Perspectives of a Colorado Curmudgeon on topics ranging from Basketball to Music to Science & Religion to Travel to Memories, touching on a bit of everything.
Well, that is a good question. A couple of pessimistic scientists have predicted that humans will become extinct or nearly so within 100 years. Not too likely, but if I was going to bet on humans or on the earth, I would bet on the earth :-) The gnu atheists have one thing right - modern religions are the source of many current problems - I recently saw a quote " Science flies you to the moon; religion flies you into buildings." As long as religions have a much higher regard for the afterlife than for this one, fanatics will continue to emerge. As long as Christians are willing to die for the US but not for following the teachings of Jesus, Christendom will be a part of the problem. As long as Washington is more interested in politics than in governing, in spending more on the military than the rest of the world combined, and in fretting more about gay rights than on our crumbling infrastructure and shaky, the US will continue to slip-slide away. Sorry to be so cheery!!
I know- the older I get the more it bothers me when people even concern themselves with the after life at all. Even my "hip" non religious but "spiritual" friends have accepted the same sentiment but changed the language- like that life is hard, we're not meant to be here, we're spiritual beings visiting this place (which I get and do believe that physical life was neither the beginning nor the end) but when it goes so far as them saying things like "yea, I don't WANT to live to be old, I'm ready to move to the spirit realm as soon as possible".. I get sick to my stomach (and have to resist rolling my eyes). I'm thinking- exactly what do you think is so much better about that place than what you are capable of perceiving right here? You think it's going to be so much easier to create some kind of utopia in the "spirit realm" when you can't even be fundamentally (and fervently) grateful for your current life? As though it's not a sacred experience right here and now? Sorry charlie, if you can't see the "holiness" of your presence here, what makes you think your going to "get it" over there. (My current theory is that these people don't like to work, and they have a hunch that being a spirit means you just get to float around and do nothing but be awed by what you see- not unlike watching tv all day here. lol) I don't know. I'm just complaining. I also don't like the scientists or climatologists ability to glibly say "oh the earth will survive, don't worry, it always survives, but humans will go extinct". As if they haven't pondered the enormous horror that would accompany the extinction of the human species. The amount of human suffering that would have to take place for that to happen.... Wow - talk about cheery!! Anyway- that said, as much as I'd like to blame religion for our problems (and believe me, I do) - I fear it is simply humans to blame. If we didn't have modern religion, we'd turn something else into the reason to hate. Hey, those guys wear GREEN shoes and we wear BROWN shoes. I like brown better so we must be superior. Let's act out every feeling of self loathe we have in the form of Vengeance upon GREEN SHOES!!!!!
Oy. I got no business ranting like this on a Sunday. Thanks for listening.
Love it- I'm so sick of war and unrest and guns and school killings and sarah palin. When is it gonna end?
ReplyDeleteWell, that is a good question. A couple of pessimistic scientists have predicted that humans will become extinct or nearly so within 100 years. Not too likely, but if I was going to bet on humans or on the earth, I would bet on the earth :-) The gnu atheists have one thing right - modern religions are the source of many current problems - I recently saw a quote " Science flies you to the moon; religion flies you into buildings." As long as religions have a much higher regard for the afterlife than for this one, fanatics will continue to emerge. As long as Christians are willing to die for the US but not for following the teachings of Jesus, Christendom will be a part of the problem. As long as Washington is more interested in politics than in governing, in spending more on the military than the rest of the world combined, and in fretting more about gay rights than on our crumbling infrastructure and shaky, the US will continue to slip-slide away. Sorry to be so cheery!!
ReplyDeleteI know- the older I get the more it bothers me when people even concern themselves with the after life at all. Even my "hip" non religious but "spiritual" friends have accepted the same sentiment but changed the language- like that life is hard, we're not meant to be here, we're spiritual beings visiting this place (which I get and do believe that physical life was neither the beginning nor the end) but when it goes so far as them saying things like "yea, I don't WANT to live to be old, I'm ready to move to the spirit realm as soon as possible".. I get sick to my stomach (and have to resist rolling my eyes). I'm thinking- exactly what do you think is so much better about that place than what you are capable of perceiving right here? You think it's going to be so much easier to create some kind of utopia in the "spirit realm" when you can't even be fundamentally (and fervently) grateful for your current life? As though it's not a sacred experience right here and now? Sorry charlie, if you can't see the "holiness" of your presence here, what makes you think your going to "get it" over there. (My current theory is that these people don't like to work, and they have a hunch that being a spirit means you just get to float around and do nothing but be awed by what you see- not unlike watching tv all day here. lol) I don't know. I'm just complaining. I also don't like the scientists or climatologists ability to glibly say "oh the earth will survive, don't worry, it always survives, but humans will go extinct". As if they haven't pondered the enormous horror that would accompany the extinction of the human species. The amount of human suffering that would have to take place for that to happen....
ReplyDeleteWow - talk about cheery!! Anyway- that said, as much as I'd like to blame religion for our problems (and believe me, I do) - I fear it is simply humans to blame. If we didn't have modern religion, we'd turn something else into the reason to hate. Hey, those guys wear GREEN shoes and we wear BROWN shoes. I like brown better so we must be superior. Let's act out every feeling of self loathe we have in the form of Vengeance upon GREEN SHOES!!!!!
Oy. I got no business ranting like this on a Sunday. Thanks for listening.