Axegrrl - 24 June 2012 01:53 PM
Can You Have a Meaningful Life Without an Afterlife?
Good video, got me to musing
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The image at 2:30~2:40 hit a spot.
You know, I never have enough time in a day, between work, chores, the family/friends, etc., struggling to cut out hours for myself, and then I’m busy doing my thing, knowing every minute is precious….... then that picture - men standing there in front of a wall, bobbing like dashboard ornaments for minutes, hours, days, lifetimes.
Makes me dizzy to think of all those millions who are satisfied with spending huge chunks of their lives repeating ancient words that don’t explain, or do, anything. Pretending that the real world doesn’t exist outside their sanctuaries. While perpetuating the practice of hostile tribalism. Lordie,lordie it just don’t make no freak’n sense to me.
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“...it’s amazing to me how many people live for dying.”
This one reflects my perspective regarding this question of being at peace with the knowledge that my death will be the end of my consciousness.., of me.
I take comfort in knowing that my life has touched others and it will echo for a while. Also I take comfort in knowing that materially all I am continues to be part of the biosphere and the pageant of evolution… or, creation as i like to say.
In fact, that’s one of beauties of understanding the long history of our planet, evolution and all that, it put’s life into a good, nearly eternal perspective, being one with my planet and all that wavy-gravy stuff.
Within me functions the labors and learning of millions, nay billions of years worth of experimentation and learning and building. And my life and actions have now been added to the endless pageant… pretty freak’n cool in my book! That is so fantastically groovy, I could rant like an evangelical preacher, but I don’t have enough ego for that. Think I’ll stick to writing.
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This is worth repeating - at 2:45
“another problem that the concept of an afterlife, it diminishes the value we place on our lives in the here and now”
Nothing has ever lived forever.
What’s wrong with being thankful and appreciating the blessings I’ve (u’ve) been granted?
For me it is, to be a healthy sentient being capable of reflecting upon the fantastic world I’ve been blessed to witness.
I am very happy that I’m among those people who experience and savor each day, rather than suckling of the sensual boobs of religion in order to disconnect from the real living world.
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At 5:10: “I am this collection of my memories, hopes, dreams, desires. My consciousness exists as the product of the brain that is within this body . . .”
Maybe it’s nit-picking but he left out all the environmental stuff, not just the exterior environment,
but the environment of the body that’s attached to this individual consciousness of ours.
That union and conflict between the various aspects of ourselves.
inner struggles, exterior struggles:
pretty white boy or girl, economic advantages beyond merit,
healthy body, or one that undergoes challenges, struggles and pain,
physically attractive, physically not attractive,
socio-economic standing of your family,
etc,
etc.
But, that’s a digression.
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This is a very cool video…
Three cheers for Thunderf00t!
He nailed it at 5:45, give it a listen.}
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6:25
“Just because there’s no grand scheme that it plays into, doesn’t mean there’s not something beautiful about what’s going here”
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6:40
wise words from a real world goddess… 
8:10
Damned Straight !
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Thanks for sharing Axegrrl, that was really beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeMoOJpvUlU
PS.
I’m not a Woody Allen fan, but he does have his gems:
“I’m not afraid of dying, I just don’t want to be there when it happens”
