Does it mean u r not religious or u don't believe in
GOD.And if so y don't u believe in a higher being instead of thinking u r as good as it gets.

Although your post is only vaguely intelligible to me, I think you might get something from this, about an ancient Greek by the name of Euhemeros. There is bound to be a good general history of Atheism. I suggest asking at a library. If you are interested in French enlightenment thought, a key text is probably d'Holbach Systeme de la nature (London, 1770). I think de Sade, for one, pretty much plagiarised d'Holbach. Anyway, something on Euhemerus, from an online encyclopedia (wildly out-of-date).

EUHEMERUS, Greek mythographer, born at Messana, in Sicily (others say at Chios, Tegea, or Messene in Peloponnese), flourished about 300 B.c., and lived at the court of Cassander. He is chiefly known by his Sacred History (‘I€pi~t àvcn~ypa4~), a philosophical romance, based upon archaic inscriptions which he claimed to have found during his travels in various parts of Greece. He particularly relies upon an account of early history which he discovered on a golden pillar in. a temple on the island of Panchaea when on a voyage round the coast of Arabia, undertaken at the request of Cassander, his friend and patron. There is apparently no doubt that this island is imaginary. In this work he for the first time systematized an old Oriental (perhaps Phoenician) method of interpreting the popular myths, asserting that the gods who formed the chief objects of popular worship had been originally heroes and conquerors, who had thus earned a claim to the veneration of their subjects. This system spread widely, and the early Christians especially appealed to it as a confirmation of their belief that ancient mythology was merely an aggregate of fables of human invention. Euhemerus was a firm upholder of the Cyrenaic philosophy, and by many ancient writers he was regarded as an atheist. His work was translated by Ennius into Latin, but the work itself is lost, and of the translation only a few fragments, and these very short, have come down to us.

This rationalizing method of interpretation is known as Euhemerism. There is no doubt that it contains an element of truth; as among the Romans the gradual deification of ancestors and the apotheosis of emperors were prominent features of religious development, so among primitive peoples it is possible to trace the evolution of family and tribal gods from great chiefs and warriors. All theories of religion which give prominence to ancestor worship and the cult of the dead are to a certain extent Euhemeristic. But as the sole explanation of the origin of the idea of gods it is not accepted by students of comparative religion. It had, however, considerable vogue in France. In the 18th century the abbé Banier, in his Mythologie et lafable expliquées par l’histoire, was frankly Euhemeristic; other leading Euhemerists were Clavier, Sainte-Croix, Raoul Rochette, Em. Hoffmann and to a great extent Herbert Spencer.

See Raymond de Block, Evhe’mère, son here et sa doctrine (Mons, 1876); G. N. Némethy, Euhemeri relliquiae (Budapest, 1889); Ganss, Quaestiones Euhemereae (Kempen, 1860); Otto Sieroka, De Euhemero (1869); Susemihl, Geschichte der griechischen Litteratur in der Alexandrinerzeit, vol. i. (Leipzig, 1891); and works on comparative religion and mythology.

Nice, narcotized You're evil...


C, IceNine is an atheist and although he hasn't been around lately, you should talk to him about it. He does a great job of explaining it. For many atheists that I know, Nature or Science becomes their "Higher Power". Others are complete nihilists. Some existentialists. Lots of complexity there, really...

I personally am agnostic, meaning that I believe in some form of a "higher power", but not necessarily that of traditional religions. I personally tend to have the most respect for Buddhism, although I think I'm too impatient and materialistic to ever successfully practice it. Zen Buddhism really fascinates me...but it can be difficult for the Western mind to really get its brain around and truly understand it the way it's meant to be understood...

Anyway, I'm babbling! Sorry!

Another, I have respect for Buddhism too. Though, I wouldn't BE one. But I do read a lot of Dalai Lama. I find it all very interesting.

Personally, I'm an atheist. I don't like to get anymore complex than that. I've researched other religions, and I've found I don't NEED religion to make me happy.

Some people need it though. Some people need to believe in God, or a higher power, something looking out for them. A divine purpose for what happens in life. I don't. I believe the scientific ways of life, and that's all I need to be happy. Things happen, and there doesn't have to be a reason.

My parents always told my older brother and myself not to believe what they believe because they believe it - but because we believe it...And believe whatever we want. They got two atheists out of the deal. I stopped believing in God when my mother died when I was 11. That did it for me. Actually, I sort of entered a "If there is a God ...F YOU!" state...

Anyways, now I'm the one rambling.

theC said:

Stirrin' it up, are ya?

BattierBeMyDaddy said:

too bad about your mother. personally, i don't think we should cuss god if he takes it away from us. sometimes we question his choice and our possibilities with the person/ thing that we loss. usually that "special" thing is replaced by better fortune. that fortune may come in years or even in months, it may be luxuirous or simple. for ex. oprah winfrey had a difficult childhood; she was sexually abused,etc. but now she is respected, loved, and is a BILLIONAIRE.
since i am a muslim, whenever i read or do any islamic thing, i find better understanding of why society is. technology,etc. may change us. but our human behavior may remain the same, ya know like: greed, etc. i recieve a better understanding. muslims believe bhudda was a prohpeht.

religion is to keep us grounded and learn how forutnes of the most powerfulest has been taken away becuae of greed,lust,jealousy,hate.

Hey, Battier, I understand what you mean. One of the things most religions don't do well at all is explain how/why it is that such catastrophes occur. They seem so meaningless and pointless. Buddhism truly is the only religion that I can stomach when it comes to discussing the meaning of suffering. I can't stand it when people say that "everything happens for a reason" or that "God won't give you anything you can't handle". I mean, come ON, are you going to try to tell that to the parents of a little girl who's been kidnapped, raped, tortured and murdered? What possible reason is there for such a thing to happen? And the idea that everyone gets rewarded for suffering is a crock of shit--it usually doesn't happen, at least not in this life. The Oprah Cinderella-Story is the rare occurrence and happened cause she worked hard and is talented, not cause she was sexually abused.

Anyway...

Take care and I'll talk to ya later!

Another - I got my first Dalai Lama book when I was about 13. One on grief and suffering. I found it interesting. And I could stomach what it was saying, and even found a little bit of it helpful. Not that I was grief-stricken. I can't explain it. I knew from the beginning, maybe because I'm a bit of a pessimist, that my mother was going to die. And I know that sounds awful. I dunno. I didn't go into some sort of big grief thing - But sometimes I wonder if I really handled it at all. I can't explain it.

Anyways, that's irrelevant to the topic really.

Seems I had something to actually add, but I can't for the life of me remember it...

subyduby said:

I think the vast majority of people would tell you that nothing could replace your mother with something better.

Anotherlover said

Girl, you say the sweetest things. If I wasn't so evil I'd blush

Supernova said:

theC
i know i start up stuff sometimes but this time i'm actually curious(1 of those questions i never asked and never heard a decent answer).I have alot of respect 4 most of the peeps in here and i feel i can honestly learn something.i'm spiritual but i'm not a holyroller.
THE ONLY DUMB QUESTION IS THE 1 NOT ASKED
[This message was edited Thu Jun 27 21:24:56 PDT 2002 by theC]

This is completely irrelevant, but look at my new Shane avatar. Wow Isn't it grand?

Supernova said:

i would. what loss is loss. want better. get better. why cry for your saddness, when u can use it as a feul to work passionly? why cry want better and ppl. will eventually give better.

subyduby said:

I have no idea what the bloody hell you just said.
I have a headache.
Nevermind.

Supernova said:

It means not joining the NPGMC. Ya know? Like being a banished one

I'm going to lock this thread, since it has nothing to do with Prince or his music. Sorry... General Discussion will probably reopen soon.