"If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent him." - Voltaire
2006-11-28 16:45:19 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Voltaire voiced a truism. Presently there are many examples of his adage.
And I agree that God is a necessity, whether there really is one or not - we need a God.
Man needs to believe there is a super being to keep him in line, to prevent pandemic anarchy/lawlessness, powerlessness and hopelessness
Let's show how it works in the political realm.
To further his own agenda, Bush found it necessary to fabricated a reason for the 'war' with Iraq.
He conjured up reason after reason until the public no longer remembers the earliest lies, but defends and swears by one of the lies.
Same difference - Man creates what's missing even when it can be proven that it's not there..
2006-11-28 16:49:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
This was said during a time when the church still held a great deal of power in everyday life. Science was nowhere near answering questions about the origins of the universe or mankind. People were still superstitious, and needed to believe in a higher power, and an afterlife that promised to be better than the life they were living. Today, that statement is still true, but not nearly as much as it was during Voltaire's time. There is a strong need by some modern individuals to hold onto hope for a better world than this. However, you see more people today who would rather make their world better than turn it over to a god figure.
2006-11-29 00:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by Bill K Atheist Goodfella 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Completely true and through out history all societies have invented a god or gods that suited the particular needs of that society. The world is a complex and often scary place , inventing a god [s] provides answers for the complex questions and allays many fears. God is a totally human and very necessary invention- But make no mistake it is an invention.
2006-11-29 00:55:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I partially believe it, because man, the way he is, would invent something in his mind bigger than him (not ALL men because many want to think they are "as big as it gets") the majority of people need someone/thing to look up to. On the other hand.... if God did not exist, Im not sure we would even have a sense of spirituality, morality or amazement in anything. I believe that we have the sense of smell because there are things to smell, the sense of touch because there are things to feel, sense of hearing because there are things to hear, etc.... many creatures lost, or never developed certain things because there was no need to. So we probably have the sense or urge to worship because there IS something to worship... we have spirituality because there is something to be spiritual about. Had these "senses" (for lack of a better word) not been fullfilled we would have lost them ages ago... or never adapted them from the beginning.
2006-11-29 00:56:04 · answer #4 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Inventing God is just a way of claiming authority that you have no other way of earning. It is a perfectly logical thing for someone who wants to be heard to do. If you are ignoring me then I need to find someway of scaring you into paying attention, otherwise I have no purpose. I sure do hope that God is real but since there is no way to ever arrive at proof we must realize that if God wasn't real someone would have made him up for their own gains.
2006-11-29 01:07:58 · answer #5 · answered by Lion_Heart 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't agree with it because it would be easier for people to believe they could do as they wish. Animals don't invent God and are perfectly happy, but then again animals were not created with a spirit. Just body and will. Human spirits were placed in human beings to make us aware there is a God. Humanity is incurably religeous.
2006-11-29 00:48:17 · answer #6 · answered by sheepinarowboat 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If there were not God, there would be no one around to invent Him.
2006-11-29 00:52:09 · answer #7 · answered by Oshalla 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
So THAT's where my Dad got that line. I have to say I agree. Not to say that I agree that there is a God in the first place. Not necessarily...
2006-11-29 02:46:16 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I actually do agree, despite who's speaking......people do need and search for something greater than themselves to put their faith in.....even those who supposedly say they're atheists have a god....whether it be an object or a being
2006-11-29 00:49:49 · answer #9 · answered by egyptsprincess07 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes we need religion to keep the masses occupied on Sundays.
2006-11-29 00:48:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋