|
Post by Soidanae on Oct 23, 2004 15:40:19 GMT -5
I never said it was pointless. I just said we had to give it our own meaning.
|
|
|
Post by redwine with valium on Oct 23, 2004 15:42:35 GMT -5
I never said it was pointless. I just said we had to give it our own meaning. But without God, no matter our life's meaning, it makes no difference. After we die, we're still a rotting corpse in the ground. All dressed up and no where to go.
|
|
|
Post by Soidanae on Oct 23, 2004 15:46:02 GMT -5
So? I'd rather live life for the living.
There's a time to live and a time to die when it's time to meet the Maker There's a time to live but isn't it strange that as soon as you're born you're dying?
|
|
|
Post by redwine with valium on Oct 23, 2004 16:05:57 GMT -5
So? I'd rather live life for the living. There's a time to live and a time to die when it's time to meet the Maker There's a time to live but isn't it strange that as soon as you're born you're dying?So you'll live life for the pleasure you can get in your short existance, and be satisfied in the knowledge that it's all for no reason other than to entertain yourself?
|
|
|
Post by Soidanae on Oct 23, 2004 16:06:41 GMT -5
And others. That's the key to my existence.
|
|
|
Post by redwine with valium on Oct 23, 2004 16:09:35 GMT -5
And others. That's the key to my existence. Entertaining others is the key to your existence? You'll die happy knowing that, though you didn't significantly help the world or do anything really memorable and you'll probably be completely forgotten in a generation or so, you amused a completely insignificant percentage of the population?
|
|
|
Post by Soidanae on Oct 23, 2004 16:11:17 GMT -5
Hey- Isn't Homer well-known? Don't we recall Sophocles? Who's forgotten Charlie Chaplin? Christpoher Reeve lives on.
|
|
Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
Posts: 15,891
Likes: 113
|
Post by Antenora on Oct 23, 2004 16:14:39 GMT -5
Entertaining others is the key to your existence? Personally, I think that the purpose of life is to enjoy your life, and to help others. Not just to entertain them, but to help them out in general. Edit: Random thought--the purpose of life is to find life's purpose, which may be different for everyone.
|
|
|
Post by redwine with valium on Oct 23, 2004 16:17:03 GMT -5
Hey- Isn't Homer well-known? Don't we recall Sophocles? Who's forgotten Charlie Chaplin? Christpoher Reeve lives on. But they amused quite a large number of people. And are you really saying you could write something as wonderful or intelligent as Homer or Sophocles? Or that you're as funny as Charlie Chaplin? And besides, does a memory really make your life any less....over?
|
|
|
Post by Soidanae on Oct 23, 2004 16:22:21 GMT -5
I 'm saying that it is possible for me, in my lifetime, to amuse a great number of people. And it's not as if I'd stop amusing people when I'm 64. I'd die quite happy.
|
|
|
Post by BMatt on Oct 24, 2004 8:05:15 GMT -5
This is a question to consider: If a person strongly believes that they'll be reincarnated, and wants to be reborn, will God let them be reborn? Instead of having them go to heaven? And what about those who don't believe in any sort of life after death, but think they'll just sort of go to sleep forever? I hope Kobolos will post here again, he probably has more intelligent things to say than I. I get annoyed about how "Satan is gonna get you!", it seems to be a lack of personal responsibility, the old standby "the devil made me do it". The devil is a concept on par with Loki and Coyote, that is, a trickster that causes Man woe and is used as a scape goat. (hmmm, maybe that explains the furry legs and cloven hooves).
This life is a heaven and a hell, it's what you make of it. But in respect to Toc's question Isn't it still a case of being unable to see the forest for the trees? What if no one has it right? That your spiritual path is just that...YOUR PATH. Who is to say that the Norse warriors will not get their Valhalla? The Wintun tribe their Olelpanti? perhaps Matheson had it right and we get our own individual Heaven. Or is it going to be like South Park and St. Peter is going to be at the gates of Heaven and announce "and the correct religion was...*opens envelope* THE MORMONS! Congratulations!"
We can't all be correct can we? Isn't it always a case of "my god is bigger than yours"?
On topic with the discussion going on now: What is life but a stone dropped into water at birth, the ripples as years effecting others in the same ocean? We effect one another in ways we can barely fathom each day. That is the point of life...to continue on our path. That is why one mourns the dead...not because they have passed, but we selfishly cry for ourselves, in that we must continue on without them.
|
|
Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
Posts: 15,891
Likes: 113
|
Post by Antenora on Oct 24, 2004 8:13:36 GMT -5
Thank you, Kobolos. Very interesting.
I agree with what you said about life--a stone dropped in a pond is an apt metaphor. Everything you do has effects that you may never know about.
I don't know if I've said this before(in this thread, I know I brought it up somewhere) but I like the idea that the afterlife is sort of a dream-state, and we each end up in a different world, an alternate universe shaped by our thoughts and desires. Sorry if that was a bit incoherent, hopefully I'll be more lucid when I'm more awake.
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Oct 24, 2004 8:36:32 GMT -5
That is why one mourns the dead...not because they have passed, but we selfishly cry for ourselves, in that we must continue on without them. I concur. I've always (or at least, for a long time) taken the view that the human race is inherently selfish. Cynical, yes; but lately I've found that a lot of people are using the word "cynical" to describe statements that happen to be true.
|
|
|
Post by redwine with valium on Oct 25, 2004 18:17:15 GMT -5
I get annoyed about how "Satan is gonna get you!", it seems to be a lack of personal responsibility, the old standby "the devil made me do it". The devil is a concept on par with Loki and Coyote, that is, a trickster that causes Man woe and is used as a scape goat. (hmmm, maybe that explains the furry legs and cloven hooves).
This life is a heaven and a hell, it's what you make of it. But in respect to Toc's question Isn't it still a case of being unable to see the forest for the trees? What if no one has it right? That your spiritual path is just that...YOUR PATH. Who is to say that the Norse warriors will not get their Valhalla? The Wintun tribe their Olelpanti? perhaps Matheson had it right and we get our own individual Heaven. Or is it going to be like South Park and St. Peter is going to be at the gates of Heaven and announce "and the correct religion was...*opens envelope* THE MORMONS! Congratulations!"
We can't all be correct can we? Isn't it always a case of "my god is bigger than yours"?
On topic with the discussion going on now: What is life but a stone dropped into water at birth, the ripples as years effecting others in the same ocean? We effect one another in ways we can barely fathom each day. That is the point of life...to continue on our path. That is why one mourns the dead...not because they have passed, but we selfishly cry for ourselves, in that we must continue on without them. Definently some interesting points there. And that South Park quote is absolutely hilarious. But anyway, no, I don't believe the devil can "make" you do something. He wants you to, but you have a choice to do it or not. You're to blame. And remember, nobody blames God when they do something good. And the idea of an afterlife being what you make of it, well, it's an interesting idea. But does that mean however evil or wonderful you are in this life, you can choose where you go? Hitler could be in his own paradise? And what about athiests? Do they just go to a big black void or something? Or are their beliefs realized as well, and they just cease to be, unlike those who believe in an afterlife?
|
|
Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
Posts: 15,891
Likes: 113
|
Post by Antenora on Oct 25, 2004 18:50:50 GMT -5
I read somewhere that perhaps Hell is a nightmare shaped by a person's guilt over their evil actions(whether or not they conciously realize that guilt). So everyone gets their own personal heaven or hell, or some combination of both, depending on what they did, said, and thought in life. Again, sorry if this is a bit incoherent, I've been rather sleepy all day.
|
|