Question: If a peaceful, female affirmative, all-inclusive (animals too) and holistic Earth GODDESS was pretty much universally worshipped, how many of us would still be agnostic or atheist? FEWER or the SAME numbers?
Edited for clarity... Replies should include one of two capitalized words, please.
Edited
Answer: In my opinion the answer is likely the same number. There's still a lack of evidence problem.
Now your question does bring up a follow-up question that I've never understood. What use does any monotheistic deity have for a sex or gender?
None.
why worship made up things? what a RIDICULOUS POST.
Well @Mofo1953
I don't think it's a Ridiculous Post.
I see it as a thinking exercise. Imagining different ideas or worlds or concepts is not ridiculous at all. It's how people evolve, new discoveries made, and advancement achieved.
I think it's very close minded to call this post or anyone's question ridiculous and also rather petty.
@scurry Well, he is just a Mofo... kinda sez it all... Mr. Personality, like Don Rickles.
@scurry you don't, great. But I do. You wanted answers, you got mine. If you want all the answers to be agreeable to what you think or want, what's the purpose of even asking? This is a site for non believers, that means people here do not believe in gods, be them human, males, females, animals, etc. That is why I think your post or question was ridiculous for a site like this one.
@scurry, @MoonTigerII thanks. Rickles was a great comedian.
@Mofo1953 He was indeed. When are you on TV?
@MoonTigerII you said it, not me.
@Mofo1953 It wasn't my question, genius.
I don't oppose your initial answer "why worship a made up thing..."
I'm an atheist and also don't believe in gods or godesses or the easter bunny or the tooth fairy.
But you were out of line to belittle someone else question.
Asking questions is how we learn new thongs, both as individuals and as a society.
Questioning what we know, or what we think we know or understand isn't ridiculous.
All I'm saying is don't be rude and inconsiderate.
My friend Mofo.... Slowly and carefully read the definition of AGNOSTIC here and reconsider your statement. You are a bomb-throwing ATHEIST. There IS a big difference. Believe it or not I have been atheist since age 14. This is a thought exercise regarding the believers that we all have to deal with, like it or not, not a manifesto on my part.
ag·nos·tic
/aɡˈnästik/
Learn to pronounce
noun
@MoonTigerII i don't use labels einstein!
@scurry and you aren't being rude or inconsiderate? Those living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. It amazes me how busybodies bitch like if you had posted the question. Shows how you love to stick your nose to meddle in a post that you didn't do only to criticize those who answered.
@Mofo1953 I AM THE ORIGINAL POSTER!!! How many fingers do I have up?
@MoonTigerII i'll guess if you guess how many I have up first. I edited that reply really meant for scurry, and I should really clean up my reading glasses.
You mean like the Hindu Goddess of death Kali?
Kali was much more than just a goddess of Death.
@KKGator I know. I was kidding.
@TristanNuvo Or Akasha, Anne Rice's vampire Queen of the Damned... but nooo... more like Mary Poppins or Maria von Trapp. I thought some fellas would mention Kali... probably hundreds of thousands sacrificed to her... Bloody Bitch... her nice aspects do not justify her murderous nature.
Interesting thought experiment!! In my opinion, fewer people would 'bother' to think critically about their beliefs in such a religion. On the other hand, I think more people would gravitate towards being 'in name only' believers, rather than being strict staunch supporters. All in all, I think there would be fewer atheists, but also fewer hardliners. I think I'd still be an atheist, but it's hard to say. If the belief structure I was raised in didn't consistently contradict reality, perhaps I'd have never dissected what I'd been taught.
Best answer yet, by a long chalk... well considered and presented... what is your phone number again, Dear Lady? The brilliance of your smile blew it completely out of my head!
I think I understand the root of the question.
For me personally, I don't think it would have made a difference, but I can see how it might.
Given your parameters (taking a big leap that there in only one religion) I suspect that for many, if there is nothing (no reason) to make them question the existence or non-existance of their god or godess, it may never occur to them that it's nonsensical.
Often, people are indoctrinated at an age too young to question, and only start to wonder when they are confronted with some sort of event or inconsistency within the religion.
If the religion is set up so that there are never any such events or inconsistencies, fewer people may question the religion's integrity.
I also suspect, that folks who are natural critical thinkers would end up questioning regardless.
So to answer what I think is your question...
Fewer.
I'm probably in the minority (if not the only one), but a goddess would be more appealing to me. I think I would have had a greater affinity for a goddess as a child and teenager. Whether that would have more easily led to indoctrination, I don't know.
Be it a god, a goddess, or a deity of any description, it's not real so I wouldn't believe it. Why would a message of peace and love need tp be wrapped in some bullsh-t story of magical people anyway?
The feminine model has, throughout history, represented nurturing, caring, nesting, raising a child. The woman has, until recently, not. been given the status of near the power of man...hence....there would be fewer.
I found this image, recently done...which created quite a stir; [instagram.com]
Hey! Isn't that Nichelle???
A rough guess: One HELL of a lot fewer. My atheism at age 14 was not born of trauma, just deep philosophical consideration, so I THINK I would still be atheist. But so many here were traumatized and victimized by male-dominant religions...
Unless she can be seen and responds actively, I wouldn't think her real. If she popped up and took vengeance on the Kochs and Cheney and that ilk, then I would listen.
The WORLD would be in so much more SIN. Eve was SINFUL TEMPTATION. hahahahahahaha
I KNEW you would have a smart-ass reply, CUTIE! But Lillith, Adam's first wife made of the same clay as him, not a rib, divorced him and told him to fuck off... she went out into the world on her own.
@MoonTigerII
Yes that's what the TORAH tells you. Have you ever considered that SHIT must be made up to make ADAM LESS IMPORTANT because on the CHRISTIAN SIDE it's just about ADAM and EVE. THEY must've shuffled the shitty facts around to make one nation more important hahahahaha
@TimeOutForMe Well Lillith must have screwed a Neanderthal or something coz Adam and Eve only had sons... and here we are, laughing our asses off... with between 2% and 6% Neanderthal genes in us.
I would still be since there’d be the same lack of evidence. The only difference might be that I’d be of the opinion (if the being was truly altruistic and not a celestial dictator) that I wish that I could believe it.
It would be just another god created by man, just like the current christain god,with no backing evidence, I'm staying with being an atheist, I would say it would be the same.
I agree. India has female goddesses too amongst other's. same $#!*. Still no evidence for a god or gods. I shall remain the Atheist I am.
I would guess a bit fewer at least, but I probably would be the same.
Yes I would probably never have walked away from religion if it was like that. I don't think I would be alone in this. Boys go to their Mama's. Even macho men. It's natural.
IMO, if this goddess was a cupful of hot and didn't wear much, women would rule the planet. Men would walk with leashes around their necks.
My guess is that there would be fewer. That is, although the evidence should be the same, I suspect there would be fewer inclined to question--i.e., to look at the (lack of) evidence--for a kinder, gentler deity. At least, I think I would have been less inclined.
Is there still substantial evidence of things like evolution, gravity, big universe, deep time exc.. which disprove the stories about her like there are for current versions of religion?
If so then NO.
Plausible answer. However, the philosopher Merlin Stone points out that the earliest medicine, ceramics, textiles, law, wheeled vehicles and written languages were developed in societies that worshiped goddesses.
@MoonTigerII I don't understand why that would make any difference at all.
I honestly find it a little offensive. I'm an athiest because it's not true; not because I don't like the stories.
I hold every god and deity to the same standards. Empirical evidence is required. I'm sure there are already some nice, pro-nature, pro-peace deities being worshiped somewhere in the world. And any god that sits by and allows atrocities, horrific suffering, and inflicts needless cruelty is not worthy of worship.