In a discussion about the horror that is the I/P situation

[redqueen]

Saw an argument with some people saying God is just God, and others saying that no, actually, Christians worship this kind of God and Muslims worship the other God and Jews worship a whole other God besides those two, and I'm just honestly

[slightlv]

1. I know... it's all kinda stupid

isn't it... especially when all three are known as "People of the Book"...

I still say while religion may be an instigator of war, it generally is being fought for much more mundane reasons such as power, resources, greed, etc. There rarely is a "higher calling" where war is concerned. If there were, there wouldn't be war.

[redqueen]

2. I think it's a tool used by warmongers

and charlatans

[slightlv]

3. and especially this one...

where every thing is sacred, and every button is being pushed by someone not physically involved. It's all being done by proxy for their own reasons. Again, power, greed, resources and add chaotic world upheaval with this. World Dominance being one of the overarching power plays here, to my mind.

[Delmette2.0]

4. Religion is just a cover story for power, control and greed.

There was an article that spoke to that sentiment just over a week ago. I wish I had saved it.

[Warpy]

5. Religious people need certainty

When they confront science, which chages according to new data (although old boys fight like hell to keep the overturned hypothesis that gave them their PhDs), the religious feel like they're standing on quicksand.

They have to think they have found the one true god, usually by being born into that religion, and anything but hilarity ensues, although that's what should ensue.

[Farmer-Rick]

6. And none of those god believers have valid evidence

For the existence of their god.

It's like an argument between people who believe in fairies and people who believe in gnomes. Neither have evidence but they still argue over non-existent creatures.

[JoseBalow]

7. Actually, the question about the validity of non-existent creatures was legally resolved

in the Cartman v. Broflovski ballsucking case...

The episode begins with Cartman directing the other boys through a forest in search of a leprechaun. A skeptical Kyle makes a bet that if Cartman can prove leprechauns exist, Kyle will suck Cartman's balls, but if not, Cartman will owe Kyle $10. To Kyle's shock, they find a leprechaun and chase after it. They eventually catch it in a trap.

- - snip - -

When Kyle argues that leprechauns are just imaginary, the man tells him that just because something is imaginary does not mean it is not real.

- - snip - -

... Cartman, angry that Kyle has refused to fulfill his part of their agreement, takes Kyle to court, where the judge sees the contract Kyle signed and orders Kyle to suck Cartman's balls within twenty-four hours or he will be arrested.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginationland_Episode_I

"This is a victory for the justice system..."

Legal pundits discuss the state court case stemming from Cartman and Kyle's bet, Cartman v. Broflovski which ruled that imaginary characters are indeed real...

- - snip - -

The Supreme Court overturns the "Cartman vs. Broflovski decision" that imaginary creatures are real – imaginary creatures are declared not really real, so the government can bomb Imaginationland. Kyle is no longer legally required to suck Cartman's testicles, and he is instructed by Stan to stall the launch.

Kyle and Cartman break into the Pentagon again and Kyle, who finally agrees with him and convinces the officials to not bomb Imaginationland by arguing that imaginary creatures are just as real as real people because of the impact they have on people's lives. Cartman responds by telling Kyle that since imaginary creatures are real after all, then he loses their bet, and still has to suck Cartman's testicles. Kyle finally snaps and berates Cartman for not caring about the danger Stan and Butters are in just because of a stupid bet and that he doesn't care who won, because Kyle would rather go to jail than humiliate himself by sucking Cartman's testicles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginationland_Episode_III

"Whatever you imagine to be real, is real."

[Farmer-Rick]

8. Interesting that South Park has resolved the issue.

But they didn't catch a god, I noticed.

I imagine I can fly with just a cape and my arms held high. And yet I keep falling off buildings. Reality has a way of asserting itself.

[JoseBalow]

9. You are as legit a god as a leprechaun is, or jesus, or Santa

or any other imaginary creature. God exists as but one of all the other many imaginary creatures man has invented throughout history. Catching a leprechaun is the equivalent of catching a god.

Southpark concludes that imaginary creatures are not real with it's Supreme Court decision. But Kyle begrudgingly capitulates that they are real, in order to preserve the consensus and keep the peace and status quo. He concedes for practical reasons, knowing full well that imaginary creatures (god, leprechauns, etc) are not real; Kyle plays along with the fantasy. Jesus is notably standing alongside the other imaginary creatures when Cartman imagines Kyle fulfilling his obligation to their wager, and is in fact a member of The Council of Nine wisest imaginary characters ever created...

The Council of Nine is a group made up of all of the wisest imaginary characters ever created, lead by Aslan from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe as well as Jesus Christ, along with the Greek God Zeus, Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings, Wonder Woman from DC Comics, Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars films, Popeye the Sailor Man from the shorts of the same name, Morpheus from The Matrix, and Glinda from The Wizard of Oz. They encouraged the "Key", Butters Stotch to harness his powers as a creator to bring back Santa Claus in hopes of making Imaginationland safe once more - their efforts succeeded when Imaginationland was destroyed but Butters recreated it with his mind.

https://southpark.cc.com/wiki/Council_of_Nine_(Imaginationland)

So you are right, reality does prevail in the end, but that doesn't prevent our imaginations from creating whatever convenient reality we choose to believe, regardless. You are in effect a "god", because you can imagine any reality you choose to believe, as those before you have imagined their gods.

[Farmer-Rick]

10. I want to believe in as many true things that I can

I know imaging something does not make it so.

In your imagination you maybe a god but it doesn't make it true

Some anthropologist theorize that our imaginations are a survival mechanism in that we can imagine what may happen in the future and protect ourselves from future dangers. If we, as primitive people, see dangerous predators roaming around, we can imagine them killing us and then protect ourselves from them.

But imagining fairies and gods that will protect us from the predators is not such a good idea. It will make us less likely to take action to protect ourselves.

Imagination is really only useful if you have a bases in facts. That you believe in as many true things as possible will build a foundation for you to make good decisions.

Thinking your neighbors are witches is not likely to benefit you if you need your neighbors help.

It has no survival value unless you know some true facts about your neighbors and your society. If you know your neighbors property is valuable, that you can buy it for pennies if your neighbor is accused of being a witch, and nothing will happen to you if you accuse your neighbor of being a witch, then it may help you, if you want their property and can get them burned at the stake.

Same with gods. If you don't claim to believe in a Christian God can stop you from advancing in politics or other occupations, especially in the US. Not believing in Mormonism if you live in Utah, can be a career killer. But you have to know other true things to determine that.