# I wonder



## 1gr8bldr (Jul 16, 2012)

I wonder if Athiest would believe that there might be life after death. The problem arises that it is so hard to shut out all the assumptions connected with the bible. Let's just say, you lived on a private island. Had never met a Christian. Never heard of the bible. But acknowledged that there may be a God. Could you believe that God might raise people from the dead. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I just ponder weird things. I guess the thought comes from how much Christians and the bible hinder acceptance of basic things. I guess I'm expecting that some might say, I would not believe it at all, I would not believe there to be a god to raise anyone,  or I would consider it possible, etc. Not intended to debate anyone's position. Thanks for your responses.


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## Four (Jul 16, 2012)

If we assume a desert island approach... meaning your the only person on the island, odds are you wouldn't have language... if you never had another human to each it to you..

Much like being raised by animals.. It's happened in the past, i wonder if they believed in a deity.

If i had never left an island, had no education, or exposure.. i might not even think there was anyone else in existence, let alone a god.

edit: I've heard that the belief in an afterlife stems from a fear of death... if so it is conceivable that you could create a belief in the afterlife in order to mitigate that fear...

Much like people locked in a cage might create alternate personalities or imaginary friends if they have problems with the solidarity.


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## 1gr8bldr (Jul 16, 2012)

Four said:


> If we assume a desert island approach... meaning your the only person on the island, odds are you wouldn't have language... if you never had another human to each it to you..
> 
> Much like being raised by animals.. It's happened in the past, i wonder if they believed in a deity.
> 
> ...


Wonder if you went to a island  where, just say they could understand you, and you told them about the hope of life after death. Wonder if they would think you were crazy or want to hear more? I know, I think about weird things


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## gemcgrew (Jul 16, 2012)

1gr8bldr said:


> Wonder if you went to a island  where, just say they could understand you, and you told them about the hope of life after death. Wonder if they would think you were crazy or want to hear more? I know, I think about weird things



This reminds me of the islanders who witnessed cargo being dropped from cargo planes during World War ll. They believed the provisions were being supplied by a deity. After the bases closed, they built wooden replicas of the aircraft and worshiped them in hope of having more deliveries. I think it is still practiced today in a few areas.


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## hummdaddy (Jul 16, 2012)

gemcgrew said:


> This reminds me of the islanders who witnessed cargo being dropped from cargo planes during World War ll. They believed the provisions were being supplied by a deity. After the bases closed, they built wooden replicas of the aircraft and worshiped them in hope of having more deliveries. I think it is still practiced today in a few areas.



you need to watch ancient aliens then....


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## JB0704 (Jul 16, 2012)

gemcgrew said:


> This reminds me of the islanders who witnessed cargo being dropped from cargo planes during World War ll. They believed the provisions were being supplied by a deity. After the bases closed, they built wooden replicas of the aircraft and worshiped them in hope of having more deliveries. I think it is still practiced today in a few areas.



That is fantastic!!!  For some stupid reason that reminds me of "Joe verses the Volcano".....


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## 1gr8bldr (Jul 16, 2012)

gemcgrew said:


> This reminds me of the islanders who witnessed cargo being dropped from cargo planes during World War ll. They believed the provisions were being supplied by a deity. After the bases closed, they built wooden replicas of the aircraft and worshiped them in hope of having more deliveries. I think it is still practiced today in a few areas.


LOL, that's interesting


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## 1gr8bldr (Jul 16, 2012)

gemcgrew said:


> This reminds me of the islanders who witnessed cargo being dropped from cargo planes during World War ll. They believed the provisions were being supplied by a deity. After the bases closed, they built wooden replicas of the aircraft and worshiped them in hope of having more deliveries. I think it is still practiced today in a few areas.


I think that this is just another example of how mankind seems to have an inner magnetic field for some form of religion. I'm trying to recall??? Were not the Indians religious? Any more good examples?


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## Four (Jul 17, 2012)

1gr8bldr said:


> Wonder if you went to a island  where, just say they could understand you, and you told them about the hope of life after death. Wonder if they would think you were crazy or want to hear more? I know, I think about weird things



Historically speaking, you need to target the children first, then you can transition a culture to a religion in a generation or two.

There are some documentaries of similar things happening a lot, christian missionaries go into the jungle bringing bibles and live with the natives for 30+ years trying to convert, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I know of at least one man that was converted away from Christianity by the natives. If i can find the link i'll send it to you.


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## Six million dollar ham (Jul 18, 2012)

Four said:


> edit: I've heard that the belief in an afterlife stems from a fear of death... if so it is conceivable that you could create a belief in the afterlife in order to mitigate that fear...



My best guess is that religion has always developed as a way to make death palatable.


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## TripleXBullies (Jul 19, 2012)

I agree. It makes you feel better about dieing because you can believe you don't really die... but if you were all alone you probably wouldn't understand a thing about death having never seen it.


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## Four (Jul 19, 2012)

TripleXBullies said:


> I agree. It makes you feel better about dieing because you can believe you don't really die... but if you were all alone you probably wouldn't understand a thing about death having never seen it.



That's very interesting.  It's almost like a child's perspective. Children are generally so fearless until parents / adults teach them about death / harming themselves etc. I assume if you've never died (haha) and never witnessed or heard of death, you would have nothing to fear and thus, less motivation for religion...


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## TripleXBullies (Jul 19, 2012)

I guess, though, that you may develop an understanding of death if there were other animals on the island with you.


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## JB0704 (Jul 19, 2012)

Four said:


> That's very interesting.  It's almost like a child's perspective. Children are generally so fearless until parents / adults teach them about death / harming themselves etc. I assume if you've never died (haha) and never witnessed or heard of death, you would have nothing to fear and thus, less motivation for religion...



.....until the inquisitive child asked how all this got here.


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## Madsnooker (Jul 19, 2012)

Four said:


> That's very interesting.  It's almost like a child's perspective. Children are generally so fearless until parents / adults teach them about death / harming themselves etc. I assume if you've never died (haha) and never witnessed or heard of death, you would have nothing to fear and thus, less motivation for religion...



I'm a Christian and I have never had a motivation for religion. I didn't get saved because I needed something for fear of death. As a matter of fact, I never even had death on my mind when Christ saved me. I'm only stating this to give another perspective. Not trying to hijack anything.


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## TripleXBullies (Jul 19, 2012)

The fear of death isn't still motivating us all directly to religion. The fear of death created the religions. Indoctrination got you. You NEVER needed to fear death at all because you always heard you could easily live forever. Since you began getting taught so young it was easy to believe.


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## atlashunter (Jul 19, 2012)

1gr8bldr said:


> Wonder if you went to a island  where, just say they could understand you, and you told them about the hope of life after death. Wonder if they would think you were crazy or want to hear more? I know, I think about weird things



It would depend to a great degree on how much those people understood about the universe and how it really works. You might convince an ancient superstitious tribe that rainbows were created by a deity as a promise to never again send a great flood that killed nearly every living creature. How would they know any different. But go to an advanced alien civilization that could understand you and try getting them to believe the same thing when they already have a scientific understanding of rainbows. You're job is likely to be much tougher.


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