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Understanding the Signs in the Sky Puts Superstition in Its Place

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Jennifer1984 On July 20, 2022
Returner and proud





Penzance, United Kingdom
#1New Post! Dec 09, 2016 @ 16:55:41
Religion and superstition have had many things to answer for down the centuries. One can understand primitive societies attributing all sorts of fantastic explanations to naturally occurring phenomena and mostly such ignorance has been relatively harmless, but it has also had a corrosive downside. Whilst it has not entirely prevented progress and knowledge, it has undoubtedly had the effect of delaying it. How much faster, and more happily might humanity have advanced had it not been for these pernicious belief structures?

Humans are inquisitive mammals with problem solving capability. We ask questions and then find the answers to them. In the last couple of hundred years or so, we have mostly eschewed superstitions and religious doctrines that have held us back, and turned instead to science and technology for enlightenment. But the old religions still cling on, clutching at straws to explain their largely discredited dogma via increasingly wacky interpretations of millennia old scripts.

I recently showed my daughter some beautiful pictures of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) on my computer, which delighted her, but also prompted me to later to look up some of the ancient folklore about them and how this has affected humanities cultural development.

The Northern Lights are a naturally occurring light show that can be seen around the North Pole. They begin when large numbers of electrically charged particles, known as solar wind, stream in towards the Earth at high speed along its magnetic field and collide with the highest air particles. The air lights up and the resulting colours depend on which gases are present. The yellow-green colour comes from oxygen and is the most frequent colour seen; red results from a combination of oxygen and nitrogen; violet is due to nitrogen.
The lights are seen in a ring around the Pole; this ring is called the auroral oval. It expands to cover a greater area when more particles travel from the sun. The usual height of the aurora is over 40 miles, but the lights have even been seen 600 miles above the Earth - this is higher than space shuttles fly.

Before this natural phenomenon was understood, people often created stories to explain the Northern Lights. In Norway it was believed that the lights were old maids, dancing and waving. During the Viking period, they were thought to be reflections from dead maidens. The Eskimos in Greenland and northern Canada believed the aurora was the kingdom of the dead and when the lights changed quickly it meant that the dead were trying to contact their living relatives.

Many Native Americans believed that they could conjure up ghosts and spirits by whistling to the lights. A tale from Denmark is that the northern lights were caused by swans flying so far north that they were caught in the ice; each flap of their wings caused reflections which created the aurora. During medieval times however, Christian religious leaders spread the belief that the northern lights were a display of God’s power and, sometimes, displeasure. They could even be an omen of disaster, war or plague.

Most of the legends and lore surrounding the lights were charming myths which did no harm and in some ways gave comfort to those seeking a means of communing with their ancestors. It was only God-based religions that turned them into portents of divine wrath and retribution if people didn't toe the line. Legends attempted to explain the lights. Religion used them as a weapon.

Thankfully today, we know they are a naturally occurring physical phenomenon and we can simply admire and wonder at their beauty.

In an age of science and reason, it might make us chuckle to think that people attributed naturally occurring phenomena to “God” but they did and it had a detrimental effect that we’ve still not quite gotten entirely out of our system.

Thankfully, although religion and superstition still cling on in our societies, that influence is diminishing in favour of rational explanation. It must be admitted that we have not yet found the answer to everything, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Humankind is just as inquisitive as ever and will continue to seek to find a scientific explanation for every phenomenon that comes to our attention.

It is unlikely that religion will ever entirely die out, but I believe that with every generation that passes, its influence will be eroded by humankind’s relentless search for enlightenment bringing new discoveries to light, that explain the mysteries of the universe with evidence based proof.

In my opinion, the marginalisation of religion will be a good thing. The sooner we as a species stop allowing such pernicious superstition to affect our passage to greater knowledge and understanding of our world and the universe, the better.
LuckyCharms On July 31, 2021
Magically Delicious





,
#2New Post! Dec 10, 2016 @ 00:01:10
Religion isn't going anywhere. Our understanding of it will evolve. Just like it has over the millenia.

I'm looking forward to the day - and I won't be here, ha - that we get rid of the parental model. It just doesn't seem to be working out too well.
chaski On March 28, 2024
Stalker





Tree at Floydgirrl's Window,
#3New Post! Dec 10, 2016 @ 00:59:31
I am totally pro religion!

I've spent the majority of my adult life seeking religion....studying it with furor and abandon.

Sadly all earthly religions have failed.

Due credit should go to the Zoroastrians, the Cult of Isis, Shinto and Buddhism for making valiant efforts...and "originality".

Of course this failure is in large part due to the fact that "we" have strayed from the 1st and only true religion...worship of the original trinity ...the only religion worthy of faith and following...the worship of the Great Sky, the Mother Earth and the Cave Bear...aka the worship of Nature.

Anyway, I digress....

I can't wait for the imminent alien invasion of planet Earth!

Sadly, again sadly, they will no doubt change the name of our planet to whatever their word for water world is...and force us to use their word...for thousands of years...

Still, the prospect of becoming slaves to a group of higher beings and having them subject us to their religious beliefs...forever...is so exciting that I could easily pee my pants.
LuckyCharms On July 31, 2021
Magically Delicious





,
#4New Post! Dec 10, 2016 @ 01:23:05
@chaski Said

I am totally pro religion!

I've spent the majority of my adult life seeking religion....studying it with furor and abandon.

Sadly all earthly religions have failed.

Due credit should go to the Zoroastrians, the Cult of Isis, Shinto and Buddhism for making valiant efforts...and "originality".

Of course this failure is in large part due to the fact that "we" have strayed from the 1st and only true religion...worship of the original trinity ...the only religion worthy of faith and following...the worship of the Great Sky, the Mother Earth and the Cave Bear...aka the worship of Nature.



Quote:
I worship nature - don't laugh, I can prove it exists.
mrmhead On March 27, 2024




NE, Ohio
#5New Post! Dec 10, 2016 @ 14:35:20
@chaski Said

Of course this failure is in large part due to the fact that "we" have strayed from the 1st and only true religion...worship of the original trinity ...the only religion worthy of faith and following...the worship of the Great Sky, the Mother Earth and the Cave Bear...aka the worship of Nature.



I thought the original trinity was Stinky Socks, a Blue Dress, and ... and ...
(damn, I failed that part in catchy-kism) as spelled out in the mystic writings of twilitezone
twilitezone911 On March 25, 2019




Saint Louis, Missouri
#6New Post! Dec 10, 2016 @ 15:01:59
@mrmhead Said

I thought the original trinity was Stinky Socks, a Blue Dress, and ... and ...
(damn, I failed that part in catchy-kism) as spelled out in the mystic writings of twilitezone



soon, my writing will be a trilogy of books that willbe bestsellers out in twilitezone911.com in January 2017.

my books will be part of major movies that the first movie will be come out july 4 th weekend of 2017.

it will be call " twilitezone911 is simply natural phenomena! "

I am mysterious, and wonderful and soonyou will how handsome I am in the media on January 20 2017.

that's right, Donald ( bozo ) trump will be introduce me at his inauguration. bozo will be turn down the presidency.

I will be the 45th president of the united states. twilite will be your new command of chief of this great nation.

hail, twilite!
AzUnDeR On January 04, 2018

Deleted



Pacifica, California
#7New Post! Jan 10, 2017 @ 10:23:31
Real power can discern the signs of times through the Holy Spirit. Christians don't believe in superstition. We have way too much hard evidence, witnesses of God's power, and supernatural experince.
Mankysparrow On April 26, 2017




London, United Kingdom
#8New Post! Jan 10, 2017 @ 11:19:32
@AzUnDeR Said

Real power can discern the signs of times through the Holy Spirit. Christians don't believe in superstition. We have way too much hard evidence, witnesses of God's power, and supernatural experince.



like what ? please explain.
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