Confucianism shows that 'God' is ultimately obsolete

[curling]

Curling, come on. Confucian China and Communist China are two different places. Hell, we shot our own people at Kent State not so long ago...

xoxo

Wyst

Well that might be true but I am still glad there is a big ocean between us.

 

[plornive]

Well that might be true but I am still glad there is a big ocean between us.

As am I.

I am also glad there is an ocean between the Phillipeans and the US.

 

[wyst]

Well that might be true but I am still glad there is a big ocean between us.

Me too!

Wyst

 

[curling]

btw wyst,

How have you been? I haven't seen you around in a while. You still juicing and lifting or just lifting?

 

[Doktor Bollix]

It boggles my mind that you would say Confucianism does not involve ancestor worship. What the fuck do you think all those rituals are for?

Your definition of atheistic lacks cultural relativity.

 

[bigguns7]

My main point is that society does not need a deity to worship in order to have morals, order and conformity. 'God' is, *ultimately*, an obsolete idea.

This is not a good argument for God being "obsolete." A Christian could just as easily argue that he does not need God in order to have morals, order, and conformity, but that he chooses to worship God for spiritual enhancement, a concept toally independent of the aforementioned principles.

Many people grow up in atheist homes with morals, order and conformity, and then become Christians. How would this scenario go toward proving the obsolescence of God?

While your point is taken that humans don't need a deity to achieve order, it is a stretch at best to argue that this makes God obsolete.

 

[Nathan]

I think you probably understood the point.

I somewhat agree with what you are saying. However, I think it is a lot easier to amend the ideas of Confucius than it is to amend a supposedly sacred idea. I think keeping it real and pricipled leads to more understanding and less conflict.

But focusing on reality and avoiding conflict limits our own happiness which is the entire point of self-deception. If someone has something you want or feel is necessary for your own happiness, one could try to learn to be happy without it but that is usually much more challenging than simply taking it and rationalizing your behavior to yourself.

 

[plornive]

It boggles my mind that you would say Confucianism does not involve ancestor worship. What the fuck do you think all those rituals are for?

Your definition of atheistic lacks cultural relativity.

Your idea of "worship" is too anthropomorphic. Atheism is an idea invented as a reaction to western religion.

Atheism is about beliefs regarding existence. Worship is not necessarily contradictory to atheism if one worships a pantheistic "God" representing the forces of the universe. Likewise, the formalities of honoring one's ancestors does not contradict atheism.

 

[plornive]

Re: Re: Confucianism shows that 'God' is ultimately obsolete

This is not a good argument for God being "obsolete." A Christian could just as easily argue that he does not need God in order to have morals, order, and conformity, but that he chooses to worship God for spiritual enhancement, a concept toally independent of the aforementioned principles.

Many people grow up in atheist homes with morals, order and conformity, and then become Christians. How would this scenario go toward proving the obsolescence of God?

While your point is taken that humans don't need a deity to achieve order, it is a stretch at best to argue that this makes God obsolete.

Thanks. Very good point.

I will amend my thesis. Confucianism shows that the idea of 'God' is ultimately unnecessary.

However, I still believe that the idea of 'God' causes as much harm as it does positive effects. Proving that this makes it *obsolete* is a matter for a different post, however.

 

[plornive]

But focusing on reality and avoiding conflict limits our own happiness which is the entire point of self-deception. If someone has something you want or feel is necessary for your own happiness, one could try to learn to be happy without it but that is usually much more challenging than simply taking it and rationalizing your behavior to yourself.

Focusing on reality and avoiding conflicts does not limit my happiness. For others it may.

However, I also believe that the idea of 'God' causes blind conformity and following that possibly has contributed to warfare. This is a topic for another post, so I will go no further and make no point.

I have ammended my original statement: Confucianism shows that the idea of 'God' is ultimately unnecessary.