Humanity's Stuggle With Death.

I think you are asking: "will these feelings exist for me after I die?" I have no reason to believe that they will. So it seems. After death, nothing. For any single one of us, yes. I believe that others will go on experiencing and loving life after I am gone. There will be others still living after you, to continue to experience. You just won't be around to know it. For some, that may sound bleak. I don't find it so.Cheers.*very minor edit madeThis message has been edited by Michael, 01-22-2006 05:40 PM

Though not perfectly so, I tend to be a skeptic by nature. I see no reason to believe in things beyond those that can be observed (directly or indirectly). As Jar has pointed out, this is arrogant. I have no belief in your god. Humans and elephants share many properties. Humans and chimpanzees share even more. We are not that special. Evolution is the best thing we have going to understand how humans fit with respect to other living things. 1) Wrong; 2) no evidence for that; 3) no evidence for that; 4) no evidence for that. I have experienced life as well, and have different ideas. I am not following your logic.Cheers.

Keep believing, and keep talking with your god. But know that those of us who do not hold to Christian philosophies may disagree with you mightily.There is absolutely no disappointment in not believing in an afterlife, and no tragedy. Okay, a couple of big problems here, but it seems you are about through with the topic. I will leave it unless you want to go on. If faith makes life easier for you, then, in my opinion, you shouldn't reject it. Just be tolerant of others with different beliefs. Happy sailing.

I very much hope that you are able to reconcile your faith with your questions. I believe that, for some, faith can be very rewarding. It seems to me that those who can question are those most comfortable with faith. Those who can't come off as angry and defensive; their experience with faith doesn't seem to be very positive at all.Cheers.

I'm not sure--it seems to me that you may be playing the devil's advocate. If so, fine, I'll play along. My apologies if I am wrong.I have struggled with the following question for a fair bit of time: do the faithful really believe? Or is whatever need that faith fills for them so great that they have to believe? I hope the distinction is clear. Maybe this has been discussed elsewhere.I think that the faithful are compelled to believe by a need. I can see no other reason why otherwise rational people (in some cases, at least) can accept the fantasy of their faith, in spite overwhelming contradictory evidence (except for the more liberal of the faithful--not sure how to work them in yet--my model may be too simple). If the need is so great that they can maintain the fantasy, I have to believe that their belief is rewarding to them. Otherwise, why believe? If they are gaining something by their belief, who am I to convince them that they are wrong? Hell, I could be wrong (about 1 in a googleplex chance, I think).The problem with faith comes when its adherents try to push their ideas/philosophies onto the people around them. I have no patience with that. Otherwise, as long as they are doing no harm due to their faith, I don't care what they believe. But if asked, I will give my opinion.Maybe this discussion should go to another topic.Cheers.**abeThis message has been edited by Michael, 02-11-2006 04:09 PM