One in four Americans 'doesn't know the Earth orbits the Sun' and only half believe in evolution

[Indischer]

This thing bugs me a lot, their present life is in shit, and they have time to think about immortality of soul and passing of consciousness from one life form to another.

Well, I mean no disrespect to anyone, but present life is in shit is a very vague description of thinkers or believers in such concepts. They aren't restricted to any one economic bracket.

Besides, isn't that a subjective term in itself? To an industrialist, a monk's life is shitty, sitting and contemplating stuff that nobody cares or knows answers to, while for the monk, an industrialist's lifestyle might seem shitty, tensing himself, cutting deals and amassing hoards of money which will not aid him beyond materialistic comforts but cannot take away his mortality.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Well, I mean no disrespect to anyone, but present life is in shit is a very vague description of thinkers or believers in such concepts. They aren't restricted to any one economic bracket.

Besides, isn't that a subjective term in itself? To an industrialist, a monk's life is shitty, sitting and contemplating stuff that nobody cares or knows answers to, while for the monk, an industrialist's lifestyle might seem shitty, tensing himself, cutting deals and amassing hoards of money which will not aid him beyond materialistic comforts but cannot take away his mortality.

Are you in either category? You seem to be in a 9-5 grouping.

 

[Indischer]

Are you in either category? You seem to be in a 9-5 grouping.

I am. My lifestyle is no different from that of any other materialist. Work the better part of my life in an Office, busy myself for the rest of the day, indulge myself in ways that my income barely covers my expenses, and maintain a facade of peace and prosperity to the World.

But then, what was the point of all this? I know not. what's the big difference between me and the monk? actually, nothing. What's the maximum that I can hope to achieve that the monk cannot? Fame. That people remember me after I'm gone. Will that matter once I'm not around? Hell NO.

 

[Jade]

This number should not be anything different in India too. Like all countries, India too has its own share of fools

 

[Skull and Bones]

I am. My lifestyle is no different from that of any other materialist. Work the better part of my life in an Office, busy myself for the rest of the day, indulge myself in ways that my income barely covers my expenses, and maintain a facade of peace and prosperity to the World.

But then, what was the point of all this? I know not. what's the big difference between me and the monk? actually, nothing. What's the maximum that I can hope to achieve that the monk cannot? Fame. That people remember me after I'm gone. Will that matter once I'm not around? Hell NO.

Let me ask you one thing, don't you find purpose in supporting your family in gaining small happiness, giving birth to a child, growing old with your beloved wife?

Can a monk have such privilege? He spends his life apparently to find answer for his existence, and settles for a self made truth. Does it help the society in anyway? Or does it answer the reason for his existence?

If you really want to find purpose in your life, support an orphan, visit an orphanage or old age home, and support them with whatever you can afford. That is called giving to the society. Sitting at the top of the mountain and contemplating the reason of one's existence won't going to answer your queries. Getting in between those underprivileged, and supporting them to achieve their dreams is going to answer that purpose.

 

[gambit]

This thing bugs me a lot, their present life is in shit, and they have time to think about immortality of soul and passing of consciousness from one life form to another.

I guess that would be a good way to keep the masses down. Tell a man he is a Dalit because he MUST have done something terrible in his past life and in order to earn good karma he must be obedient and faithful to those in the higher caste, since those in the higher castes must have been really good people in their past lives.

That is a good racket because it worked for thousands of years and still works today. Am glad that am such a badass that I control my journeys in the afterlife.

 

[Skull and Bones]

I guess that would be a good way to keep the masses down. Tell a man he is a Dalit because he MUST have done something terrible in his past life and in order to earn good karma he must be obedient and faithful to those in the higher caste, since those in the higher castes must have been really good people in their past lives.

That is a good racket because it worked for thousands of years and still works today. Am glad that am such a badass that I control my journeys in the afterlife.

We're going to hell my friend, grab a box of chilled beer, it's going to be hot down there.

 

[Pakistani E]

Good...I would like to know why is it despite all these knowledge, it took the Western ways of the separation of religion and science in order to have all the scientific and technological advances we see today.

Karma is the same as Newtonian physics? Looks like the religionists got caught with their collective pants down and are now scrambling to interpret their religions to fit science.


But I doubt you would recognize that lesson. Your people are too busy listening to imams telling them how the Quran 'predicted' all these scientific and technological advances thousands of yrs ago and that the West 'owe' the Muslims...blah...blah...blah...And your people ate it up...

Why are you people so obsessed with religion? I didn't even bring up religion, as I know many patriotic American muslims, why are you disrespecting your own countrymen? I thought America was the land of the free etc? Or now have you decided that America doesn't belong to its muslim citizens as it belongs to people of other religions?

And I have noticed that you didn't actually reply to any comments I made. So am I right in presuming you have no interest in discussing what I said but just want to pass clever snarky remarks? You are not concerned that the US is spending far too much on military spending than on other needs of its citizens?

And finally what's wrong with listening to Imams? You see unlike the good ole USA, we here in Britain cherish and practise the right of extending freedom of religion and conscience to everyone of its citizens. If you can listen to Justin Bieber, 50 cent etc, then why is it wrong that I listen to an Imam?

Btw, are you also a product of the great American education system? Because if you are, I can see how these statistics transform in to examples in real life.

 

[Indischer]

Let me ask you one thing, don't you find purpose in supporting your family in gaining small happiness, giving birth to a child, growing old with your beloved wife?

Can a monk have such privilege? He spends his life apparently to find answer for his existence, and settles for a self made truth. Does it help the society in anyway? Or does it answer the reason for his existence?

If you really want to find purpose in your life, support an orphan, visit an orphanage or old age home, and support them with whatever you can afford. That is called giving to the society. Sitting at the top of the mountain and contemplating the reason of one's existence won't going to answer your queries. Getting in between those underprivileged, and supporting them to achieve their dreams is going to answer that purpose.

What you say is true. But it all depends on how one defines his field of view. At a community level, Yes, our actions can make a difference. At a National level, most of us make minor contributions. At a global level, the impact is even less and finally, beyond this level none of us or our actions matter.

Activities you mentioned keep will keep a man involved, but in the smaller truths and smaller nitty-gritties of life. But once you know that your life doesn't serve any purpose beyond the token help and support to a few similar humans or some animals, it does indeed feel like we've inflated ourselves and our roles and actions to find some measure of meaning to our existence.

I think the reason why these yogis or gurus renounce materialism and prefer seclusion is because only then are they truly in some control of their lives. It gives them the freedom to stay outside the great competition and jostling that the society is and live life on their terms. Staying in a society, it's often the case that we mould our lives in many ways so as to feel accepted.

I ask you this, will any of our actions, including helping the poor and needy, sheltering rare plants and animals, supporting a family etc really matter to this solar system, let alone the planet? These are actions that make us feel good about ourselves and find a meaning, however insignificant and contrite, to continue and prolong our lives. It's not unlike a placebo.

I guess that would be a good way to keep the masses down. Tell a man he is a Dalit because he MUST have done something terrible in his past life and in order to earn good karma he must be obedient and faithful to those in the higher caste, since those in the higher castes must have been really good people in their past lives.

That is a good racket because it worked for thousands of years and still works today. Am glad that am such a badass that I control my journeys in the afterlife.

It's true that this concept was thoroughly exploited by the upper castes in perpetuating the subjugation of Dalits. But fact remains that there have been plenty of cases even in the Western and other civilizations that people have said that they could remember things from the past.

In short: the phenomenon was global, it's authenticity unproven, but it's exploitation for ulterior ends very real.

 

[Skull and Bones]

What you say is true. But it all depends on how one defines his field of view. At a community level, Yes, our actions can make a difference. At a National level, most of us make minor contributions. At a global level, the impact is even less and finally, beyond this level none of us or our actions matter.

Activities you mentioned keep will keep a man involved, but in the smaller truths and smaller nitty-gritties of life. But once you know that your life doesn't serve any purpose beyond the token help and support to a few similar humans or some animals, it does indeed feel like we've inflated ourselves and our roles and actions to find some measure of meaning to our existence.

I think the reason why these yogis or gurus renounce materialism and prefer seclusion is because only then are they truly in some control of their lives. It gives them the freedom to stay outside the great competition and jostling that the society is and live life on their terms. Staying in a society, it's often the case that we mould our lives in many ways so as to feel accepted.

I ask you this, will any of our actions, including helping the poor and needy, sheltering rare plants and animals, supporting a family etc really matter to this solar system, let alone the planet? These are actions that make us feel good about ourselves and find a meaning, however insignificant and contrite, to continue and prolong our lives. It's not unlike a placebo.

It's true that this concept was thoroughly exploited by the upper castes in perpetuating the subjugation of Dalits. But fact remains that there have been plenty of cases even in the Western and other civilizations that people have said that they could remember things from the past.

In short: the phenomenon was global, it's authenticity unproven, but it's exploitation for ulterior ends very real.

Why, you intend to change the escape velocity of Jupiter? Or want to terraform Mars? Bdw, Japanese Scientists are already at it.

 

[Indischer]

Why, you intend to change the escape velocity of Jupiter? Or want to terraform Mars? Bdw, Japanese Scientists are already at it.

Fine, we can now ruin other planets too. But I hope you got the gist of my argument. As Agent Smith said in the Matrix, we're slightly larger viruses, that's all.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Fine, we can now ruin other planets too. But I hope you got the gist of my argument. As Agent Smith said in the Matrix, we're slightly larger viruses, that's all.

Good, i wish you happy monkhood. But for a inferior being like me, addressing the immediate concerns of the society is primary.

 

[Indischer]

Good, i wish you happy monkhood. But for a inferior being like me, addressing the immediate concerns of the society is primary.

I never said I was going to become a monk. I am too weak a person to give up on my material benefits. I only stated my argument in empathy to their cause. That in death, nothing will matter and all our actions are ultimately judged by individuals of only one species, our own.

 

[Developereo]

One in four Americans 'doesn't know the Earth orbits the Sun' and only half believe in evolution - Science - News - The Independent
well, Americans believe they are the center to everything and everything revolves around them!!

The criticism is unfair.

People decide what's important enough for them to learn: some people want a broad education, while others focus on things which are directly relevant to them earning a living. There is nothing that says one approach is 'better' than the other.

Most people can live a full life without ever knowing -- or needing to know -- about the Earth's orbit or about evolution.

 

[Hermione]

This thing bugs me a lot, their present life is in shit, and they have time to think about immortality of soul and passing of consciousness from one life form to another.

You could not be further from truth.

What's the maximum that I can hope to achieve that the monk cannot? Fame

What do you work as? If you were to become famous, I want an autograph.

Let me ask you one thing, don't you find purpose in supporting your family in gaining small happiness, giving birth to a child, growing old with your beloved wife?

Can a monk have such privilege? He spends his life apparently to find answer for his existence, and settles for a self made truth. Does it help the society in anyway? Or does it answer the reason for his existence?

If you really want to find purpose in your life, support an orphan, visit an orphanage or old age home, and support them with whatever you can afford. That is called giving to the society. Sitting at the top of the mountain and contemplating the reason of one's existence won't going to answer your queries. Getting in between those underprivileged, and supporting them to achieve their dreams is going to answer that purpose.

Too much communist nonsense. The spiritualists are where people turn to when they want to stop taking Prozac.