240 replies to this topic

[Rlyeh]

Is the human animal, God's greatest creation?

[Hilander]

What makes us greater than other life on this planet?  Our intelligence, the way we kill and pollute or our ability to cover it up.

[Rlyeh]

Various religious scriptures seem to imply humans are closer to God's likeness than other animals. I'm curious how well this works with natural sciences.

Edited by Rlyeh, 27 December 2012 - 07:25 PM.

[Armchair Educated]

Rlyeh, on 27 December 2012 - 07:24 PM, said:

Various religious scriptures seem to imply humans are closer to God's likeness than other animals. I'm curious how well this works with natural sciences.

I'd say we can reason a lot better than all other animals, we can aspire to be greater than we are. instead of just inhabiting earth we change it to suit ourselves. we build dams, we farm, we build skyscrapers, we defy gravity with planes, we made medicine, we have heating and plumbing.

where's another animal that can claim this or at least one accomplishment ?

Edited by Armchair Educated, 27 December 2012 - 07:50 PM.

[Simbi Laveau]

PEOPLE SUCK ! JUST ASK ALL THE LIONS TIGERS BEARS AND ELEPHANTS,OH WAIT..YOU CAN'T ,PEOPLE SHOT THEM ALL !

[synchronomy]

Armchair Educated, on 27 December 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

I'd say we can reason a lot better than all other animals, we can aspire to be greater than we are. instead of just inhabiting earth we change it to suit yourself. we build dams, we farm, we build skyscrapers, we defy gravity with planes, we made medicine, we have heating and plumbing.

where's another animal that can claim this or at least one accomplishment ?

Just to play devil's advocate...
Beavers build dams
Ants farm fungus and aphids
Termites build skyscrapers
Birds defy gravity
Many animals will eat specific foods for digestive ailments
Termites regulate colony temperature by opening or closing vents
Beavers open/close their dams to regulate water level...I suppose thats plumbing

[Order66]

Hilander, on 27 December 2012 - 07:21 PM, said:

What makes us greater than other life on this planet?  Our intelligence, the way we kill and pollute or our ability to cover it up.

Why do we burn fossil fuels, cut down trees? To build houses to keep us warm when its cold outside. This adaptability, mastery of and indepence from our immeditae environment is the reason we have nto gone extinct during ice ages, or why we have been able to migrate to different climates around teh globe, it is the reason you are here right now. Why do we cover it up? Because we have conflict resolution that allows us to work together instead of killing each other.

[Rlyeh]

Armchair Educated, on 27 December 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

I'd say we can reason a lot better than all other animals, we can aspire to be greater than we are. instead of just inhabiting earth we change it to suit yourself. we build dams, we farm, we build skyscrapers, we defy gravity with planes, we made medicine, we have heating and plumbing.

I mean human's intrinsic value in creation, not what they can accomplish.
Was the universe, earth, animals, etc, created for humans to rule over?

Edited by Rlyeh, 27 December 2012 - 08:01 PM.

[Darkwind]

When you think how big the Universe is and how many galaxies are in it no we are not remarkable. We are just an animal on a speck of grit in a moment in time. All life is remarkable in that it is life, but we are just clever monkeys who build complex things to look up and see how big the Universe is.  



edit to add... No we are not meant to rule over anything.  I like to think we are the evolution of the Universe to reflect upon itself and we don't do a very good job of it either.

Edited by Darkwind, 27 December 2012 - 08:05 PM.

[Emin]

Humanity was a mistake; then humanity became an interesting thing. lol

[Rlyeh]

Darkwind, on 27 December 2012 - 07:59 PM, said:

edit to add... No we are not meant to rule over anything.  I like to think we are the evolution of the Universe to reflect upon itself and we don't do a very good job of it either.

I meant from a religious view.

[Darkwind]

Rlyeh, on 27 December 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:

I meant from a religious view.

Being I am a pantheist and a Pagan. From my religious view is no.  In Pagan thought animals are our kindred spirits and our brothers.  We are still just clever monkeys.

Edited by Darkwind, 27 December 2012 - 08:17 PM.

[Armchair Educated]

synchronomy, on 27 December 2012 - 07:53 PM, said:

Just to play devil's advocate...
Beavers build dams
Ants farm fungus and aphids
Termites build skyscrapers
Birds defy gravity
Many animals will eat specific foods for digestive ailments
Termites regulate colony temperature by opening or closing vents
Beavers open/close their dams to regulate water level...I suppose thats plumbing

beavers build dams out of sticks to live in,

synchronomy, on 27 December 2012 - 07:53 PM, said:

Just to play devil's advocate...
Beavers build dams
Ants farm fungus and aphids
Termites build skyscrapers
Birds defy gravity
Many animals will eat specific foods for digestive ailments
Termites regulate colony temperature by opening or closing vents
Beavers open/close their dams to regulate water level...I suppose thats plumbing

I will give you some of these but not a bird, a bird has wings to defy gravity and doesn't do so out of intelligence. it can't be compared to a human who has made machines to fly instead of being born with a body to do so.
beavers build dams as a necessity not as a luxury, ants have no concept of crop rotation, skyscrapers or just mud on mud with tunnels,

[Beckys_Mom]

Rlyeh, on 27 December 2012 - 07:09 PM, said:

Is the human animal, God's greatest creation?

To be honest, if god was responsible for all that has evolved, then his greatest creation would not be us or any living thing, it would likely be the universe and all within it..

As a follower of god, I do not for a second believe we humans are in his likeness, a lot came before us .. I feel to think we are in his likeness is a tad arrogant, but because of human intelligence and from what I know, we could be the only ones that came up with a god.  So our minds ( for so many ) cannot ever imagine a creator such as god being anything else..

Edited by Beckys_Mom, 27 December 2012 - 08:32 PM.

[Hasina]

Nope.

To actually answer the question, and playing into it as though God were real, I'd say light.

Edited by Hasina, 27 December 2012 - 08:42 PM.