Man made God in his image.

• malayatheist

  11 Aug 07, 02:12

  Got the quote off here.
  
  

  "If I take a lamp and shine it toward the wall, a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search for truth, for understanding. Too often we assume the light on the wall is god. But the light is not the goal of the search, it is the result of the search.
  
  The more intense the search, the brighter the light on the wall. The brighter the light on the wall, the greater the revelation upon seeing it. Similarly, someone who does not search, who does not bring a lantern with him, sees nothing.
  
  What we perceive as god is the by-product of our search for god. It may simply be an appreciation of the light - pure and unblemished - not understanding that it comes from us.
  
  Sometimes we stand in front of the light and assume we are the center of the universe. God looks astonishingly like we do. Or we turn to look at our shadow and assume all is darkness. If we allow ourselves to get in the way, we defeat the purpose — which is to use the light of our search to illuminate the wall in all its beauty, and in all its flaws. And in so doing, better understand the world around us."
  
  - G'Kar from Babylon 5

  I think it's a beautiful quote by using light as an analogy for our struggle in understanding the world around us. Also because it says what I want to hear .
• popmynutsy

  11 Aug 07, 02:38

  babylon.
• malayatheist

  11 Aug 07, 03:41

  Originally posted by popmynutsy:

  babylon.

  What's wrong with babylon?
• Phaze

  11 Aug 07, 06:03

  This is why most illustrations of Jesus show him as a white guy.
  
  Man creates god in his own image.
  
• SturmDerSchatten

  11 Aug 07, 23:16

  Originally posted by Phaze:

  This is why most illustrations of Jesus show him as a white guy.
  
  Man creates god in his own image.
  

  Then explain how some of the forms of the deities we see in Chinese and Indian culture come about. Human image for Ganesh? Sounds a bit ridiculous.
• laurence82

  11 Aug 07, 23:22

  Originally posted by SturmDerSchatten:

  Then explain how some of the forms of the deities we see in Chinese and Indian culture come about. Human image for Ganesh? Sounds a bit ridiculous.

  Not along that line
  
  Jesus was a Jew
  
  How come he end up looking like a Caucasian in most depictions of him?
  
  
• malayatheist

  12 Aug 07, 00:31

  Originally posted by SturmDerSchatten:

  Then explain how some of the forms of the deities we see in Chinese and Indian culture come about. Human image for Ganesh? Sounds a bit ridiculous.

  If you notice, these deities have aspects that are closer to humans than animals. They have intentions, emotions and admired characteristics, just like humans. They are depicted as always standing upright, just like humans. They have garments that resemble what humans might wear, like crowns, robes, specters, etc. The only non-human aspect that they would have is the appearance.
• TheGoodEarth

  24 Aug 07, 02:50

  Its very simple: Man made God.
  Start with history and all the archaeological discoveries.
• Crystal_Dumpling

  24 Aug 07, 03:30

  Egyptians worshipped cats...
  
  how?
• Stoat

  24 Aug 07, 03:46

  Originally posted by Crystal_Dumpling:

  Egyptians worshipped cats...
  
  how?

  cute
• gigabyte14

  24 Aug 07, 04:15

  Originally posted by malayatheist:

  If you notice, these deities have aspects that are closer to humans than animals. They have intentions, emotions and admired characteristics, just like humans. They are depicted as always standing upright, just like humans. They have garments that resemble what humans might wear, like crowns, robes, specters, etc. The only non-human aspect that they would have is the appearance.

  taoist deities really wear robes in the past though.
• TheGoodEarth

  31 Aug 07, 04:12

  Originally posted by Crystal_Dumpling:

  Egyptians worshipped cats...
  
  how?

  I worship Fann, how?