I've often wondered at the inadequacies that gnaw at us constantly. It would seem that we feel heavily our insecurities and do not trust our own capabilities.
I think people find security in boundaries; it would seem that mankind has the inborn need to know his limits. In all facets of life, we defer to others: we have bosses and governors, and presidents, and ministers...all the way up to God.
It would seem that these superiors are there as required checks, a hold on the idea of our own selves being our guiding lights. We abdicate our independence and also our responsibility. We can claim innocence when we can claim a superior--we can also claim forgiveness, merely for the asking, without restoration or redress of grievances.
What do you think? Are we so unsure of ourselves and unwilling to be responsible for ourselves that we set in place superiors to provide boundaries and absolution? If we were our own God and master, would we also fairly mete out our own justice?
2007-12-20 08:49:15 · 15 answers · asked by Jack B, goodbye, Yahoo! 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If we happened to find ourselves in such a situation, do you think we would, as a whole, be liberated by the experience, or would we be paralyzed by fear....?
2007-12-20 08:50:35 · update #1
I think there are couple of reasons behind this. Humans are biologically a social species, where being in a community has its survival benefits. This isn't to say we're destined to live line drones in an ant or bee colony (then again from a macrocosm view, maybe that's true for many!), but it's good that we don't individually have to do things from the ground up. I don't have to grow my own food, put out fires, make my own clothes etc.; I have other people that do that. So I think this has a lot to do with a "need to know our limits".
So from this, I think it's been proven through experience that some systems simply work better when you have one person or a small group of people doing the ruling, and others doing the working. Doing the ruling is not necessarily the most desired position, because you do have to answer to problems and take on more responsibilities than you'd have to as an individual. And again, some people are just better at the job in terms of organizational skills, charisma, etc.
With regards to deity, this might also explain why many feel comfortable using the "externalized deity" notion as a way of trying to make sense of the world (which is largely why people came up with religion in the first place). It just seems to be an easy model for understanding things. Though most people came to their belief in God for other reasons (personal experiences, sense of awe about the world, etc.).
You might want to check out Michael Shermer's "Why People Believe Weird Things". It offers some insight into questions like this.
2007-12-20 09:30:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think God reminds us that there is more after we die. So that we are not afraid of death. We have the curse and joy to know that eventually, no matter what we do...our time will come to an end. As for people who rule and are bosses, presidents, and so on....I do not think people chose to want to have those people as leaders. People will always want to lead, some people will always want to follow, some will just meander through their life not caring. It is the strong people who have the need to own things, to rule, who use their power and strength, even at the expensive of others. Humans can be good and can protect nature. But in all realism, we want more and more, we want to have land, we want to stand higher than the next. It is a survival mechanism. There are people who live and lived the way you say, peaceful, organized, one man helping another in the community. Sadly, those civilizations never survive. Because someone, somewhere else always wants to take what they want from the weaker.
As long as there is greed and evil nature in a persons life, we will never be our on God, we will never live in peace, and we will always struggle between what is right and what is wrong and fight to do so. Right now, until we evolve, is our nature.
Let me ask you this though, if humans overall are so intent on following the higher power. What if a higher power, however unrealistic or realistic it could be, but suppose a highly advanced race came to Earth. Would we inevitably follow them, or fight for our indipendance and freedom until the end?
2007-12-20 17:01:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that holds true with some people, but like anything else can't be used for all.
Some measure of insecurity will always be with us but that's not a bad thing as one can learn from it and it can help a person to grow into themselves as they learn to handle it. However, that does not necessarily mean they always require someone to report to.. yes everyone has a boss even the highest of people on ladder, but that doesn't mean they are inadequate - that is just how the system is designed. We all are a part of society so boundaries are a natural part of life.
Some people are independent from a young age, some grow into it and some never feel comfortable with it and choose to avoid it. Depending on where we fall likely somewhat defines the boundaries we wish in our lives.
2007-12-20 17:08:00 · answer #3 · answered by genaddt 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Humans are always in the process of hoping to find the perfection. We only hope that the ones who are our masters and leaders are the perfect for their position, then we can rely on those closest to perfection to follow an example. We idolize certain figures to try to be similar. We make comparisons and imitate others to secure our weaknesses, insecurity, and disbelief in ourselves. Our faults and wrong doing can be excused then by being weak compared to almost perfect others, and hope for forgiveness because we are less.
This is what distinguishes leaders from others, the confidence in ownself. Freedom of the leader or pioneer from the societal rules makes him shine among others and elevate him from the level of being ordinary.
2007-12-20 17:19:50 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
We did not create God, God created us. He Is Sovereign among all. Mankind cannot be it's own God. Mankind fails as it's own government. We always choose sin when left on our own recognizance. You have no need to seek answers from any other, but God. There are scriptures that deal with every aspect of human life. Mankind just has to read them.
2007-12-20 17:25:10 · answer #5 · answered by Semp-listic! 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think it's both internal and external; people are willing to delegate independence and responsibility, but they're also pretty keen to see other people beholden to the same restrictions.
The Social Contract idea is a slightly less cynical version of this phenomenon, I think.
2007-12-20 16:52:52 · answer #6 · answered by Doc Occam 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually the opposite is true. Israel wanted kings like the nations around them, they did not want to be ruled by God; therefore, God granted them their desire. Hence Saul, David, etc.
2007-12-20 22:16:41 · answer #7 · answered by Capri 1230 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wish to answer someone else's answer.....it is not human nature to want to be free.
All humans wish to be led, that's why we rally around great leaders even when there is no incetive to do so. That is why religion took off so well in the past.....it was the only thing to follow.
2007-12-20 16:53:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Our lives will become obviously hollow once religion is unmasked. How long does a child play in the playground, before getting sick of it and then wishes to go home?
2007-12-20 16:54:03 · answer #9 · answered by 666 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I most assuredly DO NOT!
Rulers, Leaders, Presidents, et al, are for the Weak, the Lost, the sort of Sheeple born to Follow, NOT to Lead.
2007-12-20 17:02:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋