There is no reason this should be limited to atheists. I'm going to edit the title to include everyone, I want to here some theists discuss this question.
I'm not saying they are true, I'm asking why the concept exists in the first place, even if there are variations.
Humanity is a social animal. Most of our lives are spent interacting with other human beings in very complex ways. Now, as you may have noticed if you've ever tried carrying on a meaningful conversation with your laptop, this is not a trivial task even for powerful computing devices. Our brains can manage the feat because they are heavily specialized for social interaction. Just as a falcon's brain is specialized to solve high-speed aerial trajectory problems, a human brain is specialized to solve social problems: figuring out what other humans are thinking in order to anticipate how they will behave and react. This ability is called theory of mind.
Other species may have theory of mind as well, but almost certainly none approaches human-level strength. Our theory of mind is so strong, in fact, that we instinctively use it even when interacting with things that don't have minds, in a process called anthropomorphism. We think about inanimate objects as if they had thoughts and motives like humans do. And we do this even when, intellectually, we know better. We all know that our cars are mindless - but when somebody's car fails to start, they may shout at it as if it could feel fear, plead with it as if it could feel mercy, or even hit it as if it could feel pain, before getting a hold of themselves and pursuing a solution to the problem through mechanical rather than psychological means. The first response, the default setting, is to assume that the problem is psychological; other forms of problem-solving come later.
Now imagine a society that doesn't know better. A society that doesn't have mechanistic explanations for the phenomena going on around them - that doesn't know that storms are caused by the sun pumping thermal energy into the atmosphere in an uneven pattern that is corrected by air movements. Their first response is going to be to anthropomorphize natural phenomena, and that will remain their only response until they start to learn more about science. They're going to think that the storm has a mind: that if it brings life-giving rain it's for a psychological reason and if brings destructive winds and torrents it's for another psychological reason. They're going to try to communicate with the storm and keep it friendly to them, because that's how they interact successfully with other humans. This basic belief, that natural phenomena have minds, is called animism, and it is the prototypical form of religion. More abstract beliefs, like a grand good being and grand evil being, are not universal, but when they do occur it is as an outgrowth of animism.
And it all boils down to the fact that we're wired to assume that other things have minds because we humans have minds. We make the gods in our own image.
Thank you. This is exactly the type of answer I was looking for.
As for why I posted this towards Atheists... It was because most believers I asked said it was evidence that god exists. I wanted to see what non- believes would say.
So, I have a question for those who do not believe in god; Why is it that countless cultures, ones that have not had contact with each other, all have the same concept of gods and spirits and an afterlife? In fact, the majority of cultures all seem to have the same concept of "higher beings" on another plane of existence.
First you are wrong. Countless cultures do not have the same concept of gods, spirits, and afterlife.
Zeus isn't the same concept as the Abrahamic god, Krishna isn't the same concept as Raijin, and Zeus and Raijin, while both are gods of thunder/lightning are not same concept.
Even the concept of the after life is different from culture to culture with varying degrees. For example, Valhala isn't the same concept as Heaven or hell.
Try giving a universal definition of what qualities a god has that everyone can agree on. You'll find that quite difficult, because the term is ambiguous.
Secondly, just because all of these cultures believe in supernatural things doesn't mean they are true. The other thing all of these concepts have in common is a severe lack of evidence.
I'm not saying they are true, I'm asking why the concept exists in the first place, even if there are variations.
EDIT: If you want me to be more specific, why does the concept of a great evil one exist in so many cultures? Even if the names are changed, the idea of a devil and hell are pretty commonplace across religions, even Buddhism.
I might be wrong, but lumping faith/religion/beliefs together like that might be too general. When you compare and contrast them you may find many radically different ideas even if, for example, they share the concept of an omnipotent/omniscient being.
But why does the idea of an omnipotent being exist in the first place even if from there dramatic changes are present? How did the primitive tribes come up with such a complex concept?
So, I have a question for those who do not believe in god; Why is it that countless cultures, ones that have not had contact with each other, all have the same concept of gods and spirits and an afterlife? In fact, the majority of cultures all seem to have the same concept of "higher beings" on another plane of existence.
Bant Auras is a deck based around the idea of unblockable hexproof creatures attacking you for a lot of damage due to the number of enchantments on them. The main idea is to play any of the hexproof creatures in the deck, load that creature up with auras, and swing for a LOT of unstoppable damage. It is named Bant Auras due to it being Bant colored, White, Blue and Green.
How to play.
Turn one you either play a Slippery Bogle or pass with only a fetch land crack.
Turn three you enchant your hexproof creature with any number of auras, but the best is to give it Rancor and then Daybreak Coronet and from there just keep attacking.
Individual Card Explanations
Hexproof Creatures
Slippery Bogle - He is just here to be another hexproof creature you can easily get out turn one and start enchanting early.
Invisible Stalker/ Silhana Ledgewalker - The real heart of the deck. Both are basically treated as the same card. The idea is to just give either one of them power boosting enchantments and from there just hack away at your opponents life total.
Ethereal Armor - Can easily give +3/+3 and the first strike is actually relevant. Also, being one drop means you can enchant a creature with it then Daybreak Coronent on turn 3.
You have to also consider that the city batman lives in is a place where organized crime is so powerful that the police are powerless against it and even if it's not the "morally right" thing to do, it's still the thing that needs to be done.
I'm not going to consider the "moral implications" of saving lives. You may ask "Who are you to take the law into your own hands" but really you should ask "Who are you to let the innocent get hurt when you have the means to stop it?"
He said in the comic con panel that each of the guild leaders was represented in RTR by a brand new mythic rare legendary creature card. The Niv in this duel deck is the original, not the new one in RTR.
If they are keeping the playstyle of each guild the same, then Golgari for sure. The others just don't fit my playstyle, and I love using my graveyard as an extension of my hand.
Play a hundred games with it. Learn it. Then tweak it.
But the sideboard isn't for my metagame. I found that having either two dungeon geists and two Phantasmal Image side is better for my meta. Still, thank you for the advice. I know that modifying a winning deck is usually a bad idea, but in this case all I am modifying is the sideboard for my metagame. It's still the same basic deck.
Although the part about the extra island I also changed since yeah, I understand why that's more important.
There is no reason this should be limited to atheists. I'm going to edit the title to include everyone, I want to here some theists discuss this question.
Thank you. This is exactly the type of answer I was looking for.
As for why I posted this towards Atheists... It was because most believers I asked said it was evidence that god exists. I wanted to see what non- believes would say.
I'm not saying they are true, I'm asking why the concept exists in the first place, even if there are variations.
EDIT: If you want me to be more specific, why does the concept of a great evil one exist in so many cultures? Even if the names are changed, the idea of a devil and hell are pretty commonplace across religions, even Buddhism.
But why does the idea of an omnipotent being exist in the first place even if from there dramatic changes are present? How did the primitive tribes come up with such a complex concept?
Bant Auras is a deck based around the idea of unblockable hexproof creatures attacking you for a lot of damage due to the number of enchantments on them. The main idea is to play any of the hexproof creatures in the deck, load that creature up with auras, and swing for a LOT of unstoppable damage. It is named Bant Auras due to it being Bant colored, White, Blue and Green.
How to play.
Turn one you either play a Slippery Bogle or pass with only a fetch land crack.
Turn two you cast either Invisible Stalker or Silhana Ledgewalker.
Turn three you enchant your hexproof creature with any number of auras, but the best is to give it Rancor and then Daybreak Coronet and from there just keep attacking.
Individual Card Explanations
Slippery Bogle - He is just here to be another hexproof creature you can easily get out turn one and start enchanting early.
Invisible Stalker/ Silhana Ledgewalker - The real heart of the deck. Both are basically treated as the same card. The idea is to just give either one of them power boosting enchantments and from there just hack away at your opponents life total.
Geist of Saint Traft - Give him spectral flight or any other enchantment that grants first strike and we are talking about 8 damage a turn.
Enchantments
Ethereal Armor - Can easily give +3/+3 and the first strike is actually relevant. Also, being one drop means you can enchant a creature with it then Daybreak Coronent on turn 3.
Hyena Umbra/ Spider Umbra - Helps dodge board sweepers.
Curiosity - Just to keep you from running out of fuel.
Rancor / Spectral Flight - Both very strong power boosting auras that also making block harder.
Daybreak Coronet - Just a powerhouse of a card. Gives any creature an amazing power boost and gains you a LOT of life. Crushes aggro decks.
Spirit Loop - Giving it to something with Lifelink grants double life link in a sense. Also goes back to your hand, which is nice.
Sideboard
Suppression Field - To help fight combo decks like splinter twin and Birthing Pod. Also hurts fetch lands.
Stony Silence - A great hate card for Eggs and Affinity.
Leyline of Sanctity - Burn.
Nature's Claim - Blood Moon can hurt us, and we need an answer to it.
Rest in Peace - Shuts down a lot of graveyard centric decks.
Pithing Needle - Here as an answer to Liliana of the Veil and Spellskite.
Gaddock Teeg - A good hate bear for a large number of decks like Splinter Twin, Tron, and Scapeshift.
Retether - For those long grindy matches against control.
Decklist
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
1 Plains
3 Arid Mesa
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Temple Garden
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Slippery Bogle
4 Invisible Stalker
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
2 Spirit Loop
2 Spider umbra
4 Curiosity
4 Daybreak Coronet
4 Ethereal Armor
4 Hyena Umbra
4 Rancor
4 Spectral Flight
Sideboard
1 Suppression Field
3 Stony Silence
2 Rest in Peace
2 Path to Exile
2 Dismember
1 Grafdigger's Cage
Also, some other ideas in testing:
Unstable mutation - To be more aggro.
Auramancer's guise - Good late game.
Infiltrator's magemark - Easy way to boost enchanted creatures and make them unblockable.
Favor of the overbeing - Bigger Bogle.
Better prepair for R/U Delver to own every event.
I'm not going to consider the "moral implications" of saving lives. You may ask "Who are you to take the law into your own hands" but really you should ask "Who are you to let the innocent get hurt when you have the means to stop it?"
Charity won't stop the criminals. Batman will.
If this is only 20 dollars, then I'm sure there should be enough value in these decks to make buying them well worth it. There usually is.
But the sideboard isn't for my metagame. I found that having either two dungeon geists and two Phantasmal Image side is better for my meta. Still, thank you for the advice. I know that modifying a winning deck is usually a bad idea, but in this case all I am modifying is the sideboard for my metagame. It's still the same basic deck.
Although the part about the extra island I also changed since yeah, I understand why that's more important.