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What if

NirvanaNoobNirvanaNoob
edited October 2005 in Faith & Religion
What if What if there is no....
1. God
2.Nirvana
3.Brahma
4.Heaven
5.Hell
6.Summerland
7.Tao
8.Reincarnation
9.Or any kind of afterlife, supreme deity, supreme force, or ultimate reality

Wouldnt it all be pointless to follow any kind of belife system if none of this existed?

Comments

  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited September 2005
    Maybe it is.... :skeptical
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited September 2005
    I guess the first thing that I think of is:

    People are still people. Being treated badly, hurts. Treating people badly hurts them.

    I don't want to be lying on my deathbed thinking of all the horrible things that I did to people or how I didn't help those I could. How I lived a life without compassion and because of this lack of compassion - maybe I lived my life without love too.

    No matter if there is no Heaven, no Hell, no Nirvana - no nothing - I'd rather be able to see people I loved and people that loved me as the last things I know or see.

    -bf
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited September 2005
    I second that - in fact you took the words right out of my mouth, B/F.
    There orta be a law aggin it....

    So what if there's nothing there? At least I tried to make life fun and pleasant for those around me.

    But conversely, if there IS something there and we do all have to give account..... well, I can think of a couple of people globally who may not fare too well....

    There's a wonderful saying (oh, no!! Not again! Yes, again - you startedit....) that says:
    "A great person will leave a good impression of themselves;
    But a Truly Great Person will leave you with a good impression of yourself.

    HH The DL is such a person. I'd rather try to be like him than say, Hugh Heffner or peter Stringfellow.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    To me personally I don't give a damn. There are Christians who define Buddhists as "atheists" too. To me, Buddhism is very much like atheism with a very interesting philosophy... Most importantly, I feel instant joy in Buddhist thoughts and teachings, a never-sad spirit, a cool meaning to life: to make all hppy... Something I never get while I wasn't an interested Buddhist a year ago.
  • DharmaKittenDharmaKitten
    edited September 2005
    ajani_mgo wrote:
    To me personally I don't give a damn. There are Christians who define Buddhists as "atheists" too. To me, Buddhism is very much like atheism with a very interesting philosophy... Most importantly, I feel instant joy in Buddhist thoughts and teachings, a never-sad spirit, a cool meaning to life: to make all hppy... Something I never get while I wasn't an interested Buddhist a year ago.

    I'm curious. Why do you think atheism and Buddhism are similar? I certainly find them compatible (being an atheist and a Buddhist), but have a hard time comparing a simple non-belief with all that comes under the term Buddhism.

    And I'll 3rd that comment from Buddhafoot. I'm here now. Now is what is important. I try to treat others (and myself) well because I wanted them to treat me well, and I don't want to feel like a bad person - even if there is no god to punish or reward me. I might not live forever, reincarnate, or have an afterlife, but what I do still has consequences.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Based on the belief of "no god". Simple.
  • DharmaKittenDharmaKitten
    edited September 2005
    Ok, that make sense. Or maybe - Who cares if there's a god, it's not important anyways.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Atheism can be boringly dogmatic. Become a non-theist instead!
  • AnitaAnita
    edited September 2005
    I agree with Fed and BF. Lead a good, calm life and treat others right. And thats all you need to know before you die. However, if there is no sort of afterlife, and you die...you will know nothing better. Your dead...not thinking. But at least your last thoughts right before you die would be great because you can honestly say you were a good person.

    Afterlife or no afterlife, you are not suffering any longer.
  • TraceyLinMillerTraceyLinMiller
    edited October 2005
    Nothing after this?! :wow: That would mean that I could do as I please without worrying about living in the avichi hell for all eternity. But, what kind of world would we have if there was nothing else. Many people base their righteous behavior on the fear that something bad will happen to them after death if they are not "good" in life. I think humans need to believe in something greater than themselves, thats why we invented all that to start with.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2005
    thats why we invented all that to start with

    Tracey,

    There are many of us who have no belief in an "inventor" or, indeed, a teleological explanation for humanity.
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited October 2005
    I don't think Tracey was saying "an inventor", I believe she was saying that's why humanity invented "something greater than themselves" (i.e. god, religion, afterlife, etc.)
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2005
    You are right, Brian. Sorry, Tracey. I misread you.
  • DharmaKittenDharmaKitten
    edited October 2005
    NirvanaNoob wrote:
    What if What if there is no....
    1. God
    2.Nirvana
    3.Brahma
    4.Heaven
    5.Hell
    6.Summerland
    7.Tao
    8.Reincarnation
    9.Or any kind of afterlife, supreme deity, supreme force, or ultimate reality

    Wouldnt it all be pointless to follow any kind of belife system if none of this existed?

    Well, since no one else has quoted John Lennon on this, I feel it is my duty to do so:

    Imagine

    Imagine there's no heaven,
    It's easy if you try,
    No hell below us,
    Above us only sky,
    Imagine all the people
    living for today...

    Imagine there's no countries,
    It isnt hard to do,
    Nothing to kill or die for,
    No religion too,
    Imagine all the people
    living life in peace...

    Imagine no possesions,
    I wonder if you can,
    No need for greed or hunger,
    A brotherhood of man,
    Imagine all the people
    Sharing all the world...

    You may say Im a dreamer,
    but Im not the only one,
    I hope some day you'll join us,
    And the world will live as one.
  • TraceyLinMillerTraceyLinMiller
    edited October 2005
    Brian, thats exactly what i was saying.

    Simon, don't worry about misreading, I do that sometimes to.
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