The Idea of God
Some of you may only know of Douglas Adams from his popular “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” radio program and books (and feature film in 2005). What many people don’t know is Adams was also a tireless champion of endangered species, a lover of technology, and a self-described “radical atheist”. He has been quoted as saying, “Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
Unfortunately, Mr. Adams died far too early at the age of 49 in 2001. In response, Richard Dawkins, a long-time friend, dedicated his bestseller “The God Delusion” to Adams.
Following is an audio clip of Adams theorizing where he believes humanity’s concept of “god” came from.
I assume most believers of the major religions simply cannot agree with this based on their sacred text’s explanation. For those of you that fit this category – does this sound reasonable and what is your alternate explanation?
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Did he literally speak?
Or was it more figurative, like how he “speaks” to people today?
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
God used a Mercy 58 microphone, powered by a Forgiven XR-886 mixer, Grace 300 watt 2×12 speakers, and plugged into Glory 110 voltage. The stage was immense.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Derek, I’m quoting from your response above: “What really caused all of those horrible things mentioned in the poem was your religion…your religion in the hands of humans who have put their faith and understanding of that religion in front of reason for the last 1500 years.”
This was mentioned in an earlier blog, but bears repeating. Peel all of the layers away from the human excuse of using religion to put self or country ahead and you will not find God.
Give Merideth a recipe for delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, she exchanges sugar for salt, you will still get a good looking oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, but the taste will blow you away.
Reminds me of helping my wife make her famous chicken and noodles. She was sick and I volunteered to help her. Her recipe called for salt and I put sugar instead. Looked alike, but I ruined the meal.
Humans make look the part, even put on a good act, but are very evil inside.
P.S. Don’t let Merideth change the recipe!
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I wouldn’t expect to find God, but it doesn’t change the fact that religion poisons people and gives them motivation to do awful things.
You could say the same thing in a different way:
“Peel all of the layers away from the human excuse of using religion to do good and put others ahead of themselves and you will not find God.”
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:13 pm
The motivation is being selfish. Making themselves god.
Doing good based on your beliefs or non-beliefs is the same as being evil based on your beliefs and non-beliefs?
Humbleness is the opposite of selfishness. Predominant theme used throughout the Bible.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Did religion poison Hitler?
November 4th, 2009 at 1:56 am
Not for everyone. Some people honestly believe they are fulfilling god’s divine will, much like the story of Abram intending to murder his son.
I don’t understand how any religious person can judge someone else who “knows” they are doing God’s will. How can you be sure they’re not?
Non-beliefs rarely (if ever) cause people to act.
Religion motivates people. Those of us with a higher morality than the one given in the Bible label actions motivated by religion as “good” or “evil”. Very few people actually use the Bible to do so.
Maybe. He grew up Catholic and believed he was an “agent of our Creator”.
Even if he was an atheist, he established a national doctrine that resembled religion far more than rational skepticism.
How could you possibly argue that he wasn’t a Christian doing God’s work when there are genocidal parallels in the Bible?
November 4th, 2009 at 7:39 am
If it is not good, it is not God’s will. That isn’t judging, that is being objective.
Not acting is apathy. So being an atheist is akin to not acting.
Hitler was all about building his unique race. It was all about himself and his ego. Another human using excuse’s to justify the evil.
Abraham was obeying God. As Paul Harvey use to say…”and now the rest of the story”…
Parallel’s survival of the fittest.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Right, but I’m arguing that you’re defining “good” by today’s moral standards instead of by the Bible. If you use the Bible, it’s okay if God murders babies – both directly or by telling an army to do it. Most people would call that “evil” today.
Inasmuch that I’m apathetic towards ghosts, leprechauns, and aliens and do nothing in response to them.
Very religion-like. Again, the problem was that people were following like religious sheep instead of being skeptical and reasonable.
Sounds a lot like the God of the Old Testament, actually.
Yes, and what God said (in the story, not in real life) was “murder your son”. So how can you say God wouldn’t tell people to do similar things today?
God also said things like, “Kill your friends and family if they worship another god” in Deuteronomy 13:6-10.
If someone murdered their Hindu friends, by what standard would you call them “evil”?
At the end of the day, Christians have come to understand their god and evangelize as if he’s just a politically-correct ball of love, but that simply ignores the Bible.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Are you taking the particular kill or be killed instance as a whole and in proper context with the current culture at the time?
Apathy. I thought we were talking about good and evil.
Thousands were skeptical…and died.
God was testing Abraham. God asked Abraham to take a son who he loved, born in old age, to a mountaintop and prepare him for sacrifice. Abraham passed the test. And was richly rewarded, not in stuff, but in blessing. We are asked to do the same, in that we are willing to sacrifice self for others. God was willing and did sacrifice His son.
The judicial system in Deuteronomy for the Israelites was put in place to put fear in the evil people. We still have “the law of the land” which we must obey or suffer consequences. The law of Deuteronomy still applies today if you are a believer. The reason I say that? Believers of Christ will live eternally. Those who worship other gods will not know the God of life and suffer eternal separation.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
You cannot have love without judgement.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Love without judgement is apathy.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
So God’s morality is molded by the culture at the time? That doesn’t sound very omnipotent.
It does, however, sound like a man-made god that people adapt to fit their culture.
You mentioned apathy when you said atheism is apathy.
I’m saying that Hitler’s regime resembled faith-based religion more than skeptical, rational humanism.
How do you know God isn’t testing people to sacrifice their children today?
How does this mean anything when Jesus is supposedly God anyways and God is paying our debts by having us kill him? Seems utterly ridiculous and perfectly in line with ancient mysticism that loves blood and human sacrifice.
Also, people die every day. Even more horrific and painful deaths than being crucified. The story of Jesus’ death means more because he was “God’s son”? Does that even matter or make sense? And again, we see another parallel to ancient mythology with gods impregnating human women.
But not literally, because we know it’s an evil and bad set of laws by today’s moral code.
Is eternal torture or even killing a nation’s firstborn children appropriate judgment?
November 4th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
No God’s morality did not change. The judicial system was evolving. You are right, man tries to adapt God to them. It won’t work.
Evil faith based? Sure, atheism is too. The definition depends on what you believe. What you have based your faith in. Hitler’s faith was based in becoming a supreme race. And used evil means to do so.
Apathy. I was talking about good and evil based on your beliefs.
Out of context, not worth answering (child sacrifice). It would be semantics if I did. Wore the subject to long.
It fit the culture of the day.
Eternal torture? How about separation from God. Who is killing our first born?
November 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
God is said to have acted in a very barbaric, war-like way in the Old Testament. Today people say he’s not that way. So God either changed or was trying to fit in. Either way, that fits the description of a made-up deity.
Atheism/agnosticism is a lack of belief or knowledge. Evil is just a label for something we currently disapprove of. Neither require faith.
Yes, like a religion.
Worship Hitler. Obey Hitler. You are the chosen people. It is our right to conquer other nations.
Sounds like Yahweh to me.
I agree. The Bible is an ancient book that fit the culture of the day. We should have grown beyond it by now.
Another politically correct way of saying “hell isn’t that bad”. Nevermind the fire and brimstone stuff.
God supposedly did it to Egypt.