Jasen777

Om, very interesting.

romansh

He seems to be doing fine out of line.
Nice blogspot
my question belongs on another thread ....but....
Isn't mankind's impatience, at least partly, due to wanting to live our lives as best we can. And for some this depends on what happens after we die?

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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

Om

Thanks on the blog--such as it is. Fact is I just put that together on a lark a while ago, mostly for myself and a couple close friends/family, thinking I'd put some ramblings I've written over the years in one place. Lots to add ... just got caught up in actual life for a while.

Not sure how to answer your question, exactly. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're coming at the question from the perspective of someone who has accepted that there IS an afterlife of some kind, and, because of that, part of the motivation for living "as best you can" is to be sure you do everything in your power to ensure safe passage.

Is that in the ballpark? I'll hold off on saying more until I'm sure I understood you right.

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romansh

My question is general ....in the afterlife: from nada, all the way to 72 virgins. My question rephrased is, is it truly "impatience", us wanting to know or do we need to know now so we can live this life accordingly?.... And speaking personally, I'm expecting the big and long nada.

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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

Om

Clearly, concern over the potential impact one's life choices might have on a possible afterlife is one of the reasons people behave as they do. I accept that as an axiom. I think I'm coming at this from a different perpective, though.

To me, the "impatience" I wrote about is one of the reasons we even HAVE the concept of an afterlife. I also called it a "fear of the dark," as I recall (but that's a slightly different discussion for another day.)

Both go to the idea that there seems to be a very strong need among our species to "fill in the blanks" of those things we do yet understand. The biggest questions of all--the origin and nature of the universe we perceive--to me are simply unknown and unknowable at this time. We may learn of them in time, but through our history, and as of today, we do not.

Despite this, throughout our history we have set about filling in the blanks with artificially constructed mysticisms that are both unproven and unprovable. Talking here about everything mystical, religious, supernatural, speculative.

Don't get me wrong. I dont' criticize it, and I do understand it. Life experience has taught me that the majority of human beings prefer the comfort and solidity of a fully-formed universal view shared by a group, to the uncertainty and often quite UNcomfortable life choice of admitting to oneself, "hey, I just don't know. And I'm going to be okay with that, even in the tough times."

To me, that is the very definition of the agnostic choice. And it strikes me as the ultimate expression of "patience," the exact opposite of the "impatience" I used to describe those who, for whatever reason, choose to believe in and live their lives around a universal view based not on fact, but conjecture, human construct and choice of faith.

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romansh

Thanks.... I think I understand, you are using patience in the same as at ease?

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

Om

Yes ... though with a caveat: "at ease" works very well in context of the individual's lifetime, but I don't think is quite as on-point in terms of how I believe we have behaved as a species.

I think "impatient" better conveys the urge--the almost desperate drive--we have shown to "fill in the blanks" in our universal view since we first started looking around and wondering about more than where our next full belly was coming from.

This is purely semantic self-indulgence, I know--maybe it's just my way of trying to fill in some blanks of my own.

*

By the way, reading your sig quote ... have you read Clarke's Nine Billion Names of God?

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romansh

Thanks Om. I get a sense of your thoughts.... will suffice for now.

I must have read it (the story) .... probably close to forty years ago ... but it obviously did not stick. I am an unabashed Adams fan.

ps you "should" post more often..... my wife does not like me using the word should!

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There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

WilliamBlue

Great story, I got chills when it ended, Arthur C Clarke was my favorite when I was a kid

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When you dance with an elephant it's up to you to not get stepped on.
How can we be so arrogant and egotistical to believe that the whole Universe was created just for us?