Posted By admin on August 3, 2009

History Chariot

What can we say about people in history who sincerely believed things that today we know are absurd?

Ancient Greeks believed the the sun was driven across the sky like a chariot, pulled by "fire-darting steeds," by the god Helios. Romans believed that thunder and lightning were caused by the anger of the god Jupiter. Ancient Hawaiians believed volcanos were caused when the goddess Pele became angry. And we can't ignore middle-ages Christians who believed that bad fortune was caused by witches who, according to the Bible, had to be tortured and killed.

These people weren't "stupid" or "crazy." They created great civilizations, and made great engineering, mathematical, scientific, and medical advances. And yet they truly believed things that are patently absurd in the light of modern knowledge.

So what can we say about them?

And how can we be sure that we are not just as mistaken with our own current religious beliefs?
What excellent and thought-provoking answers so far! Thank you all, and thanks to all who have yet to answer.

That is the beauty of belief it is all absurd.
Why would anyone accept anything to be true with our logically reasoning it out?
It makes less sense to say, I am right about something when I do not know how it connects to everything else.

Better to live without belief and only on faith.

Category: Antiques
Tags: archaeology, chariot, history, history chariot racing, roman, rome