Hiya Wolfy,

I’m sure you’re not looking for a long response to a single comment but here goes anyway smile

Originally Posted By: Wolfman
...how much more "arrogant" can you get than to think that a Deity created us in his image?


On one level it could be seen that way, but what are the implications of being created in the image of a god?

1. The idea of being created in a creator’s image is simply saying that we have the capacity to love, to reason, to understand morality and to have a desire to create.

2. On the other hand, the idea of there being a creator that is all knowing (we are not), all powerful (we are not), eternal and uncreated (we are not), places us in a position where it is difficult to be arrogant. Christian scriptures also warn of us not thinking of ourselves as ‘little gods’, but to have a realistic understanding of who we are.

3. Being created means that we are answerable to something else besides our own whims and desires. It means we are not entirely autonomous and we have responsibilities that extend outwards from ourselves. Again there is no room for arrogance here.

4. We are told that whilst we are created in a creator’s image, we live here only for a period and that we are held responsible for the legacy we leave behind on this planet. We are told that the planet is a gift and that we will collectively hand it back. The inference is that we should return it in as good a condition as we received it. We are STEWARDS of its resources and are accountable. Again this precludes us arrogantly squandering what we have.

For me personally, the idea that we have been created does not lead to arrogance but to humility.

If you think it’s always the province of the religious to show arrogance then I would remind you of the many non-religious dictators that have shown unbelievable levels of arrogance in their belief that they and they alone, know what is best for entire nations, including what sections of society they should liquidate.

Blacknad.