This is something that I wrote for my own purposes. I just thought that I would post it here so that maybe I could get some feedback. I'm sure there are a few spelling errors throughout because I didn't take the time to run a spell check or revise anything. Death. The greatest mystery in life is what lies in store for us once our body ceases to operate. I believe that death is the beginning of a new journey for our "soul" or energy. Since there is no concrete scientific evidence of what happens to the soul (if even such a thing does exist) when we die the possibilities are seemingly endless. Perhaps it is just human nature to believe that we will somehow receive englightenment after death. All of us wonder about or think that they know the answers to the most important questions of our very existence. Why are we here. What is the meaning of life? How was this universe and everything contained within it created? What happens to us after death? The ultimate irony would be if there was no afterlife after all. For our lives and conciousness forever cease to exist. For our souls to die along with our bodies. To rot in the ground for eternitify. True eternal peace. People do not want eternal peace though, at least not deep down inside of them they don't. Not in that manner. Most people would rather live the most miserable lives, rather than face the possibility of death. Even those who truly believe in their religion with all their heart and soul would rather stay in this world instead of going to a place that they believe to be a perfect holy sanctuary void of all pain, suffering, and stress of any sort. Perhaps the whole concept of gods and religion as we know it is something that is naturally crated by the human mind. A security blanket which gives comfort by filling in the gaps in our knowledge about things such as the true meaning and purpose behing the unexplainable mysteries of life, death, and the afterlife. It is in our nature to strive to fill in the gaps in our knowledge. We feel that we must know all the answers, and if we aren't capable of knowing the answers then we simply create them. This has been proven time and time again throughout the history of mankind. The earth is flat. The sun and all of it's satellites revolve around the earth. Maggots are created from rotten meat. All of these beliefs were once genuinly thought to be true. An explanation created because we would rather believe in something totally fabricated and false rather than to admit that we simply just do not know or are not capable of understanding. I believe that if you raised seperate groups of people in isolated areas with no outside influince, educated them with only factualy information, and studied them you would see that many of the same beliefs would show up among the different groups only the would be slightly varied among them. A small scale analogy of how the various religions across the globe have been created. Allow the groups of people to interact and you have just created the world once again. Not literally of course, but still a small replication. Example: Take a look at some of the tribes which live in the most desolite regions of the globe. A group of people who have no outside influince from the rest of humanity. Even they have a religion. A need to explain their entire lives and what happens to their soul once there lives are over. Even the most primitive human beings have that basic psychological need to fulfill.
Shockw4ave Hey. It's 1.30 am here in the great downunder. And occam. Slightly tanked and also moderately stoned. [it's a perscription drug here..] Comes across a big block of questions... BIG. Great stuff. But In30 lines of text you ask questions that have tortured human minds for thousands of years. To many questions to be answered in even a thousand books. Small steps.. One question [or mayby 2 ] at a time. occam PS. Occam has dedicated this forum to any he knows as a place where those who question. The dynamic minds. Can ask anything. Already several now talk here. Without prejudice He hopes all will remember this.
shockw4ve, i think that, yes "religion" will most probably prevail if you begin little groups of people and teach them factual stuff. because they will ultimately always crave MORE. humans always want to look outside the square. but i think the more educated you are, the less likely you will BELIEVE religion. (sweeping statement i know but look at where the human race is headed: more atheists prevailing). humans always ask the same questions: why are we here, what happenes after death, etc if you were to, say, tell one of the little groups of people about religion (group A), and leave one of the groups in the dark about religion (group B), but teach both groups the same factual information, i think perhaps group A would most likely apply their questions to the religions you taught them about... whereas group B would use their logic and inner feeling to answer the questions. you probably find group B to be more spiritual whereas group A more religious. and of course there are bound to be atheists in both groups. i think you should read Island by Aldous Huxley. it's based on a society that lives on an island called Pala, which is sort of economically and socially cut off from the rest of the world. it has its own little belief system and way of life. very philosophical and somewhat talks about the subject you're talkng about.
I think getting people together is a GOOD THING but any kind of "religon" would not be good. Teach people to love and think the way they want to
