Who are We

[Mariamosis]

Scientific fact is just the opposite, because they have no idea about a soul and what happens after death.

In the majority of scientific theory the "soul" translates into "energy". Scientists have an explanation, it just happens to be an explanation that makes people feel inferior and futile in the scheme of things.

Instead of the essence of our being driving our ego and determining our afterlife, we now have neutrons and electrons interfering with molecular structures. In turn, chemical reactions conclude our behavior.

After death the "soul" (or energy) dissipates into the atmosphere once organs shut down. Your body rots in the ground (if buried) and eventually seeps energy into the soil to help give nutrients to plants which later are consumed by animals, and animals by people. Therefore supplying entire ecosystems with energy to reproduce and survive.

It all sounds frightening and as if there is no point to our lives, but it is all quite exciting and very humbling. It not only gives us a purpose for our individual interest, but for the entire planets well being.

I am not telling you what you should believe, but I thought the information might be important to this specific argument.

[Mariamosis]

It took time for him to get the right formula. Science still can't explain the very beginning of time. Regardless of what you believe the fact remains that no one will ever know the truth until you die. Wouldn't it be a shame if there is a heaven when you die and you missed out because you cast doubt on something that didn't ask for nothing but goodness in the world.

First: I don't believe the "right formula" has been reached. I also don't believe there is a "right formula", perhaps an infinite case of trial and error.

Second: I believe that God (if he and/or she exists) would not punish me for seeking the truth. If I believed in Christianity I would tend to favor the New Testament. To give God human characteristics, such as anger and resentment, doesn't make him seem anymore immortal or knowledgeable than anyone else. If he can't control his temper and reason then why should we as humans be expected to? Therefore I don't believe God should be viewed as a hypocrite. If he/she is out there, then hopefully he and/or she is understanding and noble.

Third: I don't believe we should assign God a sex. I prefer to call him or her "they" (the father and/or mother, son and/or daughter, and holy spirit) or the "trinity". Picking a sex would prove a sexist agenda... hmm. I think there are contradictions attributed to most deities.... I'm just saying....

[blazeofglory]

This question always arrests me. I am trying to understand though I know I cannot.

[Mutian]

I think the process of discussing such an ontological problem is more important and meaningful than the answer itself. What we learn from such a discussion with regard to existence is what philosophers call "dialectics." This way of thinking differentiates we mankind from lower species, and advancing our minds.

It is my belief that, there is no absolutely true answer in this universe; what we confirm as true are just somethings made from the strongest arguments or cogent scientific proofs, but might not be true innately. Therefore, to say something is true is self-deception. As Nietzsche says in "beyond good and evil": "why rather untruth? uncertainty?" Life is beautiful because it can be viewd, like a sculpture, from different perspectives, but not only via a single way. That is to say, the more ways you look at life, the happier you might be. Naturally, the way of viewing turns out to be more important than the beauty itself.

Anyway, this is just my own thought. I would like to hear more from you talented people.

[NikolaiI]

In the majority of scientific theory the "soul" translates into "energy". Scientists have an explanation, it just happens to be an explanation that makes people feel inferior and futile in the scheme of things.

Instead of the essence of our being driving our ego and determining our afterlife, we now have neutrons and electrons interfering with molecular structures. In turn, chemical reactions conclude our behavior.

After death the "soul" (or energy) dissipates into the atmosphere once organs shut down. Your body rots in the ground (if buried) and eventually seeps energy into the soil to help give nutrients to plants which later are consumed by animals, and animals by people. Therefore supplying entire ecosystems with energy to reproduce and survive.

It all sounds frightening and as if there is no point to our lives, but it is all quite exciting and very humbling. It not only gives us a purpose for our individual interest, but for the entire planets well being.

I am not telling you what you should believe, but I thought the information might be important to this specific argument.

I take a very simple view of it. As to eternal life or infinite life; we are part of the universe, are we not? Is any part of the universe more temporary than any other? Or is every form reincarnated infinitely? Think of a flower; it is a very simple program, a very simple design. Yes there are thousands or millions of types of flowers... but on some higher level they are all simple. We are simple like that. We think we are complex, but being simple, we live here, but why not somewhere else?
Nietzsche's idea of eternal return.

[blazeofglory]

The "who are we" question can never be answered and we simply keep on interpreting based on our thought, and the source of our thought is our memories of what experience we have undergone in point of fact and what we have learned from others or books.

Our answer is or what we call our findings are simply the outcomes of our interpretations based on our thoughts.

Can we go beyond this domain of thought?

Why do we want to know God and what advantages can we have by knowing it. Enjoy better than know.