Is the search for REAL answers to life's mysteries more gratifying than simply blindly accepting ancient dogma

Question

Is there anybody else who feels an absolute joy and sense wonder and fulfillment when learning about the true scientific reasons for the how the universe and everything that is in it came to be ?

Do you feel an immense sense of wonder and amazement when you contemplate the sky at night and marvel at all we have learnt about our orgins and existance and all that there is still to know ?

Finally do you think that this joy and wonder is far superior to simply accepting ancient dogmatic myths as a way of explaining the world around us

Answer 1

A few hundred years ago, true scientific reasons for a horizon was that the world was flat, and if you went there, you'd fall off. My point is this: what may pass for accepted truths now in science can change at the drop of a hat.Ancient,religious 'dogma'
may seem outdated, but the basic premisis for it has worked for so long and in so many lives, and in so many ways that my motto is: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
I,too, enjoy the wonders and beauties of this world... and it does not change my joy or amazement to think they came from a creator who loves me rather than by spontaneous combustion.

Answer 2

This question definitely lays it on the line. The search for answers to Life's mysteries is a journey that should never end. As you say, "wonder and amazement" are the feelings that come with discovery and true knowledge. There are those that will say that their wonder and amazement comes from KNOWING that God created everything and the beauty they experience or witness in life would not have been possible without God. They think that a person who has not accepted "the ancient dogma" and/or the words of the Bible as "The Answer" to all life's questions, is someone who is empty and not capable of feeling that awe and wonder of Life.
Here's where it gets tricky. How do you convince someone or rationalize that there "could be other explanations" as to the mysteries of the Universe? The answer that will almost always come back will be a "blanket statement" that simply says, "whatever it is... GOD PUT IT HERE". It's hard to "argue" with that kind of mentality.
Science and Religion both have their place in the search for answers. To give justice to our search for knowledge and understanding we have to expand our concept of Religion to keep pace with Science. Unfortunately, blind acceptance of past beliefs will prevent those people from experiencing True Enlightenment. As a "thinking man" I have not reached any "conclusions" as to our origins and existence. I know logically and scientifically that the Bible is not THE explanation or answer. As a thinking man, I exact my wonder and amazement from my journey through life and the questions that I ask along the way. The "spiritual" side of this "thinking man" acknowledges the beauty in the idea that the journey does not end with death. I would hope that this stage of existence is only the first step along the path of LIFE and its' search for TRUTH. There is so much to learn about so many things, it becomes easier to understand why some people have just accepted life's mysteries as the work of God. One lifetime is not long enough to find "the answer", so the act of accepting the ancient words as the explanation for everything gives comfort. The people who don't take their joy from the journey itself have no choice. They have to know. It then becomes necessary to Accept instead of having to continue the journey.
As for me, I'm "diggin'" this whole Life's Quest thing and hopefully tomorrow will bring another answer. The cool thing about it all, is that every answer sparks another question... and it all keeps rolling along. Rock on, my Brother.

Answer 3

Absolutely. I grew up in the church, my father was an Episcopal Priest. I always had problems with the Bible, etc., because I just could not bring myself to believe things simply because I am told to do so. From a very young age I refused to believe the creation story, the parting of the Red Sea, the so-called "Virgin Birth" (what a load of crap!) or even that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead or died and came back to life himself! These all sounded ridiculous to me and still do. Now, I believe that Jesus existed, but I am pretty sure someone had sex with Mary 9 months before he was born! (nothing immaculate about sex!) (Check out the Dead Sea Scrolls, a THE LEARNING CHANNEL production!) I also believe the Universe existed and still exists, but I do not think it happened anything like the book of Genesis. If God made man and woman after he created all the other things, then who was watching and taking notes on the previous days? Its a creation myth, and we all know myths have no basis in actual reality or scientific fact. I have found that the joy, wonder, and awe of learning about what is actually going on in this universe through the scientific method approach is far superior to blindly accepting ancient myths or so called "truths." Learning why and how things came to be as they are is far more educational and mind expanding than dogmatic beliefs, and I feel the empowerment that knowledge bestows actually brings me closer to "God" than blind faith. I am sure Stephen Hawking is far closer to "God" than that backwoods Baptist preacher who claims to be on God's side and wouldn't hesistate to throw a Bible at you for any slight deviation from his "moral ideals." (Some of these fools refuse to believe Big Bang theory or anything Darwinian!) Isn't it funny how the people that have the most opposition to say gay marriage, premarital sex, drug use, etc. usually turn out to be the most screwed up and into the very things they preach against? Like that Fowley congressman who was in charge of a commite which dealt with sexual predators and is himself a sexual predator; or the evangalest who was so opposed to gay marriage then decided he needed some crystal meth and a gay massage! Jimmy Swaggart! The list goes on and on. Sorry about my little tangent here; I'll wrap it up now! So, yes! Dogma BAD! Truth and Knowlegde GOOD!

Answer 4

Yes, I feel this way and love the fact that all is not known because it makes us explorers of life and the universe. I am not religious but I feel spiritual when I look through my telescope and think of the space and distance between me and the object I am looking at. I love pondering what we know about these things and what we still don't know. I have six crystal prisms hanging in my office window and I love the rainbows they make, it enhances my enjoyment to know how the refraction of light wavelengths through the prism separates it into respective constituent colors. I realize at some point people would have looked at this and thought it was wizardy or some such thing but it makes it so much more meaningful to know what is going on.

Answer 5

I think it is, and you think that it is, but remember that there are lots of people who are just not able to understand the world very well, and so are simply frustrated by the real answers and the search for the real answers. This is largely why religious people find religion satisfying.

It's as if they were failing math classes all the way through grade school and high school, and along came someone who preached that math isn't important, and that it's better not knowing math at all.

Answer 6

specific, by using fact whilst looking you are able to benefit that experience of ask your self and involvement. Being raised Catholic i became instructed what to have faith, yet I on no account enjoyed that, and luckily i like to confirm extra approximately issues. i will understand appropriate to the night time sky observing, being that i admire astronomy and my abode windows in my place of abode face south, so i will see various stars, make out constellations and examine the moon. All i want is a physically powerful pair of binoculars if no longer a small telescope. yet, specific, I completely have faith the seek for fact and solutions is an quite noble and priceless ingredient to do.

Answer 7

It is liberating. Using reason and appreciating the beauty and complexity of the world and the potential that humanity has to change it for the better gives me a sense of purpose and hope for the future that religion never could. If there is a God he wants atheists-free willed thinkers who are willing to explore the complexity of the world using science-he doesn't want brainless adherents to religious dogma and superstition.

Answer 8

Christians certainly do wonder at the universe and everything that came to be. We just give credit to someone you may not believe in. Science is ultra-cool. (you do realize there are Christian scientists) The joy and wonder goes back to the creator. Science is not a religion, nor a god, or a way to direct your life.

Answer 9

I would much rather believe what I believe based on real life experiences than accept anyone elses opinion.

Answer 10

The seeking mind discovers and it changes and is alive.
The seeking mind is never satisfied to draw conclusions.
Once you draw a conclusion, your mind hardens.
The minds of those who Believe are unchanging, like a stone, dead.