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Old 09-27-2005, 03:26 AM   #11
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I would like to think all religions will be gone long before the year 3000 rolls around. Certainly if humans colonize space, I'm sure there will be major settlements and planets without any form of religion.
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Old 09-27-2005, 08:25 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Magus55
Of course history would show there is no correlation that would lead this to be expected. YHWH is far older than the Greek and Roman Gods, and now is followed by 1/3 of the world's population ( note: population fallacy not being used here - just a point of fact). Just because the Greco-Roman gods weren't believable enough to stand the test of time, doesn't mean YHWH/Jesus will.
But does the # of followers of a God somehow prove that this God actually exists? It only proves that humans are the ones who keep gods alive. Just so happens that Yahweh is the most popular God right now. I suspect that Yahweh will be the last God in human history though.
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Old 09-27-2005, 08:49 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Johnny Skeptic
If Jesus does not return to earth within the next 1,000 years, will Christianity have become a forgotten religion?
I think it will have evolved out of all recognition. Jesus' non-return will be seen as "symbolic" or "metaphorical", and all inconsistences will have been explained away. It will end up as a sort of vague wishy-washy humanism,-neither quite religious nor quite secular. It will all be about being "nice"; ie kissing babies, and helping old ladies across the road, and wearing a perpetual grin to show how happy-clappy you are.
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Old 09-27-2005, 09:00 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Wads4
I think it will have evolved out of all recognition. Jesus' non-return will be seen as "symbolic" or "metaphorical", and all inconsistencies will have been explained away. It will end up as a sort of vague wishy-washy humanism,-neither quite religious nor quite secular. It will all be about being "nice"; ie kissing babies, and helping old ladies across the road, and wearing a perpetual grin to show how happy-clappy you are.
Kinda like that, yeah. And the most convenient part (as usual) will be the answer Jesus-loving individuals can give to those who pose the question of where he is, is the bible valid, do I need to wait another 1000 years and so on..."That's God's will. Don't ask me. I know I'm not supposed to question the will of the Lord. He has his reasons."

Remember: "God's will". It's the answer for everything!
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Old 09-27-2005, 11:08 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magus55
Of course history would show there is no correlation that would lead this to be expected. YHWH is far older than the Greek and Roman Gods, and now is followed by 1/3 of the world's population (note: population fallacy not being used here - just a point of fact). Just because the Greco-Roman gods weren't believable enough to stand the test of time, doesn't mean YHWH/Jesus will.
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Originally Posted by motorhead
But does the # of followers of a God somehow prove that this God actually exists? It only proves that humans are the ones who keep gods alive.
Magus55 specifically pointed out that he's not using the population fallacy. He was merely pointing out that belief in YHWH is older than belief in any of the Greco-Roman pantheon. He wasn't arguing for the existence of YHWH in this thread.
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Old 09-27-2005, 12:00 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Skeptic
If Jesus does not return to earth within the next 1,000 years, will Christianity have become a forgotten religion?

It didn't happen the last two times, so I don't see any reason to expect it the next time.

Appalling though this is to contemplate, Christianity is in a stronger position after two millennia of scientific, moral, and prognosticatory failure than it was at its beginning.
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Old 09-27-2005, 12:07 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magus55
YHWH is far older than the Greek and Roman Gods
I'm not sure that that is true. Cognate gods in Greek and Sanskrit mythology would seem to argue that some of the Greek and Roman mythology are at least five thousand years old. Sure, they changed a lot during their careers, but so did YHWH.

How old are stories of YHWH? can they be dated before the supposed time of the Exodus?
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Old 09-27-2005, 12:10 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wads4
I think it will have evolved out of all recognition. Jesus' non-return will be seen as "symbolic" or "metaphorical", and all inconsistences will have been explained away. It will end up as a sort of vague wishy-washy humanism,-neither quite religious nor quite secular. It will all be about being "nice"; ie kissing babies, and helping old ladies across the road, and wearing a perpetual grin to show how happy-clappy you are.
I doubt it. The neurotic guilt "it's my fault God had to kill himself" strand seems a lot more tenacious.
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Old 09-27-2005, 12:36 PM   #19
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I think what will remain will be what was most important in Jesus's mission. -------

----(Not the stupid crap that was mostly added on later on, and which has been way overemphasized)

So ---Basics of Christianity 101.

1--There is an afterlife.

If you are a half way nice dude --you probably will get there. If not--what the hell--separation from God or non-existence ain't that bad a deal anyway.

2--We really ought to be nicer to each other.

There ain't no 3.
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Old 09-27-2005, 01:15 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Revolutionary
Magus55 specifically pointed out that he's not using the population fallacy. He was merely pointing out that belief in YHWH is older than belief in any of the Greco-Roman pantheon. He wasn't arguing for the existence of YHWH in this thread.
Sorry, I missed that. However, I still stand by my point that people uphold belief in gods. If tomorrow every believer in Yahweh stopped believing in Yahweh, then Yahweh would go the way of all the other gods in history. He'd be forgotten and join the other hundreds and thousands of gods that people claimed to have existed throughout history.
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