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Post by reluedders on Jun 19, 2024 14:03:38 GMT
On page 113, it says "his failure to summon up feelings that could do justice to what he saw and felt, his sense of emptiness in the face of this stark tragedy, culminated in an all-powerful passion of guilt; his own weakness when confronted with this supreme challenge condemned and consumed him with a boundless sense of contrition. Yes, the only being who could possibly gaze down upon such a hopeless spectacle and encompass its meanlinglessness would have to be a god. That was it! Maybe men had invented gods to feel what they could not feel, and they could comfort in the pity of their gods for them...! For men were overwhelmed with shame and guilt when they looked down upon the irremediable frailty of their lives."
This quote shocked me due to my belief in God. I wonder how true this statement is. I think about how many times I've turned away from God, but then turned back to him when I needed some comfort in some way. Do we have to feel like we're not alone in this world? But, I wasn't taught that God feels pity for us, and that he forgives us not out of pity.
Thoughts about this?
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Post by jarelyrebollar on Jun 24, 2024 14:30:11 GMT
The idea that humans might invent gods to encapsulate feelings they can't fully express is thought-provoking. It suggests that guilt and shame over our perceived weaknesses might drive us to seek a higher power for comfort and understanding.
As far as feeling not alone in the world is concerned, it is a universal need in my opinion. We seek connection and understanding through faith, community, or personal relationships.
Ultimately, the quote gives us a reflection on the nature of our faith and the reasons behind our beliefs. It challenges us to consider how our perceptions of guilt, forgiveness, and divine compassion shape our spiritual lives. Your insight about turning to God for comfort during difficult times is a testament to the strength and resilience that faith can provide.
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Post by Dr. Nemmers on Jun 24, 2024 22:37:36 GMT
Right, it's a very powerful point, and a very powerful statement on the part of Fred (and perhaps Richard Wright). I don't know that this comments entirely on the question of atheism/theism, but rather the state of humanity and the nature of how humans react to the world we are born into.
It seems that no matter which deity a person believes in, currently or historically, there are other deities that they do not believe in. Accordingly, it follows that these believers of other faiths would have invented their deities. (I suppose there are pantheists that believe in every deity? But I"m not sure how that can be reconciled...). So, to that extent I think we'd be safe to say that humans do have a tendency to invent gods, even if there may be one or many true/real gods according to one's faith. (I hope that made sense).
However, Renee you've also hit a vein in discussing humans' default position vis-a-vis their god. I do believe that humans are often overwhelmed with shame and guilt, and that many religious traditions (Christianity included) stress how many times humans sin and turn away from their god, and/or how often they have a tendency to appoint themselves as god, and also a tendency to despair at what life would be without religious faith.
So yes, Wright is giving us lots to think about here! Again, we see the parallel branches of theistic and atheistic existentialism... not a long distance between them, in my mind, and sometimes they appear to cross paths?
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