Who Are We, Why Are We Here, Why Is There Constant Killing and Sickness, and Why Must All Suffer in Life?
“Doubt as sin. — Christianity has done its utmost to close the circle and declared even doubt to be sin. One is supposed to be cast into belief without reason, by a miracle, and from then on to swim in it as in the brightest and least ambiguous of elements: even a glance towards land, even the thought that one perhaps exists for something else as well as swimming, even the slightest impulse of our amphibious nature — is sin! And notice that all this means that the foundation of belief and all reflection on its origin is likewise excluded as sinful. What is wanted are blindness and intoxication and an eternal song over the waves in which reason has drowned.”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche, Daybreak: Thoughts on the Prejudices of Morality
I must preface my comments here by saying that I, nor any other, can have the answers concerning the meaning of life. This is not possible you see, at least not in this assumed reality, regardless of what one has been taught, what religious dogma presupposes, what blind faith rests in the minds of men, or what particular sect one might choose to worship. This is not to say that I would argue with anyone's beliefs, for how could I, if I do not know myself. If any could prove such claims about having undeniable evidence as to the 'creation' and meaning of life, could expose for all to see the 'god' of their choice, or in any way could present the absolute truth of life, I would certainly listen, but this of course has never happened on this earth as we know it.
Yes, this is an extremely contentious and complicated matter, but I do not seek aggression, nor do I seek to belittle one's beliefs. The questions I have are legitimate in my mind, and they are mine alone. I also do not want to be cursed, questioned, or guided by any other claiming to have some sort of divine knowledge. I do think however, that this discussion is valid, especially given the state of this insane world today, if for no other reason than attempting to shed light on the sorry state of man. The questions I have and would ask will cause great anxiety for most, but they are steeped in logic and reason, so why should anyone be offended by the seeking of knowledge to clarify our condition. At the very least, it might awaken some to question what are considered taboo or 'blasphemous' queries.
There are supposedly eight billion people on this earth, and all of them act, think, love, hate, exist, and believe differently, so obviously there is not just one way, one belief, one answer set in stone, concerning any creation, any plight we face, and there is no one answer (or any) to the meaning of life. There is the religious angle, which embodies an untold number of separate beliefs based on some sort of worship of something unknown. There are Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, or any number of others, and all believe they are right and have the answers. But that cannot be so. Actually, according to one study, "there are roughly 4,200 religions, churches, denominations, religious bodies, faith groups, tribes, cultures, movements, or ultimate concerns," and all believe differently. Let that sink in, for who among us can dare claim to know all due to what they label as their 'faith?'
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