If all trace of theistic belief was erased today, would anyone in 2007 dream up the concept of God?

Question

i think not!

Answer 1

Maybe in countries with bad education systems? They would need to explain rain and other things. There's no easier explanation than saying an all powerful being is causing it.

Answer 2

I think we would. It would be a far different concept from the God worshipped by any of our religions though. It would be more like a grand unifying force, related but not necessarily the same as the GUT that physicists have looked for. People dream up a lot of concepts that have no basis in reality. I have a very good concept of dragons but I feel no need to find virgins to feed them. Out of the billions of people on earth, I would guess that at least few million would wonder if there was something "more". Maybe someone would even dream of something similar to the Christian God. No way anyone would come up with the same exact religion though.

Answer 3

If all trace of theistic belief were erased today, tomorrow morning when they wore up, BILLIONS of people would be scrambling to find something to fill that void.

The ramifications would be cataclysmic.

First of all, ALL legal or judicial systems stem from moral and ethical concepts rooted in religious belief. If there is no "afterlife" or "Divine Creator", there is NO logical reason for anyone to follow any law which restricts their ability to gain anything they want in this life in any manner. There would be no "right" or "wrong" . . it would be "everyone for themself".

Mankind would take about a month to develop some sort of religious system to anchor a judicial system that would bring order to the chaos.

Of course, man's nature being what it is, within the next couple of months, there would be fierce dissention about the "truth" of the existing religion and breakaway sects would arise and begin the religious wars all over again.

Sometimes one does dispair of humanity's sheer, unmitigated and unfathomable ignorance . . . . .

Answer 4

How on earth could all traces of theistic belief be erased? Since humans arrived on this planet (and I'm not going to discuss how) they have had an innate desire to worship - whether that be the sun, the forces of nature, an idol or some deity. Where does that desire come from?

I am happy to report that the 'concept' of God is alive and well and will continue to flourish as long as humans draw breath.

Question for you - whom (or what) do you thank when something wonderful happens to you?

Answer 5

Yes someone, somewhere would. In of itself a belief in God is not a bad thing or even a hindrance to scientific breakthrough.

It is when belief in God is codified and organized that you run into problems because no everyone is required to believe the exact same idea with no differentiation and that leads to stagnation and tyranny. It's too bad that the human race is too stupid and weak to take a very basic idea like God and pervert it to cover up our own faults, rage, hatred and ridiculous nature.

But a private, personal belief that there is something far above us that laid down the groundwork for the universe and then let the universe grow on its own is not so far fetched

Answer 6

Definately. Go to any beautiful spot in the world out in the middle of nature. John Denver's words "Talk to God and listen to the casual reply" In Rocky Mountain High. That's nature. Even if you could erase theistic belief, you can't erase God. Just like love is all around us, so is God.

Answer 7

There has recently been genetic evidence that shows some folks to be predisposed to believe in a "higher being", while others--not so much. While organized religion might not evolve into the exact form that we currently see, I would say the concept of god/gods/goddesses would come back around eventually. By the way, did you mean 2007, or a later year?

Answer 8

I disagree. As non-religious as I am, I believe many people will always fall back on the belief that there is a great power within the universe. Of course religion would not be the same as it is today, but it would exist in some form. Even now new religions are being created.

Answer 9

For over 70 years, the Soviet Union not only was atheistic, but actively taught against belief in God, rewarded those who rejected him and imprisoned or executed those who did. Two generations were raised with no knowledge of God.

Within two years of the fall of the USSR, surveys showed that then number of Russians who believed in "God" was about 70%, just a little short of the numbers in America.

Here was a society where belief in God had been "erased" for 70 years, and it made no difference in what people believed.

Maybe that is because God is real and the need to seek him is pre-programmed into every human.

Answer 10

Oh, yes I do think they would!
Religion, superstition, and some mysterious 'being' that holds the power to condemn or grace you is just too good a tool for controlling ignorant masses through their fears.
Consumer sales depend heavily on the 'carrot' and 'stick' principle.
Makeup, weight loss products, cars, iPods, everything, is sold by a dual psychological influence:
1. Make them feel 'less than' for not having it
2. Make them feel 'better than' for having it.
Now consider a product that does not have to be manufactured, only dreamed up and distributed. Presto: you have religion.

Answer 11

yes. they would because the divine exists of that there can be no doubt, look at your palms they have lines that are unique and changing as you go through life, use any form of honest divination. meaning you seek the truth - not to confirm your environmental beliefs and you will learn we are all in the same boat. we have obstacles to overcome and how we overcome them is how you are judged not by a deity but by all the souls that have gone before. Buddah says there is no
god only souls, but isn't that like saying there are no animals only cells? the problem is fear - those who have it use it to control others through the words of unchallengable dead men. i know there is the divine but i care not to even attempt to define it because it created me how can i even think to limit it or even use anything but the loosest terminology "the Divine" for example my father on his deathbed - he died in 1992 - would continually complain about an "evil man in a turban" staring at him from the mirror that was across from the bed he died in. i told him that i could see it to allay his fears, now we all know what he was talking about. and through his urging i have seen more. back to the question yes we would recreate the concept of GOD to instill fear but my fellow humans Fear ends thought thus ends your humanity DO NOT FEAR only respect and caution. i could wax poetic and lengthy but there are 5 rules and 5 truths that i hope to impart(as our beloved 12 year old lab mutt snores loudly at my feet): 1 do not lie 2 do not cheat 3 do not steal 4 do your best to keep our word 5 be good to your fellow human. addendum to the rules: when you fail to do these things - and you will fail - make amends(to define amends is to use the words of dead men) truth 1 the Divine exists 2 what is is 3 learn to live 4 live to learn 5 adapt or die. addendum to the truths the last truth says that you must throw out the first 9 if it is a matter of life or death.