General Music Chat

Mike, if I may, I would like to ask if the atheist movement was big and had a large following say 2500 B.C? was there ever a documented case of some sort of ancient civilization being 100% atheists? would it have not been more interesting for the ancients to have been atheists, and as we slowly progressed through the centuries we become god fearing people.. church membership is declining but am amazed the ancient Babylonians or ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, you name it, had no atheists within their ranks, seems to reason there should have been a sizable percentage of atheists but no historical records to indicate so.. what was it that led people to believe in a greater spiritual power than our selves..?

Mike, if I may, I would like to ask if the atheist movement was big and had a large following say 2500 B.C? was there ever a documented case of some sort of ancient civilization being 100% atheists? would it have not been more interesting for the ancients to have been atheists, and as we slowly progressed through the centuries we become god fearing people.. church membership is declining but am amazed the ancient Babylonians or ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, you name it, had no atheists within their ranks, seems to reason there should have been a sizable percentage of atheists but no historical records to indicate so.. what was it that led people to believe in a greater spiritual power than our selves..?

Ignorance.
Superstition.

Atheists were often referred to as "nonbelievers" and virtually nonexistent for most of human history, for the simple fact that being "out of the closet" could get you killed.
Kinda like now..., but more so back then.
I am pretty sure, during the middle ages, telling anyone you didn't believe in ANY god (including theirs) would likely get you burned at the stake as a heretic.

But, then again, Eastern religions like Buddhism, taoism, etc.. don't rely on God myths very much.
They are much more adaptable to modern science and civilization.
In fact, some scientific discoveries (especially in quantum mechanics) were only made POSSIBLE because of them.
I find that very interesting.

Mike, if I may, I would like to ask if the atheist movement was big and had a large following say 2500 B.C? was there ever a documented case of some sort of ancient civilization being 100% atheists? would it have not been more interesting for the ancients to have been atheists, and as we slowly progressed through the centuries we become god fearing people.. church membership is declining but am amazed the ancient Babylonians or ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, you name it, had no atheists within their ranks, seems to reason there should have been a sizable percentage of atheists but no historical records to indicate so.. what was it that led people to believe in a greater spiritual power than our selves..?

http://youtu.be/2OWnTLUl99s

Mike, if I may, I would like to ask if the atheist movement was big and had a large following say 2500 B.C? was there ever a documented case of some sort of ancient civilization being 100% atheists? would it have not been more interesting for the ancients to have been atheists, and as we slowly progressed through the centuries we become god fearing people.. church membership is declining but am amazed the ancient Babylonians or ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, you name it, had no atheists within their ranks, seems to reason there should have been a sizable percentage of atheists but no historical records to indicate so.. what was it that led people to believe in a greater spiritual power than our selves..?

Ignorance.
Superstition.

Atheists were often referred to as "nonbelievers" and virtually nonexistent for most of human history, for the simple fact that being "out of the closet" could get you killed.
Kinda like now..., but more so back then.
I am pretty sure, during the middle ages, telling anyone you didn't believe in ANY god (including theirs) would likely get you burned at the stake as a heretic.

But, then again, Eastern religions like Buddhism, taoism, etc.. don't rely on God myths very much.
They are much more adaptable to modern science and civilization.
In fact, some scientific discoveries (especially in quantum mechanics) were only made POSSIBLE because of them.
I find that very interesting.

http://youtu.be/mbgiWPJLSsM

50 Thus says the Lord:
Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
with which I put her away?
Or which of my creditors is it
to whom I have sold you?
No, because of your sins you were sold,
and for your transgressions your mother was put away.
2 Why was no one there when I came?
Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
By my rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a desert;
their fish stink for lack of water,
and die of thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,
and make sackcloth their covering.
The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.

7 The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant,
who walks in darkness
and has no light,
yet trusts in the name of the Lord
and relies upon his God?
11 But all of you are kindlers of fire,
lighters of firebrands.
Walk in the flame of your fire,
and among the brands that you have kindled!
This is what you shall have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.