In biology atavism is defined as the "reappearance of hereditary characteristics that skipped several generations". Think about post-Christian countries like England,the Low Countries,the Scandinavian states - aren't they just lapsing back into their original pre-Christian condition? They will obviously never produce another Ibsen,Strindberg,Rembrandt,Vermeer - they don't produce anything. They just do commercial fishing and wench around,same as before. All the finer things God gives are gone. How would that not constitute cultural atavism?
2007-06-04 11:31:13 · 9 answers · asked by Brynn 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
1 - Atavism is strictly a biological concept. You can't just assume that you can pull it out of its context and apply it willy-nilly anywhere you please. This is doubly true if you understood the mechanism behind atavism. You aren't being scientific; you're being ignorant and using bad reasoning.
2 - Guess what...there are non-Christian poets, philosophers, screenwriters, authors, artists, musicians, etc. And you know what? They produce stuff, and at times are internationally acclaimed. Open your eyes, and maybe you'll see it.
2007-06-04 11:38:12 · answer #1 · answered by jtrusnik 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Those things you attribute to god were all things created by men. Cultural atavism - thats a new one. Are you afraid the world is going to the dogs. Atheism considers the existence of God and rejects it. It doesn't mean that atheists are culturally atavist. Who says that the Christian way is the ideal way anyway - only Christians. And alike I think the Atheist their way is the ideal way. Christianity is suffering and Christianity has only itself to blame.
2007-06-04 11:41:11 · answer #2 · answered by atheist 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure, but if Europe is lapsing into its pre-Christian state, does that mean Greece will produce another Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Pericles, Epicurus, or Democritus?
2007-06-04 11:33:43 · answer #3 · answered by WWTSD? 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
No.
If we reverted back to worshipping Wotan and Neptune, then that would be the case.
If anything, atheism is a progression which has not widely happened before.
2007-06-04 11:39:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
"All the finer things God gives are gone"
what, you mean like the heresy trials, the crusades, the troubles in Ireland, the discrimination against homosexuals, stuff like that?
2007-06-04 18:26:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
(A = Without)
(Theism = Belief in Gods)
Atheism = No belief in Gods
Strong atheism = Belief there are no Gods
Strong atheism+ = Belief there is *no* supernatural at all (me)
"All the finer things God gives are gone." is IRRELEVANT. Everything's here, just "God" is "gone", as He/She/It was never here. ... A figment of some people's imagination only.
2007-06-04 11:33:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
It's cute how you took a biological term and tried to apply it to religion.
Cute in a dumb blond kind of way, but still cute.
2007-06-04 11:58:53 · answer #7 · answered by RU SRS? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Interesting theory... and America's Rembrandt is who, exactly?
2007-06-04 11:45:52 · answer #8 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
One is philosophical, the other is biological. I'd say that's fairly different.
2007-06-04 11:33:51 · answer #9 · answered by Dharma Nature 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋