I don't normally get overly personal here but there have been so many religious threads lately that it got me thinking about my own half formed theories. I am not a religious person at all. I would consider myself agnostic, if anything. I do have some thoughts on the matter of god that I wanted to throw out to all the Hatrackers because I think you guys are some of the smartest and most creative people I have ever met.
I think I'll make this post not just about god, but about all the "weird" things I believe and see what you all have to say, ok? Here goes:
1. I believe humans created god. I think the power of the human mind is extrodinary and we have no idea how much power we truly have. I think that many, many people believing so strongly in one thing can make it happen. I believe that there was no god until thousands of people "knew" there was. And then, there he was. (there is a lot more to this but I am getting sleepy)
2. To go with that theory, I believe that authors literally create the worlds they write about, if enough people truly care about the story. I believe in other dimensions. (Remember "The Neverending Story"?) I think Stephen King's Dark Tower really exists. Just not in this dimension. OSC's Ender lives somewhere. (yes, yes, I'm crazy)
3. I think philotes are real. I really believe there are invisible cords that bind us to the people we love. Invisible, but real.
4. I believe in aliens and that they have been to this planet. I don't believe they probe us, though.
5. I believe that people can have psychic abilities. I just think that it's very rare now because we grew out of our need for them.
I believe in all of these crazy things, and yet I am not a "dreamer" really. Nor do I call the psychic hotline or go on haunted house tours. So I don't even understand myself. I guess that's it for now. I'll just sit back and wait for the fallout. *trembles* I'm afraid because this makes me sound so loony and I've never gotten this personal before with so many people. Be gentle. -Treason
Posted by Jacob Porter (Member # 31) on :
I wonder what your evidence and reasons for your beliefs are.
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
"faith"
Honestly, that's it. I don't have a bible. I have very little science on my side (I don't even have enough knowledge of science to argue any of it.) Sometimes you just want it to be true and so it is true. Also, nobody else has any evidence to convince me otherwise. This is what makes sense to me. It is the truth as I know it.
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
Also, I'm not trying to convince anyone else, therefore I don't really need evidence. I think everything anyone else thinks is great for them, just not for me.
Posted by camus (Member # 8052) on :
quote:I'm afraid because this makes me sound so loony
Well, let's see if it sounds loony...
quote:I think the power of the human mind is extrodinary and we have no idea how much power we truly have. I think that many, many people believing so strongly in one thing can make it happen.
Whether it's true or not, I think that's a beautiful idea.
quote:I believe that authors literally create the worlds they write about, if enough people truly care about the story.
Logical extension of first idea.
quote:I really believe there are invisible cords that bind us to the people we love.
Love is a powerful thing. I don't think anyone can claim to fully understand it. A philote-like idea would actually explain a lot. And I personally like the idea of love and our most intimate relationships being more than just some simple chemical reactions.
quote:I believe in aliens and that they have been to this planet.
Considering how some theories suggest that we may actually be the aliens, it's entirely believable that other aliens may have been to this planet. After all, it's not like they'd have to announce their presence. If I were an alien, I wouldn't tell anyone. That would spoil all the fun of laughing at the humans.
quote:I believe that people can have psychic abilities. I just think that it's very rare now because we grew out of our need for them.
Hmm...what needs do you mean? I could certainly use some psychic abilities. Or is this kind of like in Enchantment where gradually magic and the gods became less powerful because we sort of outgrew the need to have and believe in them?
While some of these ideas may not be scientifically verifiable to us now, I think they are some very beautiful ideas.
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Treason, do you want people to critique your ideas? Offer reasons why they may or may not be true?
Or do you just wish to express yourself?
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
(((camus))) Thank you. That was sweet!
Foust said-
quote:Treason, do you want people to critique your ideas? Offer reasons why they may or may not be true?
Or do you just wish to express yourself?
Yes. All of the above. If someone has any thoughts of feelings about what I said I want them to express themselves as well. Just wanted to talk about it.
[ October 15, 2005, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: Treason ]
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
Camus said-
quote:Hmm...what needs do you mean? I could certainly use some psychic abilities. Or is this kind of like in Enchantment where gradually magic and the gods became less powerful because we sort of outgrew the need to have and believe in them?
I think as language developed, at least, that we mostly lost the ability of telepathy. I think animals probably have some and we used to have more of it. We communicate so well now that it's not needed as it would have been before.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Treason,
If man creates intelligent beings literally by thinking of them, was that same process in operation when we were created? Or are we an original? A sapient species that popped up because of local conditions and not because of the creativity of some species that went before?
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
It's possible we are someone else's story, sure.
But in general I think we "popped up because of local conditions", though obviously I believe the conditions that make life possible are on many planets.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
The only problem I have with this all, then, is that there appear to be two main paths to sentient reality:
1) local conditions are just right, and 2) someone thought 'em up.
Seems sort of inefficient to posit two different processes for something that's basically undiscoverable and a matter of faith. Surely one process is sufficient?
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
quote: We communicate so well now that it's not needed as it would have been before.
I diasagree. Maybe more conflict, from wars to divorces, could be prevented if we had a bit of telepathy.
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