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The Creation of Human
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The Creation of Human |
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JP Senior Member
since 1999-05-25
Posts 1343Loomis, CA 
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Was life on this planet created by an omniscient and omnipotent being? If so, does this all knowing being still exist as put forth by the Bible? I have asked myself these questions numerous times and I still cannot fully accept the idea of an omnipotent deity as purported by the Judeo-Christian faith. I find it hard to believe that a God who is supposed to be the fount of goodness and mercy, exists in a world where there is so much suffering. On the other hand, I cannot accept the theory that life on this planet evolved from primordial sludge into the sentient, intelligent form we know as human. In my opinion, if such an evolution were possible, science would have found a way to create life -- or a least identify the element that brings matter to life. So where does this leave me? How can I give meaning to my life if that life is just an accident? How can I contemplate the future of humanity if I have no thoughts or beliefs on its origin? The need to know is intrinsic to the nature of humankind. Thus great myths, religions, and scientific schools of thought have developed to answer the question; "How and why are we here?" Here are my thoughts.... Suppose I am an entity at a level of existence far beyond that which we are currently familiar and I, as this entity, desire to ensure the continuing existence of my species. To this end I encase the essence of my species, which is consciousness and intellect, in a biological form which I call human. I seek out worlds which are suitable for the existence and proliferation of this form and deposit human on a planet I deem satisfactory. I know from the history of my own evolution that this human I have created will deeply entwine itself in the sensations of its flesh and will encounter many dangers in its efforts to experience these sensations. Without some guidance to help it avoid these dangers, it could actually extinguish itself. Knowing that at this stage of its development, superstition is one of the strongest, intrinsic qualities of its nature, I present myself as an omnipotent being, its God, and put fourth rules and guidelines governing its behavior and actions. Some of these rules are scientifically or medically based: Certain foods forbidden to eat (because the human does not have the knowledge to prepare or store those foods properly to avoid poisoning.) Certain rites to be performed (circumcision for the prevention of infection, resulting in the loss of life, or the ability to procreate), and when those rites are to be performed (on the eighth day of an infant's life when the blood's coagulants are at their highest levels, thus reducing the risk of bleeding to death.) Some of the guidelines I put forth concern ideas, actions, emotions, and morality. These are designed to promote the development of the inherent qualities of the essence in the being I created, and to sublimate and diminish the animalistic compulsions of the biological form. I visit the human (secretly) and observe him throughout his existence, watching his progress. In the beginning, the human is in an uneducated, highly superstitious state, fearing the wrath and seeking the pleasure of what it believes is an omniscient being. It obeys my rules and lives in accordance to them. As the human flourishes and evolves to a more intelligent form, the rules I established lose their importance to some degree. The human can now care for itself through medical and scientific means and the necessity of performing certain rites, or avoiding certain foods and practices, diminishes. The problems arise when the human chooses to no longer adhere to the moral guidelines I established and chooses instead to participate in the sensations of his flesh, ignoring the cultivation of the higher, self-restraining qualities of his essence. Because of this, the possibility arises that the evolution of the human into a higher form will be stymied. The idea that the evolutionary process may in fact cease completely now becomes a real danger. To avoid this catastrophe I decide to intervene and help guide the human along the proper path so I communication with the human to give further guidance. I know the human is not evolved enough to accept me for who I actually am and the long history of the human's belief in me as a deity serves to provide me with built in credence, so I continue to use the persona of the deity. My presence serves to lead the human back to the guidelines already established and also to allow me to redirect the human's efforts in areas that contribute directly to the evolutionary process. Some of my contacts are physical (Moses and the burning bush, for example) and some take the form of "divine inspiration." Among humans themselves, there occasionally comes one who, for some reason beyond my influence, can glimpse the future of its potential existence and uses that knowledge to help guide the masses. Overall, I am content to let the humans find their own way and intervene only when I see a real danger of the evolutionary process stopping. I know this evolution to a higher form like myself will perhaps take eons and I am content to wait and let nature, such as I have encouraged it to be, take its time. According to Webster this idea is similar to the deitistical doctrine of the 17th - 18th centuries. It differs in the idea that my "higher life form" occasionally involves itself in the functioning of the world. |
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| © Copyright 1999 JP Burns - All Rights Reserved | |||
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TheGreenPolarBear Junior Member
since 1999-05-23
Posts 38Kansas |
Well, JP, that is a very interesting belief, and I can understand it just as much as any other one. I, personally, do believe in evolution, and every so often throw out a theory that tries to combine evolution and creationism. And now lets get ready for the storm of one more evolution/creationism debate (God knows I've seen enough of those this summer). I'm issuing a severe debate watch for areas of the Philosophy 101 forum. Inhabitants should be warned that severe debates over this subject could break out and cause serious damage. If you wish to avoid injury, the National Weather Services recommends you take shelter inside your basement or an interior room, and keep, "Ridin' the storm out" (sorry, couldn't help that). The Green Polar Bear  |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Darwinism has some very serious flaws, and I think modern science agrees the theory is likely a stepping stone to something "more" correct. A good analogy, perhaps, could be drawn with Newton (probably the greatest mind of human history). Newton's theories were never "wrong," and worked well for hundreds of years (and to a large extent still work well today). But in the late 1800's and early 1900's there were observed phenomenon that simply couldn't be explained by Newton's mathematics. Enter Einstein. The Special Theory of Relativity, the General Theory of Relativity, and Quantum Theory didn't supplant Newton - but rather expanded on his theories. The same, I think, will eventually happen with Darwin. Personally, I have never had a problem reconciling creationism and evolution. They say much the same things, from different viewpoints and time-scales. I'm afraid, however, I would have some problems with your not-uncommon theory, JP. For example, if this planet was seeded with intelligent life there is strong DNA evidence to suggest that ALL life must have been seeded. Common scientific belief suggests all terrestrial life springs from a single source. Of course, I'll readily admit, we have nothing to compare terrestrial life to (yet) and it could well be that all life in the Universe springs from a single source. The jury is still out. And one could argue that, indeed, our mysterious benefactor did plant the first seed of life - but it's really stretching my credulity to propose they knew doing so would lead to an evolutionary sequence that resulted in humanity. But even if we set aside such quibbles (and there are many), your theory only begs the real question - from whence did Life spring? (If not ours, then that of our mysterious benefactor?) And no matter what kind of cause-and-effect chain you create, there still comes a time when you have to imagine (for no other word will suffice) what lays at the very end of that chain…  |
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JP Senior Member
since 1999-05-25
Posts 1343Loomis, CA |
That, my friend, is the ultimate question. Little does it matter in the long run, where life began, what matters is where is life going? All life seeded from a single source? Why so in this infinite universe? Because our pitiful science suggests so? We know so little of our own bodies how can we know anything like that? Intelligent life so advanced they could forsee the evolution of human - why not in this infinite universe? How do we know far a species can evolve, and what abilities they may have? But the question that wakes me up at night (when I sleep) is where will we as a species, end up? Corporeal beings such as we are now or greater than that? I like to think greater than that, an entity beyond our comprehension.... the most exciting part of all of this? Art, love, poetry these are important keys to our continued evolution. ------------------ Dum spiro, spero JP [This message has been edited by JP (edited 08-05-99).] |
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Robin Goodfellow Junior Member
since 1999-06-29
Posts 26 |
Why couldnt humans have originated from a pool of slime? We are not as great as we appear. Humans are truly flawed beings. Yes we have dominated our enviroment but only over the creatures that we know of. What else is out there? Science will never be able to duplicate evolution. Unless you find a way to live for the next billion years to watch it happen. But it is making its way up to scientific fact. Day by day. Even the Pope said that evolution is a posibility. Then there is still the option that we werent created. That we were just a freak accident. A forming of cells, cursed with curiousity of their own beginning when there truly is no real answer. |
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Darquewing Junior Member
since 1999-07-30
Posts 20 |
I like your question JP, for it is one that can be discussed for the sake of discussion till the end of time, or until an answer is found. It would be hard for me to believe that some higher power, or being has cultivated us for it own purposes. Makes me think of a really large ant farm. If the possibilty is true though, I think they have left us to our own designs now though. For as the time has passed, the human race has become significantly harder to control. I do not believe that the human race is a part of any scheme grander than that it makes for itself. Finding where we came from would help us greatly. Then we may have some clue as to where we might be going. Until the answer is certain, than whatever is trendy usually holds sway. Now being evolution. The possibility of being born from sludge is not very romantic so I try to shy away from it. Though WE are not much higher than that. What we are we have made for ourselves and beat all who would give the credit to some unknown supernatural being. And I would thank the desires of the flesh, for nescessity and wants are the mother and father of invention. That part of us has helped also. Though sometimes it has been taken to extremes. Extremists are a part of the human race so they must still be here for the advancement of the whole. In the end we are what we make ourselves to be. Until the answer comes out, you can either think of yourself as being led by a God, or that you have the power to control your own destiny. I think that's how it happened Fate. We were just meant to be, however it happened, and we're here for a purpose. We just gotta figure out what it is and do it our way. Did I actually touch on the question, or beat around the bush? I don't know. Take my ramblings for what they're worth. If that's anything at all. ------------------ KEEP THE DARQUENESS ALIVE! Darquewing |
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JP Senior Member
since 1999-05-25
Posts 1343Loomis, CA |
I don't know Robin, the idea of evolving from sludge, just a spark and suddenly there is life? Don't you think that 'spark' would have been identified by now? As for us being an Ant Farm Darq... I don't suggest that at all, I don't think we were put here, created, seeded, however you want to say it, for any being's own devices other than to just perpetuate it's existence. No farming for parts, no breeding of soldiers, or food.... just a desire to keep the species going.. |
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