A little story. On a hot day I was sitting under a tree for shade waiting for the bus. Outside a university on a street with two universities and a college campus within walking distance - I felt in a safe space except it was hot. When I was younger two people came to my door and one put his foot to block the screen door to stop closing so they could continue to try to sell or preach their religion. It was an intimidation tactic and I mostly looked down. Anyway, this person handed me a paper for his religion that he was selling or believed in. I told him I admit ignorance and that what it takes to be a scientist and handed his paper back to him. Also saying someone else may do better with your church but not me. For a social structure religion can politically ease things and there is the notion of the unknown. But why is God important?
With a question this general, you need to widen the concept of deity. When someone [presumed to be] in the culture we [presumably] share, writes God, most readers will assume the deity being cited is the biblical god of Abraham, later passed down [in altered form] to the Christians and Muslims, and even, eventually, the Jehovah's Witnesses of screen door and leaflet fame. The importance of any god depends on the condition, world view and circumstances of the people who invent that god. (Note: deities/religions/belief systems are organic: the invention of gods is a continuous process.) If you mean the most prevalent notion of God in present-day America, its importance is two-fold: solace and hope for the underclass; political weaponry for the overclass.
long ago I read approximately: (of the old gods) "Then feasted they all day till the setting of the sun when along came a ragged jew dragging a huge wooden cross as the ragged jew approached the table of the gods the gods drew silent and then The ragged jey flung the cross down onto the table of the gods and the gods just faded away" moral If you want your god to survive then your god must be important to you
Alternatively: If you want your god to vanquish all the other gods, 1. recruit a bigger army 2. purge, purge, purge 3. enlist poets to write your advertising copy 4. purge, purge, purge
anecdote: When I lived in Florida, I had 2 boa constrictors . The bigger one "Bobo"-all 2 meters of him, was more lazy and liked to lay on my bed, or in the sunshine on the back of the couch in the florida room. The smaller one "thor" liked to hang out on my shoulders. One fine day a couple jehovah witness proselytizers were at the door. Thor held his head about 2 feet in front of mine and swayed back and forth while sampling the air with his tongue. I was actually being quite friendly, but thor seemed to ruin the concentration of the proselytizers, who left minus one convert. if you ain't having fun, you're doing something wrong
A few years ago, I had a best mate, a Rottweiler named Rocky.He had the loudest most fearful bark you could imagine and along with his 65kg size, was a formidable backstop. One Saturday morning I noticed two 7 Day Adventists coming down the street, going door to door. Not wanting to be distracted from the Footy, I placed Rocky on the front porch in clear view of the street. As they approached my place and started to walk up the driveway, Rocky stood up and gave just one almighty Woof!!! They stopped, thought for a minute or so, and wisely retreated. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Rocky in actual fact was a big sook whose favourite pastime was laying at my feet and licking out my toe jam!
I think an important question about the history of religions is, when did humans start to believe in things like an afterlife? I also think this is connected to when humans began burying their dead instead of just abandoning them, i.e. when humans began to show reverence for dead ancestors. So one might argue that thinking about the existence of an afterlife and other kinds of faith-based thinking began then. Why was it important, what else changed in the cultures we had then, etc? If the other changes can be connected to the development of religious ideas, there we have it--it was important because humans needed it to cope with the changes in society, perhaps also in the environment. Who can really say? Anthropologists like to think they can.
My very modest JW story: Saturday morning was their favourite time to knock, which happened to be my favourite time to sleep. I alwys came to the door in my skivvies and told them: "Go away. My lover is a priest and they hate competition."
Short answer - is not Longer answer - only if YOU consider is important and you have your OWN reason Last answer - is what have you been offered (even promised) if you believe in god? Ever lasting life in heaven Appears to be a no brainer So here's a interesting brain fart idea/question If heaven didn't exist as a reward (or hell as punishment) and jc / god / Mary etc etc were in a story which - bottom line - went around saying be nice to each other, in that situation, would god be important? ie is god important without heaven? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Importance? is subjective, and there can be as many reasons as there are people. The best question to ask, is who and what is God.
Or when did they stop believing. I think cremation was the send off of choice. Burial was for holy men, and high ups. Which culture?
Well, if it's a simple truth you'd be able to convince everyone - otherwise it's just politics... Are you a money grabbing evangelical?
Nobody needs to be convinced. That is a widely held misunderstanding. We simply have to unblock our rejection and denial. Tempt me with some money, and let’s find out.
Being agnostic, is being agnostic. A position where the person concludes that God cannot be known, and is therefore unknowable. Agnostic atheism is merely the addition of atheism. Neurosis is a condition that can affect anyone, regardless of belief.
Agreed. God is simply an unscientific reason to explain life and the universe in which it exists, and was probably invented eons ago by ignorant ancient man, who had just evolved from swinging in the trees, to walking upright on the ground. It carries on to this day by certain groups, in various religious formats, to dismiss the fact of the finality of death, and maintain a warm inner glow of satisfaction. Others prefer facing reality generally illustrated by science.