First im not bashing christianty here, like project bluebeam im just using references specific to the target culture.
If this was an asian or middle eastern forum, i would use examples that worked with their cultural context.
Humans are hard wired to employ mechanisms to control the world, its why we started wearing skins and making fires to counter the cold.
When a strong storm comes along and blows down our straw huts we have two ways of dealing with it.
We can ackowledge we have no control over the natural world, and live in fear of the next storm, or we can ascribe the action to "bad spirits" or demons and use mechanisms to ward them off, in asia this would be incense in europe the amulet.
It gives us the illusion of some sense of control over the environment, if the local volcano drops hot pumice on your village, throw a virgin into the cauldera, keep doing it until the (evil spririt) of the volcano is satisfied or you run out of virgins.
But in truth the natural world throws us a curve ball every now and then, its not the fault of demons or any number of other imaginary entitys, its just the way things are
This video is a classic example
[media=youtube]ZBUY2dQuK94[/media]
God didnt "answer her prayers", she found her dog alive while a scant few blocks away infants died in the disaster.
It was simply a natural event, nothing more nothing less
The "good" spirit didnt do her any favours, nor was this imaginary entity responsible for the babies killed in the event.
The truth is what happened was beyond anyones control, but we hate that idea, its easier to ascribe such natural events to supernatural entitys rather than face the cold reality we have no control over them.
So in asia we use incense to ward of "demons" and in europe we use talismans and amulets, it gives us sense of control over the natural world.
But the harsh reality is they are not real, and sometimes the wind will blow your teepee down and destroy your crops.
In a modern world weve swapped incense for insurance, though even that will often not cover an "act of god"
But its a better mechanism for dealing with natures curve balls, it wont stop them any more than sacrificing a virgin will, but it will help you rebuild after the inevitable
