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Its a tough life, for a nihilist...

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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Ive been thinking a bit lately (at least the last 20 minutes or so) how I've never really identified with any sort of spirituality. Most people I meet do. I have friends who are Christian, Jewish, etc... I know people who worship sacred geometry and believe in "love vibrations" that connect our souls. I even know people who believe they are aliens sent from their home planet to guide the human race towards a spiritual evolution to an energy state. Through it all, I've never heard much that I can really get into any more than through a bit of playful musings.

That said, I am a hard worker, and a good person. Better intentioned and harder working than many of the "purpose driven" souls I know...

So I am curious, what do you guys think, what role does spirituality play in this day and age? Is it a bad idea to continue to go through life believing that it is wholly meaningless? I have dreams, and ambitions, I just know that I am not doing it for any specific reason, or power, and I have no problem with this...

Is there anyone that can kind of relate to what I am saying?
I dunno, just kinda felt like ranting a little. Don't really care what your belief system is, curious more as to what role you think belief plays in our lives?

This is not meant to be a thread about religion, this topic, I believe, goes way deeper than religion, but if no one else sees that, this might just boil down to a shitstorm, either way, hope for some interesting insights...
late

Sparknotes: If you don't read it, please don't post.
Mar 15 2011 3:49AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
I figure, if i go to a religion thats cool, if not thats cool too. I want to learn and find my own way though life, if that means I find a religion at some point, then thats what happens. In all truth though, I dont need the warning of eternal damnation to not be an ass. As far as religions go I think Buddhist would be the most promising bet for me if i had to join anything (thought the ancient Greek beliefs seem pretty cool too).
In the end though, I figure I will make my own way in the world. I think I am a good person, have a good work ethic and have good motivation to progress in life. At the end of it all, that is what is important to me, if I am happy with myself, I dont need a religion to tell me I am happy.
Mar 15 2011 4:02AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
I figure, if i go to a religion thats cool, if not thats cool too. I want to learn and find my own way though life, if that means I find a religion at some point, then thats what happens. In all truth though, I dont need the warning of eternal damnation to not be an ass. As far as religions go I think Buddhist would be the most promising bet for me if i had to join anything (thought the ancient Greek beliefs seem pretty cool too).
In the end though, I figure I will make my own way in the world. I think I am a good person, have a good work ethic and have good motivation to progress in life. At the end of it all, that is what is important to me, if I am happy with myself, I dont need a religion to tell me I am happy.
Mar 15 2011 4:02AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
I figure, if i go to a religion thats cool, if not thats cool too. I want to learn and find my own way though life, if that means I find a religion at some point, then thats what happens. In all truth though, I dont need the warning of eternal damnation to not be an ass. As far as religions go I think Buddhist would be the most promising bet for me if i had to join anything (thought the ancient Greek beliefs seem pretty cool too).
In the end though, I figure I will make my own way in the world. I think I am a good person, have a good work ethic and have good motivation to progress in life. At the end of it all, that is what is important to me, if I am happy with myself, I dont need a religion to tell me I am happy.
Mar 15 2011 4:03AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
I figure, if i go to a religion thats cool, if not thats cool too. I want to learn and find my own way though life, if that means I find a religion at some point, then thats what happens. In all truth though, I dont need the warning of eternal damnation to not be an ass. As far as religions go I think Buddhist would be the most promising bet for me if i had to join anything (thought the ancient Greek beliefs seem pretty cool too).
In the end though, I figure I will make my own way in the world. I think I am a good person, have a good work ethic and have good motivation to progress in life. At the end of it all, that is what is important to me, if I am happy with myself, I dont need a religion to tell me I am happy.
Mar 15 2011 4:04AM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Woah quad post, crazy. Thanks for the response

Also here is some light reading for people who have no idea what the fuck I am talking about.
I am more specifically an absurdist I would say...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdism
Mar 15 2011 4:08AM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
I definitely share your beliefs with regards to a lot of stuff. Nihilism is, in my opinion, as much a reassuring belief structure (I won't call it religion) as is any christianity or judaism.

For me, it's reassuring to be able to look on anything and know that it is completely inconsequential in the long run; most of the people I've talked to about it have been mortified by what they called pessimism and cynicism (alright, I am a cynic, but pessimist I am not) and I just try not to bring it up any more unless I'm in the mood for debate. Where others see pessimism in me, I see it as optimism... it confuses people, and my friends have just learned that they'll be shot down in any arguement, so they don't bring it up anymore.

One of my closer friends has even come to the consensus that I am right that it is optimism, not pessimism, to believe that nothing really matters, but he chooses to continue belief in a god.

Mar 15 2011 4:12AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
ahh, looks good, will have to read those tomorrow. but yeah sorry about the quad. my browser crashed after it posed so i guess it resent the post a few times -.-
Mar 15 2011 4:19AM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
ahh, looks good, will have to read those tomorrow. but yeah sorry about the quad. my browser crashed after it posed so i guess it resent the post a few times -.-
Mar 15 2011 4:19AM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Wow yeah Powderbro, good post, well put.

It definitely confuses a lot of my friends as well haha I've adopted a lot of humor surrounding it too, and so people always worry about me when really it all is just kind of a big joke to me.

It is quite liberating to me as well, I mean, I have my ups and downs just like everyone, but the downs tend not to last so long, since I get that friendly reminder that its impossible to fail, since life goes on, its the only option...
Mar 15 2011 4:20AM
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smooticus
Posts: 1798 - Karma: 27
Well everyone believes in something, even if their skeptical about what it is exactly. It is humanly impossible to be happy and at the same time except your own demise.
Mar 15 2011 4:34AM
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Campeador
Posts: 7516 - Karma: -1,227
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Mar 15 2011 4:40AM
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freestyle_kyle
Posts: 2620 - Karma: 164
I think that our beliefs play an important part in our lives, and our world. We view the world through a unique lens that is shaped by our beliefs and past experiences. I believe that we are not just human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings that are having a human experience. I never intentionally started on a spiritual journey.I left high school firmly rooted in a materialistic, logical and scientific mindset. A wide variety of experiences such as meditation, reading, conversations, hallucinogenics and movies has really opened my mind. We are connected to our planet and to eachother through the electromagnetic fields created by our bodies, planet and sun. I have become aware of myself as an energetic being. When I first tried mushrooms I realized that we are created out of vibrating energy, of light. After recognizing that light within myself and in the eyes of others around me my world began to change. I think the universe we live in is based on Laws Of Vibrational Energy, LOVE. How far down the rabbit hole do you want to go?

Consider this. Our beautiful little planet is orbiting around one of over 100 Billion Stars in the Milky Way. Our galaxy is just oneof over 100 Billion Stars in our visible universe. To put that intoperspective, go down to the beach and pick up a handful of sand. You will beholding around 100, 000 grains of sand. There are more stars in our visible Universe than grains of sand on allthe Earth’s beaches combined. That is a shit-ton of stars! Yet the visiblematters only accounts for 4% of the total mass of our Universe. Dark matter(26%) and dark energy (70%) cannot be directly observed, but their influence isimmense. Their gravitational effects appear to be the glue holding our universetogether. There is much more to the physical world than meets the eye. We canonly see the tip of the iceberg.

We see the world in the electromagnetic spectrum. Instrumentsthat we’ve created can see from low frequency radio waves to high frequencygamma rays. The spectrum could go on infinitely in either direction (wike says Thelong wavelengthlimit is the size of the universeitself, while it is thought that the short wavelength limit is in the vicinityof the Planck length,although in principle the spectrum is infinite and continuous)Our bodies are like radios, tuned into a limited frequency range within thisspectrum. The other stations don’tstop broadcasting when you’re not tuned in. The sun emits energy in a widerange of frequencies. Millions of waves of energy ranging from radio to gammarays pass through your body every second!

I began meditating a couple years ago, with the help of guided mediation CD's and crystals. Everything in our universe is created out of vibrating energy, matter is just energy condensed to a very slow vibration. (I have a cool theory about the shapes these standing waves could take, ask if youre interested). Crystals carry a high vibration, and have different effects on you bodies own vibe. Amythest is a great crystal to meditate with at first, it helps to open you 3rd eye. The Chakra system is the idea that we have 7 major spinning energetic vortexes within our physical body (and more!). These Chakras correspond physically with your endocrine system, or your hormonal glands. By meditating and becoming aware of the energetic flow within your body, you can balance your chakras and balance your hormones. In deep states of mediation (focused awareness), your brain releases feel good chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. I also think it may release small amounts of DMT in meditation.

Take from this that which resonates with you. I believe in this 'crazy' stuff because it helps makes me a happy, loving, balanced person. Its cool to think that there is a divine spark of Creator within each of us. We are here to explore this world of polarity and duality, and to realize that we are all Creators. We are all creating our own reality, and together we shape our world. Let's choose to make it awesome! But there are many paths you can choose to walk, and only YOU will know whats right for you. I could go on about this shit for a while, but its bed time for now

EndFragment
Mar 15 2011 4:45AM
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SgtSteamy
Posts: 498 - Karma: 202
The body of a newborn baby is as old as the cosmos, the form is new and unique, but the material is 13.7 billion years old. Processed by nuclear fusion in stars and fasioned by electromagnetism, cold words for amazing processes. And that baby was you, is you, YOU'RE amazing, not only alive, but with a mind. What fool would exchange this for every lottery ticket ever drawn? When I compare what scientific knowledge has done for me, and what religion tried to do to me. I sometimes literally shiver. Religions tell children they might go to hell and they MUST believe. While science tells children they came from the stars and presents reasons they can believe...

I'm sure an atheist, however, I don't like to associate too much with nihilistic ideas. I think life is still a gift. How fortunate are we to be here, be aware.

I don't like that some nihilists don't think that morals exist. Sure maybe they don't exist outside of a human being but in the constrains of OURSELVES we do have morals. You wouldn't want to be an asshole to your neighbor because you don't want to be treated like an asshole.

Just because you can admit that outside our social structure, relative time, and place, doesn't mean you should moan about how pointless they are.

I don't like that some nihilists have a bleak outlook on the world. I have 3 or 4 nihilist friends on facebook and their posts make me sick. I agree with ALMOST EVERYTHING they argue their case for. But I DON'T think that gives you an excuse to be a miserable, self righteous, and selfish.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. But nihilists just come across as the most ungrateful kind of people in the world to me. Stop being so miserable and enjoy life. You only get ONE.

Mar 15 2011 4:59AM
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freestyle_kyle
Posts: 2620 - Karma: 164
Awesome! Kind of reminds me of this

Mar 15 2011 5:02AM
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SgtSteamy
Posts: 498 - Karma: 202
I yanked that quote from philhellenes video:

Mar 15 2011 5:10AM
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Meisi
Posts: 78 - Karma: 12
+karma for showing me such a nice video
i would call myself spiritual. but in the end.. we're all coming from the same place from somewhere out there (or the mothers body, but still the same). to quote bob marley:

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty god is a living man.


Mar 15 2011 12:18PM
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I.B
Posts: 8137 - Karma: 24,354
Thank you sir.
Mar 15 2011 12:50PM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Hey guys thanks for all the thoughtful discussion. School has been killer this week, so I haven't been able to get to this thread fully, but I read through all your replies and they are great. I love getting all the different perspectives!
Mar 16 2011 4:41PM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
I sit along the lines of believing religion is just made up bs. I do not treat people who are religious differently though- I just don't feel that its right for me. I was raised deeply catholic and attended grade-high school at catholic schools, and it really never connected with me. Since then, I've looked for other religions to connect with and no dice.

Essentially I just can't get myself to believe the stories that back religions. I believe if you are a truly good person, have values that you believe are good and follow these values, you will have lived a good life. In terms of death- I don't really believe in a heaven or hell. I just can't wrap my head around these ideas and honestly just believe that when you die, everything disappears and nothing carries on (as sad as that sounds). If you want to leave a standing mark, do it in the precious amount of time you have here.
Mar 16 2011 5:54PM
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SteveStepp
Posts: 9529 - Karma: 20,646
"Dont worry Donny, these men are Nihlists. Nothing to worry about."

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Mar 16 2011 5:58PM
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blackoutbill
Posts: 2918 - Karma: 282
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Mar 16 2011 6:00PM
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