God delusion and the future of humankind....

[_truth dancer]

I'm just finishing up the God Delusion. It is a fabulous read!

I got thinking....

Dawkins discusses the changes that have come into the human world over the last few thousand years. What was once considered quite normal a few thousand years ago, is today (by most modern humans) considered horrific in many circumstances, for example, slavery, animal sacrifice, treatment of women and children, etc. etc.

I'm wondering what humankind, when they look back on us in a few thousand years, will think we are doing today that is completely immoral, unethical, and cruel.

In other words, what are we doing today that will be considered completely disgusing and cruel in a few thousand years when humans have advanced and become even more enlightened?

Here are a couple of my thoughts...

Certainly war will be looked upon as totally primitive and cruel. (It is already by many humans beings today).

I think the eating (and the torture and slaughtering) of animals will someday be considered quite sick and disgusting.

I think there will definitely be an amazement by folks a few thousand years in the future at how we treated the earth and our natural resources.

I think people may very well find knowledge and information in the plant world hence there will be an astonishment that we did not understand what plants really were.

Of course i think the understanding of differences will become commonplace and there will no longer be the denigration of women, nor will there be the judgments of the homosexual community.

I think there will certainly be a greater understanding of why people commit horrible acts toward one another... my guess is that rather than putting everyone in prison, there will be ways to heal those who divert from goodness.

I think there will be much more understanding of children and the school system will most likely be revised to create a system more in tune with the needs of children.

I think religion will one day be virtually extinct .... people will look at our religious beliefs similarly to how we look at the ancient Eygptians.

What are some other things we do today that will someday be seen as very unethical, immoral, and cruel?

:-)

~dancer~

[_beastie]

Well, I hope you're right (although I have serious reservations about the extinction of religion - remember in the sixties, when it appeared that religion was in its death throes to the point that a famous magazine had a cover reading "Is God Dead?" - predicting a decline in religious involvement. The opposite actually happened, conservative religious movements experienced a surge. I think as long as uncertainty and fear exists in the world, so will religion.)

But here's one of the first thing I hope gets fixed - poverty. I have heard it said by those who have studied the issue that we actually have the resources, as a planet, to assure that no one has to be hungry. All it takes is making it a priority. If poverty, world-wide, could be eliminated (I'm not talking about social status, but real poverty, hunger, starvation) then many of our other problems would be minimized and dealt with more easily.

[_truth dancer]

Ohhh yes... don't you think people will look back and find the fact that we have such disparity so cruel? When we could very easily solve the problems of poverty we just don't.

Another thing... education.

I feel quite certain there will come a time when we will make sure everyone is educated. Again this is REALLY simple and we could do it with something like 10 billion dollars. This is nothing. All we need is the care and desire!

Can you imagine how the world would be different if we spent the money we are using for the war, and put it toward education? It would revolutionize the world overnight!

~dancer~

[_Sam Harris]

TD, are you saying that you believe that pretty much we as human beings are on a path to progression? It's a very encouraging thought.

I can't really add to your list, you've covered it pretty well from things that I would have thought of. Though it would be nice to be alive a thousand years from now to see how things would really turn out...

[_Jason Bourne]

I'm just finishing up the God Delusion. It is a fabulous read!

I got thinking....

Dawkins discusses the changes that have come into the human world over the last few thousand years. What was once considered quite normal a few thousand years ago, is today (by most modern humans) considered horrific in many circumstances, for example, slavery, animal sacrifice, treatment of women and children, etc. etc.

I'm wondering what humankind, when they look back on us in a few thousand years, will think we are doing today that is completely immoral, unethical, and cruel.

In other words, what are we doing today that will be considered completely disgusing and cruel in a few thousand years when humans have advanced and become even more enlightened?

Here are a couple of my thoughts...

Certainly war will be looked upon as totally primitive and cruel. (It is already by many humans beings today).

I think the eating (and the torture and slaughtering) of animals will someday be considered quite sick and disgusting.

I think there will definitely be an amazement by folks a few thousand years in the future at how we treated the earth and our natural resources.

I think people may very well find knowledge and information in the plant world hence there will be an astonishment that we did not understand what plants really were.

Of course i think the understanding of differences will become commonplace and there will no longer be the denigration of women, nor will there be the judgments of the homosexual community.

I think there will certainly be a greater understanding of why people commit horrible acts toward one another... my guess is that rather than putting everyone in prison, there will be ways to heal those who divert from goodness.

I think there will be much more understanding of children and the school system will most likely be revised to create a system more in tune with the needs of children.

I think religion will one day be virtually extinct .... people will look at our religious beliefs similarly to how we look at the ancient Eygptians.

What are some other things we do today that will someday be seen as very unethical, immoral, and cruel?

:-)

~dancer~

I think all this is possible.

I also think you are projecting what you think are the problems in the world and others may view things quite differently.

[_truth dancer]

Absolutely Jason...

I'm trying to guess, based on the past history of humankind, what humankind will think in the future of our generation.

I'm totally aware i could be way off. I mean how many people five thousand years ago would have guessed slavery would be considered barbaric?

This thread is for us to guess... to contemplate the future of humankind.

It is just that as I contemplate how humankind has changed over the last five thousand years, i wonder how we will be viewed by future generations.

What is your opinion? What might we do today that would be considered barbaric in another few thousand years?

~dancer~

[_asbestosman]

Certainly war will be looked upon as totally primitive and cruel. (It is already by many humans beings today).

I think the eating (and the torture and slaughtering) of animals will someday be considered quite sick and disgusting.

I think there will definitely be an amazement by folks a few thousand years in the future at how we treated the earth and our natural resources.

I think people may very well find knowledge and information in the plant world hence there will be an astonishment that we did not understand what plants really were.

Of course i think the understanding of differences will become commonplace and there will no longer be the denigration of women, nor will there be the judgments of the homosexual community.

I think there will certainly be a greater understanding of why people commit horrible acts toward one another... my guess is that rather than putting everyone in prison, there will be ways to heal those who divert from goodness.

I think there will be much more understanding of children and the school system will most likely be revised to create a system more in tune with the needs of children.

I think religion will one day be virtually extinct .... people will look at our religious beliefs similarly to how we look at the ancient Eygptians.

What are some other things we do today that will someday be seen as very unethical, immoral, and cruel?

It's hard to argue with your thoughts as far as they are simply your opinion, but my thoughts are quite different.

I think war will continue to be a problem until the end of time.

I think eating animals will continus to be seen as natural--except perhaps during the Millenium. Mind you, the Savior ate fish. Perhaps in the far future we will be able to make meat grow on plants so we don't have to worry about killing something that has feelings. Perhaps plants too we be replaced with other chemical reactions if humans find a more efficient way of getting energy into food and food into energy. Mind you I think there needs to remain some of the pleasure of eating instead of mere I.V. dinners.

I think future generations will indeed hate our selfish hides for what we did to the earth.

I think we will indeed continue to learn things about plants, but I don't think we'll discover they have feelings. On the other hand, many LDS believe that plants have spirits. I wonder what on earth they need them for as I consider plants to be unconscious and incapable of making decisions. Yet we also learn that Jesus cursed a fig tree.

I think homosexuality will be more accepted as we draw toward the Millenium and then it will simply disappear for 1000 years. I also think that the pendulim will swing more in balance so that women no longer feel the need to denigrate men so they don't feel denigrated themselves. I get sick of hearing how men are more likely to abuse children and the mother almost always wins custody battles.

I think people will learn how better to love the sinner and hate the sin. I think ultimately we will live where people can choose what kingdom and laws they are most comfortable in.

I think there will be much more understanding gleaned from children as God opens the mouths of babes and the school system will most likely be revised to create a system more in tune with the Spirit.

I think atheism will be virtually extinct in the Millenium .... people will walk and talk with God.

[_harmony]

I think the concept of a Millenium as understood by LDS is highly unlikely to happen. I also think the Rapture/2nd Coming is highly unlikely to happen.

Every generation has expected the return of the Messiah since the concept was first introduced. And it never happens.

I think we'll just keep on putting one foot in front of another, until the earth burns up in the sun.

I think asbestosman is right: I think war will continue until the end. I just don't think The End will be the way he thinks it will be.

I think we will only see a change in the way we take care of the earth when we are finally forced by circumstances to make that change (ie, some major catastrophe that encompasses everyone). Until then, we will continue to rape the earth with little or no concept of the ramifications.

I think women will continue to be marginalized and ignored with impunity by most of the world, until we stand up and refuse to take it. And I'm not looking for this to change anytime soon, especially in Muslim countries.

I think cars will fly before women are given the priesthood.

[_Roger Morrison]

Hi TD, "God Delusion", the author? Sounds like Harris?? Seems most posters are in the same chapter, if not on the same page. No one has suggested going backwards, if i'm understanding correctly.

Does give us challenges, eh what?? Seems, as we attempt to define we are stuck with our limited vocabulary... "God"?? "Religion"?? "Education"?? "Family"??
"Millenium"??

I think Harmony targets the last well. In fact i think the whole concept of "millenium, second-coming, life in heaven, and all imagined in that senario are simply imaginary... Other than hold "something-out"--the carrot--IMSCO, it is 'possibly' more detrimental to the advancement of humanity, than it is helpful...

With that in mind, we can seriously devote time and effort to the injustice that has based the structure of human interaction since ????? As i have stated before, the remedies of most of what you correctly ID as needs to be addressed, have been suggested 2,000 years ago by Jesus--whether divine, or imaginary, the latter i don't believe, or as an enlightened being.

I think we are closer to some of these ideals than in the past. Thanks to thinking-feely persons from wherever... Even THE BIG'UN, WAR is certainly far less acceptable than it was less than 100 yers ago. At the moment "leaders" (((gag-gag))) have yet to have the vision of the 'enlightened' masses. Obviously not all of whom are enlightend--just some of us 'posters' here, right? :-)

IMSCO, as "education" produces independent critical humanitarian-type thinkers, most of what You envision will materialize. On the hopeful side i don't think it will take 1,000 years. Possibly 5 to 10 generations, maybe fewer??? To be preconditioned by letting go of "religion and its stupifying dogma," to take hold of the 'Charity' message of Jesus. Which has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with humanitarianism directing our socio-political system as we see our selves in others. Warm regards, Roger

[_Who Knows]

I think atheism will be virtually extinct in the Millenium .... people will walk and talk with God.

Just a hypothetical here for you asbestosman: How many years would it take for people to figure out that there is not going to be a millennium? 50 years? 100 years? 1,000 years?

I think most people think that it should be any time now - ie. within 100 years probably. I mean, we are supposedly living in the 'latter days' aren't we?

And when 1,000 years comes and goes without a millenium, what happens to christianity as we know it?