So, like, what if this.........

Oh mollys, you bring up a subject I hate to think about, which is burial. I'm going to leave it to you to find out about that particular one, ok? I'm still grappling with the question I posed. Yikes. But welcome to the Lot. I wish you many happy hours here and I appreciate my discussion being your very first. Happy myLotting!!!

Yeah, I don't believe that we could be the only intelligent life forms either, AmAllen. Who knows why or when contact will be made, but I'll bet it will be. And hey, maybe it WILL be the solution to world and universal peace. But it's just too big a question to take on without some coffee, which I've just now made and am preparing to enjoy a cup of.....till later, my friend......

Personally, I think we come back as people, mykl, but if the polar ice caps melted, there would be tsunamis and god knows what else and people would probably be no more. And yes, damn, if the earth was no more? Higher planes of existence, yes, maybe, but what if our souls aren't yet ready for those higher planes? What, do we just lose out? Wah! So think on it, my brainiac young friend and get back to me..........

Well hello, Miss Moondancer! It's nice to hear from you too, thanks for coming in. Ya know, I pretty much agree with most of what you've said here and I'm so happy to see that your faith is so strong, as is mine. But I just wonder, what if the earth is no longer in existence? Then what?

Happy mylotting sugar. (you can consider the above question rhetorical if you like) Have a blast out there.

Well my lovely lady. It has happened before that people were not here. But then wala, here we are. If not, then we surely are not the only ones in the whole universe. There are many many planets, and moons out there. I wonder what we would look like in another place? Hummmm, brings up another question to ponder.

P1key my love, you always find a way to warm me, don't you? And clearly you saw that I was asking for some kind of comfort and there you were, as per usual, with comfort to beat the band, raining gently down upon my head and heart. I love you, you wonderful ol' fish.

Oh Lexus, you are such a sweetheart!!! And such a comfort to me, thank you so much. It's great to know that I have "p1kefish" insurance! Ha! Thanks for sending out the love, lexus darlin. You always do. I could just squeeeeeeze you!

I don't mean to be a wool blanket...but once you're dead, you're dead. Whatever you believe....it's time for it to happen, at death. So....you can't change it or stop it...so why worry. Actually I see death as a sweet relief and I'll not begrudge the going. When it's my time...it's my time....although...I would prefer it not hurt.......just sayin.........I'm a wimp. I've had enough pain in life...I'd like to pass in peace.....ahh the bliss............;) I ain't skerred either...of death....ok...pain maybe.......hee

My goodness, Scoop, you've done quite a lot of thinking, haven't you? That's what gets me in trouble. Thinking tooooo much. And I don't even know why the question came into my empty head either. Weird. But it did, and the weirdest thing is that I posted it here on the Lot. As ya know, I don't do that many discussions, and not usually with such odd, off the wall kinds of things. Or, wait a minute. Maybe I do! Ha, ha! I'm not sure how my discussions are viewed, to tell you the truth. I do know that a lot of friends always come and that I can count on them (you) to do so and to be nothing but supportive. And now I'm rambling. Sheesh, who woulda thought I'd do a thing like that!??

And as to the comfort part, I don' believe in that 2012 thing. And I hope that we do have a few million years. But the Olympics??? Wah, don't get me worrying about them! lol, Scoop, at least you've taken my mind of the4 initial worry. Thanks, darlin! Ain't no one like our Scoop. Kisses!

Irish, hey darlin! I don't worry about death, and I agree that when your number's up, it's up. We can't change it and there's no reason to worry about it. But I do believe in reincarnation, and that stupid questin came up in my head and burrowed in a bit, ya know? So I thought I'd post it here and get some ideas from you wonderful people out there. And some comfort. Which I've gotten. God bless all of ya!

That's sort of the same as my theory scoop.. if you take oil out of something it stops working
Leaking extinguishing seas.. hmmm now there's a thought!

Oh, you are a wool blanket are you, Irish?

If I was reincarnating I think I would hope for a duvet at the very least. They are the in things these days and the wool blankets are pretty much confined to the cupboard for use in emergency cold weather conditions. I remember having to make them up into bed packs during my forces days. Right pain it was!

Anyway, you have replied as if you think I believe in life after death, when in fact I am with you on this. This is it, so make the most of it dear friend.

Thanks for the kind words, Nova!

I am science buff so I didn't do a lot of thinking here. For one thing it hurts my brain and also, like you, it can get me into trouble.

I don't do many discussions either, but this was a good one and I hope you do more. Now that I am replying I have forgotten what is was about, but it was good.....honest! haha

Something about reincarnation? Anyway if you are going to count on me then call me abacus from now on.

Thanks for replying and hope you're well.

Yer not a wool blanket, Irish. You're a wonderful, warm, cotton quilt.

Hi, Humairaabed, and welcome to the Lot!! It's a great place with so many kind and wonderful people, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun here.

And since you don't believe in reincarnation, then you don't have to worry about it! I appreciate though, that you've taken the time to think about it and about my question and have expressed your thoughts and feelings without judgment. You'll do well here. I hope I see you again.

Hello Maxbest and welcome to the Lot!!! And you're right, I've thought too much about the question I've posed here. And it is a scary thought, the thought of the world ending or being completely awash with tsunamis and floods. So I'm glad to know that you converted to the other thing! Way to go! Happy myLotting, Maxbest!

Hello, Urban! Wow, I think this might be the first time I've seen you in one of my discussions. I feel a certain amount of honor, and I'm not being sarcastic. You may be right, reincarnation might just be hokum. And so may every other idea about life and death. But that somehow doesn't stop me from getting these questions into my brain, does it? Nope.

I appreciate your presence here, Urban. It's really great to see you. Rock on, kiddo.

Of course notions of life after death maybe hokum but reincarnation is different.

We need to draw a distinction between what is possible and what is not and reincarnation, whilst perhaps a nice comforting idea, is fundamentally flawed by internal incoherence. Since what I call me is a sum of my experiences; a bundle of perceptions, memories, thoughts, feelings, etc. and that bundle makes me what I am then what is it that survives reincarnation? Not any of that bundle that composes me.

In what way then is it I that is reincarnated? None that is meaningful. Historically it developed as a means of the rich and powerful oppressing the poor and weak and keeping them in near slavery by blaming their condition on woes of a former life. This is an outrageous injustice and only an evil deity could devise such a scheme, were I am subject to suffering for acts committed by someone in a former life who in any meaningful sense is not me. In India 60 million live in near slavery oppressed by the caste system and the concept of incarnation and this is one of the great evils of the world.

all the best urban

I am touched by your flattery by the by,

all the best urban

Thank you, Urban, my flattery was sincere, and I'm glad you saw that. I've read many of your comments in other peoples' discussions and you speak with intelligence and quite articulately. I could never get into a war of words with you....I'd lose, miserably, I'm sure. But probably happily. And what you say about the beginning of the theory of reincarnation may be true, but I don't believe that we are punished in our lives for the sins of the past, but that we are put here again to learn more, to become better human beings, to live our lives more like, for lack of a better example, Christ. You know, one time my sister Patty asked me what I must have done in a past life to have all of the illness and hospitalizations and such that I have in this life. And I looked at her aghast and said that I had such a BLESSED life. My ilnesses and such have only served to make me a bigger person, more open to others' suffering and pain, because of what I've gone through. It's only made me more conpassionate, and kinder. I definitely didn't believe that I was being punished for anything. I also believe in past life memories....because I've had what I believe is them. I believe I was in a concentration camp in a Nazi controlled country. But what I don't know is this: was I a prisoner or a guard? It's a very distrubing question and one which I hope I eventually get an answer to. But if I don't, I'll be ok. Whatever I was, whatever I did, I must have learned. I love the life I have and consider it a gift.

Anyway. Whew, I hadn't intended to type all of this. But I type just like I talk, and I was talkin! Interesting to find myself talking to urbandekay.......about a religious subject, no less! I wouldn't have anticipated it, ever. But I'm glad for the discourse. Ok, your turn.

One thing is clear, we humans are masters of self-deception, our introspection and attempts for knowledge in that way are not to be trusted. For even if we are sure of the pre-conceptual experience, in our conceptualisation of that experience, that makes it cogent to us, we alter it subtlety.

At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time. - Friedrich Nietzsche.

all the best urban

Yes - we are masters of self deception, urban. I happen to be pretty good at it myself, o yessirree. And I think you have a point about our conceptualization of an experience and altering it subtly. But we will still believe what we believe, whether or not it makes the most sense, although invariably it does, to the believer. I mostly figure it this way. I try my best to be a good human being, to make my little corner of the world a better, more loved and happier place, and what more can I really do, no matter what I believe? A kid once asked me what I thought my purpose was here on earth and I told him it was to love. That sorta sums it up for me.

And thanks for the quote. Wonderful. Gotta hand it to that Nietzsche.

All the best back atcha, kiddo. Nova

Well, I agree we should try and make the world a better place, but must take issue with something you said.

"But we will still believe what we believe, whether or not it makes the most sense, although invariably it does, to the believer."

Whilst we cannot choose our beliefs, as we choose items in a shop, still we are, to a degree responsible for them: the unexamined life, as Socrates said, is not worth living. It behoves us therefore, to question our beliefs and see if they hold water and if they are coherent. Those that cling rigidly to their beliefs regardless of the evidence to the contrary do all and truth a disservice, thinks I.

all the best urban

Ok, I can see what you're saying, urban, and once again, you present an argument that is hard to refute. But evidence to one isn't always credible to another, you know? Doesn't matter, darlin, not in the end run. You are a man of logic. I am not a woman of logic...at least, not what most would call logic. I have my own brand. And as to a life not examined, I have examined my life, throughout my life, and I consider it to be a life very well worth living, very well worth cherishing, as I do, every day. I am a counter of blessings and have many to count. I consider myself to be a supremely lucky person, having known love all of my life, and to my way of thinking, love is the most important thing.

And another thing? You interest me, urban. You have come into my discussion and stated your opinions so well, without anger, without insult, although they differ greatly from my own. I admire that ability and self control, which we don't see enough of around here, especially in discussions surrounding religious or spiritual belief. But my goodness, let's stay away from politics! Yikes! Because as I stated before, I can't even hope to win any war of words or ideals with you. I don't need to either, to be sure. But I enjoy the discourse and frankly, the attention. I welcome you in any and all of my discussions, although I'm not sure that I have many that would interest you. Mine are usually the 'fluffier' sort, much softer stuff than religion and politics usually garner. But come on in anyway, and have a little fun. I love an opportunity to be silly and bring out laughter in people. And now I'm just running on, I think, so I'll bring it to a close here.

Again, thanks for being here. I like you.

Well, I am very familiar with the rather cheesy claim, you are logical and I am not or I use a different logic, hehehehehe, it is most amusing to me. Amusing because ostensibly it seems to flatter the person to whom it is addressed whilst really denigrating them. Lets read it thus; you may be confined to logical thinking but I posses a deeper and wider understanding. Sorry to disillusion you but logic is the structure of all language, it is what allows language to touch the world, what connects us and each other and of course all we can express in language is within the domain of logic.

So, when you say, "You are a man of logic. I am not a woman of logic...at least, not what most would call logic. I have my own brand." you are in fact and indeed making a logical construct, but a logical construct that just happens to be invalid! This doesn't save your position.

Of course, we are free to find what evidence we wish credible, but not where we have a regard for the truth.

all the best urban

I wasn't meaning to flatter you by saying that you're a man of logic. If I'm going to flatter anyone, I do it obviously, as you've seen. I never hide it. But hooboy, you do make this poor, overtaxed brain of mine have to function, urban, you sure do. But at this present moment, I'm feeling rather mellow and slightly foggy, so I don't particularly want to think too much right now. Although you could look at it like I'm a simple person if I have to struggle to think about something so basic, then what good am I anyway. Ack! See? Too much thinking. So, my dear urban, I shall ponder on your new response and see what comes to mind a bit later in the day. Or even tomorrow. Now here's a bit of obvious flattery: you're good, I'll give you that. You present cogent arguments, no fluff, no nonsense. But since I happen to like nonsense, I'll be in charge of adding in a bit of it here and there in our conversations, iffn' ya don't mind. And now I'm off to snuggle into the recliner with a cat or two on my lap. I'll see in a bit. Have a wonderful evening. That's what I plan to do. ttfn.