Introduction to
Metaphysics
Bible Myths and their Parallels
in other Religions,
by Thomas W. Doane, 1882,
is a source of gossip
for the ages.
Appendix C. provides insight into human nature
and the theme of his book:
the similarity of religious beliefs
among all civilizations
through the ages.
With great expectoration, I embark on this
explication of extant extemporaneous
expletives, expurgated Inca incest,
and incantations !
During Funeral rituals, one can observe desperate attempts
to understand why a loved one
was “taken away”.
Religion is a
World View
which provides that crucial reference:
to interpret such emotional experiences,
and gain reassurance
to continue the effort to live -
by choosing goals and the activities
which achieve them.
Mr. Doane says:
“ All the chief stories that we know so well
are to be found in all times,
and in almost all countries.
Cinderella,
for one,
is told in the language of every country of Europe,
and the same legend is found in the
fanciful tales related by the Greek poets;
and still further back, it appears in very ancient
Hindoo legends.
So, again, does
Beauty and the Beast;
so does our familiar tale of
Jack, the Giant - Killer; ”
“ From researches made . . . .
in the science of Comparative Mythology,
we begin to see something of these ancient forefathers of ours;
to understand what kind of people they were,
and to find that our fairy tales
are really made out of
their religion.”
We interpret and “make sense” of
our experiences, by reference to
our basic beliefs
(World View).
This personal bias is unavoidable
because a frame of reference is necessary
for human—Conceptual
awareness of
Cause - Effect relations.
We interpret experiences according to a
world view, or
“Sense of Life”
(which is accepted by Choice).
The alternative is:
to be aware of our fundamental choices,
or stare at approaching headlights -
like a possum in the road.
Ayn Rand wrote about the
“anti-conceptual mentality ”.
This person is passive
in regard to the
“ two cardinal questions”:
“why?” and
“what for?”
Philosophy: Who Needs It ?
[ The Missing Link,
Ch. 4. p. 38. ]
This pervasive trait of
Human Nature
is examined in
The
Anti-Capitalistic Mentality,
by Ludwig von Mises.
After forty years that Moses led the Israelites
to wander through the wilderness,
Moses was told:
“Go jump in the river!”
What did Moses do?
(He went in de Nile.)
Lucretius wrote the poem
“On The Nature of Things”,
which summarized the ideas
of the Epicurians and Atomists.
“ Lucretius,
on his own admission, uses his poetic art
to sugar the somewhat bitter pill of
his philosophy . . . .”
[ Quoted from the Introduction. ]
Lucretius was despised by the priests of his time
for refuting pagan belief in supernatural spirits
and demons,
by providing Natural explanation
of Cause - Effect.
[
Remarks of the Pope, and
“
Shut Up!”. ]
The author of
Darwin on Trial
wrote:
“ If scientific naturalism
is to occupy a dominant cultural position,
it must do more than provide
information about the physical universe.
It must draw out the spiritual and ethical implications
of its creation story.
“ In short,
evolution must
become
a religion.”
This may explain why Mary Baker Eddy
created the Christian Science Church,
and L. Ron Hubbard created the
Church of Scientology.
The NAME of these religions
emphasized the benefits and credibility of Science.
Religious spiritualism continued to provide personal,
emotional security, by means of unique meditation and
(recent) computerized intelligence enhancement.
[ L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer.
I found a book with this information on the
back cover:
“ This is the first
nonreligious
moral code
based wholly on common sense. It was written by
L. Ron Hubbard as an individual work
and is not part of any
religious
doctrine.”
See Ten Commandments. ]
Parental nurturing and emotional reassurance
helps to develop Human nature.
Religion provides the sense of protection by a loving parent,
and emotional support during times of stress,
that an impartial scientific manual will never supply.
Ayn Rand observed that every religion has a mythology,
which shows the fundamental premises of Man’s nature and
the universe. “Sense of Life”,
is the emotional equivalent of a World View,
which is the emotional “attitude”,
which directs awareness, and is the core of
individual character.
[ The
Romantic Manifesto
[ Ch. 1 - 3. ]
and
The Crucifix vs. the Easter Egg.
The supernatural influences of religion are not limited
to guiding human choices toward healthy and prosperous life.
( Mother-earth
dancing,
and signifying to them to dance and
make merry likewise. )
Curiosity and Choice are condemned by the myth of
“Original Sin”
in order to emphasize
salvation through obedience.
“ The truth is that Christian theology,
like every other theology,
is not only opposed to the scientific spirit;
it is also opposed to all other attempts at rational thinking.
Not by accident does Genesis 3
make the father of knowledge a serpent --
slimy, sneaking and abominable.
Since the earliest days the church, as an organization,
has thrown itself violently against every effort
to liberate the body and mind of man.
It has been, at all times and everywhere,
the habitual and incorrigible defender of bad governments,
bad laws,
bad
social theories,
bad institutions.
It was, for centuries,
an apologist for slavery,
as it was the apologist for the divine right
of kings.
[
H. L. Mencken,
Treatise on the Gods.
See
Scopes trial,
Monkeys,
and (Saint) Cyril’s mob. ]
Many religions are indeed, exceptionally oriented toward
peaceful, caring relations; which encourage
co-operation
and
productive motivation.
But the history of Christian Crusades and Islamic Jihad,
reveals the untethered abandon by which
“
Anything Goes”,
to inject
lethal premises.
The Rev. Jim Jones and Ayatollah Khomeini,
are Metaphysical brothers in this
annihilating pact of
Eschatology.
The challenge is to provide the social and emotional benefits
of Religion by means of Natural,
Objective, verifiable examples of
Cause - Effect.
Buddhism
is a Peaceable religion:
Never propagated by
the sword.
Metaphysics:
Which is PRIMARY?
Index of Footnotes.
Martian Visitor
(Home)
The Pagan
origins of Easter
The
Easter Masquerade
Religion
vs. America
Darwin on Trial
Thymology
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