that maybe, just maybe...we'd all treat each other better because we'd realize that it's really just us here...and we're all we have?
I've seen it happen time and time again during disasters and tragedies...humans are at their best when it seems like "God has left the building". It's the only time I see us put down our defenses and predjudices and really offer ourselves to the next guy. It's the only time I see us act like we're all in this together, and it's sad that it has to LITERALLY be true for this to happen.
2007-12-16 03:42:00 · 9 answers · asked by LolaCorolla 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I don't suggest erasing God from the equation...nor do I necessarily think that God has everything to do with our "good" sides...it's just something I've observed about humanity as a whole, and it just made me wonder....
2007-12-16 04:03:48 · update #1
Not if we stopped believing, but if we stopped believing in our beliefs. That is, if we realized that our beliefs are beliefs, and not reality. If we stopped trying to substitute beliefs about God for experience of God. Then we would realize that, in a way, we ARE all we have, and find God in our experience of each other.
I don't think that humans are at their best during disasters and tragedies because we stop believing in God. But we stop living on belief, because the disaster makes us EXPERIENCE LIFE fully in the present moment. We stop living in our heads. And we find, not so much that God has left the building, but that God isn't where we thought he is. We may even find that our beliefs about God are expanded through that experience.
2007-12-16 04:06:07 · answer #1 · answered by yet-knish! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would suggest to you that God has NOT left the building, but that people realize that THEY are not GOD and that in these rough situations they realize they are powerless and need Him - thus He is right there with them and, actually, working through those who offer themselves to help the next guy (as you put it).
Looking at disasters and tragedies and saying that God turns His back and leaves the building is, I am sorry to say, false. In no way do I wish to offend anyone here. As a born-again and spirit-filled Christian, with my share of problems and weaknesses, I would put it to you that it is in those times when people reach up, reach out for His help, leave their idols of "self" behind, and move into His spirit of Love.
Don't know if that is too heavy for you or not. Again, I do not wish to offend anyone.
2007-12-16 05:43:32 · answer #2 · answered by sunshine 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have to agree P Amigo #3, it's the mitigating influence of the Holy Spirit that keeps us from being total creeps to each other. However, there always have been those who ignore it and are willing to hurt and use their fellow humans. Even in disasters, when our strongest instinct is to band together for survival, there are those who will kidnap children to sell and things like that. So, no, I don't think it's not believing in God that will make us nicer to each other. I think the real key is to start living the true precepts of the Bible. (Love the Lord your God with all of your Heart and Mind and Soul and Love your Neighbor as Yourself.)
2007-12-16 03:56:44 · answer #3 · answered by Rebeckah 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Very interesting observations. Unfortunately you are not seeing the trees for the forest as it were. We as a species are at our best during natural disasters and such precisely because of God. First of all it reminds us of our mortality in this life and encourages us to put forth more effort to act in accordance with our creators wishes. Secondly it removes, whether literally or vicariously, all the materialistic motives we have for our complacency, greed and other factors that invariably cloud our ability to prioritize the importance of spirituality. If God were not responsible for this than man's natural instinct to take the path of least resistance would lead him to be even more callous in times of calamity and tragedy. Good luck and God Bless in your search for truth and understanding.
2007-12-16 03:50:52 · answer #4 · answered by Pee Amigo No 3 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The notion that: Society would grow more compassionate if people stopped believing God expects compassion.
seems a bit absurd.
The answer is not only NO, I'm perplexed at what logic or experience would lead you to think this.
I personally am not religious, but it is my experience that religious people and organizations always seem to be front and center when is comes to charities & disaster relief.
2007-12-16 04:56:59 · answer #5 · answered by Phoenix Quill 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Heavens will not fall but I 'll lose biggest support of my life as I can no longer live with a belief that God is on my side..When I have none to fear.. I can be ruthless too in getting what I want...fear of God will no longer upset me..
2007-12-16 05:22:32 · answer #6 · answered by sandeep m 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea, pain and suffering makes us forget the selfish I and concentrate on the We. God doesn't need us. We create our own disasters by our imperfections.
2007-12-16 06:16:30 · answer #7 · answered by hmmmm 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Unfortunately, no. I'm a radical atheist myself, but I do think that people will be bigoted assholes regardless of a lack of religion. While there won't be any god to blame for our actions, we'll still find things to attack each other for.
2007-12-16 03:45:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
yes
2007-12-16 03:49:43 · answer #9 · answered by Rana 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋