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Is the truth enough? Or do we need myths, fantasy, and fairytales to have contentment in life?
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"Please don't tell me Harry Potter wasn't real too?......" He must be, I saw the Weasley twins in Waitrose once. | |||
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"if I enjoy and celebrate who I am until my last breath, what will be will be in the thereafter, I don't consider it much and it most certainly doesn't influence my dreams and aspirations yesterday, today or tomorrow. I enjoy doing this alone. The fairytale of living happily ever after, is something I will endeavour to do" Of course, most of the fairytales end at "and they all lived happily ever after" because none can say what that truly is. The Bible does not set out our happily ever after either. | |||
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"if I enjoy and celebrate who I am until my last breath, what will be will be in the thereafter, I don't consider it much and it most certainly doesn't influence my dreams and aspirations yesterday, today or tomorrow. I enjoy doing this alone. The fairytale of living happily ever after, is something I will endeavour to do Of course, most of the fairytales end at "and they all lived happily ever after" because none can say what that truly is. The Bible does not set out our happily ever after either." whether you or don't is not fully in your control, life deals the deck | |||
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"good grief Caz, took me ages to read Blackspices "Sorry View, I must have my sensible head on today - just nip to the bottom for my jokey bit  | |||
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"This is complex. Humans have always woven stories about pasts and futures. The religious report being happier than those without religion (World Happiness Report, April 2012). The happiest of all appear to be Buddhists. Personally, I would like to think that I could love someone and they could love me for the rest of our lives. The key to achieving that would be to be honest, compromise when it is right, maintain self-respect and to respect the other person. There are people in my life I never get bored of. I seek fidelity but not necessarily monogamy as sexual contentment is important for both parties." Good post. I couldn't agree more with you when it comes to honesty, compromise and mutual respect. | |||
"A bit of a read, but hey, what else are you doing, and I'd really like your thoughts on this. Son of God, born on the 25th December, mother still a virgin, baptized in a river,had 12 disciples, a miraculous healer who helped the blind see, raised a man from the dead, was crucified, 3 days later was discovered by two women to have risen from the dead. Lets not forget he also walk on water! We all know the story, but who am I talking about?........here's a hint, it's definitely not Jesus Christ. This is the story of Horus and was recorded in ancient Egypt well over 1200 years before Jesus is alleged to have even been born.......that is documented fact. Christianity is based on the story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, but this simply is not his story! I have friends who are very well educated, intelligent, reasoning people who know this and yet feel the need for their own life contentment to be practicing Christians. Someone I was recently seeing asked me out of the blue if I'd ever consider getting married again. I replied it was unlikely I would meet a women who didn't use the 'fairytales syndrome' as a barometer of her future happiness. I explained that to live happily ever after in a monogomous completely mentally and sexually fulfilling relationship required too much of a leap of faith for me. Any women coming into my life would need to know that the likelihood is one day I'd get bored with her as she would with me, that we wouldn't be each others last sexual conquests.....etc etc etc you get my drift. She was very surprised at what she felt was a slightly negative outlook. She said she needed to believe there was more to it than the harsh reality of day to day life. I explained to her I love the reality of reasoned day to day life based on my experiences, and that it was enough for me to maximise and value the moment, the here and now and that if I was able to maintain that going into the future with somebody, then the truth would always be enough for me. She called me this morning to tell me that I had changed the way she now chose to look at certain aspects of her life.....I can't help but wonder whether trying to reign in myths, fantasy and fairytales will eventually help her to be more or less contented in life. Will she be sadder without the belief of an 'ever after'. After all Christians believe their lives would be empty without the story of Christianity, they need a 'heaven' at the end of it all. What do you think? " I think shes trying to entertain your needs - to come into your life, more than you're williing to give * psych couch open for a small fee | |||
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"if I enjoy and celebrate who I am until my last breath, what will be will be in the thereafter, I don't consider it much and it most certainly doesn't influence my dreams and aspirations yesterday, today or tomorrow. I enjoy doing this alone. The fairytale of living happily ever after, is something I will endeavour to do" Thank you View, it sounds like you are taking responsibility for your own happiness driven from within, without the need for an external.........whatever. | |||
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"As far as I know Horus was killed by a scorpion sting, can you point me in the direction of your information please?" E. Wallis Budge translated that Horus died from a scorpion sting, other sources claim he was crucified. I personally don't believe either story, the point is his story is the forerunner to a number of myths. | |||
" Of course, most of the fairytales end at "and they all lived happily ever after" because none can say what that truly is. The Bible does not set out our happily ever after either." The Kingdom of God, Heaven? | |||
"As far as I know Horus was killed by a scorpion sting, can you point me in the direction of your information please? E. Wallis Budge translated that Horus died from a scorpion sting, other sources claim he was crucified. I personally don't believe either story, the point is his story is the forerunner to a number of myths. " OMG. Someone quoting E.Wallis Budge in a Fab Forum. I never thought Id see the day. Next up, a round table discussion on the integration of the Worship of Isis into Catholicism!!  | |||
"I think it’s a tad self-gratuitous to unnecessarily dismiss harmless beliefs that give other people comfort. "That is a fair comment and I guess is what is behind my question. Can people find real comfort and genuine contentment without having at least some 'beliefs'? | |||
"As far as I know Horus was killed by a scorpion sting, can you point me in the direction of your information please? E. Wallis Budge translated that Horus died from a scorpion sting, other sources claim he was crucified. I personally don't believe either story, the point is his story is the forerunner to a number of myths. OMG. Someone quoting E.Wallis Budge in a Fab Forum. I never thought Id see the day. Next up, a round table discussion on the integration of the Worship of Isis into Catholicism!! "Ah now there is a discussion | |||
"I think it’s a tad self-gratuitous to unnecessarily dismiss harmless beliefs that give other people comfort. "Harmless? If only that were so. | |||
"..... The story of Horus/Mithras/Jesus and probably a few other deities can be taken as "the word of God" or as myth and fantasy - similar is the fact that many different religions all have flood stories in them With regards to living happily ever after - I'm doing that as a single - I'm with you Blackspice regarding monogamy - I know I don't do it so I've accepted that as a simple fact of my life, it's taken a while, but this is me, warts and all (obviously that's a turn of phrase, I'm not saying I've got warts, honest) "Thank you for your Mithra contribution Caz. I also agree with you that I've had to accept certain things about myself as a simple fact of my life. The more I accept the happier I am. | |||
"I think having 'faith' in a higher being and/or an afterlife can help people deal better with life. I think pretty much everybody has times in their life when they don't feel they can cope, when their own life seems out of their control. At these times believing there is somebody 'up there' and that there is some overall plan and that they are not 'alone', can be a genuine comfort. Likewise when a loved one dies believing that there is something after death can be a comfort. For some people the idea that once someone dies they no longer exist (apart from as memories in the minds of people still alive) is almost unacceptable and can lead them to becoming depressed and possibly scared of dying. On other hand I think a lot of religious people make sacrifices, put themselves and their families through extra hardships, maybe even suffering in order to please a god that might well not exist. If it turns out that their belief was inaccurate then all that effort etc. was for nothing. So from that point of _iew a belief can be harmful in my opinion." Thank you, good post. I would point out that the religious poll as being happier with life than the non religious. | |||
" Of course, most of the fairytales end at "and they all lived happily ever after" because none can say what that truly is. The Bible does not set out our happily ever after either. The Kingdom of God, Heaven?" Heaven and the Kingdom of God are not described. We have invented the fluffy cloud images, actual gates that are pearly and depending what you choose to believe either you connect up with those that you were with in the Earth life (that might be Hell, if I end up with some people for eternity), your pets might be there and you might get virgins and raisins. I have heard everything from the babies I have lost waiting for me to mother them (that's way too many for it to be a peaceful experience) through to the 'babies' women have aborted waiting to take them to task. If you're a Jehovah you only get there if you are male and part of the number. The rest must get their Heaven on Earth. That doesn't sound such a good happily ever after. I like churches. I grew up CofE and wanted to be a nun at one point in my life. I enjoy singing hymns. The central tenets of most religions, the Golden Rules, are ones that I can sign up to. I enjoy singing hymns. I believe there is a something, I don't know what. I accept I may be wrong. I think if I were to practice a faith it's somewhere between Quakerism and Buddhism. But, I like singing hymns, did I mention that? Singing hymns is not a good enough reason for me to go and take Communion on a regular basis. | |||
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"Crutches are good. They help you get from A to B. If I think another person's crutch is a bit ghey because it's pink and has tassles on it, it doesn't make it any less effective as a crutch. All that happened was I laughed at it a bit." Very good. You're right, you can't say somebodys crutches don't work for them, but you can say that they wouldn't work for you. | |||
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"WOW deep thread, I'll add that I think the belief in an afterlife is just based on a fear that we all have of death , we don't want it to end and the afterlife is just a way to prolong the inevitable . Personally I do believe Jesus exsisted but a story about a carpenter is boring , was he the son of a god ? Step back and remember these guys thought the earth was flat . Unless someone invents a time machine we'll never know . We all live in a fantasy world its called TV ......we watch it all the time ! "Without disagreeing with the meaning of your post I would point out that the concept of the earth being 'a ball hanging in nothing' is mentioned in the Old Testament so by the time Jesus was supposed to have lived not everybody believed the earth was flat  | |||
"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body." All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies. | |||
"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body. All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies." Before all that | |||
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"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body. All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies. Before all that" I was present at the deaths of both my parents. I can honestly say that I felt no 'stirring' or whatever at the time. I never felt that they were floating around, or anything. No cold chills, or intuitive feelings of any kind. Just the shell of what they once were. The only thing I can honestly say was absent was life - not a soul. Don't believe in it. Too much of a rationalist. And where exactly is the evidence that we do, indeed, lose 4 grams of weight INSTANTLY? My father was dead some time before he was taken to the mortuary. No one weighed him before them - no one weighs ANY dead body before it goes to the mortuary. Therefore, there can be no evidence of such an assertion whatsoever. I have been present at two deaths in hospitals - nothing at all was mentioned about weighing anything or any body. And when people die at home - no weighing occurs. I can assure you there are other more pressing matters on people's minds at the time! | |||
"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body. All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies. Before all that I was present at the deaths of both my parents. I can honestly say that I felt no 'stirring' or whatever at the time. I never felt that they were floating around, or anything. No cold chills, or intuitive feelings of any kind. Just the shell of what they once were. The only thing I can honestly say was absent was life - not a soul. Don't believe in it. Too much of a rationalist. And where exactly is the evidence that we do, indeed, lose 4 grams of weight INSTANTLY? My father was dead some time before he was taken to the mortuary. No one weighed him before them - no one weighs ANY dead body before it goes to the mortuary. Therefore, there can be no evidence of such an assertion whatsoever. I have been present at two deaths in hospitals - nothing at all was mentioned about weighing anything or any body. And when people die at home - no weighing occurs. I can assure you there are other more pressing matters on people's minds at the time!" I'm not sure where i read about this..but bodys were weighed at the point of death as an experiment..i'm not the only one who has known about this as other posters had read or heard the same thing when the subject of the afterlife was mention on another thread. | |||
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"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body. All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies. Before all that I was present at the deaths of both my parents. I can honestly say that I felt no 'stirring' or whatever at the time. I never felt that they were floating around, or anything. No cold chills, or intuitive feelings of any kind. Just the shell of what they once were. The only thing I can honestly say was absent was life - not a soul. Don't believe in it. Too much of a rationalist. And where exactly is the evidence that we do, indeed, lose 4 grams of weight INSTANTLY? My father was dead some time before he was taken to the mortuary. No one weighed him before them - no one weighs ANY dead body before it goes to the mortuary. Therefore, there can be no evidence of such an assertion whatsoever. I have been present at two deaths in hospitals - nothing at all was mentioned about weighing anything or any body. And when people die at home - no weighing occurs. I can assure you there are other more pressing matters on people's minds at the time! I'm not sure where i read about this..but bodys were weighed at the point of death as an experiment..i'm not the only one who has known about this as other posters had read or heard the same thing when the subject of the afterlife was mention on another thread." Nope, sorry. Don't buy it. I reckon it's another urban myth. How the hell would you set up such an experiment? How would you know EXACTLY when someone was about to die? How would you get the permission of the relatives? Believe me when you are sat there waiting for someone to die the last thing you would be agreeing to is weighing them just after they die. I could barely stand to have the nurse remove my mother's rings and hearing aid afterwards. I would have flipped if they had started hoisting her up to weigh her!!!! No chance. Don't believe a word of it. And, although we knew she was dying, her actual passing took us by surprise and her death had to be CONFIRMED! So there is STILL no way she could have been weighed INSTANTLY (the word you originally used). Same with my father. It took 20 minutes just to get a nurse there to determine he had died and then she had to get a doctor to confirm it. I also cannot see anyone agreeing to be part of such a 'death' experiment - what would they do - get them in a lab and hover over them waiting for the exact point of death? It is utterly unfeasable. | |||
Re: weight loss after death
It was Dr. Duncan MacDougall of Haverhill, Massachusetts who attempted to weigh the human soul. In 1907, he placed 6 dying patients on a homemade scale, which also acted as a bed for the patients. He then recorded their weights before and after death. According to Dr. MacDougall, there was a difference of 21 grams between the heavier, living patients and their dead bodies.
He also experimented on 15 dogs and found no loss of weight between the living dogs and their dead bodies. He believed this was because animals do not have souls.
His experiments were criticized since of the six patients, two tests had to be discarded and the level of error was very high. Obviously, it was not a very scientific study.
In addition, no one has ever been able to repeat the result of these experiments. Basically, there is still no physiological evidence of the soul. It's an urban legend propagated by a guy who did bad science - looking for an answer he already believed was true. Real science doesn't have attachments to pre-existing beliefs and values. It just observes and hypothesizes. | |||
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"At the point of death we lose four grams in weight instantly...could this be the soul leaving the body. All sorts of liquids escape when a body dies. Before all that I was present at the deaths of both my parents. I can honestly say that I felt no 'stirring' or whatever at the time. I never felt that they were floating around, or anything. No cold chills, or intuitive feelings of any kind. Just the shell of what they once were. The only thing I can honestly say was absent was life - not a soul. Don't believe in it. Too much of a rationalist. And where exactly is the evidence that we do, indeed, lose 4 grams of weight INSTANTLY? My father was dead some time before he was taken to the mortuary. No one weighed him before them - no one weighs ANY dead body before it goes to the mortuary. Therefore, there can be no evidence of such an assertion whatsoever. I have been present at two deaths in hospitals - nothing at all was mentioned about weighing anything or any body. And when people die at home - no weighing occurs. I can assure you there are other more pressing matters on people's minds at the time! I'm not sure where i read about this..but bodys were weighed at the point of death as an experiment..i'm not the only one who has known about this as other posters had read or heard the same thing when the subject of the afterlife was mention on another thread. Nope, sorry. Don't buy it. I reckon it's another urban myth. How the hell would you set up such an experiment? How would you know EXACTLY when someone was about to die? How would you get the permission of the relatives? Believe me when you are sat there waiting for someone to die the last thing you would be agreeing to is weighing them just after they die. I could barely stand to have the nurse remove my mother's rings and hearing aid afterwards. I would have flipped if they had started hoisting her up to weigh her!!!! No chance. Don't believe a word of it. And, although we knew she was dying, her actual passing took us by surprise and her death had to be CONFIRMED! So there is STILL no way she could have been weighed INSTANTLY (the word you originally used). Same with my father. It took 20 minutes just to get a nurse there to determine he had died and then she had to get a doctor to confirm it. I also cannot see anyone agreeing to be part of such a 'death' experiment - what would they do - get them in a lab and hover over them waiting for the exact point of death? It is utterly unfeasable." Then don't believe it then..ffs...some believe it you don't..end of. | |||
"WOW deep thread, I'll add that I think the belief in an afterlife is just based on a fear that we all have of death , we don't want it to end and the afterlife is just a way to prolong the inevitable . Personally I do believe Jesus exsisted but a story about a carpenter is boring , was he the son of a god ? Step back and remember these guys thought the earth was flat . Unless someone invents a time machine we'll never know . We all live in a fantasy world its called TV ......we watch it all the time !
Without disagreeing with the meaning of your post I would point out that the concept of the earth being 'a ball hanging in nothing' is mentioned in the Old Testament so by the time Jesus was supposed to have lived not everybody believed the earth was flat "Oh without doubt there were people who knew the earth was round and others who knew the earth revolved around the sun and not sun around the earth but for holding those beliefs they were burnt at the stake or worse, the bible was written a long time after Jesus lived. The Romans crucified Christians by the thousands for there beliefs so most of the stories in there were passed down over generations. Ever played the shopping game, get a group of people make a shopping list then each person wispers the list to the next, by the end its totally changed. Imagine how story's change over hundreds of years! I see the bible as a work of fiction draw up by people who were scared of there own shadows ! | |||
"Just found a pdf which quotes an experiment done with sheep - they inexplicably GAINED weight after death." That would be the mint sauce. | |||
"Just found a pdf which quotes an experiment done with sheep - they inexplicably GAINED weight after death. That would be the mint sauce. " | |||
"Just found a pdf which quotes an experiment done with sheep - they inexplicably GAINED weight after death. That would be the mint sauce. "I didn't know you could get them pre-mint-sauced. I thought with sheep it's the gas from the grass in their stomach. | |||
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"I have no problem with what another human being chooses to believe in. However I have a problem when another human being believes that their belief should be my belief. I have no problem with any religion. I only have a problem with what humans do in the name of their chosen religion; the belief that their religion requires the sacrificing of human lives in its name, the remonstration/lamentation of its subjects, or a metric-fuckton of cash. -- In the words of the great Dave Allen. "Goodnight, and may your God go with you" " ditto.. firmly of the opinion that all 'holy books' were written to enforce power by men.. | |||
"I have no problem with what another human being chooses to believe in. However I have a problem when another human being believes that their belief should be my belief. I have no problem with any religion. I only have a problem with what humans do in the name of their chosen religion; the belief that their religion requires the sacrificing of human lives in its name, the remonstration/lamentation of its subjects, or a metric-fuckton of cash. -- In the words of the great Dave Allen. "Goodnight, and may your God go with you" "
I know different people with different religions. The common denominator appears to be that every religion thinks it is 'the only one, and all others are wrong'.
I believe what I believe, and I'm happy with that. I'm happy for other people to believe what they believe.
I'm not happy if they try to force their beliefs on me. And that goes for any beliefs.
Not that long ago scientists said the world was flat....... | |||
"A bit of a read, but hey, what else are you doing, and I'd really like your thoughts on this. Son of God, born on the 25th December, mother still a virgin, baptized in a river,had 12 disciples, a miraculous healer who helped the blind see, raised a man from the dead, was crucified, 3 days later was discovered by two women to have risen from the dead. Lets not forget he also walk on water! We all know the story, but who am I talking about?........here's a hint, it's definitely not Jesus Christ. This is the story of Horus and was recorded in ancient Egypt well over 1200 years before Jesus is alleged to have even been born.......that is documented fact. Christianity is based on the story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, but this simply is not his story! I have friends who are very well educated, intelligent, reasoning people who know this and yet feel the need for their own life contentment to be practicing Christians. Someone I was recently seeing asked me out of the blue if I'd ever consider getting married again. I replied it was unlikely I would meet a women who didn't use the 'fairytales syndrome' as a barometer of her future happiness. I explained that to live happily ever after in a monogomous completely mentally and sexually fulfilling relationship required too much of a leap of faith for me. Any women coming into my life would need to know that the likelihood is one day I'd get bored with her as she would with me, that we wouldn't be each others last sexual conquests.....etc etc etc you get my drift. She was very surprised at what she felt was a slightly negative outlook. She said she needed to believe there was more to it than the harsh reality of day to day life. I explained to her I love the reality of reasoned day to day life based on my experiences, and that it was enough for me to maximise and value the moment, the here and now and that if I was able to maintain that going into the future with somebody, then the truth would always be enough for me. She called me this morning to tell me that I had changed the way she now chose to look at certain aspects of her life.....I can't help but wonder whether trying to reign in myths, fantasy and fairytales will eventually help her to be more or less contented in life. Will she be sadder without the belief of an 'ever after'. After all Christians believe their lives would be empty without the story of Christianity, they need a 'heaven' at the end of it all. What do you think? " As an analogy, everyone has had a car that was special to them. Over the years we add a few mph of what the car would actually do, better mpg than what it did and the condition it was in, just to justify having run a slow gas guzzler. Some people seem to add a little bit extra to their life and the experiences by rose tinted nostalgia to gloss over the not so nice, boring times. Some people have had no life, so, they live through other peoples lives and experiences to fill the void of unfulfillment and disappointment. Some people don't believe in themselves, so choose a deity or something similar to lean on, maybe through insecurity about themselves. We all make choices about the things in our lives, but, sometimes the choice is made for us by chance and circumstance. It's these choices that we all learn from, some accept the choices, some rebel or fight against them, some sit and ponder the choices, some jump with both feet into a situation. It is how the individual perceives the experience that determins what and how we react to these changes and situations in life. Some will say the path was chosen for them by a higher being, some will say they chose their path, no matter which you believe, it's how we walk the path and what we do on the journey that makes us who we are. | |||
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"I have a simple philosophy. Shit happens." Same here ..... once you're dead you're dead so live while you're alive. | |||
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"or as a wise man once said..... The dictionary definition of God is “a supernatural creator and overseer of the universe.” Included in this definition are all deities, goddesses and supernatural beings. Since the beginning of recorded history, which is defined by the invention of writing by the Sumerians around 6,000 years ago, historians have cataloged over 3700 supernatural beings, of which 2870 can be considered deities. So next time someone tells me they believe in God, I’ll say “Oh which one? Zeus? Hades? Jupiter? Mars? Odin? Thor? Krishna? Vishnu? Ra?…” If they say “Just God. I only believe in the one God,” I’ll point out that they are nearly as atheistic as me. I don’t believe in 2,870 gods, and they don’t believe in 2,869." I find a lot of self-professed 'atheists' believe in non-deity religions like evolution, democracy, karma. Yet see irony in it. Personally I can't say for sure there is no God, but never found a religion that stands up to scepticism without resorting to blind faith to explain some fundamental part of it. If people can find the faith required to believe in something then I'm happy for them, regardless of what it is.... As long as their faith doesn't lead them into actions that affect others. Unfortunately more often than not when a person believes in something it does lead to them either trying to convince everyone else that they too should believe in it, or else they act in the interest of their cause in such a way so as to negatively affect other people. Which I think is a shame. | |||
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"A bit of a read, but hey, what else are you doing, and I'd really like your thoughts on this. Son of God, born on the 25th December, mother still a virgin, baptized in a river,had 12 disciples, a miraculous healer who helped the blind see, raised a man from the dead, was crucified, 3 days later was discovered by two women to have risen from the dead. Lets not forget he also walk on water! We all know the story, but who am I talking about?........here's a hint, it's definitely not Jesus Christ. This is the story of Horus and was recorded in ancient Egypt well over 1200 years before Jesus is alleged to have even been born.......that is documented fact. Christianity is based on the story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, but this simply is not his story! I have friends who are very well educated, intelligent, reasoning people who know this and yet feel the need for their own life contentment to be practicing Christians. Someone I was recently seeing asked me out of the blue if I'd ever consider getting married again. I replied it was unlikely I would meet a women who didn't use the 'fairytales syndrome' as a barometer of her future happiness. I explained that to live happily ever after in a monogomous completely mentally and sexually fulfilling relationship required too much of a leap of faith for me. Any women coming into my life would need to know that the likelihood is one day I'd get bored with her as she would with me, that we wouldn't be each others last sexual conquests.....etc etc etc you get my drift. She was very surprised at what she felt was a slightly negative outlook. She said she needed to believe there was more to it than the harsh reality of day to day life. I explained to her I love the reality of reasoned day to day life based on my experiences, and that it was enough for me to maximise and value the moment, the here and now and that if I was able to maintain that going into the future with somebody, then the truth would always be enough for me. She called me this morning to tell me that I had changed the way she now chose to look at certain aspects of her life.....I can't help but wonder whether trying to reign in myths, fantasy and fairytales will eventually help her to be more or less contented in life. Will she be sadder without the belief of an 'ever after'. After all Christians believe their lives would be empty without the story of Christianity, they need a 'heaven' at the end of it all. What do you think? " just wondering if u like to come and tell my child father christmas isn't real  to be honest i think u have a more than negative approach to life and i am divorced ffs ex is completely twat but while he is that it would be him (imo) who would win if i gave up on wanting to share my life with someone while i agree monogomony is not for everyone and defintely not for me as i happen to like girls i do not believe that people get bored with each other i have had people in my life for as long as i have been alive best mate we r born days apart and our dads were best mates. i think if i look at life like u i would want to hang myself so i will keep my rose coloured glasses and hope to god my kids believe for as long as possible in santa, toothfairy and any number of magical things | |||
"I think it’s a tad self-gratuitous to unnecessarily dismiss harmless beliefs that give other people comfort.
That is a fair comment and I guess is what is behind my question. Can people find real comfort and genuine contentment without having at least some 'beliefs'?"theres no way of knowing this as u can't measure two people as the same as they don't feel the same about things so imo a pointless question | |||
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"I have never been one to chase the fairy tale - it implies you can’t be truly content without it. I would sooner make the most of the now, whatever the now is. To chase a fairy tale in blind hope that it will make tomorrow better, is wasting what today offers. " Polo I could not agree with you more, I believe the 'now' is wonderful, and if it is not I do something about it now. | |||
"...... just wondering if u like to come and tell my child father christmas isn't real to be honest i think u have a more than negative approach to life........ "I love my life, life in my opinion is the single most amazing phenomenon in the Universe. It is truly incredible and blows my mind whenever I stop and think about the fact that I am unique, a one off. I am the perfection of being me. I value that thought so highly, high enough to have made a conscious decision to always try to be true to myself and to try to maximise my enjoyment of 'the moment' as well as enhance the moment in the lives of those around me. My life is already a wonderful thing, it doesn't need me to chase a fairytale to find happiness. I'm happy now. That may start to give you a small insight in the approach I have to living my life, I don't think it's negative, it certainly doesn't feel it! | |||
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"I had a thought today about religion and faith.... whether we really do need 'faith'. Those who dismiss creationism, god or gods … are many just demonstrating faith in another form? Is the belief in the science not based more on faith than knowledge and understanding for the vast majority of us? I for one cannot explain how we made some of the huge jumps from being a single cell to what we are today, not without referring to ‘Prometheus’. I have faith that DNA is the code which tells the cells what to become to make us what we are… but I am not able to prove how it works or where it came from. Am I not just transferring my choice to believe and therefore my faith from one thing to another? I choose to believe the scientists without any way to independently prove and therefore ‘know’ it is the truth and just as some choose to believe one source of explanation as to why we are here and how we came to be, I choose to believe the science bods….. is that not faith? "
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"Fox ache Polo, my head is bursting now! I want to be an amoeba. "Just put on your onesie. | |||
" I choose to believe the scientists without any way to independently prove and therefore ‘know’ it is the truth and just as some choose to believe one source of explanation as to why we are here and how we came to be, I choose to believe the science bods….. is that not faith? " I agree with you. I think we all have faith, for want of a better word, in many things. It might be the science bods or it might be the belief that a new pair of shoes will restore us. | |||
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"I had a thought today about religion and faith.... whether we really do need 'faith'. Those who dismiss creationism, god or gods … are many just demonstrating faith in another form? Is the belief in the science not based more on faith than knowledge and understanding for the vast majority of us? I for one cannot explain how we made some of the huge jumps from being a single cell to what we are today, not without referring to ‘Prometheus’. I have faith that DNA is the code which tells the cells what to become to make us what we are… but I am not able to prove how it works or where it came from. Am I not just transferring my choice to believe and therefore my faith from one thing to another? I choose to believe the scientists without any way to independently prove and therefore ‘know’ it is the truth and just as some choose to believe one source of explanation as to why we are here and how we came to be, I choose to believe the science bods….. is that not faith? " I think it is a faith of sorts but it is faith based on proven demonstratable independently corroborated fact. If you chose to challenge the scientists they would be able to give you evidence based proof. We don't have to take a scientists word for anything or it would not be science. That said I do also wonder whether we have an inate need to believe or have faith in something in order to feel fulfilled. | |||
"Fox ache Polo, my head is bursting now! I want to be an amoeba.
Just put on your onesie." I believe I shall and go play with Spongebob. | |||
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"I had a thought today about religion and faith.... whether we really do need 'faith'. Those who dismiss creationism, god or gods … are many just demonstrating faith in another form? Is the belief in the science not based more on faith than knowledge and understanding for the vast majority of us? I for one cannot explain how we made some of the huge jumps from being a single cell to what we are today, not without referring to ‘Prometheus’. I have faith that DNA is the code which tells the cells what to become to make us what we are… but I am not able to prove how it works or where it came from. Am I not just transferring my choice to believe and therefore my faith from one thing to another? I choose to believe the scientists without any way to independently prove and therefore ‘know’ it is the truth and just as some choose to believe one source of explanation as to why we are here and how we came to be, I choose to believe the science bods….. is that not faith? " If you are applying faith informally, then of course it is!..I have little or no knowledge of brake mechanics, but have faith in their reliability when driving..general anaesthetics is another field of knowledge that has passed me by, but I have faith when the old needle goes in, and I drift off, that I will regain conciousness....same applies when I board a plane. If you mean faith in a formal religious sense, then I would disagree. Religious faith does not require proof, it doesn't seek it. Unlike science where proof is at the heart of the scientific method. The model for evolution has compelling evidence that attempts to explain the natural world...until other scientists come along and disprove it, then it's the best explanation we have, that's all. | |||
"Personally I prefer to live in the real world and and not a fantasy or a fairytale as neither brings contentment. I don't believe in marriage and the happy ever after rubbish; I know that is due to a poor example by my cheating mother who would have ended two marriages had she not needed someone to sponge off but I cannot help it. And growing up, I have been surrounded by so many going through divorce demanding everything even when they are not necessarily the 'victims', cheaters via various websites that that to me destroy the sanctity of marriage. I just think there is no such thing as ever lasting love; I know I haven't yet met 'the one' but then I find it difficult thanks to an abusive childhood, to trust anyone and allow someone to get too close to me which is why swinging suits me perfectly "I do believe in marriage and I do believe it is possible to love your partner throughout your marriage (however long that marriage may last), I just don't believe it is or should be expected as a 'given'. The 'happy ever after' isn't the self fulfilling prophecy some, in my opinion, see it as. People change, some grow closer some further apart. I just believe that focussing on the here and now with genuine integrity to yourself and those around you will allow the future to take care of itself. If your expectations of 'the now' are not being met by the reality of today, then at least you can do something about it now. | |||
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