Ridiculous Project

[beso]

This project plans to send copies of texts to the Moon for preservation. They are starting with a copy of the Torah. I can't think of anything more worthless to preserve or to represent humanity to any future space travellers.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22229702.500-earths-backup-sending-religious-texts-to-the-moon.html#.U38jS_mSxfM

[naomi24]

Khandro, //Then how is it that the most intelligent race on Earth define themselves by their religion //

They’re not the most intelligent race on earth. They simply embrace a strong culture of learning, of community, and of self-support. As for defining themselves by their religion, that’s inaccurate. For the Jews race and religion are inseparable. The rest define themselves solely by their religion, but not the Jews.

[Khandro]

Well you must agree that some of those Ashkenazys are pretty smart cookies, though none of course, as smart as Naomi :-)
I'll leave you with the last word as I'm now off to Salzburg and an appointment with W.A. Mozart, back in a couple of weeks.

[solvitquick]

Dear Khandro,
Have a wonderful time in Salzburg. We will miss you.
Aufviedersehen,
SIQ.

[atalanta]

It seems blindingly obvious to me that religions are a male construct created solely by men for the sake of themselves and other men, to give them power and control over women so that they can be as sure as they can possibly be that their children are not other men's cuckoos in their nests.
It also gives men an excuse for blaming women for their own lack of self-control. After all, it is so much more fun to control women than to control yourself.

[solvitquick]

Dear atalanta,
You make interestiing points which are generally true today. However in prehistoric times mankind's invention of god was probably a simple-minded explanation of our existence and conciousness. The sun, our real creator, would have been the automatic choice of god - and it was.
Even in biblical times males were sacrificed, so the elements of power and male domination was probably a later add-on. Certainly male over female dominance is one of the major religious driving forces of this heinous
god-concept. But sadly the fairy tale is maintained as a necessary tool for those who seek power.
Thank you for an interesting posting - of course you may well be completely right from the start.
With Kindest Regards,
Please abbreviate my name to:
SIQ.

[atalanta]

Of course, SIQ, I do realise that a stone-age tribe possessing a religion was probably better motivated, better integrated, and better at looking after dependants than a non-god tribe, thus more likely to produce more healthy offspring and become the most successful tribe in the vicinity. Which is probably why religion seems to be in so many people's DNA. It was a survival factor in our earliest prehistory. But so was cannibalism, no doubt.

[jomifl]

Khandro, the Ashkenazies are even less of a race than the Jews. If they were a race I would suspect that you are guilty of racism.

[naomi24]

Khandro, too kind. Thank you. Have a good holiday. :o)

[solvitquick]

Dear atalanta,
Nope you've lost me or I've confused you.
I don't believe primitive religious ancestors looked after their relatives better than non-religious ones. I suspect that virtually all believed in one or more gods and worsipped them to so that the god or gods would help them survive, especially praying that the sun would rise next day.
Being religious definitely not written into our DNA as it is a mere man-made invention, though it's just possible that susceptibility to suggestion (e.g. the existence of god) just might be. Only time will tell.
For your information I am a confirmed atheist.
Interesting chattting to you atalanta,
Kindest regards,
SIQ.

[jomifl]

Khandro, I hope you enjoy your break on the 'other side' do come back and let us know how you did it. :o)

[beso]

SIQ //elements of power and male domination was probably a later add-on.//

Doubt it. Male domination is the norm in the majority mammals. Moreover, genetic evidence suggests that most of the children were fathered by relatively few men until about ten thousand years ago.

I think the propensity for most to follow a leader is very common among humans and it has been used to promote the idea of the ultimate leader, a god.

[solvitquick]

Dear beso,
Ty for your comments most valuable and I agree.
When I used the term "elements" of male domination as a later add-on, I was thinking of the use of religion as a means of male power over women.
But I still suspect that earliest mankind was all about survival after which power came to the for.
Kindest Regards,
SIQ.

[solvitquick]

Dear atalanta,
More food for thought there in beso's correctly comenting on my post.
Kindest Regards,
SIQ.

[atalanta]

Among the very earliest known of all kinds of religion, was worship of the power of woman to make new life within her body. Womanhood as a whole was worshipped as being a form of magic, which men could not have. In those days, humans lived in tribes headed by women, and all goods and children were considered common property. It was not until men came to own surplus goods which they wanted to bequeathe that the matter of legitimacy of their offspring came to the fore. If you read the bible very carefully you will find traces of the Hebrews/Israelites being instructed by their god to wipe out other civilisations - civilisations which worshipped goddesses. Or the Great Goddess, or Bona Dea.
There are various books on this subject- including " The religion of the Goddess" by Gimbutas, and "When God was a woman" by M Stone.

[beso]

I didn't see anything in the Bible about other tribes being run by women.

The Hebrews appeared to refer to all the women in other tribes as prostitutes. I put this down to them not being married in a Hebrew ceremony and were thus having sex with men that were not approved as partners by Yhw.

[solvitquick]

Dear atalanta,
Ty for your references to the worship of women in primeval times but I think this is unprovable.
I would prefer to read Rider Haggard's "She" (or better still the film with Ursula Andress:)
Regards,
SIQ.