100,000 years ago humans as well as the mighty herds of
animals grazing on the endless savannahs of this planet were familiar with
lightning. They grew up with it occurring around them all of their lives. Neither
the humans nor the animals understood the cause or purpose of lightning. Today,
the animals of the savannahs still do not understand the lightning; they just
tolerate and bear it. Ancient humans, on the other hand, with no more knowledge
of the cause or purpose of lightning than the animals around them developed a
theory that lightning was a mysterious force caused by the will of the Gods.[1]
Any destructive natural phenomena was probably regarded as an act of anger in
retaliation of someone or something that has displeased the Gods, as they had
witnessed the result of lightning strikes upon people, animals and trees.
Today, we know what lightning is and how it is produced and
how to avoid it. We have even seen it on some of our sister planets. We know
how rain, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, earthquakes, etc., are produced. We
know how to read and understand trends of weather patterns and how droughts or
floods occur. Yet we still cling to ancient explanations for these natural
phenomena as if it were the results of a manipulating Deity.
An ancient text was read from the pulpit recently exhorting natural
events as retribution by the hand of God for the iniquities of man (Psalm 107:
33-43), “He
(God) turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into
thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste, because
of the wickedness of those who lived there. He turned the desert into
pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city
where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and
their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their
herds diminish."
We have a very mixed heritage that has been passed down to us
by our ancestors. We have inherited minds capable of discerning, and an
inquisitiveness to search for information and truth in the world around us. Yet
we remain chained to ancient fears and superstitions that have no basis in fact
or reason.
The religions listed below by no means represent unified groups;
Christianity alone has over 3500 different divisions and sects. Each of the other
major religions today is also comprised of multiple divisions, sects, groups
and beliefs, influenced primarily by their geographical location. Almost all
religion are able to trace their origins to a single person, including
Christianity. Exceptions are the Primal-Indigenous and the African Traditional
& Diasporic religions which are practices and rituals of oral traditions
without much if any written sources. Religions did not begin spontaneously.
They were begun by someone with an idea, yet each religion claims to possess
the truth of God and our universe.
Followers of Major Religions of Today: Approximate Date of Origin:
1.
Christianity: ................ 2.1
billion 1. primal-indigenous 5000 BCE
|
2.
Islam: ..........................1.5
billion 2. African Traditional & Diaspori 5000 BCE
|
3.
Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion 3. Hinduism 3228–3102
BCE
|
4.
Hinduism:....................900 million 4. Judaism 2000–1850 BCE
|
5.
Chinese traditional: .... 394
million 5. Zoroastrianism 1700 BCE
|
6.
Buddhism: ..................376
million 6. Chinese traditional religion 600–500 BCE
|
7.
primal-indigenous: .......300 million 7. Buddhism 563
BCE
|
8.
African Traditional .. 100 million 8. Jainism 550
BCE
|
9.
Sikhism: .......................23
million 9. Christianity 7 BCE–36 CE
|
10. Juche:
..........................19
million 10.
Islam 570–632 CE
|
11. Spiritism:
................... ..15
million 11.
Shinto 712
CE
|
12. Judaism:
.......................14
million 12.
Sikhism 1469–1539
CE
|
13. Baha'i:
............................7
million 13.
Tenrikyo 1801–1900
CE
|
14. Jainism:
........................4.2
million 14.
Baha'i
1817–1892 CE
|
15. Shinto:
............................4
million 15.
Spiritism 1856
CE
|
16. Cao
Dai: .........................4
million 16.
Cao Dai 1926
CE
|
17. Zoroastrianism:
.............2.6
million 17.
Rastafarianism 1933
CE
|
18. Tenrikyo:
.........................2
million 18.
Scientology 1952
CE
|
19. Neo-Paganism:
................1
million 19.
Juche 1955
CE
|
20. Unitarian-Universalism:
..800
thousand 20. Unitarian-Universalism 1961 CE
|
21. Rastafarianism:
...............600
thousand
|
22. Scientology:
....................500
thousand
|
This
adds up to roughly 6.97 billion of the world’s more than 7.1 billion people.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have many common
denominators, primarily stories on which their origins are based, as the Old
Testament (with some variations) is held, in part, as a common origin by all
three cultures. Two isolated story events, which have no corroborating evidence,
is all it took to initiate the Jewish culture, and the birth of one
supernatural person to begin Christianity. Stories that read more like fairy
tales or legends than reality when measured against the yardstick of
probability or fact. When compared to other major religions of the world, they
possess no more integrity or validity than does any other religion.
The malleable mind of man[2]
is capable of being shaped to believe and accept anything, especially
when applied in weekly doses from church pulpits over a lifetime.
Information based on ancient knowledge gained through fears and superstitions
has been the only message repeated by almost all religions, whose success is
often measured by the size and income of the church. By these standards, the
more members and money you can collect, the truer the tenets of your religion.
1800 BCE[3] (Estimated
world population at the time was 30 million.)
According to Jewish tradition,
Abraham was born under the name Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the
year 1948 from Creation. He was the son of Terach, an idol merchant, but from
his early childhood, he questioned the faith of his father and sought the truth.
He came to believe that the entire universe was the work of a single Creator,
and he began to teach this belief to others. Eventually, the one true Creator
that Abram had worshipped called to him, and made him an offer: if Abram would
leave his home and his family, then God would make him a great nation
and bless him. Abram accepted this offer, and the b'rit (covenant)
between God and the Jewish people was established.
At a time when there were 30 million people living around the
world, a middle eastern merchant’s son announces that he has had a meeting with
God to receive a gift. God did not appear to anyone else to verify or make this
announcement; only Abram makes the announcement public. No other people in the entire
world were made aware of this special covenant. The common belief at this time in
history was that only Shaman, Witch Doctors, Medicine Men, Priests, Kings, Rulers,
etc., the pinnacle of elite, were capable of personal communication with Deities of the day.
The question is, “how credible can this story possibly be?”
1391--1271 BCE[4] (Estimated
world population at the time was 38 million.)
According to Jewish tradition,
Moses is born during the Jewish enslavement in Egypt, during a terrible period
when Pharaoh decrees that all male Hebrew infants are to be drowned at birth.
His mother, Yocheved, desperate to prolong his life, floats him in a basket in
the Nile. Hearing the crying child as she walks by, Pharaoh's daughter pities
the crying infant and adopts. It surely is no coincidence that the Jews' future
liberator is raised as an Egyptian prince. Had Moses grown up in slavery with
his fellow Hebrews, he probably would not have developed the pride, vision, and
courage to lead a revolt.
The story of a Jewish boy born into slavery, is saved by a
princess, raised as an Egyptian prince and lives in royalty, is banished from
the kingdom after committing a crime against a royal guard, eventually returns
to liberate the slaves and lead them to a land promised by God to Abraham and
his descendants. Not only did Moses liberate the Jews from Egyptian slavery, he
wrote the law and commandments describing how they must live. The story describes
how Moses led the slaves for 40 years through the desert of the Arabian
Peninsula, while the distance from Cairo to Jerusalem can be completed by a
very slow donkey in 3 weeks. When they finally reach the “promised” land, an
army of slave warriors is sent to slaughter the men, women, children and all their
animals, currently inhabiting the land “promised” to people who claimed to be
descendants of Abraham. Again, the question is, “how credible can this story
possibly be?”
1000–900 BCE[5] (Estimated
world population at the time was 50 million.)
Solomon succeeds King David, builds Jerusalem temple. After
Solomon's death, kingdom divided into Israel and Judah. Hebrew elders begin to write Old Testament books
of Bible. Phoenicians colonize Spain with settlement at Cadiz.
While in captivity in Babylon, Hebrew elders begin a written record
of oral stories and traditions, 800 years after the Abraham event, and
approximately 300 years after Moses and the Exodus legend. They included
stories which describe the creation of the earth, an ark and a destructive
flood, etc. The source of many of these stories came from much earlier periods and
cultures during the Sumerian and Gilgamesh Epic. The intention of these
writings was to establish credible roots of Jewish heritage by including
stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses the Prince of the Egyptian Slaves
and editor of Jewish law, and feats of their
most beloved king, David, all legends and heroes of the culture. Ancient, 800
year old, oral traditions have a way of embellishing themselves with each
telling and retelling. After 300 to 800 years of aging, there is very little
left of the original tale.
400–300 BCE[5] (Estimated
world population at the time was 100 million.)
Pentateuch—first
five books of the Old Testament evolve in final form. Philip of Macedon,
who believed himself to be a descendant of the Greek people,
assassinated (336 BCE) after subduing the Greek city-states;
succeeded by son, Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE), who destroys
Thebes (335 BCE), conquers Tyre and Jerusalem (332 BCE), occupies
Babylon (330 BCE), invades India, and dies in Babylon. His empire is
divided among his generals; one of them, Seleucis I, establishes Middle East
empire with capitals at Antioch (Syria) and Seleucia (in Iraq). Trial and
execution of Greek philosopher Socrates (399 BCE). Dialogues recorded
by his student, Plato (c. 427–348 or 347 BCE). Euclid's work on
geometry (323 BCE). Aristotle, Greek philosopher (384–322 BCE). Demosthenes,
Greek orator (384–322 BCE).Praxiteles, Greek sculptor (400–330 BCE).
The final form of the Pentateuch has now aged 1,400 years
since the Abrahamic story, and 600 years since Moses and the Exodus event. With
a world population of approximately 100 million, and perhaps a hundred
different religions with their own stories and legends, it is difficult to
accept these stories with any more validity or integrity than any of the religions
of the rest of the world.
1–49 CE[5] (Estimated
world population at the time was 200 million.)
Birth
of Jesus Christ (variously given from 4 B.C. to A.D. 7). After
Augustus, Tiberius becomes emperor (dies, A.D. 37), succeeded by
Caligula (assassinated, A.D. 41), who is followed by Claudius.
Crucifixion of Jesus (probably A.D. 30). Han dynasty in China founded
by Emperor Kuang Wu Ti. Buddhism introduced to China.
It has now been approximately 4.5 billion years since the
formation of the world, and after 200,000 years of human existence, which now
numbers a worldwide population of approximately 200 million people. Why would there
suddenly be a need to provide a human sacrifice for the atonement of “sins,” to
a small group of Jewish peasants in place as obscure as Nazareth? The Old
Testament was a script to establish an exclusive race of people who claim to be
the “chosen people of God.” Now begins a legend to form a new religion from the
roots of Judaism; a new branch of the tree.
300–349 CE[5] (Estimated
world population at the time was 250 million.)
Constantine the Great (rules A.D. 312–337)
reunites eastern and western Roman empires, with new capital (Constantinople)
on site of Byzantium (A.D. 330); issues Edict of Milan
legalizing Christianity (A.D. 313); becomes a Christian on his
deathbed (A.D. 337). Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) defines orthodox Christian
doctrine. First Gupta dynasty in India (c. A.D. 320).
During the past 300 years, independent Christian sects of
various kinds have proliferated throughout the Roman Empire. Each possesses its
own written literature from dubious sources which they use to enlist and
educate new converts into their sect. The friction between the various sects
has grown and results in violent disputes over who possesses the true writings for
Christianity. As these sects are independent from each other, there is no
central agency to control or discipline their growing numbers. Most other sects
of any kind tolerated in the Roman Empire, whether religious or secular, had a
central agency to which they must answer; such as the Sanhedrin which rules
over all Jewish activity in the Roman Empire.
Constantine decides to convene a Council to organize all of
the troublesome Christian sects under one central authority, which, to no one’s
surprise, is located in Rome instead of Jerusalem. This new agency will become
responsible for maintaining the peace among the various Christian sects, and is
answerable to the Emperor of Rome, Constantine. This new Council collects
copies of all of the written material used by the various churches and decides
which ones will be retained for canonization to be used in all Christian
churches, and which written materials will be destroyed.
Since there is no way only one meeting of any Council can
settle all disputes, a series of Council meetings is held over the next 400
years[6]
to hone the tenets for all Christianity, as well as the undisputable authority
of the Roman Church. [First Council of Nicaea (325); First Council of
Constantinople (381); Council of Ephesus (431); Council of
Chalcedon (451); Second Council of Constantinople (553); Third
Council of Constantinople (680–681); Second Council of Nicaea (787)]
A quasi religious empire within a political empire was
created and is politically supported, sanctioned and enforced by the Emperor of
the Roman Empire. The rest of the 250 million people in the world are left
clueless and are not included in this alleged new Salvation.
Meanwhile the world in search of a Deity, a religion, a unity
with nature, etc. marches on, led by Shaman, Witchdoctors, Medicine Men, Priests,
Preachers, Bishops, and Charlatans selling holy relics and indulgences while hawking
the carrot of immortality in an afterlife. The religious tenets of obedience,
chastity, charity, compassion, allegiance, etc., have not only been repeatedly broken
by members of the various flocks, but by many of the Spiritual Leaders in gross
dimensions.
The common theme among all religions is, “Don’t ask
questions, just believe what we tell you. We are your spiritual leaders. If you
begin asking questions, you risk the loss of your soul on a slippery slope.” A
fictitious descent from the side of an artificial hill religions have created.
I believe in man’s creativity, curiosity and search for knowledge
and truth. We have evolved into a unique species more by accident than design.
And in this state, have gained a knowledge never before attained. During the
last 50 years, we have learned more of our planet and universe than at any time
during the past 200,000 years. We know what we are made of and how we will end.
All life forms, not only of this planet, but on any planet in the universe,
both flora and fauna, share not only a common ancestry, but a common assortment
of elemental building blocks.
Animals live from day to day and do not anticipate or fret
over death. On the other hand, humans have been groomed to fear death as if it
were a horrible sentence pronounced on us by a vengeful God. Yet, at the same
time, also believe that if we are obedient to this God, we will pass through
death into immortality with rewards of mansions, streets of gold, jeweled crowns,72
dark eyed virgins, to join our ancestors and continue to live in eternal bliss.
This is sometimes known as the ancient practice of fear mongering to sell snake
oil.
Death is a natural event and comes to everything in the
universe including suns, stars, planets, galaxies, vegetation, insects and
humans. When death comes, the material of which we are all made is released to
be used in the reconstruction of new suns, stars, planets, galaxies, vegetation,
insects and humans. The only afterlife experience is the use of our elemental
building blocks (atoms) in the growth and formation of new life forms. The ancient
fears and superstitions of death by our ancestors was fed by spiritual leaders (Shaman,
Witchdoctors, Medicine men, Priests, etc.) to justify tales of immortality.
Unfortunately for mankind, current spiritual leaders continue to promote the
same ancient fears and superstitions of death over the mounting knowledge
discovered everyday by our continued search for the nature of our universe.
The conflict we have in this new age is whether to continue
to live under the fears and superstitions of our ancient ancestors, or accept
these myths and legends of our past as stepping stones into our future. I see churches
(not the religions) of today as social organizations of “like minds.” Where
personal interaction exists to facilitate a desire to support each other and corporately
provide outreach charities that are not easily accomplished on an individual
basis. I see the stories of ancient texts as models of inspiration for a noble
lifestyle and charitable behavior as opposed to superstitions of salvation into
an immortal afterlife in order to avoid the damnation of a netherworld.
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