I have read a book called Ishmael. It’s a good book. It’s a philosophical book (fictional, but philosophical, there’s a telepathic ape….) that points out some very interesting and demonstrably true things in our world as it functions today and as it has functioned for quite some time.
In particular, I’m curious about what anyone happens to think about this little scenario, which is something I’ve said before reading Ishmael, but no one had any good answer about. I do not think anyone can/would have any answer to it now either; however, I’m a glutton for punishment.
Christianity states that the creator made the earth and all things in/on it. How is this different from any other mythology? I ask this question first because it will bring me to another item that is related. In particular, what makes the story of creation (pushed by Creationists) any different from the story of creation from the Romans or Greeks? Story aside, what really sets them apart? This leads me to the next bit, which has nothing to do with Christians. What is the “official” creation story that we have today?
As a Buddhist, I’m not sure that it matters which of them is true. If I had to pick one I’d go with the official science creation story; however, there’s a problem with the two faith based ones that may or may not (depending on a person’s bent) be a problem in the “official” creation story. That is, the purpose of the earth. The Greek or Roman mythologies each stop with the earth being pretty much the whim of the gods and created for man. The christian creation story says the same thing, the creator created earth and stopped with man. The “official” creation story (big bang/evolution) doesn’t say this, but depending on one’s bent one could see where it’s been stated that humans are the peak of evolution and the earth is ours to rule. I’m not sure I can go along with that. Not that it means anything to anyone else of course lol.
Again, as a Buddhist, I think it’s incorrect (I want to refrain from using the word wrong because that can imply to some people a moral reference where I do not mean one) to believe that the world was created for man. Just what exactly is wrong with the idea that the world wasn’t made for man? Man isn’t the end of evolution, and when man is gone (should we all cease to exist, such as in some catastrophic world wide event) does that mean the world no longer serves a purpose? Of course not, Earth will continue to exist and support life that has survived. Then again, maybe not. What is the purpose of any creation story, science, mythology, etc? What does it perpetuate in our society as it functions today?
This brings to mind another thought (obviously, it’s in my mind?) Why does man insist on treating the world and all that is in it counter to how the rest of the world functions? I’m curious about that. Man doesn’t compete with other animals, instead he destroys them. An example would be lions and gazelle. A lion will chase down a gazelle. The entire herd of them takes off running. As soon as the lion captures the gazelle, the herd stops running and proceeds to go back to grazing or drinking from the water. Why is that? To the best of my knowledge, this is because lions don’t kill in a manner that means to create extinction. They capture food and sit down to eat it, or drag it to safety, then eat it. The gazelle otherwise (unless being actively hunted at the time) pretty much ignore the lion. They are not enemies. Humans on the other hand do not function this way. Well, they no longer function this way. People in one of my cultures (Native Americans) would hunt enough to feed themselves. Kill a bison or two, and the other bison went about their business. Then came poachers, that slaughtered entire herds of bison/buffalo just for their pelts. Not to feed anyone, just to take their pelts and make money. The carcass simply rotted in the sun. Truly sad.
Quick Clarification: The above isn’t to say that as soon as the white man (or any man at all) came along that the world fell apart. That would be highly ignorant and highly offensive to I don’t know, the whole US population? As stated in a comment below, I’m not romanticizing Native American culture, this could easily apply to many cultures outside of them the further back into history we go. Thanks!
An interesting thought, what is the end result of creating more food in which to feed the starving? What happens when those that are starving are no longer starving? What happens then, what is the event that perpetuates the existence of starving people? I believe I know the answer, and I know I do not have a solution. In other words I know enough to know I don’t know hehe.
