Can religion/god explain the tailbone and other vestigial features?
468778
Strangely enough, Hinduism would simply give the example of evolution. Hinduism teaches that everything in the universe starts out very small (atoms) and thus evolves into other things. Hinduism would say that these are merely things that still exist in us because the physical forms of things are always evolving. We evolved from that which had those things and are continuing to evolve.
940839
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm\ncheck this link and see if you can find it there\n\nhope it helps
253030
I am an Orthodox Jew and did a quick check on a few of my books.  The one thing I cannot find is any link between that kind of symbol and Judaism.  It was not used by any of the 12 tribes or any of the various Kings of Israel.\n\nIt doesn't meant here isn't any (I am no authority on this matter), but I cannot find one.  Maybe something more local to you and the area though.  Another option is that it is merely decorative- especially if it is an oriental dragon, orientalism has come and gone in fashion.  (A sudden thought- he wasn't originally Welsh was he?  It is a slim chance, I know)
177687
same number of ribs despite the christian creation story, sorry. \nDifferences in Pelvis (wider, different angle in females)\nalso differences in skull. Usually less rounded forehead, more pronounced eyebrow ridges and wider ridges under eye(cheekbones) in males. \nthe differences are gradual and so it can be difficult to distinguish male and female skeletons, depending how strongly the sexual dimorphism is expressed.
328511
Being pagan I have a LOT of religious objects. Symbols of my religion, statues, and clothing are good examples. I try to live my life for the gods and so my home reflects that. I know you weren't interested in religious texts, but I have a library of archeological books that tell of my religion. These are useful at times when I need to tell others about my religion. I also have an extensive library of christian literature for use when I need to explain christian religion to people who are part of that religion.
363569
I think that in the book of Genesis, it does mention a "Behemoth" of some ilk- with an enormous tail (ergo, it could not have been an elephant).\n\nAdditonal notes:\n\nIt is in the story of Noah and the ark, where it makes this reference.
694878
1) Homozygous at that locus.\n\n2) The human tailbone.  It is what remains of a tail that we no longer need.
601160
I highly recommend reading Christopher West's Theology of the Body for beginners.  Rocked my world for sure and does an awesome job of answering your question.
126079
Many religions incorporate some sort of circle in their traditions and ceremonies usually indicating the cirle of life.  Check the link for more info...
1118217
nah. i know the Christian religion is true. no movie or book is going to make me doubt that! :) and hey..thanks for the best answer before. appreciate it! :)
233727
I was once at a church that was very non-traditional, but the Holy Spirit was ever present.  A friend was suffering from a cracked vertebrate and had to wear a back brace for the last year.  The priest had layed hands on her and she was healed in Jesus' name.  She walked out of the church and did not have to ever wear the back brace again.  My advice to you would be do not go to the church and expect physical healing, but a spiritual healing.  Eternity is forever.
233521
The fact that you posted your question in "Mythology and Folklore" shows that you realize that God is a Myth.  He looks like whatever you imagine him to be.  The primitives who wrote the Bible described him as they IMAGINED him to be.  As did the Aztecs, Mayans, Ancient Egyptians and the tribes of New Guinea.  God or Gods look like the followers imagine or wish him to be.  HE can even be a woman if that is what you wish.
919088
The God of the Old Testament appears to have more than one personality. The identity of God seems to vary with the author. I see religion as an evolutionary process.
542052
It's difficult to use vestigial organs as proof for evolution for two reasons.  1) You have to prove that a vestigial organ is, in fact, the remnant of some ancient organ, particularly an organ for which organisms would no longer have a need.  This is virtually impossible to do, as we have little information regarding the anatomy and physiology of prehistoric organisms. 2) You also have to prove that the vestigial organ is, in fact, a vestigial organ.  There are other examples of organs or appendages that were originally considered to be 'vestigial' and were then later found to have useful functions.  For example, the Vermiform appendix was originally considered to be a vestigial organ in mammals, but many scientists have shown that it may actually have a physiological role.  It's quite possible that all vestigial organs may have a role that we simply haven't discovered yet.  Many biologists have suggested that a vestigial organ be redefined as an organ that we simply don't understand.
583546
The Rainbow Serpent belief not only is widely sparse through the Aboriginal Australia, but it does also appear to exist in other societies and cultures (in this instance it suffices to narrow the definition to belief, whilst I shall demonstrate in the following discussion, the complexity of the ideological system enclosed in the terminology). By means of discussing the origins of the Rainbow Serpent belief, through analysing a version of a Northern Australian myth, and by discussing an Aboriginal ritual, I shall analyse the results of my research in light of 'matriarchal' perspectives and attempt to demonstrate that, being the Rainbow Serpent one of the oldest "religious belief documented in the world" (Flood, J. 1983. page 150), embodies important elements useful to formulate a valid theory for the origin of symbolic culture.\n\nWhat exactly is the Rainbow Snake? Is it possible to lessen its complex features into formal description? An attempt to describe its constantly evolving features would be useful; moreover, given the fact that the Serpent symbology is present almost in any continent, culture and religion (African, Amerindian, Australian, Aztec, Chinese, Christian et cetera) and its features are somehow similar to each other, I will limit the description to a general overview of the serpents' characteristics. Consequently, I shall draw the most relevant attributes and analyse them in light of Aboriginal traditions.\n\nThe existence of a 'divine' Serpent is testable in countless cultures and, it must be pointed out, it embodies various and complex symbols. It is possible to come across male serpents as well as female serpents; moreover, the Rainbow Snake represents a self-generating creature since snakes' skin is seasonally shed. The skin, seasonally shed symbolises a ritualised temporary death, which is followed by rebirth: hence, being the mythical Serpent an essence that has the capacity to die and live again, represent Death itself and Life.\nIconographies of snakes are often characterised by 2 creatures biting each other's tail, or only one serpent, again, in the act of chasing its tail in a perpetual circular motion. Cyclical and seasonal recurrences are in this manner represented. Accepting the fact that the snake is a widespread element in a great number of regions of the world, it is necessary to narrow the argument and focus the attention on the Aboriginal version of the ideology: the Rainbow Snake.\nThe greatest difficulty in attempting to decode the implicit meanings embodied in the Rainbow Serpent "religious structure" (Eliade, in Maddock, K. 1978: 4) is suddenly encountered when we try to translate the various features into language. Because of its nature and its multifaceted meanings we shall indicate, at this moment, the Rainbow Snake (bolung, in Northern Aboriginal Australia's language) as "a being or a class of beings as well as an attribute of certain beings" (Maddock, K. 1978: 117). Moreover, underling the complexity of the terms by which Aboriginals refer to the Rainbow Serpent, Maddock argues that bolung "not only […] refers to a semantic configuration unlike any to which any of our words refers, but is perhaps a result also of its special symbolic function in verbal (and visual) communication" (ibid.). The concept of bolung / Rainbow Snake encloses the maleness symbolism, as it is associated to a phallus (a non-transcendent explanation for the phallic symbolism attributed to bolung, can be seen in the cobra snake, for instance, when it raises its head before attacking); by opposite, the Rainbow Serpent corresponds to femaleness and the whole, wide symbolism circulating around the fertility and life-giving domains. This 'being', does not symbolise snakes in their physical attributes, but contains metaphysical snakes' attributes: the Rainbow Serpent is not a serpent but behaves like other reptiles since it lives in
487001
I've read and heard from Biology teachers who believe that the appendix is the reminant of the cecum, an organ that herbivores have. The cecum is used in herbivores to produces substances that are able to digest the cellulose in plants which are extremely difficult to break due to their strong bonds. However, since humans due eat plants, the validity of this hypothesis hasnt been tested, but since a cecum reminent has not been found otherwise, this is the strongest theory.\n\nAs for god creating an appendix, I'm not too sure about that. I have felt that god may have been the spark that sparked all forces such as gravity and evolution and he no longer tinkers with these forces. \n\nSo yes I am suggesting that evolution created the appendix and that evolution is possibly a part of god.
808295
It's entirely possible. The bible (both OT and NT) borrow liberally from other religions and mythology.