Friday, September 16, 2011

FacePalm of the Day #122: Debunking Christianity: Why the Idea of a Spirit is Full of Hot Air

TGBaker posted the following on the Debunking Christianity blog. I've put my comments in red.

Long ago in a cave a caveman looked at his friend who then died. He was upset. His friend would not move. He noticed that air no longer came out of his friends mouth. He knew the air had left him.

I wonder how long ago would something like this have taken place? Were these homo sapiens or one of the hominids who some people think we evolved from? Also weren't we descended from African hominids who lived on the African savanna and not cave-dwelling Europeans who came later if you believe evolutionists? Wouldn't our ancestor's been asking about this stuff well before they began living in caves?  What's the chronology?

So he gathered up his friend and some food and a few of his friend’s possessions and buried them all. Perhaps it would all go where ever his air went.

Not all human cultures bury their loved ones with their possessions. Where would this have come from?




Sounds silly doesn't it. But when we look at the words for spirit we are confronted with things like "ruach" the Hebrew word that means "spirit," "wind," "air" and "breath." So in the Old Testament God "breaths" into man his "breath" and man becomes a living "soul."

Yes, the scenario is indeed silly and can't be substantiated.  What if they those who lived before us actually understood more about reality than we do today? Why assume that we are so much better?  Remember a lot of information has been lost and needs to be rediscovered.

From the Greeks we get what still functions as our philosophy. But we find the word "pneuma" in Greek which means guess what, "spirit", 'wind," "air" and "breath." The Greeks thought that there were four elements: "air," "earth," "fire" and "water."

And how does that men that there is no such thing as a human spirit? Here's a hint: It doesn't.

Air was often seen as supreme and the ultimate nature which was like god. It was invisible but could move things and be felt. It went in and out of man. When it left you were dead!

Given that we are all more that material, they were smart enough to understand that while many people today try to run from that.  We should know that we are more than material because there is more than just brain, body, and DNA that makes you who and what you are.

"Spirit" comes from the Latin "spiritus" "to breath." Are you starting to see a pattern? It is interesting that we still have millions of primitives all around us that believe in such things as spirits but have no idea where their beliefs really originate

Here is the truly facepalm worthy comment. Just because the word "spirit" has roots in Latin and Greek and Hebrew regarding air, breath, and wind does not mean that this is where the concept of "Spirit" came from. Just because they decided to use the imagery does not mean that there is no "Spirit"..

Debunking Christianity: Why the Idea of a Spirit is Full of Hot Air
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18 comments:

  1. Also weren't we descended from African hominids who lived on the African savanna and not cave-dwelling Europeans who came later if you believe evolutionists?

    Dummy.

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  2. Excuse me, but can you prove that those in the link were the earliest hominids? Or when the first hominids were purposefully buried with their possessions by design? How about a link?

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  3. By the way, I'm glad you finally figured out how to post working links. Bravo. Next time have a point.

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  4. I just thought it was funny that you thought there were no caves in east and southern Africa.

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  6. Who said there weren't caves in Eastern or Southern Africa? I didn't. I said that according to many Evolutionists human ancestors began as living on the plains in Africa, not caves. The point is: how does TGBaker's thought process about how people began to think that spirit and breath were the same thing and when?

    I think it is pathetic that your reading comprehension is so poor.

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  7. I said that according to many Evolutionists human ancestors began as living on the plains in Africa, not caves.

    ... which is equally wrong...

    Marcus; The Malapa Cave has been in the news for the last two years and Oldupai Gourge has been in the news since, well, the 30s.

    You also must know it's possible for one to hunt and forage on the Savannah while not actually living "on" the Savannah, right? You also realize that "High" Savannah makes up a tiny percentage of the whole of east and southern Africa, right?

    It's fun when you "learn" something new, because you are so resistant and it doesn't always take, usually with comic results.

    I think it is pathetic that your reading comprehension is so poor.

    But... "The point is: how does TGBaker's thought process about how people began to think that spirit and breath were the same thing and when?"

    Yeah, I wouldn't be too quick to blame folks not understanding you on the readers reading comprehension skills.

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  8. How does TGBaker's imagination fit with the facts you have brought up (which I have not denied)? And how is what you are saying have any plausible point to when and how humans began the concept of "spirit"?

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  9. TG is speculating, within the confines of an accurate understanding of prehistoric man.

    If theologians can speculate within the confines of their religious texts (and that's all they do, speculate), why can't TG? If you are going to critique him for speculating, 50% of your posts (the ones not about superheros or cellphones...) are self-refuted.

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  10. TG is speculating, within the confines of an accurate understanding of prehistoric man.

    Demonstrate that he's being accurate.

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  11. It breaks down to that you believe that people evolved from lower lifeforms. At which point would his scenario had taken place?

    I've stated that I disagree with the scenario because it doesn't make sense. Showing that there were caves in Africa does not prove that TG's speculation has any validity.

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  12. So what is wrong with this sentence:

    Also weren't we descended from African hominids who lived on the African savanna and not cave-dwelling Europeans who came later if you believe evolutionists?

    So we are all descended from cave-dwelling Europeans?

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  13. Demonstrate that speculation is accurate??? Really? You realize this is a double edged sword, right?

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  14. So what is wrong with this sentence:

    TG never said anything about Europeans. Given what he actually said, you are implying that our ancestors either lived in Africa but not in caves (demonstrably false) or they did live in caves in Europe (not mutually exclusive with them coming from Africa).

    In short, you need to study human prehistory.

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  15. I didn't say that TG ever said anything about Europeans - In popular culture that is the image of "cave men".

    I also never sad that our ancestors lived in Africa but not in caves. I am saying that his scenario leaves a great many holes. There is no conclusive evidence that our African Ancestors lived in caves. On top of that Which ancestors? Homo Erectus? Neanderthals? What?

    I think you need to plain think.

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  16. There is no conclusive evidence that our African Ancestors lived in caves.

    Seriously?, are you an idiot?

    On top of that Which ancestors? Homo Erectus? Neanderthals? What?

    Yeah, Neanderthals are not from Africa, see my question above...

    Please pick up a book.

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  17. Seriously? are you an idiot?

    Takes an idiot to mistake another for an idiot. Explains you.

    Yeah, Neanderthals are not from Africa, see my question above...

    I didn't say they were. Really awful at dodging questions you don't know how to answer.

    Please pick up a book.

    Name one. I've got one for you: Read your Bible, you're missing the truth.

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  18. There is no conclusive evidence that our African Ancestors lived in caves.

    This is just humorous.

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