Religions

[TheGame]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

We aren't talking about the same things. I think you think I'm saying no one should ever be sad because there is always someone more sad, and no one should be happy because there is always someone more happy.

I'm not saying that. I'm not talking about tiers of happiness.

I'm saying that there is hunger in the world, and that people die from it. I don't think you're fully comprehending how painful that would be - to starve to death. And it happens. Maybe these people feel blessed for some things, but I doubt the children who die this way do. I know when I was a child I never really stopped to think "wow, I'm really blessed."

I'm just saying that these atrocious things happen, and there is no god in any of it - at least not a kind god. Then you have these religious people in first world countries who talk about how god has entered their lives and made their lives better.

Now THAT is a matter of perspective. Their lives are good because they lived in a developed nation and had good opportunities, not because of an act of god. Why do they give credit to him, when it's easy to see that it's just the natural entropy of the universe, that some people are very lucky and some are very unlucky?


@KG: yeah, I pretty much agree with all of that. I don't think it was directed at me, probably more at Typhoid, but yeah.

I understand what you're saying, but I for one would rather be born and die from starvation then to not have lived at all. Life is a gift. Your original question was asking how it's rationalized, and I'm telling you how it is rationalized.

For example... I hate to use myself as an example, but my little brother died form cancer at the age of 2. Do I think it's unfair/sad that he never got the chance to live a normal life? Of course I do. If I could go back in time and stop him from existing so he wouldn't have to deal with the cancer? NO.

Even though he had a short life he blessed a lot of people and brought our family back together. He helped me put my own life into perspective at an early age, and appriciate the time that I do have here because it's not promised. Even if you're born in te NA or Africa, you aren't promised a longer life or a less painful death at all. Nor are you promised a happier life.

That's why there are wealthy people out there killing themselves, and poor people loving life.

So yes, when I see a poor person that I can help, I help them. When I see people dying from starvation, it makes me upset. But at the same time, it makes me remember how blessed I am to even be here and have the chance to experience life. I could have died just as quick or quicker then anyone who ever lived.

The less fortunate should create humility for you. People aren't at church going "Thank God that I have a better life then a few billion people", It's more like "Thank you for letting me be here and giving my this gift of life, because I didn't have to be here and didn't have to have this gift."

Then we can get into prayer, which is basically wishing well for other people that you can't help, and thanking god for what you have already recieved. You can pray for yourself to succeed at something, or to make it through something, but my personal preference is to wish the best for others. Usually if I'm praying for myself, I'm praying to have a good outlook regardless of how things turn out, and I leave things in God's hands.

See now I'm just preaching to GT. lol

I gotta go get my haircut.

KG Typhoid, I'm not ignoring you guys, just too much to read. I'ma have more time to look tonight.

[Combine 017]

Originally Posted by TheGame

I understand what you're saying, but I for one would rather be born and die from starvation then to not have lived at all.

Why?

[TheGame]

Originally Posted by Combine 017

Why?

Because I think the chance to live life is a blessing in itself.

[Combine 017]

Originally Posted by TheGame

Because I think the chance to live life is a blessing in itself.

Even if youre only going to live for a few years?

Not even enough time to understand the concept of life.

[TheGame]

Originally Posted by Combine 017

Even if youre only going to live for a few years.

Not even enough time to understand the concept of life.

I already addressed that in the same post you originally quoted.

Since you want to go there though, what is the concept of life? You do realize how people understand life is subjective right? Just because you are more wealthy and live a longer life then someone else doesn't mean that they're life was a waste. Just like your life isn't a waste because there are people more wealthy then you and can't understand the concept of debt, public school, or wiping their own butt (or whatever a spoiled person can't live without).

Your concept of happiness shifts based on how much knowlege you have and based on your personal experiences and the situation you were born into. Just because you die a few years after you're born doesn't mean you didn't experience happiness, sadness, love etc etc. And no matter how long you live, you're going to die. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to happen.

Yeah if you die young young you don't experience as much joy relitive to someone who lives longer, but you also don't experience as much pain.

[Combine 017]

Originally Posted by TheGame

Your concept of happiness shifts based on how much knowlege you have and based on your personal experiences and the situation you were born into. Just because you die a few years after you're born doesn't mean you didn't experience happiness, sadness, love etc etc. And no matter how long you live, you're going to die. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to happen.

Yeah if you die young young you don't experience as much joy relitive to someone who lives longer, but you also don't experience as much pain.

But there are people who are born who do not experience happiness, who are born suffering only to die early. If I had the choice I would opt out of that life, it would be miserable. And im well aware that death is inevitable, but if you dont even get to "live", then whats the point of being born? Im sure you realize that if you were the one born into that position your views and beliefs would be changed drastically, but that can be said about anything really.

Back to that "death is inevitable" topic, I remember seeing somewhere that cell replicating nanites could be created, and that they would replace/repair any dyeing cells or something, so theoretically you could avoid death? At least through natural causes. Maybe at that point everything will go all Logans Run on us.

[TheGame]

Originally Posted by Combine 017

But there are people who are born who do not experience happiness, who are born suffering only to die early.

-EDIT-

Rewording... Happiness is a relative term. Some days are better then others, therefore they could be happy about the better days. If all of their days are sad (by your opinion), then for them 'sad' is 'normal' and it no longer has any power over them. Therefore they can appriciate different things that we take for granted.

For all we know, we lead a sad, pointless, and painful life to somone else.