. Just for a moment, let’s just say God doesn’t exist. Doesn’t that mean that we, simply believing in Him, would create a being that doesn’t exist? I think that the focus of my entire blog has been lost in translation on this post. This isn’t a blog talking about God and the existence of Him, or how I choose to worship or not worship him. The focus here is broadening your mind, challenging your mind, considering that what most consider impossible, possible. Am I trying to convince people not to believe? Of course not! I just want people to think outside the box (although I believe that’s an overused statement) To me, life is a quest for knowledge, and I love sharing insight along the way.
Again, thanks for all the excellent posts.
RE: Christianity. Think about it – even if we accept the figures from “Adherents.com” (they sound unbiased!) there are about 2 billion Christians. There are 6 billion people in the world (at least), which mens there are about 4 billion non-Christians. So, explain to me again – how is it that most people are Christians? Surely this is most uncontentious.
I’m certainly not agreeing with you, but I hope I’m not ridiculing you either. I think my point is this: ‘thinking outside the box’/speculation is all well and good, but philosophy is something far more rigorous which has a distinctive committment to rational argument (indeed, this is its only mandatory requirement). This is why I would characterise this kind of reflection as religious phenomenology.
Best,
Rob
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce