Originally posted by apathist
Dying, though, is totally problematic.

That means that life is problematic, because from the minute you are born you are beginning the process of dying. But it grows stronger with age.

Death's "calling card" comes to us all along the way.
Emptiness, darkness, futility, vanity, sadness, depression - all signals that death is on its way.

Originally posted by sonship
Death's "calling card" comes to us all along the way.
Emptiness, darkness, futility, vanity, sadness, depression - all signals that death is on its way.

Some people gain solace from imagining that they are immortal. Various retail religions cater to this.

Originally posted by apathist
I've been trying, but am still unsure what you mean. It sounds important.

Well people seem to fall to the lowest common denominator.
Trump and others around the world use the politics of fear everyday. Though I cant see to what end ... except a bad one. Surely us monkeys can grow up

Originally posted by Suzianne
You "hope"??

What have you done to "make it so"? Anything?

There's plenty of time left to actually make that difference.

I am about the only person I still know from 22 years ago who still holds the same values. I did have kids but I didn't get sucked into the "money to make me happy" scam, or the " these people are good, and these people aren't good" paradigm.
I give when I can. It's in my DNA.
Hope this is god enough for you.I can only stay within my dharma.

I do have my own spirituality but don't recommend it to others.It's a form of Hinduism I guess.

Originally posted by Suzianne
You "hope"??

What have you done to "make it so"? Anything?

There's plenty of time left to actually make that difference.

I cleaned out the storm water drain in front of my kids school. The machines don't clean out the gunk somehow. That was last week. I pick up rubbish. I say "G'day" to most. Everyone welcome for a coffee at my place.
After that my contributions are a bit arty 🙂

Originally posted by apathist
I had to think three times! I don't want to stop thinking, and seeing apes send ships out, and finding out what happens next. But I have no choice.

Nor do you.

You were given free will, my friend. Don't ignore the gift. There are always choices. Choose wisely.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I cleaned out the storm water drain in front of my kids school. The machines don't clean out the gunk somehow. That was last week. I pick up rubbish. I say "G'day" to most. Everyone welcome for a coffee at my place.
After that my contributions are a bit arty 🙂

We can only use the gifts we're given. Not letting them go to waste seems the main idea. Helping people is always "worth it".

Originally posted by FMF
Some people gain solace from imagining that they are immortal. Various retail religions cater to this.

Some know better. Some understand the goal has to be helping each other through the time we're given. Some don't.

Originally posted by Suzianne
You were given free will, my friend. Don't ignore the gift. There are always choices. Choose wisely.

[misunderstanding]

Originally posted by Suzianne
We can only use the gifts we're given. Not letting them go to waste seems the main idea. Helping people is always "worth it".

Yeah, that's pretty much it.
I think what I'm beginning to realize more and more is that this is a crappy world when all is said and done. There are pockets of positivity, even amongst Christians, I admit, but I'm not so sure that any seismic shift in the attitude of the whole world will occur during the course of my life.Whereas 20 years ago I was more optimistic. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, but not for the whole world unfortunately.

FMF: Some people gain solace from imagining that they are immortal. Various retail religions cater to this.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Some know better. Some understand the goal has to be helping each other through the time we're given. Some don't.

The topic is "i have no fear of death" and my post was a reply to sonship saying this: "Death's "calling card" comes to us all along the way. Emptiness, darkness, futility, vanity, sadness, depression - all signals that death is on its way." You seemed to have missed the point of what I said. People do not have to join religious groups if they want to "help each other" but they do need to adopt some form of religious beliefs if they want to tell themselves that their own immortality 'conquers' death.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
I think what I'm beginning to realize more and more is that this is a crappy world when all is said and done. There are pockets of positivity, even amongst Christians, I admit, but I'm not so sure that any seismic shift in the attitude of the whole world will occur during the course of my life.Whereas 20 years ago I was more optimistic. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, but not for the whole world unfortunately.

Sometimes our lives seem crappy, but the world itself is amazing. It is a world full of possibility. The 'good news' is that you are able to change your life and improve your lot. You just need to make better life choices, surround yourself with the right people and seek out positive opportunities. Yes, there are some crappy things that we can't change, but there is plenty that we can.

Life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Some know better. Some understand the goal has to be helping each other through the time we're given. Some don't.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Sometimes our lives seem crappy, but the world itself is amazing. It is a world full of possibility. The 'good news' is that you are able to change your life and improve your lot. You just ...[text shortened]... that we can't change, but there is plenty that we can.

Life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Well said.

Originally posted by apathist
Dying, though, is totally problematic.

I'm not afraid of falling. I'm afraid of hitting the ground.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Sometimes our lives seem crappy, but the world itself is amazing. It is a world full of possibility. The 'good news' is that you are able to change your life and improve your lot. You just need to make better life choices, surround yourself with the right people and seek out positive opportunities. Yes, there are some crappy things that we can't change, but there is plenty that we can.

Life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

I like lemonade. I don't know about the people on this planet.

It's whole Zen thing and your ego. once you engage in that practice, you find your ego pilfering your own health and happiness.

You find yourself coming to strange new conclusions about what happiness is