Is GOD a society???

[nuttyboots]

Is GOD a society?
I am coming to the understanding that the word GOD is not a one being. But another whole culture of other people somewhere out there.(Not the ones with the big eyes) Ever think of what a GOD really is to us now a days. Or what a GOD was to someone back 2 or 3 thousand years ago? Im sure they would think of me or whoever a god by the knowledge that we have or the age at which we die now. What would you think if someTHING came to us now and lived for a thousand years, and had most of the answers to our questions? Would they be GODS?

 

[Godless]

not nesesarily

Say for example an advanced civilization visits a primitive culture such as ours, back thoudsands of years ago. Humans of the time would believe them to be gods.

In another scenario, the human race advances well enough to travel to another planet that sustains primitive culture similar to ours thousands of years ago, would these primitive civilizations consider us gods?

Perhaps you've come to your conclussion from watching Star-Treck, Q comes to mind of what we would consider god, in our primitive minds.

 

[Firefly]

Originally posted by nuttyboots
the word GOD is not a one being. But another whole culture of other people somewhere out there.

If by "out there", you mean in Space, of not form this panet, then surely they'd just be superior aliens?

 

[Jenyar]

God has always introduced himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the same God now as He was then, and even before that time. No God is not a society, like the Spanish were to the Incas. His Spirit has been given to people, but that doesn't make them gods. Even in the first century CE, some Chrsitians were thought to be the incarnation of Roman gods - Paul was thought to be Hermes, and another (Barnabas) they though was Zeus. In ancient Rome, it was common practise to deify people (such as Augustus Caesar), so even though a more "primitive" culture might accept you as a god, that would not make you one. The apostles denied it vehemently; even if other people didn't, why did Christianity survive, and others (such as the Roman gods) not?

 

[Jaxom]

The whole notion of the gods, in various forms, being actual visitors from other worlds who are merely much more advanced than we were isn't all that fanciful, if you make the necessary assumption that they could get here to begin with. I'm doubtful, I believe that religion didn't need an outside help, that it's natural for humans to try and explain their surroundings, whether that method be scientific exploration or just creating it all to a god.

why did Christianity survive, and others (such as the Roman gods) not?

That's a good question...certainly whether you believe or not, the staying power of Christianity is impressive. It's not the only one though, and certainly not the oldest. Plus, one cannot say Christianity is totally preserved from its origins...it has splitered into a variety of types, even though much of the core is intact.

If I recall, the Roman god belief wasn't as strong as most religions anyway...many Romans believed in a combination of religions, even in Christianity or Judaism late in the empire, and the Roman gods were merely borrowed from the Greeks, as much of Roman stuff was.

I think the image of God/Allah as it is today survives because it has evolved to something that cannot be tested by the scientific method. Why people still believe? Some people have trouble seeing themselves as insignificant in the universe, and believing that there's a diety who is watching out for them comforts them. Nothing wrong with that, as long as it doesn't cloud common sense.

- Jaxom

 

[Jenyar]

posted by Jaxom
Some people have trouble seeing themselves as insignificant in the universe, and believing that there's a diety who is watching out for them comforts them.

This is a gross oversimplification. If you read some of the earliest accounts of Christianity (canonical and non-canonical), you'll see that the Romans found it baffling that Christians would continue to believe even under severe torture (Caligula used Christians as human torches at his orgies) and penalty of death. Why did people convert to Christianity if it offered them no material advantages - on the contrary, they chose it above Roman citizenship and the safety of being protected by the state (Paul was a Roman citizen, that is why he was beheaded and not crucified). Christ teached that even least significant person in His kingdom had the greatest worth. This is contrary to any other religion, Roman or Jewish (the Jewish Farisees were revered as holy saints who followed the law by the letter).

As far as a moral and ethical standards - there are other philosophies that have similar codes of conduct (with less serious penalties). But contrary to popular belief, Christianity is not a tyranny (neither by God or man). I wish I could change all these misconceptions myself, but I can only answer questions as honestly as I can, and pray that other Christians will be examples themselves.

For a historical account of Christianity read this, it's extremely interesting, even just historically:
From Jesus to Christ: The first Christians