Jimbo
10-08-07, 09:13
This originally started after a late night of typing out some of my thoughts on my own thread, but I thought I'd start a new thread on it.
I deep question, I know.:huh:
I'm interested to know what people believe in or don't believe in. What is the point/meaning of life is, why are we here, what keeps us going through the tough times we have?
This is copied from my thread along with Happyone's reply:
Something that's been on my mind a lot since last Monday's group is religion and the meaning of life. We were talking about prayer and how it helps some people. It’s triggered a lot of thinking in me about life in general.
As a young kid I went to a C of E primary school and also was in the scouts, so I was involved and aware of Christianity and its views. I was always put off by this sort of religion, the idea that there is a 'god' in control of things and everything happens for a reason because of him. That you are expected to have blind faith in something that is ethereal seems ludicrous. The idea heaven, hell and judgement based on your faith when you die seems to be a creation of a cultish person who is trying to influence people into following that particular religion. Having people under control of a particular religion gives power and the atrocities committed in the name of religion are inexcusable. This idea completely puts me off that branch of a controlling ’god’ based religion totally. Not that I am against Christians, if they chose to accept that then that is irrelevant to me. I prefer the idea that we create our own reality.
For me I've always viewed the world in an existential way. I can only be certain that I exist, I’m only aware of myself and what I perceive as reality, there is no way for me to experience reality from another person’s perspective. Maybe I just exist solely as an individual and everything I experience is just an illusion. All I can be sure of is my own existence. “I think, so therefore I am” type thing.
The philosophers would say that there is no way to prove or disprove this so it is irrelevant and we should just accept reality as we perceive it.
I still don't know the answer to the question, what is the meaning or point of life. For me, my life seems to have been a trial, a series of tests and events that have tought me things. I've experienced some terrible and beautiful experiences in my life. I’ve learned a lot, my knowledge and ‘wisdom’ as a person experiencing this reality has grown as my life has progressed. My view of the world or ‘reality’ that I perceive, is that there must be some point to it, some purpose for this existence I am experiencing.
I find the beauty of science and the physics of this universe miraculous, in a universe of infinite possibilities, in a Darwinian way, I think the product of our existence is a result of natural selection even down to the subatomic level. Some of the latest theories of science say that all possible choices and decisions that happen could coexist in a tree like system of branches of alternate realities or dimensions. Each subatomic particle or atom could coexist in multiple dimensions and we are only able to observe them in the particular dimension we are currently experiencing in the moment.
The path our lives take and the particular branch that we exist on and perceive might be pre-determined or perhaps we chose which branch we follow in the choices we make in our lives or perhaps it is just random. Perhaps we coexist in all these realities and it beyond our comprehension to be aware which particular branch we are perceiving in each moment. As humans we cannot see the future and the past is only memories so all we truly experience is the present. We would not know if we were experiencing more than one branch of reality at once.
Having experimented with hallucinogenic drugs, meditation and altered states of mind it seems obvious that the world we perceive normally with our 5 senses, interpreted by our brain is only scratching the surface of reality.
I still struggle sometimes with wondering what would happen if I did die. Would it just be oblivion or is my life is just a part of some sort of learning experience to prepare me for something after life. I like the idea in ‘The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ series of books that the earth or even the universe is a great computer performing some sort of calculation with a purpose.
Who knows, cause I still don’t get ‘it’ yet.:shrug:
I still don’t feel comfortable that any religion around can truly explain life. I think the most important thing to me is that I interact with other people and learn from them and hope that they learn from me too. Creating a better world for ourselves and ultimately evolving society into something better. There is so much violence and anger in this world, it feels as though things are sliding in the wrong direction for humanity at the moment. If only we could learn to accept and not judge ourselves and other people, the world would be a better place.
However, where religion is concerned I suppose you could say I am agnostic. I don't really like religion in the organised sense as it is the tool of destruction all over the world. organised religion, for me, is social control. It is insurance.
When we were at school we used to sing a song 'the church is wherever gods people are praising' I was young but it struck a cord with me even then. Why go to a church if you don't want to? If you believe in God then why not talk to him in your kitchen whilst peeling your spuds? I also think if there is a god, then he she it, would love anyone who spends their life being a good and nice person, rather than a hypocrite that goes to church every week but is a vile person.
I have this neighbour and she is always going on about what a wonder her church is for her and it is this and that and I don't knock that as the church has helped her immensely, but a bitchier person you could never meet! I think to myself she thinks she isgood because she does all this stuff with the church, but she can't see into herself enough to see how vile she can be.
Religions in their simple form are fantastic at times, but then when people start killing each other because they are one religion or other, it seems to break down. I am also anti the idea that you go to heaven if you believe in God and Jesus Christ but you don't if you don't:wacko: So the vile person who has been cruel and nasty all their life and at the last moment says 'please forgive, I welcome God into my heart' gets past the pearly gates, but the individual who has been pretty good and kind all their life, but doesn't believe doesn't:shrug: Something wrong with that one eh?
I hate the hate in this world. It really gets to me that people want to hurt each other
For me I've always viewed the world in an existential way. I can only be certain that I exist, I’m only aware of myself and what I perceive as reality, there is no way for me to experience reality from another person’s perspective. Maybe I just exist solely as an individual and everything I experience is just an illusion. All I can be sure of is my own existence. “I think, so therefore I am” type thing.
I used to think a lot about stuff like that. I went through a phase of believing that only I existed.(maybe I was ill back then too!) That everything round the corner wasn't really there until I got there. I still find it realy weird to think of the billions of people on this planet living, breathing, thinking just as I do.
I do think that I don't need to know the meaning of life, just find a meaning to it. A meaning to exist. I think that is ultmately happiness.
With regards to when we die, I don't know if we have a soul, an inner part of of us but I do think we are energy. Our life, our brains are energy and that energy is somehow transferred to something
I deep question, I know.:huh:
I'm interested to know what people believe in or don't believe in. What is the point/meaning of life is, why are we here, what keeps us going through the tough times we have?
This is copied from my thread along with Happyone's reply:
Something that's been on my mind a lot since last Monday's group is religion and the meaning of life. We were talking about prayer and how it helps some people. It’s triggered a lot of thinking in me about life in general.
As a young kid I went to a C of E primary school and also was in the scouts, so I was involved and aware of Christianity and its views. I was always put off by this sort of religion, the idea that there is a 'god' in control of things and everything happens for a reason because of him. That you are expected to have blind faith in something that is ethereal seems ludicrous. The idea heaven, hell and judgement based on your faith when you die seems to be a creation of a cultish person who is trying to influence people into following that particular religion. Having people under control of a particular religion gives power and the atrocities committed in the name of religion are inexcusable. This idea completely puts me off that branch of a controlling ’god’ based religion totally. Not that I am against Christians, if they chose to accept that then that is irrelevant to me. I prefer the idea that we create our own reality.
For me I've always viewed the world in an existential way. I can only be certain that I exist, I’m only aware of myself and what I perceive as reality, there is no way for me to experience reality from another person’s perspective. Maybe I just exist solely as an individual and everything I experience is just an illusion. All I can be sure of is my own existence. “I think, so therefore I am” type thing.
The philosophers would say that there is no way to prove or disprove this so it is irrelevant and we should just accept reality as we perceive it.
I still don't know the answer to the question, what is the meaning or point of life. For me, my life seems to have been a trial, a series of tests and events that have tought me things. I've experienced some terrible and beautiful experiences in my life. I’ve learned a lot, my knowledge and ‘wisdom’ as a person experiencing this reality has grown as my life has progressed. My view of the world or ‘reality’ that I perceive, is that there must be some point to it, some purpose for this existence I am experiencing.
I find the beauty of science and the physics of this universe miraculous, in a universe of infinite possibilities, in a Darwinian way, I think the product of our existence is a result of natural selection even down to the subatomic level. Some of the latest theories of science say that all possible choices and decisions that happen could coexist in a tree like system of branches of alternate realities or dimensions. Each subatomic particle or atom could coexist in multiple dimensions and we are only able to observe them in the particular dimension we are currently experiencing in the moment.
The path our lives take and the particular branch that we exist on and perceive might be pre-determined or perhaps we chose which branch we follow in the choices we make in our lives or perhaps it is just random. Perhaps we coexist in all these realities and it beyond our comprehension to be aware which particular branch we are perceiving in each moment. As humans we cannot see the future and the past is only memories so all we truly experience is the present. We would not know if we were experiencing more than one branch of reality at once.
Having experimented with hallucinogenic drugs, meditation and altered states of mind it seems obvious that the world we perceive normally with our 5 senses, interpreted by our brain is only scratching the surface of reality.
I still struggle sometimes with wondering what would happen if I did die. Would it just be oblivion or is my life is just a part of some sort of learning experience to prepare me for something after life. I like the idea in ‘The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ series of books that the earth or even the universe is a great computer performing some sort of calculation with a purpose.
Who knows, cause I still don’t get ‘it’ yet.:shrug:
I still don’t feel comfortable that any religion around can truly explain life. I think the most important thing to me is that I interact with other people and learn from them and hope that they learn from me too. Creating a better world for ourselves and ultimately evolving society into something better. There is so much violence and anger in this world, it feels as though things are sliding in the wrong direction for humanity at the moment. If only we could learn to accept and not judge ourselves and other people, the world would be a better place.
However, where religion is concerned I suppose you could say I am agnostic. I don't really like religion in the organised sense as it is the tool of destruction all over the world. organised religion, for me, is social control. It is insurance.
When we were at school we used to sing a song 'the church is wherever gods people are praising' I was young but it struck a cord with me even then. Why go to a church if you don't want to? If you believe in God then why not talk to him in your kitchen whilst peeling your spuds? I also think if there is a god, then he she it, would love anyone who spends their life being a good and nice person, rather than a hypocrite that goes to church every week but is a vile person.
I have this neighbour and she is always going on about what a wonder her church is for her and it is this and that and I don't knock that as the church has helped her immensely, but a bitchier person you could never meet! I think to myself she thinks she isgood because she does all this stuff with the church, but she can't see into herself enough to see how vile she can be.
Religions in their simple form are fantastic at times, but then when people start killing each other because they are one religion or other, it seems to break down. I am also anti the idea that you go to heaven if you believe in God and Jesus Christ but you don't if you don't:wacko: So the vile person who has been cruel and nasty all their life and at the last moment says 'please forgive, I welcome God into my heart' gets past the pearly gates, but the individual who has been pretty good and kind all their life, but doesn't believe doesn't:shrug: Something wrong with that one eh?
I hate the hate in this world. It really gets to me that people want to hurt each other
For me I've always viewed the world in an existential way. I can only be certain that I exist, I’m only aware of myself and what I perceive as reality, there is no way for me to experience reality from another person’s perspective. Maybe I just exist solely as an individual and everything I experience is just an illusion. All I can be sure of is my own existence. “I think, so therefore I am” type thing.
I used to think a lot about stuff like that. I went through a phase of believing that only I existed.(maybe I was ill back then too!) That everything round the corner wasn't really there until I got there. I still find it realy weird to think of the billions of people on this planet living, breathing, thinking just as I do.
I do think that I don't need to know the meaning of life, just find a meaning to it. A meaning to exist. I think that is ultmately happiness.
With regards to when we die, I don't know if we have a soul, an inner part of of us but I do think we are energy. Our life, our brains are energy and that energy is somehow transferred to something