harishsubramanian

Abrahamic religions have one peculiarity.They depend completely on the teachings of one prophet/individual born during a certain period of time.
In the case of pagan religions-The religion was never really static,until the abrahamic religions started dominating the religious discourse.
History is evidence enough-
1.Until people in Europe rebelled against the church,there was no great progress in Europe.The prechristian greeks and romans were the leaders of European ideas.
2.Pagan Religion was based on observation/experience of nature and world.There was scope for individual interpretation based on discovered facts.No one was imprisoned in pre christian europe for giving his own interpretation of god and nature.
3.This was not only true of Europe.After Persia became islamized,not much is heard about the great discoveries of persia.
4.In India,interest in science diminished after the advent of islamic rule.But decay had started earlier.
Buddhism which like Abrahmic religions is based on the philosophy of a single individual had slowed down The progress of India and China.People were lost in Abstract theology,and had lost interest in the material/real world.But there still was progress because,Buddhism was not rigid and fundamentalist.
But they had prepared the stage for the arrival of Abrahamic religions to India and China.
5.The Abrahamic religions had the following defects-
a)They believed in a particular period of time and in a particular teacher.
b)They did not want to accept that there could be better/equal philosophers than the founders of their religion.Is it not ridiculous to believe that ,whilst there was only 800 year gap between moses and jesus,there could be not be a great teacher even 2000 years afterwards?
c)They believed that only their way of thinking was right.
d)They had no love or interest in nature.
e)They had expanded with the help of the rulers,now that secular governments are in place in many parts of the world,they find that their influence is waning.No wonder Pope John Paul wanted to abolish secular regimes.He even believed that secularism was a greater threat than communism. How could a religion that had spread using the influence of the rulers of kingdoms and by deceitfull methods hope to get back the same influence as it enjoyed in the past,once freedom of choice was given to individual citizens?

premjan

The Abrahamics all originated in environmentally poor circumstances so it is no wonder that they had no particular affection for nature.

perfectbite

I remember reading that that Abrahamic area of the world at one time really was a garden of Eden and that instead of hunting individual game it became the custom to indiscriminately 'funnel' and drive whole herds of animals off cliffs to collect their meat. Eventually of course those animals became scarce and because goats will dig to eat even grass roots if they are hungry enough, a necessary goat based 'economy' (milk, meat and hides) laid waste to whatever green ecosystem was left existent after all the animal herds had been killed off.

The Abrahamic's relationship to nature may not have come into existence because there wasn't anything left, it had been destroyed by their forefather's forefathers even before agrarian Egypt arose.

Philippe*

To say you all, abrahamic religions though they are widespread (and that I have been raised catholic) are among the "weirdest" things I have ever found in the field of spirituality especially christianity (with mormonism). On one hand, I think Islam has contributed to spiritual progress of the barbaric arabian tribes at this age, but on the other hand I seriously wonder whether it would have been better if Europe was never christianized. I think apostle Paul was a fanatic and is at the origin of a whole tragicomic affair and that it has become out of proportion.

Philippe

premjan

I think the fact that the Abrahamics were based on pastoral rather than agricultural economies does say something for the kind of environment in which they grew up. Plus like the Sahara, the Middle East never was a tremendously lush place at least in recent times.

Agemegos

That is a considerable exaggeration. Christianity depends at its core on the teachings of at least three different people: Moshe ben Amram (Moses), Yeshu ben Yusef (Jesus), and Saul of Tarsus (St Paul). Besides which Arius, Augustine of Hippo, John Wyclif, Jan Huss, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Mary Baker Eddy, Joseph Smith, and other interpreters and reformers have had transformative influences on branches at least.

Dharma

Abrhamic? You mean the "melecha" unArya freaks who are awaiting Arya Kalki Avatar for final termination, don't you?

I think the Abrahamic religions served as a lesson to Hindus in particular and actually sped up dissemination of spiritual knowledge.

Huon

Socrates was sentenced to death for having weakened the traditions.

At that time, "god" was (were ?) "gods". (nitpick).

And Pagan Religion was never a source of science based on discovered facts.

Huon

When Amenhotep (Amenophis) IV, also named Akhenaton, wanted to install in Egypt the (monotheist) solar cult of Aton, he was immediately opposed by the (polytheist) priests of Amon-Ra (Rê), and he was forced to flee to Tell El-Amarna, half-way between Thebes and Memphis. The priests of Amon felt that they would be deprived of their power, revenues, and importance. So they took appropriate measures. And at last, after 13 years, they won. The successor of Akhenaton was Toutânkhamon.

Dharma

we also have a tale of fanatical demonic Shiva worshipper, Hiranyakashipu, who was given a boon of immortality by Shiva then he had a dorky son who was obsessed with Vishnu, Prahalad (10 year old) was sentenced to death, but by the grace of the man-lion form of Visnu, Narasimha, slaughtered his evil father and aunt instead.

And if you do not believe this story you are obviously AnArya melecha.