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I've just lifted myself up after falling off my chair here...
That you? What on earth or in heaven has caused you to pay another visit to this forum after signing off for so long now? Glad you are back! Don't get me wrong, but I sure hope you will explain both your absence and your return. Please do explain.
And a most sincere welcome back!
Don't bother to get up on my account. Since you ask (and Hi Learnme, ol' pal). I had mentioned once or twice that I wanted a more public - open forum to get my pet theory and opinions out, since Crypto failed to make me a fortune and my Disney shares aren't looking too great. But the Forum I'm still on is rather light on hits, it seems. Also I had a kind DM asking after me and suggesting I stop hiding like a pacifist vole and get my butt back over here. No names but thanks to her, and as I got a helping push out, she gave me a push back in.
Anything more to say about lost loved ones? Only maybe my Theory of the atheist afterlife. While I reckon after we die we rejoin the stream (as Taoism has it) whether that's cosmic consciousness or just stardust atoms, if there is an afterlife, I am willing to bet that no one religion has the ticket concession. No god judges us and no creed or lack of one excludes anybody. Thus, if one is going to believe in an afterlife, choose the atheist (or irreligious) one. If your religion turns out isn't the right one, it isn't particularly the wrong one, either.
I've just lifted myself up after falling off my chair here...
That you? What on earth or in heaven has caused you to pay another visit to this forum after signing off for so long now? Glad you are back! Don't get me wrong, but I sure hope you will explain both your absence and your return. Please do explain.
How about the fact that as an adult I can accept reality?
I lost my mother over a year ago. She was very religious, flawed, even a total biotch at times....but that could not save her from the reality of death
How about the fact that in this universe, ALL that we can see and measure is temporary and fleeting ...and as we can measure, that is how this universe HAS BEEN and ALWAYS will BE ! How about accepting this reality?
I was sad, decades ago, when I list the most perfect cat I ever owned. I called him the "King-cat" due to his habit for assuming the Sphinx. pr "king cat" position at rest. I was very sad when he dies of a serious cat disease BUT I knew enough to know that Life is fleeting, temporary and precious
I learned that everyone must live his or her life to the fullest, to help others to do the same, and to live life to the fullest without regard to some IMAGINARY afterlife....TO live each day to make one's life and that of others better in some way.
And I did that. My cat knew that I loved him My Mom knew that I loved her and forgave her for all of her years of religious abuse. Death is a part of life, and the sooner we accept that and move on to that reality then the more we can learn to make a positive impact on the world and lives on those around us While we are here.
How about the fact that as an adult I can accept reality?
Essentially, that is the nature of it. The notion of an afterlife is the definition of a fantasy. I don't mean that as an insult but merely a descriptive.
The universe was around for more than 13,000,000,000 years before either myself or anyone I've ever cared about showed up. I have no trouble facing that fact. For an unimagineable length of time, I could not interact with them - because none of us existed.
I'm pretty sure I can handle that fact that I similarly will not be able to engage with them in any way for the next 13,000,000,000+ years after our respective deaths. Quite the contrary, really; if there comes a time when I am nearing the end and am in a position to ponder it (as opposed to, say, getting hit by a bus this afternoon!) I've no doubt that I'll take comfort in knowing that my various loved ones still have years of life and its pleasures ahead of them.
We all have our time. Then it's gone. So best make the most of it!
Don't bother to get up on my account. Since you ask (and Hi Learnme, ol' pal). I had mentioned once or twice that I wanted a more public - open forum to get my pet theory and opinions out, since Crypto failed to make me a fortune and my Disney shares aren't looking too great. But the Forum I'm still on is rather light on hits, it seems. Also I had a kind DM asking after me and suggesting I stop hiding like a pacifist vole and get my butt back over here. No names but thanks to her, and as I got a helping push out, she gave me a push back in.
Anything more to say about lost loved ones? Only maybe my Theory of the atheist afterlife. While I reckon after we die we rejoin the stream (as Taoism has it) whether that's cosmic consciousness or just stardust atoms, if there is an afterlife, I am willing to bet that no one religion has the ticket concession. No god judges us and no creed or lack of one excludes anybody. Thus, if one is going to believe in an afterlife, choose the atheist (or irreligious) one. If your religion turns out isn't the right one, it isn't particularly the wrong one, either.
Thanks for explaining. Good you are back in any case, regardless why you left, because like you, I am also always hopeful this forum will be "more public." Why I've been calling (wishing) for "new blood" lately. Getting back some old blood helps too...
I've been reluctant to leave this forum despite many a good reason I've considered over the years, because I have a fear that if there is an afterlife, and if you, me and others are wrong about a god who judges us, She may not look favorably on anyone who leaves this forum.
Meanwhile you are not alone. My wife was bullish on crypto, so we invested some money awhile back that I'm pretty well ready to right off now. We don't have Disney shares, but I'm glad we're pretty well divested between one thing or another, because otherwise retirement wouldn't be quite as comfortable as it is for us right now. Fingers crossed things don't turn upside down yet again however, but in case of that too, being divested tends to be one of the best hedges when the crap hits the fan.
Missed yo'all. especially the trounce - training where i have to take a turn round the garden counting to ten several times, and return to the screen. "....Right....now, for umptieth time; atheism is not a belief -system..."
How about the fact that as an adult I can accept reality?
I lost my mother over a year ago. She was very religious, flawed, even a total biotch at times....but that could not save her from the reality of death
How about the fact that in this universe, ALL that we can see and measure is temporary and fleeting ...and as we can measure, that is how this universe HAS BEEN and ALWAYS will BE ! How about accepting this reality?
I was sad, decades ago, when I list the most perfect cat I ever owned. I called him the "King-cat" due to his habit for assuming the Sphinx. pr "king cat" position at rest. I was very sad when he dies of a serious cat disease BUT I knew enough to know that Life is fleeting, temporary and precious
I learned that everyone must live his or her life to the fullest, to help others to do the same, and to live life to the fullest without regard to some IMAGINARY afterlife....TO live each day to make one's life and that of others better in some way.
And I did that. My cat knew that I loved him My Mom knew that I loved her and forgave her for all of her years of religious abuse. Death is a part of life, and the sooner we accept that and move on to that reality then the more we can learn to make a positive impact on the world and lives on those around us While we are here.
My father who was a well loved good man, good husband and father, went from a funny, sharp, self-made successful businessman to a complete shell of his prior self the last three years of his life. Alzheimer's is another one of those life lessons that tends to defy all reason and logic when it comes to explaining or understanding such a thing.
All of which seems to include that one common theme or lesson about how everything is subject to change. Nothing stays the same over time. For better or worse. Recognizing this fact has helped me with the whole what happens after I die question, because it is hardly any more productive than the whole what will be tomorrow question. Either way it seems that living each day to the fullest is the best way to go for all variety of reasons.
To "live like you mean it."
Fretting about all the "what ifs," short term or long term, in this life or if there is a next, is not the best way to make good use of the now...
Essentially, that is the nature of it. The notion of an afterlife is the definition of a fantasy. I don't mean that as an insult but merely a descriptive.
The universe was around for more than 13,000,000,000 years before either myself or anyone I've ever cared about showed up. I have no trouble facing that fact. For an unimagineable length of time, I could not interact with them - because none of us existed.
I'm pretty sure I can handle that fact that I similarly will not be able to engage with them in any way for the next 13,000,000,000+ years after our respective deaths. Quite the contrary, really; if there comes a time when I am nearing the end and am in a position to ponder it (as opposed to, say, getting hit by a bus this afternoon!) I've no doubt that I'll take comfort in knowing that my various loved ones still have years of life and its pleasures ahead of them.
We all have our time. Then it's gone. So best make the most of it!
Thanks for explaining. Good you are back in any case, regardless why you left, because like you, I am also always hopeful this forum will be "more public." Why I've been calling (wishing) for "new blood" lately. Getting back some old blood helps too...
I've been reluctant to leave this forum despite many a good reason I've considered over the years, because I have a fear that if there is an afterlife, and if you, me and others are wrong about a god who judges us, She may not look favorably on anyone who leaves this forum.
Meanwhile you are not alone. My wife was bullish on crypto, so we invested some money awhile back that I'm pretty well ready to right off now. We don't have Disney shares, but I'm glad we're pretty well divested between one thing or another, because otherwise retirement wouldn't be quite as comfortable as it is for us right now. Fingers crossed things don't turn upside down yet again however, but in case of that too, being divested tends to be one of the best hedges when the crap hits the fan.
Thank you. I wouldn't recommend my Old Blood though; the local mesquites leave crosses on my back. And I was kidding about Crypto and shares. My cash went into flats to rent (my best pal calls me a property Raccoon) and that is a nice little earner. Can't go wrong with bricks and mortar, except in China.
The apologetics are pretty much the same where I am (debating religion and Christianity, come up n' see me sometime) as here. Same questions and apologetics and refusal to listen over and again and Religious apologists wanting to preach their own fantasies and getting upset at questions "I don't want to talk about that - I want to discuss how the Nephilim species with webbed feet interbred with human women, and never mind about the genetic barrier, God can do whatever he likes".
An some exciting progress on the empty tomb...I have a Theory.... ....that the empty tomb, though original material (everything else after that contradicts , pretty much) shows signs of plot construction. e.g there is no good reason to go to the tomb, other than the plot needs it. The gospels can''t even agree why they went. And it never occurred to them that they wouldn't be able to get in? Of course, John doesn't nave an angel st on his stage mark waiting for the women to turn up to have the angel explain everything. In John, Mary goes back to the disciples thinking that someone removed the body. And what fun there was with people trying to explain that one Of course 'That's your opinion' and 'you can't prove it'. Yes, 'let the games begin'.
Thank you. I wouldn't recommend my Old Blood though; the local mesquites leave crosses on my back. And I was kidding about Crypto and shares. My cash went into flats to rent (my best pal calls me a property Raccoon) and that is a nice little earner. Can't go wrong with bricks and mortar, except in China.
The apologetics are pretty much the same where I am (debating religion and Christianity, come up n' see me sometime) as here. Same questions and apologetics and refusal to listen over and again and Religious apologists wanting to preach their own fantasies and getting upset at questions "I don't want to talk about that - I want to discuss how the Nephilim species with webbed feet interbred with human women, and never mind about the genetic barrier, God can do whatever he likes".
An some exciting progress on the empty tomb...I have a Theory.... ....that the empty tomb, though original material (everything else after that contradicts , pretty much) shows signs of plot construction. e.g there is no good reason to go to the tomb, other than the plot needs it. The gospels can''t even agree why they went. And it never occurred to them that they wouldn't be able to get in? Of course, John doesn't nave an angel st on his stage mark waiting for the women to turn up to have the angel explain everything. In John, Mary goes back to the disciples thinking that someone removed the body. And what fun there was with people trying to explain that one Of course 'That's your opinion' and 'you can't prove it'. Yes, 'let the games begin'.
Flats?
I've got to be running along now. No more time to play, but before I sign off I'd like to ask where you are from. That term "flats" is not one used around where I'm from...
Good for you if you are getting a decent ROI regardless the I. We've got some decent equity gained over the years in our home, but I don't include that in our portfolio of investments, since we're not planning to sell our home. Whatever the value might be when we die, for our kids perhaps. (Though it's always good to know there is value there too in the event we are forced to sell before we die for any reason).
Either way, diversification is always a good hedge against downturns regardless the I. Just saying.
Seems these comments might be suited for another thread I started some time ago for just such occasions...
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....that the empty tomb, though original material (everything else after that contradicts , pretty much) shows signs of plot construction. e.g there is no good reason to go to the tomb, other than the plot needs it. The gospels can''t even agree why they went. And it never occurred to them that they wouldn't be able to get in? Of course, John doesn't nave an angel st on his stage mark waiting for the women to turn up to have the angel explain everything. In John, Mary goes back to the disciples thinking that someone removed the body. And what fun there was with people trying to explain that one 
Of course 'That's your opinion' and 'you can't prove it'. Yes, 'let the games begin'.
