₦airaland Forum

Everyone knows all gods cannot be real
Therefore some or all gods must be fake

Some believers are convince through faith. Faith works for all gods
Therefore, faith works for fake gods

Some believers are inspired by their holy book. All religion are inspired by their holy book
Therefore, fake holy book can be inspiring

Some believers are convinced by their love of god. Many different god are loved by believers.
Therefore you can love a fake god

Some believers are convinced their prayers are answered. All gods are believed to answer prayers
Therefore, fake gods answer prayers

Some believers believe their god protect and watch over them. All gods protect and watch over believers
Therefore, fake gods watch and protect believers

With all these, how then do you differentiate a true god from an invented god?

Number 3 isn't necessarily true though, many religion don't have "books"

hopefulLandlord:
Number 3 isn't necessarily true though, many religion don't have "books"

True lol, all it takes to form a religion is a man and some words (doesn't matter how the words are transmitted)

AnonyNymous:
True lol, all it takes to form a religion is a man and some words (doesn't matter how the words are transmitted)

yeah, Lennycool created a thread that tells of one such

Lennycool:
Cargo Religions or Cargo Cults are religious movements most common in the southern Pacific as a result of their unexpected contact with modern technology brought about by more advanced societies. The majority of these cults believe that rituals such as dancing and praying are needed before cargo(processed goods) can be delivered to the inhabitants by their God or ancestors.

These beliefs started when the local inhabitants of the undeveloped south Pacific came in contact with western societies, most prominently during world war two, when united states built military bases on their islands. The inhabitants being mostly famers and hunters were astonished at all the goods the Americans brought, Candy, washing machines, airplanes, radios, canned food. What spurred the movement was that the natives never actually saw the Americans make any of these things, all they they saw the americans do was open shipped cargo and new goods would be waiting for them, and if equipment was spoilt they would put it in a container and ship it to be repaired, so all the natives saw were the cargo bringing and taking goods, they did not understanding the chain of production and assumed that the cargo was magic, and since all they saw the Americans do was sit on their desks and do paper work, they assumed a sort of ritual was only what was needed to receive such beautiful goods, and hence the cult started.

[size=13pt]In John they trust[/size]

The most famous of these Cargo religions is the John Frum cult. Which is said to have began in the 1930 as a sort of resistance against their colonial rulers versions of the story include that john frumm is the alias of a native inhabitant that promised to come with goods others place him as a spirit being. After the Americans came John frumm was considered a white God come to free them from the colonial rulers and bring modern utilities with him, as long as they rejected the missionaries and went back to their normal way of life or traditional custom.
The movement was fought by the missionaries but after the arrival of the Americans in WWII the religion thrived, John Frumm became an American soldier that lived in a volcano and would one day bring lots of goods(cargo) to the inhabitants if they keep praying and continue to live like the old days.

When asked by an explorer how they could live like the old days if john frumm brought modern goods for them.
A chief of the religion replied

“John is a spirit. He knows everything,” the chief says, slipping past the contradiction with the poise of a skilled politician or pastor.
“He’s even more powerful than Jesus.”

“Have you ever seen him?” the explorer asked

“Yes, John comes very often from Yasur to advise me, or I go there to speak with John.”
(a spirit that advises, doesn't it sound familiar?)

“What does he look like?”

“An American!”

“Then why does he live in Yasur(their town)?”

“John moves from America to Yasur and back, going down through the volcano and under the sea.” The chief supplies.

Is his tactic strange and unfamiliar?

After world war two the Americans returned home, and the natives were dismayed that John frumm would join them so they built make shift airstrips to tempt U.S planes to land even going as far as building a control tower out of bamboo and rope, In 1964, one cargo cult on New Hanover Island in Papua New Guinea offered the U.S. government $1,000 for President Lyndon B. Johnson to come and be their paramount chief, but when the Americans failed to return their hopes were crushed, but those of the John frumm cult still have faith that their God will return and up to this day they continue to pray and follow their custom, so that he will return with goods. Each Friday afternoon, hundreds of believers gather and they strum guitars and homemade ukuleles, singing hymns of John Frum’s prophecies and the struggles of the cult’s martyrs. Many carry the same plea: “We’re waiting in our village for you, John. When are you coming with all the cargo you promised us?”
(Sounds like the song "No more sorrows" christians regularly sing)

The explorer after seeing all the prayers and faith that appears to be in vain asks the chief.

“John promised you much cargo more than 60 years ago, and none has come,” he pointed out.
“So why do you keepfaith with him? Why do you still believe in him?”

Chief Isaac shoots him an amused look and replies
“You Christians have been waiting 2,000 years for Jesus to return to earth,” he says,
“and you haven’t given up hope.”
(You have to admit he has a good point)

Does this not remind you of Christianity?

These people have been waiting for their God for 60 years and up till this day are still waiting, some christians will look to them as fools but how is it much different than what you do?

hopefulLandlord:
Number 3 isn't necessarily true though, many religion don't have "books"

Everyone likes to travel with their personal car does not necessarily imply I meant everyone owns a personal car. Since I used all and their , it means all those who already have and not necessarily the universal set

Hmm

To answer OP, all theists can claim is number 2 and you've made it useless and rightly so

Too often, people act like faith is a virtue--as if believing something in the absence of evidence is an admirable quality that more should aspire to. This is disastrous for the future of civilization.
Faith is, at best, an emergency backup option for when real knowledge--the best way to address questions and reach conclusions--is unavailable. It's a spare tire; nowhere near as good as the real thing, but sometimes necessary in emergencies. It should never be the preferred choice.

hopefulLandlord:
To answer OP, all theists can claim is number 2 and you've made it useless and rightly so

Too often, people act like faith is a virtue--as if believing something in the absence of evidence is an admirable quality that more should aspire to. This is disastrous for the future of civilization.
Faith is, at best, an emergency backup option for when real knowledge--the best way to address questions and reach conclusions--is unavailable. It's a spare tire; nowhere near as good as the real thing, but sometimes necessary in emergencies. It should never be the preferred choice.

i'm surprised though. They all seem to be avoiding this thread like plague.

chemystery:
i'm surprised though. They all seem to be avoiding this thread like plague.

Maybe, it's because they aren't sure which God is the true God. Anybody who believes in God cannot with certainty say, which, amongst all that men serve should be the right one.

chemystery:
i'm surprised though. They all seem to be avoiding this thread like plague.

... That is what they do bro.

Originalkalokalo
what's your take sir?

hopefulLandlord:
Originalkalokalo

what's your take sir?

Joblessness of the highest order

Jumping from one atheist thread to another reviving them like your life depends on it.

Such a jobless and desperate soul.