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 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:23 pm
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YukaSilkenFur . tora wings . High five for being accepting. I get "OMG YOU HEATHEN FOOOOL" a lot, how tedious. But hey, I'm way cool with every belief I come across, and I accept that anyone's views may be the correct ones. I've yet to be proved right, they've yet to be proved wrong... and all that.
I love this kind of discussion, though. I'm working my way up to getting a Doctorate in Psychology, and I love learning new things about how people think about everything. biggrin Awesome. How goes that? I'm currently trying to figure out what to do besides writing. So far it seems to be a decision between forest ranger and psychologist, so it would be great to know what you've gone through with that so far. o,o
Well, I had to get really high grades in secondary school to get the ourse in University I wanted. I'm only in my first year of the course, but so far, it rocks. You have to do extra modules in Sociology, Philosophy, ll that... But all the har work is so worth it. It'll take me a long time to get there, but I'm gonna go for it. The Irish educational system is a tough one to crack.
Don't know what it's like anywhere else, though... |
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:39 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:52 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:01 pm
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I don't personally give a damn about the past. It's sickening, disgusting. Studying it makes me want to hurl, be it personal history or world history.
The future, now, is a reason for living. Will major revelations be made in my lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. Will I live to see them? As I grow older, I care less and less. But the future is still exciting and unknown. I don't care if it's destiny or just random, I care about it being new.
The principle of uncertainty teaches us that predicting the future is impossible, the closest we could get is one of many possible futures. Sure, destiny and fortune may play a card here and there, but everything can still be changed.
I'd like to play a major role in improving the world, possibly in scientific development. But at the same time, I'd like to see the world fall apart at the seams in front of me, and struggle to survive in a post apocalypse. I don't want nothing to happen.
I don't want to live in a four bedroom house with two and a half kids and a pet dog making $70,000 a year whilst driving an average car to my job in corporate America.
In fact, if I could write a list of things to do before I died, it'd probably be unlike anything you've ever seen. I don't live for excitement, or experience. I don't live for competition. I live to prove my own existence, significance, and integrity.
Hmm... I'll go make a thread about things to do before you die.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:13 pm
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Awiergan Resurrection I don't personally give a damn about the past. It's sickening, disgusting. Studying it makes me want to hurl, be it personal history or world history. The future, now, is a reason for living. Will major revelations be made in my lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. Will I live to see them? As I grow older, I care less and less. But the future is still exciting and unknown. I don't care if it's destiny or just random, I care about it being new. The principle of uncertainty teaches us that predicting the future is impossible, the closest we could get is one of many possible futures. Sure, destiny and fortune may play a card here and there, but everything can still be changed. I'd like to play a major role in improving the world, possibly in scientific development. But at the same time, I'd like to see the world fall apart at the seams in front of me, and struggle to survive in a post apocalypse. I don't want nothing to happen. I don't want to live in a four bedroom house with two and a half kids and a pet dog making $70,000 a year whilst driving an average car to my job in corporate America. In fact, if I could write a list of things to do before I died, it'd probably be unlike anything you've ever seen. I don't live for excitement, or experience. I don't live for competition. I live to prove my own existence, significance, and integrity. Hmm... I'll go make a thread about things to do before you die.
I like the way you think, apart from the past thing. I quite like the past, personal and global. My memories are what keep me going; my fonder ones bring me up when I'm feeling a little down, my less pleasing ons teach me lessons when I need them. I'm not sickened bythe past. Sure, people have made terrible mistakes, people have done horrfying things, but there's good stuff as well.
I just wanted to bring up people's concept of afterlife... Do people here believe in it? I mean, I certainly dont. What's the point of living if you're just gonna live on forever? But I want views and insights from others. |
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:21 pm
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Quote: I like the way you think, apart from the past thing. I quite like the past, personal and global. My memories are what keep me going; my fonder ones bring me up when I'm feeling a little down, my less pleasing ons teach me lessons when I need them. I'm not sickened bythe past. Sure, people have made terrible mistakes, people have done horrfying things, but there's good stuff as well.
I just wanted to bring up people's concept of afterlife... Do people here believe in it? I mean, I certainly dont. What's the point of living if you're just gonna live on forever? But I want views and insights from others.
If I have a fear of death, it comes from fear of the afterlife. I'm a Christian, despite that I sometimes wish to go against my own religion. Still, for seeking the God's forgiveness, I must assume that if an afterlife exists I will go to heaven. If it does not, one of three other things will happen:
1. I will cease to exist.
2. My final subconscious observations will form a new existence for me.
3. My observations will create a heaven for me to exist in, being no different from heaven itself. After all, what you observe is your only way of determining reality.
I fear ceasing to exist. It's rather disturbing. I was once knocked unconscious, causing me memory loss. It's the scariest experience of your life. To know that you were somewhere, yet you have no idea what happened. That blank spot in my mind still haunts me, and is how I view ceasing to exist. I don't want the memories of my life to be lost, causing everything to be consumed by that same dark feeling.
A new reality would be wonderful.
Heaven would be great, too, but I have one problem with it. Nothing bad would ever happen. I live life for the terrors as much as the pleasures. I can't picture not ever having anything to worry about. In a sense, I enjoy some degree of anxiety and fear. Without it, I don't think my existence would feel complete. |
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:37 pm
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Awiergan Resurrection If I have a fear of death, it comes from fear of the afterlife. I'm a Christian, despite that I sometimes wish to go against my own religion. Still, for seeking the God's forgiveness, I must assume that if an afterlife exists I will go to heaven. If it does not, one of three other things will happen: 1. I will cease to exist. 2. My final subconscious observations will form a new existence for me. 3. My observations will create a heaven for me to exist in, being no different from heaven itself. After all, what you observe is your only way of determining reality. I fear ceasing to exist. It's rather disturbing. I was once knocked unconscious, causing me memory loss. It's the scariest experience of your life. To know that you were somewhere, yet you have no idea what happened. That blank spot in my mind still haunts me, and is how I view ceasing to exist. I don't want the memories of my life to be lost, causing everything to be consumed by that same dark feeling. A new reality would be wonderful. Heaven would be great, too, but I have one problem with it. Nothing bad would ever happen. I live life for the terrors as much as the pleasures. I can't picture not ever having anything to worry about. In a sense, I enjoy some degree of anxiety and fear. Without it, I don't think my existence would feel complete.
I fear death because I fear the end of my life. I fear the end of my life because I feel, deep down, that there is nothing beyond that which I now have.
I've lost my memory once because of a blow to the head sustained in a car accident. I remember nothing in a large period of time and to this day it haunts me. But I don't associate this with what happens after death. Death to me is the end of everything, finally a total release. You won't have to worry about mourning the loss of your life memories, because you won't wake up.
I'll admit it: I fear death as much as any sane person. But my fear of the post-death nothingness spurs me on to appreciate my life even more.
What bothers me about religious views of Afterlife/Heaven is how people might not appreciate their life as much if they are looking forward to something that might be better than what they have now. Surely Heaven would be a preferrable existence to struggling everyday through banal chores?
Sure, I'd like to believe that there's an afterlife. But something in me just knows that it can't possibly exist. |
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:45 pm
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. tora wings . Awiergan Resurrection If I have a fear of death, it comes from fear of the afterlife. I'm a Christian, despite that I sometimes wish to go against my own religion. Still, for seeking the God's forgiveness, I must assume that if an afterlife exists I will go to heaven. If it does not, one of three other things will happen: 1. I will cease to exist. 2. My final subconscious observations will form a new existence for me. 3. My observations will create a heaven for me to exist in, being no different from heaven itself. After all, what you observe is your only way of determining reality. I fear ceasing to exist. It's rather disturbing. I was once knocked unconscious, causing me memory loss. It's the scariest experience of your life. To know that you were somewhere, yet you have no idea what happened. That blank spot in my mind still haunts me, and is how I view ceasing to exist. I don't want the memories of my life to be lost, causing everything to be consumed by that same dark feeling. A new reality would be wonderful. Heaven would be great, too, but I have one problem with it. Nothing bad would ever happen. I live life for the terrors as much as the pleasures. I can't picture not ever having anything to worry about. In a sense, I enjoy some degree of anxiety and fear. Without it, I don't think my existence would feel complete.
I've lost my memory once because of a blow to the head sustained in a car accident. I remember nothing in a large period of time and to this day it haunts me. But I don't associate this with what happens after death. Death to me is the end of everything, finally a total release. You won't have to worry about mourning the loss of your life memories, because you won't wake up.
I'll admit it: I fear death as much as any sane person. But my fear of the post-death nothingness spurs me on to appreciate my life even more.
What bothers me about religious views of Afterlife/Heaven is how people might not appreciate their life as much if they are looking forward to something that might be better than what they have now. Surely Heaven would be a preferrable existence to struggling everyday through banal chores?
Sure, I'd like to believe that there's an afterlife. But something in me just knows that it can't possibly exist.
Then I have a question for you.
Note your bolded statement, compared with mine. Why are you bothered by religion if you're aware of people, like myself, who are religious yet appreciate life more than the promised afterlife? |
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:52 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:08 pm
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I personally don't like the past, human or my own personal past, they both sicken me, but I appreciate their existence in that they've led up to the point I'm at now. I've gotten to where I like to analyze my past, too, because I've been able to identify the reasons for some of my quirks and problems from my past.
As for afterlife, I believe in reincarnation, not afterlife, I have my reasons, I won't explain them here, another thing I leave to very trusted friends.
No rest for the lazy and unproductive, or the "wicked" even, though I don't call them that because they have their purpose. If there is something that really MUST be done, by you, no one else, then you have to keep going at it, even if someone has to make you. And if you do something bad enough to offend those "in charge" it's quite possible you will be sent back and set up for punishment. It's all very tiresome, but the whole idea is that when you finally get things right you'll get to stop, and rest; it's a feeling like finally sleeping in a safe, warm bed after being out on the streets for the longest time, afraid to even close your eyes. Absolute peace and tranquility; something to make struggling worthwhile...and maybe when you wake up, if you're ready and willing you can go at it again.
Personally, I don't even like the idea of a place like heaven or something. As Awiergan said, nothing bad would happen, and that would make things rather dull. I don't know about anyone else, but I hate being bored. If there was a heaven and a hell, I'd choose hell; at least it would be eventful. I can take the pain.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:12 pm
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. tora wings . Ah, I'm not bothered by religion in itself, I'm fully accepting of others' beliefs, but I'm just a bit puzzled by the existence of an Afterlife when we have a perfectly acceptable life here ahead of us.
I like the fact that things have changed though. Your statement shows that people need to apply themselves to both spiritual and materialistic aspects of their lives... Not just the prospect of a solely-ecclesiastical existence. It's a vaguely comforting thought.
Your statement is a bit hard for me to digest. While I love all forms of science: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Physics, they simply cannot answer every question. It answers the "how it happens", but not the "why it happens". Even if science were capable of explaining every function of the universe and how they came to be, I'd still question why those functions existed in the first place.
What I can't find from science, I look at from religion, philosophy, and other point of views.
Sure, broad theories from people like Schrodinger may even be able to explain how everything happens, be it dependent on observation or some other power. But the more we explain it, the more important the individual becomes.
For example:
Let's assume that if a tree falls in a forest, it remains both "fallen" and "unfallen" until someone observes it's state of existence. Now let's pretend this is the only person in the universe. And they die. The tree would simply cease to exist, as none of its states had been realized. In this particular situation, a single entity controls the fate of everything.
Now let's scale this up to today. The universe is there because intelligence recognizes it's existence. There have been points in history, where according to some theories, no intelligent life existed. At these points, the universe should not have existed at all; UNLESS later intelligent life was able to speculate a history and cause that history to exist. (Of course that's just science fiction.) Either way, the simplest explanation that I've always found is as follows:
Consciousness is a form of energy. It cannot be created or destroyed, but simply changes form. It may exist as man, god, or lesser being, but it cannot simply cease to exist. It's because of its existence that everything is capable of being observed, and therefore existing.
This is why I'm forced to believe in the afterlife, the supernatural, god, and immortality. It's my only explanation for why there's a universe at all.
I don't care about the how (evolution or creation doesn't really make a difference to me.) But I do care about the fact that it is here, and why it's here.
I know that's probably a bit incoherent. I'm not great at explaining such a vague theory. |
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:51 am
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The past fascinates me. I can take one aspect of a revolution, one person, one event, something. I can become so learned about this person or event, that I will make it my own. I become information hungry for things on the subject, and diss anything irrelevant. My parents always take me to historical sites on vacation. I'm not one of the kids who has to get an amusement park to enjoy their break. For my birthday a year and a half ago, my parents took me to the John Adams house in Quincy, Massachusetts. It was one of the best presents I ever had. I scared the tourguides.
I try to live the present and be as proud of myself as I can possibly be. For as much as I love the past, I hate myself in the past. In some ways I was very mature, but I don't think I understood how to interact socially with people until this year.
I don't like to look to the future, because I am afraid that we are corrupting the earth. But very recently I decided that we can't sit on our asses worrying about what's going to happen; we have to DO something. So I am thinking about it more and more often, and wondering how I will fit in this picture. I am willing to make sacrifices. Sure, I dislike Biology and most fields of sciences, but I will work on the fuel problem in a lab for 20 years if it means that I can help make a difference.
And destiny? This may be weird, but I only think of destiny until i've done something. If I am going to do it, my mind tells me I am in control. So I'm not sure what that means for me. Hahah.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:27 pm
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. tora wings . Iconised Ghost . tora wings . High five for being accepting. I get "OMG YOU HEATHEN FOOOOL" a lot, how tedious. But hey, I'm way cool with every belief I come across, and I accept that anyone's views may be the correct ones. I've yet to be proved right, they've yet to be proved wrong... and all that.
I love this kind of discussion, though. I'm working my way up to getting a Doctorate in Psychology, and I love learning new things about how people think about everything. biggrin How far through are you? Im working towards my masters in psych, but i hated the cognition aspect of it >.<
What's it like as you progress? Do things change?
Its quite cool as you go through. How many years have you done? Its neat as you can pick the areas that you are interested in and gradually specialise. And the essays get bigger >.< |
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