Re: Is this all there is??
Pro-Humanist FREELOVER
"Aruther" <ni...@repeat.repeat.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1ef1i5thuook16agm...@4ax.com...
>I have been struggling recently with the finality of death.
> Is that it, lights out ?
>
> No abuse please.
>
> Arthur.
'This', itself debatable as to what, in its entirety, 'this'
is. As for the degree to which naturalism provides an
extensive understanding of 'this', there remain a plethora
of unknowns. What came before the expansion of the
particular area of the cosmos that we are currently a
minute part of? How many parts of the cosmos have
become a space-time continuum in which replicating
matter (aka, life) exists? For that matter, how many
parts of the particular space-time continuum we exist
in have yielded replicating matter (aka, life)?
And so on and so forth, questions abound, but we are
not yet able to answer them. Religions say they have
answers, but in actuality, they depend on 'blind faith'
and encompass as many 'unknowns' as do naturalists
when it comes to actual knowledge regarding such
matters. 'Blind faith' is no substitute for knowledge,
no substitute for scientific exploration, and no substi-
tute for open-minded search for verity, reason, and
expansion of awareness regarding all that is, all that
ever was, and all that ever will be.
'Lights out'? Eternity is a long time. The cosmos of which
you and I are an infinitesimally small part, is, per our cur-
rent undertstanding of physics, likely eternal (keeping in
mind the theory that our particular space-time continuum
is likely part of an infinite series of space-time continuums).
So therein resides the 'light', each of us part of a practically
unfathomably large whole, forever. As to what that role is,
exactly, not yet determinable, but the possibilities are limited
only by the imagination, and in that, no 'blind faith' is either
required or desired.
Religions have seduced folks into the myth that their version
of 'this' is 'the only true one', and if you don't buy into it, your
fate is either 'lights out' or 'fire on' (or, if it's one of the Nordic
religions, 'ice on'). Pure myth, all that, evidence that homo
sapiens feared death, and concocted religions to deal with
all that. We know better now, and religious threats no longer
have the bite they once had, although with children, the reli-
gious threats still instill fear that many never outgrow.
Suggestion -- Rely on science and open-minded exploration
and rest your hope in the arena of naturalistic possibilities
rather than fearing the myths of religions regarding your
supposed eternal fate if you don't buy into their particular
myth machine.
Peace.
- - -
� - � - � - � - � - � - � - � - � - � - � - �
~~~
Pro-Humanist FREELOVER
http://prohuman.net
(Freethinking Realist Exploring
Expressive Liberty, Openness,
Verity, Enlightenment, & Rationality)
~~~
Devils Advocaat
> I have been struggling recently with the finality of death.Is that it, lights out?
>
> No abuse please.
>
> Arthur.
It is hard to say, some folks believe there is nothing else, that once
you are dead that is the end of you, many believe there is some kind
of after life, but those all disagree on what form that after life
takes.
My only advice is choose whatever belief you are most comfortable
with, but make sure it is one that gives good advice on what to do in
this existence, as well as giving you what you need with respect to
what happens later.
Good luck and keep well. :)