Is religion the origin of civilization?

[WaveStrider]

instead of the other way around? Interesting archeological find

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233844

"The site isn't just old, it redefines old: the temple was built 11,500 years ago—a staggering 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid, and more than 6,000 years before Stonehenge first took shape. The ruins are so early that they predate villages, pottery, domesticated animals, and even agriculture—the first embers of civilization. "

 

[Gcapman]

IMO anyone who believes there was some asshole named Jesus or God -- is completely wacko and needs a stiff drink and punch in the face

The bible is just a really cool story made up by some guys after eating shrooms.........

 

[Free Thinker]

Quote from WaveStrider:

instead of the other way around? Interesting archeological find

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233844

"The site isn't just old, it redefines old: the temple was built 11,500 years ago—a staggering 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid, and more than 6,000 years before Stonehenge first took shape. The ruins are so early that they predate villages, pottery, domesticated animals, and even agriculture—the first embers of civilization. "

it probably indicates people were worshiping things they didnt understand and were afraid of. they had incentive to cluster into groups with common fears.
just imagine you were a primitive man and a huge thunderstorm went overhead and lightening strikes hit the ground near them. it had to feel like there was something in the sky trying to tell them something.

"Ignorance of Nature gave birth to gods. Knowledge of Nature is calculated to destroy them."

 

[Ricter]

Quote from Gcapman:

IMO anyone who believes there was some asshole named Jesus or God -- is completely wacko and needs a stiff drink and punch in the face

The bible is just a really cool story made up by some guys after eating shrooms.........

Take another look at the timescales indicated and try to answer the question in the context it was framed.

 

[trendlover]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/gobekli-tepe.html?c=y&page=1

This is longer article for the same story.

 

[RangeBar]

Great find !!!

Were 'Dinosaurs' represented on any of the carvings on those stones?

 

[Illum]

Heresy!

Anyone on this site must agree. What first brought people into large communities was trade. Not war or threat of war, not religion but..... trade. Come on now et...

 

[I am...]

Quote from WaveStrider:

instead of the other way around? Interesting archeological find

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233844

"The site isn't just old, it redefines old: the temple was built 11,500 years ago—a staggering 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid, and more than 6,000 years before Stonehenge first took shape. The ruins are so early that they predate villages, pottery, domesticated animals, and even agriculture—the first embers of civilization. "

What gives rise to civilization is what gives rise to time/mass. Mind-gone-mad gives rise to time/mass, blurring the line between real and unreal, true and false. This mind is dead set on making a world of duality which is the expression of opposites in everything. Such a world is an expression of both chaos and order. The "order" arises up out of chaos, and "laws" are established in order to maintain a semblance of order. The "civilized" can be very confused, because their world is not founded on truth.

That which distinquishes/separates truth from illusion (unreality) is the truest foundation of a return to a utopian existence. For that to happen, however, the confused will need to let go of the whole idea of time/mass/diversity. Till then, civilizations will experience the tide of duality...the rising and the falling...over and over.

What separates truth from illusion? I call it religion (knowing). What confuses truth and illusion? I call it magic (imagination). Magicians generally expropriate (pirate) tools and terms that ought to clarify, and use them for their dark arts. So, religion has come to mean something badly confusing to the point it is disparaged.

Christ!

 

[TraderZones]

Quote from WaveStrider:

instead of the other way around? Interesting archeological find

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233844

"The site isn't just old, it redefines old: the temple was built 11,500 years ago—a staggering 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid, and more than 6,000 years before Stonehenge first took shape. The ruins are so early that they predate villages, pottery, domesticated animals, and even agriculture—the first embers of civilization. "

As it was believed that Homo Sapiens spread across the planet (such as 40,000+ years to Australia, 10-20,000 years to North/South America, etc. as well as many other places), and there is pretty much evidence of religious belief everywhere, 11,000 years ago seems recent.

 

[TraderZones]

Quote from Gcapman:

The bible is just a really cool story made up by some guys after eating shrooms.........

with overwhelming evidence such as this, how can anyone possibly not agree? Thanks for the powerful demonstration of intellectual debate...