The gospel according to Petronius:
“Fear was the god’s begetter in this world.”
This is an interesting thought. In many respects and with many examples, this could be proven to be true for many religious systems of thought.
But in the same way, one could argue that fear of justice has been the god’s executioner in this world. In effect, we live in an age where it is claimed that “God is dead” and we dance on his coffin.
But if we were to look inside, what would you imagine that we might find?
Emptiness.
The emptiness of empirical arguments from silence.
It is argued that God doesn’t exist, that fears of all kinds brought about the necessity of the God idea. This idea or concept of God was born and then evolved into the current state of religious pluralism.
This is a reasonable assertion of how religions MIGHT have come about IF the presupposition of God’s nonexistence is true. If the belief that God is dead or never existed is true, then it is reasonable to conclude that the existence of religious belief in God has been constructed. This is how it is argued.
And by argue, I mean a presentation of cause and effect that is largely based on presuppositional bias.
The question of whether the chicken came before the egg is taken to new heights of expression. Which is the legitimate cause to the observable effect?
This would be true of both statements.
Fear was the god’s begetter
Fear of justice was the god’s executioner.
Both statements are reasonable, if and only if the presupposition is already assumed to be true.
The existence of fear brought about the need for God?!
If one already assumes that God does not exist, then quite naturally [and logically], his explanation of God consists of some evolutionary fabrication of man in order to deal with excessive fear of the unknown, of death, and of other significant matters.
These questions don’t matter.
The existence of God brings about the need to fear?!
If one already assumes that God does exist, then quite naturally [and logically], his explanation of fear stands in relationship to a being that transcends our ability to understand but has revealed himself in limited ways so that some things might be known of the unknown, of death, and of other significant matters.
Some questions have answers.
Obviously, either statement can only convince those already convinced of certain ground beliefs.
This begs the question, “What is at the ground of your belief?”
The metaphysical egg?
The theological chicken?
The answer to this question will determine whether you will be convinced or remain unconvinced.
