posted on Apr, 11 2011 @ 04:20 PM
The generalization about religious and spiritual belief that I see circulating on ATS threads is depressing. When people take the topic of belief and
try to dumb it down into simplistic categories they ultimately sacrifice the meaning, potency, and pull of faith. Yes, the Big Five (Hinduism,
Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam) are considered the most prominent faiths on the planet. That, however, fails to recognize the mass
movements within each religious ideology. For example:
Judaism was a response-religion to the Pagan and Polytheistic beliefs of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern tribal bands. Much of the
religious dogma that YHVH delivers to the Jews is in response to the creeds, and laws which were handed down to the priest-craft of the pagans and
polytheists. Where pagan societies did not frown upon incest, homosexuality, and the like (see Babylonian mythology for examples), Judaism forbids all
of it (see Deuteronomy). Other places, Judaism completely lifts mythology. See the Ziusudra flood myth from Babylon, compared with Noah. See the 42
Assessor Gods of Egypt, or the Law Code of Hammurabi for early versions of the 10 Commandments.
Christianity was then born as a response-religion to Judaism. Jesus Christ was supposed to be the Messiah of the Jewish people, come to lead the
Chosen People back to paradise. Judaism responded in two ways: Jews for Jesus, a movement accepting Jesus' divine nature; and standard Judaism, which
saw Jesus as another Prophet of the Lord, but not the Messiah. As well, the wide gamut of Christian beliefs: Protestant, Lutheran, Anglican,
Evangelical, Quaker, Gnostic, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Baptist, Anabaptist, the Amish, on and on. Each sect has a different set of beliefs, values,
etc.
Even a cursory glance at Hinduism history will show the evolution of Vedic religions from primitive man, to modern day Hindu practices. The
overhauling of religious mythology, chief deities, rituals, scriptures, and festivals is enough to fill an entire volume. Each new movement was in
response to changing ideologies and belief structures. Mixed, of course, with Buddhism, and other missionary religious practices. So, even Hinduism is
not a small-scale religious movement.
Buddhism... Buddhism began as 13 separate schools. That means Buddhism, coming from the Lord Buddha, had 13 initial deviations resulting in the three
common schools remaining today: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The words of the Buddha, the Gurus and Yogis, the Bodhisattva and their students
are numerous and full of spiritual views.
My point being... people need to quick looking at religion as a one-trick pony, and realize the diverse and powerful options that it provides people
with all across the world. Space Aliens creating humanity is not any more believable than Earthly manifestations of spirit and matter created
humanity. Whether you believe the Ancient Astronaut theory, the Creation theory, or are atheistic in belief it pays to not discard the other two views
before giving them adequate review.
My opinion, at least.
~ Wandering Scribe