Do humans naturally look for a God?

Discussion in 'Philosophy and Religion' started by SLammon420, Feb 13, 2006.

  1. SLammon420

    SLammon420 Senior Member

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    I was thinking and humans naturally look for a higher power when in need. I can't decide wether or not I think humans naturally look for a God for help and explanations or just some one who has more power than them. When miracles happen, do we naturally assume it's the work of a God or just someone larger than us? Today, of course, alot of people would assume all great things are made by God and that God makes this stuff work. I was wondering more about really early humans before the concept of God caught on quite as much.
    I think that maybe because early humans didn't have advanced technologies, they related things like good crop growth to some sort of spirit or god. This would definitely make God an invention of humans but then again, maybe God intended for humans to discover him.

    So the basic question is, is God a concept that was bound to happen because of human nature to look for the explanation of good things and/or something humans confided in and found hope in, you know? I hope you get what I mean.
     
  2. Hikaru Zero

    Hikaru Zero Sylvan Paladin

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    Yeah, pretty much. It's a logical question to ask, is there something out there greater than us? However, it's not so logical a presumption to make. But they went ahead and made it anyway. It happens all the time.
     
  3. Zion

    Zion Member

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    I realized I was alive And then knew that god existed. Especiecially be it that something was in eistence at all...
     
  4. dd3stp233

    dd3stp233 -=--=--=-

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    It is genetic. There is a book written on the subject but I forget the name of it at the moment. It specifies the gene, that some people have and others do not, for the belief and faith in god. It is only natural for a person with that gene to think that way.
     
  5. Hikaru Zero

    Hikaru Zero Sylvan Paladin

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    Can you find out? I'd like to read that book.

    (Because I don't believe it. But who knows, maybe that's my genes talking.)
     
  6. Bhaskar

    Bhaskar Members

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    God is true human nature, not separate from us.
     
  7. Bhaskar

    Bhaskar Members

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    Genes may be seen as the mechanism through which karma works and past life impressions and vasanas are carried on.
     
  8. dd3stp233

    dd3stp233 -=--=--=-

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    "The God Gene" by Dean Hamer
    "Why God Won't Go Away : Brain Science and the Biology of Belief" by Andrew Md Newberg
    "The "God" Part of the Brain" by Matthew Alper

    These are just a few of the books availible on the subject.

    So people without these genes have no karma or past lives?

    Any omnipotent god(or goddess) would, by definition, be so totally different then humans in everyway that humans would ever understand it.

    The nature of the universe is an infinite mystery.
     
  9. themnax

    themnax Senior Member

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    it could be conversely argued, that every awairness, born of parrents, looks for momy and daddy to run home to when it gets in trouble. so i'm a bit sceptical of this in and of itself being proof or even hard evidence of anything.

    on the other hand though, i have experienced the presence of something nontangable, and have little doubt such forces and being exist.

    what i do seriously question is the likelyhood of any of them beggining and ending with what anyone thinks they know about it

    (other of course, then the abundant evidence that whatever is both greater then ourselves and knows of our existence, wishes us no particular harm)

    =^^=
    .../\...
     
  10. Kharakov

    Kharakov ShadowSpawn

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    Unless God is purposefully teaching humans about God....
     
  11. DeadHead~

    DeadHead~ Member

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    Yes. I think it is very natural for humans to belive in a God.
    I think that is why religion is so succesfull everywhere, because purpose and something larger than life is a natural thing for humans to want and search for.

    The natural need for purpose and a higher power however, does not necessarily mean they don't exist.
     
  12. pop_terror

    pop_terror Member

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    I would think the natural need points more towards them existing.
     
  13. DeadHead~

    DeadHead~ Member

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    Thats a good point man, never thought about it that way.

    I always viewed it as, the natural need for a higher power makes people create one to fullfill it, even if it's not true.
    But i get what your saying man, good argument.
     
  14. DancerAnnie

    DancerAnnie Resident Beach Bum

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    God is something rich people made up to control the poor. It's the only thing poor people have to turn to when things are bad.

    We don't want to blame ourselves and instead blame it on someone else. THAT is human nature.
     
  15. hippiehillbilly

    hippiehillbilly the old asshole

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    no i think its a combination of evolution, inbreeding and brainwashing..:p

    do i believe in a higher power..

    someone would be a fool not to.:rolleyes:

    is it instinct??

    no i think i typed it well the first time..

    luv n lite
     
  16. hippiehillbilly

    hippiehillbilly the old asshole

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    i hope ya git what i meen.. ;)
     
  17. DudeDre

    DudeDre Member

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    people need something to believe, they need a reason for a happening

    christianism came with god and jesus, today for some it's a metaphore
     
  18. natureslaze

    natureslaze Member

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    ... i think your talking about intuition, some people are more prone to putting things togeather abstractly, and if you are very good at it you are more likely to look for the most abstract concept, god and or an afterlife... faith is not a gene.
     
  19. mati

    mati Member

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    some people look for dogs and some don't, depends on the person.
     
  20. dd3stp233

    dd3stp233 -=--=--=-

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    I was talking about intuition. In fact the books that I referenced deal specifically with faith. There is nothing really abstract about religion, god(s), and afterlife. There way more abstract wierd stuff out there.
    Besides religion gives you all the answers. Abstraction is usually the things without answers.

    To people that are religious, maybe god made people, through genetics, to be predesposed to faith and religion and others not. How do you know gods plan??? Maybe god created atheists to test your faith.

    To answer the original question of the thread, based on modern research (not just personal opinions), its is natural for some people and it isn't natural for others.
     
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