Sunday, November 19, 2006
Green v. AG - Round II: A follow up
From: Green
To: American Guy
Subject: greetings
Date: Tue, 29 April 2003
Hello AG:
How's life down under? I can't believe it's almost May!! How's that crisp autumn weather?
How are your dad and sister doing these days, since your mom's passing? How are YOU and your family doing in that regard? I think about you and your family often.
Your mom was a very special woman. She was always nice to me and one of the few people who could get away with calling me (an annoying variant of my real first name) and not have me tell them not to or get upset about it.
Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
I've been wondering, since your mom's passing, if your viewpoint on death and what happens to your soul after your body dies has changed? The last time we talked about it, you said that you believed when you die that's it. You're dead, end of story.
G
and AG replied:
To: Green
From: American Guy
Subject: Re: greetings
Date: Tue., 29 April 2003
Hi Green,
Thanks for your concern and kind thoughts.
We're all doing okay - or as okay as can be expected. My dad's actually been down here on a visit - he flies back home tomorrow but has had a great trip.
My beliefs have not changed. When you die, you're dead. That's it.
Look, religion (and I'm not just talking just Christianity - any religion) is designed to help us make sense of our world. It has always been thus. Crops failed? The gods must be angry. Win an important battle or war? It's because god was on your side and your cause was righteous.
Some people still need religion to make sense of the world. My world makes a lot more sense without it. As a species, we have trouble with the finality of death - at least when it comes to our own species anyways - we all know that when you slaughter a cow you have nothing left but hamburger.
But being that we're the highest order organism (that we know of anyways) we must be different. There has to be an afterlife, our soul must survive - otherwise what meaning does our life hold? I'll answer that - the same as any other living thing. We're here to propagate the species. If we are aware of our existence, that is the main difference. We have no soul. Or at least not in the sense that most people define it. Maybe soul is just another word for consciousness. In any case, it doesn't survive after death.
I don't really understand death - I don't think we're evolved enough to. But then again, at one time people didn't understand genetics or evolution (and some people still don't - I hope no matter what your views on the spiritual side of life you're not among those who discount science and say that we were 'created' and didn't evolve, because that is just willful blindness). So maybe, as the species develops we will learn to understand death. When that happens, I don't see there being a need for religion at all.
Some people say that religion offers more comfort. And if it comforts you that's fine. Personally, I take more comfort in knowing that my mum's death was a natural event (that can be explained and understood), not a supernatural one (the old 'god works in mysterious ways' routine).
Stay well.
AG
Once we die a physical death, our spirits and souls will still live on for eternity.
The question is: Will you spend eternity with God or eternity separated from God?
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This is off the topic, but I thought you would get a kick out of it => TOP TEN REASONS WHY LIBERALS HATE THE HOLIDAYS
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving...
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