If there is a God of the bible, then why would this god create us with curiosity. If this god expects complete obedience to his will, how can one accomplish that and not be distracted by curiosity. And if he gave us curiosity to test our obedience, by daring us to use it in defiance, that seems bit childish to me. I guess I don't understand the games the biblical god plays with humans.

How can one be stuck in one way of thinking, which seems basically what the bible requires.

I have since childhood always been curious, and it brought me to wonder about many things. I have never lost that curiosity when it comes to the notion of god are gods. However having spent some time as a youth in Sunday school, I never felt connected to the Christian religion. I found myself distracted and bored with it. I felt manipulated rather than engaged if that makes any sense.

Does Christianity tend to discourage curiosity? And if you are Christian and you say it doesn't discourage it, then explain why Christians are so against other paths to whatever God for that individual?

It was doubt, that has gotten man to advance in science and technology, NOT blind faith.

If we were all sheeple, following (the man-made) rules of God, we'd still be barefoot sheep herders walking aimlessly in the sand.

...and so it's not just Christianity that tends to discourage curiousity, it's all the religions that do that.

Politicians will keep us poor, and the priests will keep us dumb.

I tend to agree with you on that. I have always felt that politicians and priests manipulate us for their benefit now ours.

Thanks for your response Mahan.

Religion has always discouraged science and learning.

There is a reason why, as science advanced, more and more gods disappeared. . .

Religion developed to explain things. And I think there really is a spiritual componant to life.

Priest developed to shape religion and use it to create a cohesive society.

Change threatens that cohesiveness. Therefore, in religion, change is bad. So anything not withing the structure of the local religion is bad.

Leaders developed to see communities and groups through tough times and treats.

Leaders turned to politicians whose who needed to ask keep the community whole and to fund such protection.

Change threatens unity and is therefore bad. So traditional culture is all that is valued.

Therefore, priests and pastors manipulate people into doing what they are told and politicians are running a protections racket.

Perfect!

Well change certainly gets some christian nervous, that is for sure. I don't know why they assume 'their' faith makes anything cohesive, it's certainly 'not' even among christians themselves. I see them telling eachother they are wrong and not good christians.

I see curiosity and creativity as going hand-in-hand. God is creative in nature, and we are made "in God's image," which to me has always been a more philosophical than physical resemblance. If we are not curious and creative, we aren't doing what we were put here to do, imho. Creation, invention, curiosity, and knowledge--these are necessary to my faith.

Some despots with Bibles and borderline personality disorder might suggest that, "To make God happy is to do as I say," and I'm hoping that at some point God, karma, or the universe is going to give people like that some serious heartburn. What I do is between myself and God. Inside myself, I know right from wrong. I know why I'm here.

To apply this on a grand scale is beyond me. Some people feel comfortable painting with a BIG brush. I'm not one of them.

But..did religion do that or did men in religion do that?

Very true, the mind is a terrible thing to waste...lol

Right there with you, lady. "Religion" cannot do anything for itself, it is done to and it is cited for many things that are done, but the concept cannot act.

There's not so ..... (leaves the room)

Time for bed.

You said it better.

Oh, and mind you all that while us Europeans were languishing in the Dark Ages (I have no qualm with calling them that, it's certainly an apt description, but for the offended, I offer the moniker "the ages formerly known as dark"), the Arabic (read Muslim) world was THRIVING scientifically.

Buy a smaller brush.

Hmmmmm... well men created religion... so ... what's the difference?

That's just insulting.