Given that God doesn't actually personally come here to act, but it's always humans who claim to be acting on God's behalf, the question needs to be rephrased into: Should one group of humans be more important than another group of humans? Obviously, many people think in such terms. Every day, one group of humans demonstrates that it deems itself more important than another group. "God" is an invention so that one group of humans can feel justified to oppress, exploit, and kill another group of humans, or animals, or plants.
How do you conclude this?? The concept of "God" may eventually disappear, but it's not clear whether human nature can change. It's not just about human nature -- it's about the nature of life on earth. The nature of life on earth is that life is a competition; not a competition for survival (because nobody survives), but a competition for at least temporarily obtaining the upper hand. People invent the concept of "God" in order to make that competition seem justified and palatable; instead of "God," other concepts can be invented to play the same role (such as "humanity," "justice," even "compassion").
Those concepts have been around for a long time. They might even be an invention of religion. How have they played out in godless societies of the past and present? Have we any examples?
People have used them to feel justified to oppress, exploit, and kill another group of humans, or animals, or plants.
Hitler Stalin Mao Kim Jong-un Substitutes for God. Being that Western culture was raised on virtues handed down by God, would you say we are better off than those who live in China or N. Korea? Was Nazism a better choice than religious principals? Maybe communist Russia proved to be the high point of humanity, justice and compassion. Now that God is dying in Western culture, do you believe we are a more sober society?
... and every employer who exploits his or her employees; and every spouse or partner who abuses their spouse or partner; etc. etc. What are you talking about?? "Handed down by God"?? How do you know God handed down anything to humans?? I'll address your other questions after we clear this up.
Same shit, different flavor. They are promoted a quasi-religious faith around their ideologies and treated dissent with violence.
Human values are not handed down from God. They are handed down from early theoretical philosophers and vary in many ways, depending on the culture which evolves in accordance with the specific living environment. Non-humans also develop cultures depending on their environment, not on any belief system.
I don't think it's a question of either/or. As a spiritual person, I believe in God, and in that I believe that God wants us to care for all of humanity. Depending on one's spiritual beliefs, that in turn, will show love for God. But, it isn't a question of putting humanity or God before the other, because to love God, would mean to care for His creation. At least this is how I've come to view it all.
I've decided to no longer spar here, because it's often plain what is being posted, but I've learned that some people just like to be contrary and ''fight.'' Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
But knowing what those words mean demonstrates that you do comprehend and YOU are that something/someone.
Do you know how to critically analyze the difference between real god, and a false one? It doesn't matter what terms you use. It boils down to the same concept. There is an ultimate beginning. Some folk are personalists and some are in impersonalists (like yourself). Supported by whom, or by what? Do you believe that the purpose of scripture is to relay facts? Do humans only learn things that are factual? Science isn't is not all bad, it just isn't scripture. Jan.