Serious Philosophical Thread.

American Voice

Council Member
Jun 4, 2004
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Posted: Jun 25, 2004 11:38 pm Post subject: Serious Philosophical Thread.
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American Voice

Posted: Jun 23, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject: Re: Yes or No Game.
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Forty-nine and childless, I begin to wonder.

What do you believe is our purpose?



_________________
Endure all things gladly.






Haggis McBagpipe
Übergod

Posted: Jun 23, 2004 10:30 pm Post subject:
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I don't think we have a purpose at all, other than what we bestow on ourselves in an attempt to explain ourselves.

Do you believe there is such a thing as 'good' and 'evil'?



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God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. Voltaire






Lisa
Forum Addict

Posted: Jun 24, 2004 7:02 am Post subject:
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Can i join this one-on-one?

I do not know whether there is such a black and white division as good and evil. I just came back from a Philosophy exam i had on University, which stated the ideas of Jean Paul Sarte. He says that every person is free, because your conscious can negate. You are free in everything, and your destiny is controlled by yourself, because you have to make your own choices. The only thing we are not free in is the fact that we are free, because that is a fact that is undisputable.

I find it interesting that you can control your own destiny, i don't think that your destiny is made for you, a thing you cannot control yourself.

Do you believe in God?



_________________
" Ich liebe dich, was gehts das dir an?"
- Spinoza






American Voice
Needs to get out more

Posted: Jun 24, 2004 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Yes or No Game.
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Do I believe in God? Yes, God is love.

This question may be darker than is appropriate for this particular thread, but it's one I have pondered many years: what remains when the will to live is relinquished? (I should add that I once suffered a nervous breakdown. When I found myself at the bottom in the pit of Hell, inscribed on the wall there were the words I have for my motto, which is my signature here.)

Addendum: I should phrase the question so as to elicit a Yes or No reply, okay. That's the rule.

Do you believe we have a soul; a vital essence that sustains life, without compromising the integrity of conscious free will?

_________________
Endure all things gladly.




LuShes
Beyond Help

Posted: Jun 24, 2004 6:28 pm Post subject:
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No, we are bags of water...we just evovled into more stupid naive animals, who for some reason we think we are superior cuz we can drive cars and dogs can't and destroy the planet faster then anything ever imagined possible!

do you believe in capital punishment?



_________________
Live as if you'll die tommorow, Dream as if you'll live forever.






Haggis McBagpipe
Übergod

Posted: Jun 24, 2004 7:08 pm Post subject:
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No.

You know, guys, a lot of the questions and answers in this thread would make terrific non-game threads.

Do you believe in turning the other cheek?



_________________
God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. Voltaire






American Voice
Needs to get out more

Posted: Jun 24, 2004 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: Yes or No Game.
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The federal justice department has just announced they are as good as federalizing our local municipal police division. Turn the other cheek? No! It's about god-damned time!! We had 212 murders here last year, evidence of a gang war.

Do you want to initialize a serious philosophical thread?



_________________
Endure all things gladly.
 

Reverend Blair

Council Member
Apr 3, 2004
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Winnipeg
I read a book by this guy who went and lived in the bush once and said I'd never mention it again. I've been unable to stay out of it ever since. If I ever get to Walden, I'm gonna have a beer or two in the woods. I might have a leak on somebody's grave too, (is he even buried there?) but I trust he'd understand the spirit and the reasons...

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that our pal from the US wants to start a serious philosophical thread. I hope it does well, but I have doubts.

In any case, kudos for giving it a shot and giving us credit, Voice.

I have few thoughts

What we are told is our "dark side" isn't. Life ain't joy and sunshine and if that's what we expect we will be sadly disappointed.

Drugs and booze have a purpose. Don't denigrate the results, don't get carried away.

Listen to my Grandma. I have no idea what your's said, but mine made sense. She also told dirty jokes really well.

Talk to priests. Don't sign up or anything, but they actually think about this shit.

Buy a cool car or six. Pretty much the most shallow thing you can do, but you learn when the wrecker hauls them off.

Grow a garden. Eat a real tomato, right off the vine. Gnaw on a carrot that you just wiped the dirt off of.

Turn a truck upside down in a ditch. I know it doesn't sound spiritual, but give it a shot. Wear a seatbelt and be careful. Or not.

Break windows. Not literally. Maybe though. Don't fall into a pattern of not breaking things though...of being afraid of what could happen if you talk back.

Listen to music with real words. I hate rap, but I keep finding words that I like. I love Bob Dylan and Steve Earle and Woody Guthrie and, and, and...

Keep reading. So many don't.
 

Diamond Sun

Council Member
Jun 11, 2004
1,366
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Within arms reach of the new baby..
I don't know if we have a purpose in life, I don't know if there's some goal that we should be striving for, but I do think it's important to take something out of every experience you have. Whether it's a good or bad experience.

For whatever reason we are all on this same planet, and coexisting with other people, animals, plants, and so few people actually take time to be in awe of what we are and what we can do. We really need to take time to smell the roses, spent time with our kids, dip our toes in a glacier fed stream, make snow angels on the patio. Life isn't all about money, because I don't know very many people with lots of money that don't have lots of problems....
 

American Voice

Council Member
Jun 4, 2004
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There is one thought that has come to me in recent years, and that is the realization that, after all that has happened, I can honestly say I am happy. There is something that goes along with happiness, and that is a little twinge of compassion one feels at the sight of someone who is obviously not happy. It calls for discretion, because there are people to whom a display of kindness appears like weakness and vulnerability, and might provoke aggression and even violence. There are those. . . However, despite that digression, happiness is something that wants to be shared. What I give to you, passing through my hands enriches me--that sort of thing. There's a line from a song by Bruce Cockburn: "Well I got this thing in my heart I must give you today, it only lives when you give it away. Give it away!"

I have noticed that I only obtain insight into my emotions when I express them, best by sharing them verbally with others, confiding to friends. Exchange of pleasantries with clerks, flirting with the young girls, a simple greeting with a stranger on the street or parking lot--these are no small things. Everybody wants to have a good day.
 

researchok

Council Member
Jun 12, 2004
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Well, I look at it all like this:

Bidden or unbidden, God is there. (Carl Jung)

If that doesn't work for you, try and make each day a bit better for those around you. Doesn't have to be much, just a bit better.