23 Feb 11
2 edits
Originally posted by twhitehead"There is a clear contradiction.
There is a clear contradiction.
You claim:
1. The prevalence of religions starting is evidence of necessity.
2. Religions start to this day but are not necessary.
[b]I can give you many examples where necessities change in habits through history.
I fail to see how this removes the contradiction.
You still didn't answer my question if you the advent of Christianity. I certainly don't think it was necessary then or is now.
You claim:
1. The prevalence of religions starting is evidence of necessity.
2. Religions start to this day but are not necessary."
That is not what I claimed.
The fact that in all ancient cultures religion played a very dominant role indicates that it was a necessity . Today we have cultures and countries without dominant religions That proves it is not a necessity anymore.
"I can give you many examples where necessities change in habits through history.
I fail to see how this removes the contradiction."
See my remarks above.
Other exampel:
In the old days people in cold regions needed leather and fur coats. . It was a necessity, everywhere. Today there are alternatives, it is not a necessity, but still some people wear furs today.
In the past religion was a necessity by lack of scientific knowledge. Natural forces were too bewildering and incomprehensible for our ancestors. So they needed supernatural explanations for all these bewildering nature events. God(s), half-gods, demons. angels, spirits, ghosts, ancestral souls etc. etc. These supernatural beings had to be adored and pacified with ceremonies and rituals, but also by good moral behaviour.
"You still didn't answer my question if you know any ancient culture where the supernatural didn't play an eminent role in daily life.
So now we are moving the goal posts are we? Now its 'the supernatural' and not 'religion'. What is 'the supernatural' in your opinion?
What is 'an eminent role'? As far as I know, most people in Zambia believe quite strongly in the supernatural, but other than that I wouldn't say that it played an eminent role in daily life until the advent of Christianity. I certainly don't think it was necessary then or is now."
It doesn't matter much for the subject we are discussing. Tribes and cultures shared a belief in the supernatural. They explained nature and life with supernatural beings.
I think you underestimate the very importance of the indigenous religions in Africa
http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m14/activity2.php