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God
Jan 7, 2023 4:12:14 GMT
Post by seniorcitizen007 on Jan 7, 2023 4:12:14 GMT
When people ask me if I believe in God I sometimes say: "Yes ... he lived sometime in the 6th Millennium BC. Maybe they'll find his grave one day?".
Why the 6th Millennium?
Well, it has been noted that during that time a single language appears to have spread throughout the Mediterranean (deduced from a study of place names) ... that agriculture changed from subsistence farming to organised field systems, that there was an increase in the domestication of species of fauna and flora, and that copper came into widespread use. I speculate that this change was driven by a ruling elite. Another possible fact suggested is that the name Yahweh was actually the place where this elite ruled from.
Apparently in the Temple at Jerusalem they not only worshipped Yahweh ... they also worshipped his wife, Asherah.
There is also Yahweh Sabaoth ... which is said to mean "The warrior with the strong right arm". The "Lord of Hosts". The Jewish idea of the Messiah was of someone who would lead the Jewish people to victory over their enemies ...a sort of "Son of Yahweh".
The biblical Flood may have been the flooding of the Black Sea by the Mediterranean ... which led to the dispersal of the people there and their subsequent domination of the Mediterranean and the surrounding lands.
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God
Jan 7, 2023 7:36:10 GMT
Post by Toreador on Jan 7, 2023 7:36:10 GMT
There's also the matter of "In the begining the word was with God and the word was God". Though this was said by John millenia later it obviously refers to the point of Creation. Yet at Creation polytheism was the norm and it wasn't until Abraham arrived on the scene that the "one true God" began to emerge though perhaps John was trying to hide the obvious error or he never had a clue about the history of Middle Eastern religion.
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God
Jan 7, 2023 12:45:53 GMT
Post by piglet on Jan 7, 2023 12:45:53 GMT
So there is God, and everything else, the Bible does not teach that. What is not God?
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God
Jan 8, 2023 3:41:58 GMT
Post by seniorcitizen007 on Jan 8, 2023 3:41:58 GMT
Some time ago I read that the word for God in some Indo-European languages had its origin in a word that meant "the effects of performing rituals". At some point in time someone came up with the idea that these effects were being caused by a supernatural human-like consciousness.
Dancing, making movements not part of one's daily life, causes a change in consciousness. "Speaking in tongues" ... making up words that sound like language ... causes a change in consciousness. Other "out of the ordinary" activities likewise cause a change in consciousness. The changes that occur can be either beneficial or the opposite ... thus when the idea that the changes were being caused by a supernatural being the idea that there were two of them, one good, one evil, evolved ... rather than that there was one supernatural being who could be both good and evil.
It is a fact that if one meditates on the word God .. letting the word God repeatedly run through one's mind ...a change in one's consciousness occurs. Does this mean that one is "in contact with God"?
One can actually invent a nonsense word for one's own personal God and meditate upon it, maybe also dance as one does so ... and as a consequence experience a change in consciousness.
Unusual natural events ... like an eclipse and so on ... cause a change in one's consciousness.
Many people believe that anything out of the ordinary that happens is caused by God ... or The Devil.
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God
Jan 8, 2023 7:19:34 GMT
Post by Toreador on Jan 8, 2023 7:19:34 GMT
Some time ago I read that the word for God in some Indo-European languages had its origin in a word that meant "the effects of performing rituals". At some point in time someone came up with the idea that these effects were being caused by a supernatural human-like consciousness. Dancing, making movements not part of one's daily life, causes a change in consciousness. "Speaking in tongues" ... making up words that sound like language ... causes a change in consciousness. Other "out of the ordinary" activities likewise cause a change in consciousness. The changes that occur can be either beneficial or the opposite ... thus when the idea that the changes were being caused by a supernatural being the idea that there were two of them, one good, one evil, evolved ... rather than that there was one supernatural being who could be both good and evil. It is a fact that if one meditates on the word God .. letting the word God repeatedly run through one's mind ...a change in one's consciousness occurs. Does this mean that one is "in contact with God"? One can actually invent a nonsense word for one's own personal God and meditate upon it, maybe also dance as one does so ... and as a consequence experience a change in consciousness. Unusual natural events ... like an eclipse and so on ... cause a change in one's consciousness.
Many people believe that anything out of the ordinary that happens is caused by God ... or The Devil. Many unnatural events are induced by drugs, Abraham happened along at around the time when opium was commercially grown in the land where he came from, Mesopotamia. www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/etc/history.html |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 18:25:56 GMT
Post by Ripley on Jan 8, 2023 18:25:56 GMT
When people ask me if I believe in God I sometimes say: "Yes ... he lived sometime in the 6th Millennium BC. Maybe they'll find his grave one day?". Why the 6th Millennium? Well, it has been noted that during that time a single language appears to have spread throughout the Mediterranean (deduced from a study of place names) ... that agriculture changed from subsistence farming to organised field systems, that there was an increase in the domestication of species of fauna and flora, and that copper came into widespread use. I speculate that this change was driven by a ruling elite. Another possible fact suggested is that the name Yahweh was actually the place where this elite ruled from. Apparently in the Temple at Jerusalem they not only worshipped Yahweh ... they also worshipped his wife, Asherah. There is also Yahweh Sabaoth ... which is said to mean "The warrior with the strong right arm". The "Lord of Hosts". The Jewish idea of the Messiah was of someone who would lead the Jewish people to victory over their enemies ...a sort of "Son of Yahweh". The biblical Flood may have been the flooding of the Black Sea by the Mediterranean ... which led to the dispersal of the people there and their subsequent domination of the Mediterranean and the surrounding lands. |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 18:27:28 GMT
Post by Ripley on Jan 8, 2023 18:27:28 GMT
The Epic of Gilgamesh is of greater antiquity than the bible and contains the Flood myth which is generally accepted to have influenced the biblical account in several ways.
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God
Jan 8, 2023 18:47:49 GMT
Orac likes this
Post by Montegriffo on Jan 8, 2023 18:47:49 GMT
The Epic of Gilgamesh is of greater antiquity than the bible and contains the Flood myth which is generally accepted to have influenced the biblical account in several ways. Welcome to the board Ripley. I hope you like it here. |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 19:05:17 GMT
Post by Ripley on Jan 8, 2023 19:05:17 GMT
Thanks for the welcome. Not sure what the video quote is meant to suggest.  |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 19:09:47 GMT
Post by Montegriffo on Jan 8, 2023 19:09:47 GMT
Thanks for the welcome. Not sure what the video quote is meant to suggest. Ripley was Sigourney Weaver's character. I was just wondering if that's why you used the name. I've started welcoming all our new members. We don't get many as this site is hard to find. May I ask how you found us? Most say word of mouth or they were amember of our old site which was shut down. |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 19:17:44 GMT
Post by Ripley on Jan 8, 2023 19:17:44 GMT
I haven't seen that movie. Ripley is an old English word meaning a strip of clearing in the woods. I like the sound of it.
I found you by referral from a member of the old site.
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God
Jan 8, 2023 19:26:32 GMT
Post by Montegriffo on Jan 8, 2023 19:26:32 GMT
I haven't seen that movie. Ripley is an old English word meaning a strip of clearing in the woods. I like the sound of it. I found you by referral from a member of the old site. Happy to have you. I suspect that is just about the only way to find us unfortunately. We aim to have a lightly moderated site here but don't hesitate to make a report if anyone crosses the line. We like a bit of rough and tumble but there are limits. |
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God
Jan 8, 2023 19:31:26 GMT
Post by Ripley on Jan 8, 2023 19:31:26 GMT
Good to know. Thank you for the nice welcome.
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God
Jan 9, 2023 14:25:55 GMT
Post by Orac on Jan 9, 2023 14:25:55 GMT
The Epic of Gilgamesh is of greater antiquity than the bible and contains the Flood myth which is generally accepted to have influenced the biblical account in several ways. Welcome to the board Ripley. I hope you like it here. Ripley - the quintessential, modern strong female action move lead. Nearly every line of hers has resonance, is credible and is delivered perfectly (first two films only) |
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God
Jan 9, 2023 14:32:25 GMT
Post by Orac on Jan 9, 2023 14:32:25 GMT
Opps!
I have strayed off topic in mind zone. Senior, if you would like to to delete my last post, I will.
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