come ya'll let's talk about my sig.

[devilsrage]

lol it possiable to create that stuff in photoshop

[misombra]

you could try. but i'm sure god would top it.

[nomas]

*Sigh* Hubble's days seem to be numbered..no more maintenance missions. I think I have the decal of the mission patch for the last mission to give Hubble some maintenance.

I wanna be an astronaut.

[devilsrage]

it may not look the same as the real thing but you can do anything if you put your mind to it

[Only-virgins]

Only-Virgins----"Everything just always was"

That's too simplistic. Life is meant to be complicated and elusive.

No, The simplest and most obvious answer is most likely the right answer.

[misombra]

*Sigh* Hubble's days seem to be numbered..no more maintenance missions. I think I have the decal of the mission patch for the last mission to give Hubble some maintenance.

I wanna be an astronaut.

really? i always wanted to be an astrophysicist. in fact that was my first major. i wasn't smart enough though. physics is ****ing hard!

[nomas]

Though I'm jumping into this late..I kind of agree with the virgin on a few things.

One is, anything is as complicated or as simple as you make it. If you choose to look at the big picture, it seems way simpler..then you keep delving deeper and deeper into anything and it becomes way too complex and increasingly difficult for average minds to keep track of it all. In either case, I think nature features patterns that repeat anyway.

Is there purpose.. a great plan of one or more Gods that explains our existance? I hate not knowing, and I hate that the most logical conclusion I reach is that this is probably wishful thinking. If there was evidence on way or another, there would be no debate..it would just be fact. But instead we're left with "I can feel it"..like a hunch, but how much of that is really learned? Tradition... such a high percentage of the world believes in a creator that it's hard not to have that have any influence on what you believe. But scientifically, there is absolutely no evidence of one creator. Socio/historically (if you'll allow me to make up words), we know how easily people can be manipulated..even today...the masses kind of move in a general direction that a few point them too and deviants are a minority. This was especially true back in the days where information wasn't as readily available as it is today, and this is when people were persuaded into spirituality and religion and how THIS is what should govern their lives for this was the purpose of their existence. All the while the books were controlled by the learned and the privileged few. It's easy to imagine how they may have been manipulated to benefit themselves.

This logic makes it difficult for me to have faith in my former beliefs.

This is why I say, Donut, that ignorance is bliss. Those who still have their faith live simpler lives..laugh at simpler things..are easily amused. I don't lie to anyone, but I'd rather not take this away from them if I could help it. After all, don't we all ultimately seek happiness? Why make it more difficult for someone to reach happiness?

[nomas]

really? i always wanted to be an astrophysicist. in fact that was my first major. i wasn't smart enough though. physics is ****ing hard!

Yeah, Sombra..that would freaking rock! Mainly for the view of earth..and the zero-g experience. But I'll try to go ahead and earn me some mad money later on in life and just buy me a ride into space when it becomes more comercialized.

[misombra]

well you're an engineer why don't you just build your own space craft?

and could you make one for me too?

[nomas]

I'm not an aerospace engineer so I can't design a space craft....well I could design one, but I can't guarantee it'll work. But you can be my test pilot if I even get funding for it's production...

"Let's light this candle"

[misombra]

i'm sure you could find some rich arabs that would fund us. and yeah i'll be your test pilot. it'll be just like that movie that carl sagan wrote. what the hell is the name of that movie...?

[indigosoul]

i'm sure you could find some rich arabs that would fund us. and yeah i'll be your test pilot. it'll be just like that movie that carl sagan wrote. what the hell is the name of that movie...?

It was Contact misombra. Never saw the movie, tho, just read the book.

[bohemiandonut]

I think the most mystical experience happens when you begin to notice a sort of beautiful simplicity that holds together even the most "complex" things. Ya dig? Logic and beauty... that's where you'll find God.

Virgin, no one knows if the big bang was the beginning or not. There are well argued theories on both sides. If Newton is right and matter is always conserved, or I should say energy because "matter" doesn't really exist, if the universe has always been, doesn't that make it even more curious?

Try thinking of yourself as an extension of that infinite singularity that existed preceding the big bang. Me and you and even that muslim wanker were somehow all swirled up in a dimension-less point of infinite energy. So, even though I hate to admit it, we are one.

I'm still disgusted by the whole ignorance is bliss thing. I would much rather give someone the courage to abandon superstition and illusion to wake up to the world around them then do nothing. There is so much to learn, and so little time! You seem to think it is more virtuous to treat the intellectually challenged as sheep. That's fine, but I think that it is actually contempt. Behind all my arrogance is a sliver of hope for humanity, that people can "wake up."

I'd hate myself for accepting ignorance as the best way to live.

I guess I doubt that people exist who have not doubted their faith at one point or another. Unless they are physiologically incapable of doing so (i.e: Retards, One.moron, etc.) I do think that religious people tend to feel a shame for their existence, a desire for salvation. I always picture these people waking up in the afterlife, with no recollection of this world, and saying "But where is this all going? I'll just kill myself to get to heaven!"

See? How do we know that this life isn't both a journey and a destination?

I for one will take it as both. And I plan to shake as many people as I can out of their blind stupor along the way.

Peace.

Though I'm jumping into this late..I kind of agree with the virgin on a few things.

One is, anything is as complicated or as simple as you make it. If you choose to look at the big picture, it seems way simpler..then you keep delving deeper and deeper into anything and it becomes way too complex and increasingly difficult for average minds to keep track of it all. In either case, I think nature features patterns that repeat anyway.

Is there purpose.. a great plan of one or more Gods that explains our existance? I hate not knowing, and I hate that the most logical conclusion I reach is that this is probably wishful thinking. If there was evidence on way or another, there would be no debate..it would just be fact. But instead we're left with "I can feel it"..like a hunch, but how much of that is really learned? Tradition... such a high percentage of the world believes in a creator that it's hard not to have that have any influence on what you believe. But scientifically, there is absolutely no evidence of one creator. Socio/historically (if you'll allow me to make up words), we know how easily people can be manipulated..even today...the masses kind of move in a general direction that a few point them too and deviants are a minority. This was especially true back in the days where information wasn't as readily available as it is today, and this is when people were persuaded into spirituality and religion and how THIS is what should govern their lives for this was the purpose of their existence. All the while the books were controlled by the learned and the privileged few. It's easy to imagine how they may have been manipulated to benefit themselves.

This logic makes it difficult for me to have faith in my former beliefs.

This is why I say, Donut, that ignorance is bliss. Those who still have their faith live simpler lives..laugh at simpler things..are easily amused. I don't lie to anyone, but I'd rather not take this away from them if I could help it. After all, don't we all ultimately seek happiness? Why make it more difficult for someone to reach happiness?

[nomas]

I think the most mystical experience happens when you begin to notice a sort of beautiful simplicity that holds together even the most "complex" things. Ya dig? Logic and beauty... that's where you'll find God.

Virgin, no one knows if the big bang was the beginning or not. There are well argued theories on both sides. If Newton is right and matter is always conserved, or I should say energy because "matter" doesn't really exist, if the universe has always been, doesn't that make it even more curious?

Try thinking of yourself as an extension of that infinite singularity that existed preceding the big bang. Me and you and even that muslim wanker were somehow all swirled up in a dimension-less point of infinite energy. So, even though I hate to admit it, we are one.

I think you should keep your audience in mind if you are truly trying to convey a point you truly believe in. The average reader won't understand what the hell you're trying to tell them when you speak with words only someone with some level of proficiency on the field (or a higher level of education) will understand. You know you know something well when you can explain it to someone with no background on the subject matter.

I'm still disgusted by the whole ignorance is bliss thing. I would much rather give someone the courage to abandon superstition and illusion to wake up to the world around them then do nothing. There is so much to learn, and so little time! You seem to think it is more virtuous to treat the intellectually challenged as sheep. That's fine, but I think that it is actually contempt. Behind all my arrogance is a sliver of hope for humanity, that people can "wake up."

Whether you are disgusted by it or not, it's a true statement as per my example. I never used the word "virtuous" when I was speaking about my own philosophies..it's simply what rules I live by..what I find to be the responsible approach. I think it's irresponsible to simply

plan to shake as many people as I can out of their blind stupor along the way

if that's all you're going to do. As far as I've seen, you don't have all the answers any more than any religion does. So you propose to impose your own beliefs along the way because this is what people shall "wake up" to. It's great to propose your thoughts and theories, but you do exactly the same thing one.m does: push your own unproven ideas as the truth on to others whether they want to hear them or not, except you go about it in a more condescending way.

Back to this (as you put it) "virtuous" behavior I parttake in. My argument there was happiness vs unhappiness while all other factors remained constant. If you claim the truth factor was the one that changed, I say it didn't. You merely replace one theory with another.

There is so much to learn, and so little time!

This little guy I agree with...but I think you flatter yourself if you think you have a good chance to learn any significant percentage throughout your lifetime. So why bother those who know .0001% where you will offer to show them .00015% in exchange for complicating their lives when they were just fiine where they were? Perhaps this is virtuous behavior?..and spare me the observation that this is an extreme example..I'm just painting a picture here.

I'd hate myself for accepting ignorance as the best way to live.

Once again, you put words in my mouth.

I guess I doubt that people exist who have not doubted their faith at one point or another. Unless they are physiologically incapable of doing so (i.e: Retards, One.moron, etc.)

You should get out more..there are a very simple people in the world..maybe you have not had the good fortune of meeting any and learning a thing or two from them..if you are receptive enough.

I do think that religious people tend to feel a shame for their existence, a desire for salvation. I always picture these people waking up in the afterlife, with no recollection of this world, and saying "But where is this all going? I'll just kill myself to get to heaven!"

I'd like to know why you think this. A shame for their existence?? I'd like to see how you will support this, even if I give you they probably do have a desire for salvation.

See? How do we know that this life isn't both a journey and a destination?

I dunno. How do we know it's anything at all? Again..no proof..your guess is as good as mine. There are only more probablilities that it's one versus the other, but then again, the most learned and educated guess can be way WAY off due to factors we cannot even begin to think of dreaming of possibly conceiving..get me? We don't know what we don't know. If you cannot prove it I suggest you don't call arrogantly call it truth.

[Junket]

Only-Virgins----"Everything just always was"

That's too simplistic. Life is meant to be complicated and elusive.

Only if you make it so.