the "journey"

[Andrew B]

In the Epic of Gilgamesh the journey is a search for eternal life.
Gilgamesh desires immortality in response to his greatest fear -
death. If this is representative of all people, that there is a part
of human nature that desires something beyond our reach, what does it
say about our own lives? Has Gilgamesh completed the journey for us
and given us all the self-knowledge we need, or does every person have
to embark on their own "journey", whatever shape it may take, and
discover for themselves their own humanity? Essentially, what is it
that Gilgamesh has brought back? Can Gilgamesh, or anyone, give us
their experience in the same way that they possess it?

I think this is an important question in the relation to life in
general. If Gilgamesh can only teach us about the journey, but we
still have to take it ourselves, then how far forward can civilization
really progress? Technology and culture, etc, etc, "progress" over the
years, but has the basic rubric of human life changed? Here in
"modernity" dont we still grow up hearing about "real life" and the
different "dos" and "donts", but how much effect does this have? Every
person still has to figure out life for themselves in their own way,
on their own "journey". As a civilization, as humanity as a whole
unit, can we ever really move forward or gain anything in this
respect? If we need mistakes to grow, should we desire to take away
our capacity for mistakes?

[Tammy]

When we talk about civilization and how far it can take us; it makes
me think of modern medicine. Years ago we had everything from the
medicine man, the country doctor, the midwife, the local clinic to
today's top of the elite physicians who can prolong the human life for
hours, days, months, years beyond normal expectancy. We have
medicines, interventions, machines to assist with medical technology.

It also makes me ponder our advances is aerospace. It is projected by
the end of the year 2009 we will have people paying top dollars to
rent an apartment in space.

As I see it, our civilization will continue to expand, grow and be
beyond the next generation's imagination. Until God decides to send
his son home for his children, our civiliaztion will continue to reach
new heights.