meaning in it all

[Ender]

I was thinking today that i was kinda down, and have been in the last little while. I don't know, maybe it's from my lack of direction at the moment...or just that i have nothing i am really living for.

This got me into thinking about religion, and people basing the meaning of their lives on it, or at least giving them hope and something to live for. Is it not so bad? I've always been critical about religion...and its roll in society. Now I'm wondering if it isn't such a bad thing to have such hope in the unknown, when there really isn't anything there anyways.

Why are we so pressured into feeling we have to do something with our lives? Awareness has it's perks...but at times i think it's also has its downsides.

What's wrong with just living life to enjoy it...why do we have to push ourselves to get that big house with the white picket fence...and be successful (especially if you're sick).

Maybe the reason I've felt down is cause I'm focusing too much on what I am not doing and less on what's going on around me. Anyone else feel like that sometimes...that when life isn't going towards your expectations of what you put on yourself, you find yourseld down? Why do we even have these expectations.

I envy the people that live on the street sometimes...i really do. Not the crackhead ones...but the ones that do it because they chose...because they have found happiness in not wanting. I admire their freedom.

Ok kind of a little rant. I know i said i wasn't gonna post for a while, but well, this was on my mind, and i was wondering if some of you have the same sorta thoughts..

Peace,
kiel

 

[anonymous]

Don't drink the orange koolaide dude.


Personally regarding religion, I think it's funny. People seek it out because they want to feel like they are important, and ultimately can't deal with just dying and not existing anymore. I call it "after life insurance". Some of the biggest hypocrits I have ever ran into were religious, and some of the most moral and ethical people I have ever ran into were either Atheists, or Agnostics. To be fair, I find Atheists are extremely intellectually egotistical, so much so that it's hard to be around them for any extended period of time. The same can be said for people who agree strongly with religion, like say fundamental Christianity or something similarly "extreme". Maybe i'm a tad psychotic, but when some people talk to me, and share their rediculousness in either of these realms, I say to myself "I'd really like to push you in front of a speeding bus".


I have spent countless hours postulating about life, the afterlife, multi dimensions, hell, heaven, religion in general, organized religion, most if not all of the great philosophers and theologians. I've studied psychology, sociology, and philosophy. I've also always been very intrigued by human aberrant behavior, and sexual deviancy, and studied it in college and researched these topics on my own.


My personal conclusion on "the meaning of it all"? To me, Agnosticism is the most logically, least egotistical way of looking at reality and post reality, and the most humble in general. I view us just like I view any other animal on planet earth. The difference between myself and that aligator in the retention pound (besides the obvious physically), is that my ancestors evolved to the end point of having a very complex highly advanced brain, and that has proven to be very successful for us as an organism. It has been too successful, seeing as how our population has now broken the 6 billion mark globally, and is now causing serious problems to sustain such a population.


I feel that on this planet, certain lucky species get a chance to flourish, and then either via natural causes or self created causes, they are wiped out and something else that was in the background during the former reign gets a shot at sitting at the throne. The dino's had their pretty long run, now it's our turn, and it looks like we won't last too much longer to be honest. We are inherantly flawed. The same human brains that create wonderful works of literature and beautiful art, creates sarin gas, cyanide, and commits acts of throwing their own new born infants into dumpsters, and raping, torturing, killing, then eating 5 year old children.


It's very conveinent to say our actions and our history are heavily dependent and influenced in general by some all knowing force that is good, and some lesser powerful force that has a grudge against the all powerful force that wants to get back at it's previous boss through us. I treat others as I'd like to be treated in general, but I also realize not everyone deserves respect just because you are drawing breath. I tolerate people from the lower parts of the curve, and enjoy the presence and learn from those from the peaks of the curve.


Countless, extremely intelligent men have postulated about the meaning of life for their entire lives. They have handed down what they had learned to the next generations of extremely intelligent men trying to figure it all out again. You know what has been learned? Absolutely nothing. Hence why religion was created. It truely is the opiate of the people as Karl Marx said. It soothes people and gives them an internal, maternal/paternal "It will be ok" regarding life and it's hurdles. If that makes people feel better and ends up being complete BS, who cares. If it ends up being completely true, who cares. Nothing matters. I could sit here all day and discuss the Bible alone, but it's pointless. People will believe what they find comforting, conveinent, and what they were brought up to believe in. It's a handy crutch.


In case you haven't seen it, go rent Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life. Great flick. Also their movie The Life Of Brian is great too. Very good films lampooning life, the meaning of it all, and the rediculousness of religion/organized religion and the human condition.


You know what else? Nothing I have said matters, and nothing you have said matters, and nothing anyone else says in this thread matters. It's just a way to reaffirm what we feel to ourselves, with voyeuristic tendencies. Just have a good time and enjoy the heart beats that you have. Enjoy good food, enjoy sexual pleasure in whatever legal way you like to, have fun with friends, do the little things you like to do to pass the time, and don't impinge too heavily on others trying to do the same in their lives. Life is just a series of mostly negative stress, with intersperced moments of positive stimulous. We end up gravitating towards whatever pleasurable distractions we can get away with doing, as much as we can do them.

 

[littledebbie]

Hmmm. I have wondered often what I'm living for...whats the point
etc.  I don't forsee marriage, children, house with picket
fence or high power job, or doing any great works for society,
writing a great novel, or the greatest song, painting a masterpiece
etc.  So what is my point...what am i here for.  why do i
continue?  you know...I like the sound of birds and sunshine
on my face.  i like hanging out with my family.  i like
buying shoes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">  I don't know, I guess i have decided i don't
need to understand it all...maybe I will get it when I'm gone maybe
I won't.  But I have a feeling i could spin this in my head
for eons and not find out the answer.  So i don't think about
it too much.  i do try to absorb the things around me,
appreciate moments.  try to really be aware of every
experience in the moment.  Does that make sense?  It's
like I make an effort to actually be awake in my life?  Look
up at the sky and notice the trees on my walk home from work.
 drink a beer and match it with the perfect lays chips...which
beer calls for sour cream and onion and which goes better with bbq.
 i don't know...now you have ME rambling...good lord it's
contagious!!!!!!<br>
<br>
I do believe in God.  i don't get everything i don't try to
 I don't think I'm supposed to.  i try to be kind to
people, help where i can, appreciate the experience that is life-
that for some reason I am here to experience.  Hopefully along
the way I will do or learn something I was meant to.  I don't
think anyones meaning is in a big house or fancy job, i think our
meaning is probably hidden somewhere in being the best version of
us that we can be.  Not hurting others and muddling through as
best we can.  i think surviving this all with some love and
joy in our heart is a good goal.  I try to hold myself up to
my own measuring stick.  <br>
<br>
When I get caught up in other people mad dash to achieve the rest
of this crap the trappings i do get down.  it makes me feel I
dunno..heavy..tired...sad.  But truthfully I think I a lot of
this is "America" crap that our culture has bought into.
 I think our life has us cutting through the crap and looking
for the bottom line in a way many never do.<br>
<br>
yes sometimes I wish i was one of the masses who didn't have all
this fricking awareness.  Sometimes I wish i had no
resposibilities like the homeless guy on the street but you
know...they are rather alone aren't they?  And while i enjoy
solitude i do need people in my life that I love and that love me.
 And I do think we are meant to do something with our
days. So alas no shopping cart in my fututre...unless I don't solve
my small income problem looming in my future in which case you can
check me out at your local park bench.<br>
<br>
So well this was along way of saying, yes, I wonder about these big
thoughts too sometimes.  If I hold myself up to the
"American" success scale I get down.  Then I
remember America has only been around about 200 years and we have
some stupid ideals about life and success.<br>
<br>
I believe in God, but that's a personal thing for everyone and I
hate topics that get all ....i believe in God- I don't- your dumb
-no your dumber, blah blah blah...to each his own.  It's a
personal thing no ones right no ones wrong.  I don't think
someone can understand faith if they don't have it and those that
do cant understand how you live without out it.  It's an
impasse let's go have a beer.<br>
<br>
Wow time for me to go to bed..did any of this make sense...darn you
Ender you have fuddled my brain! ha ha ha <img src="i/expressions/beer.gif" border="0"><br>

 

[luke]

Keil,

A few things....Even though I am a christian I do not let that completely define my lifes work. Afterall, I am not a priest(proof because I don't touch little kids...that was bad!). I think your question is two fold and not really connected. Just because I believe in an afterlife dosen't mean that I should strive for the white picket fence. Actually...I think God loves a homeless man just as much(if not more) than the man with nuclear family and white picket fence. Lord knows I am not an expert on the bible but Jesus' teaching were to be kind, helpful, respectful.. not to be rich and famous. Unfortunately..todays society dosen't care as much about such things. I guess my point is...believing in a religion teaches us how to be better people but does not teach us to become "successful" in societies standards.

For the record I was raised in a christian home but decided it wasn't for me when I was 18 or so and just quit believing. A few years later I made my way back to God's house when he sent me my own angel on earth(my wife). The one who completes me and accepts me, who takes care of me and loves me. That is why I believe in God...because he sent me what I needed to get through the rest of my life. So....while others remark that people run to god for fear of death; that may be true to some. But I know God exists because of what he has given me in life.

edited: 100% godly in nature don't read. Keil this a post that Jarod did a little while ago that you may find insightful in your dilemna(thanks jarod)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://forums.cysticfibrosis.com/messageview.cfm?catid=19&threadid=9261&enterthread=y
">http://forums.cysticfibrosis.c...id=9261&enterthread=y
</a>
Luke

 

[LisaV]

I've been thinking about this a lot this last week or so (no surprise). I don't know about the "religion" or "afterlife" thing. There does seem to be some big system that I'm a part of - but the only certainty to me right now is that people (all living things) are born, die. And that our lives are just teeny tiny parts of that system.

I've got it pretty easy as a widow in this country. I've got my health, a job, a house, grown children who are doing OK, friends, etc. I could be a young single-parent widow in Darfur trying to et firewood without being killed or raped. My late husband used to really try to change things. But the older I get the less likely it seems to me that I can change the world and those inequalities. And, anyway, I'm pretty worn out.

I have found that I really don't need/want much. A roof over my head, food, clean water, a pot to piss in, health care (insurance), a pet to snuggle with, privacy (inside and outside places where I can scratch my butt without anyone seeing me), occassional interactions with bright, self aware adults, access to books/the web (library), access to transportation (I've got a car, but public transportation would be fine) to get to where I need to go.

At this point, I figure I'm doing OK if I do whatever it is I need to do to stay as independent as I can so I'm not an unnecessary burden or worry to those who love me -- and if I try to make it through each day without hurting someone (intentionally or unintentionally). Other than that I try not to get caught up in too much existential angst -- just sort of stay in the present, do the things I "have" to do (laundry for clean underwear, the occassional shower, etc.) and try to enjoy what's available to me.

Have you ever read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search of Meaning"? ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671023373/sr=8-1/qid=1150373359/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3106941-4753555?%5Fencoding=UTF8">http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...53555?%5Fencoding=UTF8</a> ) It's a short book, but interesting, about how folks "look for meaning" and which things sort of work for folks. He was a concentration camp survivor and came up with a psych concept called logotherapy. Here's a quote from the book:

" An active life serves the purpose of giving man the opportunity to realize values in creative work, while a passive life of enjoyment affords him the opportunity to obtain fulfillment in experiencing beauty, art, or nature. But there is also purpose in that life which is almost barren of both creating and enjoyment and which admits of but one possiblility of high moral behavior: namely, in man's attitude to his existence, an existence restricted by external forces. A creative life and a life of enjoyment are banned to him. But not only creativeness and enjoyment are meaningful. If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete. The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives ample opportunity -- even under the most difficult circumstances--to add a deeper meaning to his life. It may remain brave, dignified and unselfish. Or in the better fight for self-preservation he may forget his human dignity and become no more than an animal. Here lies the chance for a man either to make use of or to forgo the opportunities of attaining the moral values that a difficult situation may afford him. And this decides whether he is worthy of his sufferings or not."

 

[Scarlett81]

Well to give you a spiritual person's perspective-I am religious, I have a faith that live by, that I have confidence in. But-I'm a human being and I'd say that despite faith or lack of faith of whatever, we all feel this way b/c its in our genetic code. Probably 99% of the time I'm looking at why am I NOT doing this/or not able to do this-as opposed to -look at all I can do. Since I do private Bible couseling, sometimes I come across people that need a change, or start thinking philosophically like you-and they want to start Bible study. And though I'd love another student-9 times out 10 it's not "religion" they need its an attitude change. Faith can come after that if they still want it.

I personally feel that it's more of an attitude thing as opposed to a faith thing. We all have days liek that, or periods in life where we go through that/phases/funks-whatever.

Maybe your mind is trying to tell you that you do need a change. A change of attitude, a change of goal, change of pace, eliminate certain people from your life, or bring certain people back in.?? Only you know.

 

[JazzysMom]

I have had these times & you know when it hits me most? When I am watching the tv or looking at ads in the magazines......I sit there & wonder how our society got so wrapped up in so much useless (IMHO) stuff in a fairly short amount of time. You look at people that cant survive without cell phones, televisions in the house or expensive clothing. I enjoy these things, dont get me wrong, but quite honestly I dont need them. I have NEVER been one to keep up with the Jones. I dont use Hollywood as my role model or base what my lifestyle or look should be like. As a child I didnt have the need to have what the other kids had, as an adult I didnt need a new car every 3 years & I have learned with maturity & self honesty that I dont give a hoot what people think as long as I am doing my best as a person. Maybe its from having CF. Maybe its from my losses of family members, maybe its just my nature. I dont know, but I do know that religion is not my guidance. I sometimes "envy" those who have such strong faith because it seems too impressive, but I also "pity" them for what I consider not having enough confidence in themselves to go on without that faith. I dont wish to bash them or undermine their beliefs or faith.....its just not for me, but thats neither here nor there! This is where physchology comes into play I guess. The working of the mind is so abstract at times that thought patterns, commen sense, responses to circumstances etc are so wide spread its hard to comprehend. I have no idea at this point in my post if I am even on the right topic anymore (LOL) so I will end it now!

 

[anonymous]

If you didn't feel insignificant before (which you should if you ever got into cosmology at all), you will after the year 2007-2010. NASA (I'm assuming it's NASA) is launching a satelite in 2007 to go out near pluto and use about 10,000^2 feet CM of really dense high end optical glass to scan the entire universe for particular gamma radiation. Their hope is to prove (it will more than likely prove it, judging by what some of the real bright theorhetical physicists are saying) a particular theory (i'm lazy and the name escapes me atm) that involves the belief that our entire universe exists just on the third dimension, and is one "membrane", floating in the middle of say a 4th dimension that contains another entire whole universe that is it's own membrane, that is also situated within a 5th one, which is within a 6th one, and so on and so on. The big question now (besides if it will be proven or not and if there are countless small mini black holes all throughout our universe - which is another part of the theory), is how many "dimensions" are there? Some say 11, some say 26. If we indeed prove this theory to be true, it would fully explain the big bang and how we got here, which would be due to two membranes (one = us, the other = the one that encompasses us) colliding and causing the massive explosion we know of as the big bang.


Now use Drakes' equation to calculate intelligent, advanced lifeforms (per our understanding of life) just within our known universe, then multiply that (again given what we know now) by the other possible universes out there (up to 26?), and you have such a great number of not only advanced intelligent lifeforms in total, but stars, quasars, black holes, matter, antimatter, nutrinos, and mind boggling amounts of matter and distances...We basically can't comprehend of such huge numbers, even dealing in extremely long scientific notation. Just getting out of our own cosmic backyard makes the measurment of "light years" approach ineffecient.


Not to knock religion. I mean whatever gets you through the day/night and lets you be a better person is fine with me. But to think there are really people now in the year 2006 (discounting those who live in huts and still run after animals and throw spears at them), that thinks theres a guy up there who thinks about and cares about how many times I have touched myself in my lifetime, and if I "Drank of his blood", and "Ate of his flesh" on Sunday or not. I think it's pretty insulting and very egotistical to say that in the immenseness of everything that exists in the entire scope of everything, that very well might be 26 (who knows, could be 10,000 or more) different universes, he has nothing better to do than pay attention to us. Noone is right or wrong on this issue, the issue isn't if God does or does not exist. The issue to me is for others to realize general insignificance and we aren't even 1/1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of a measurement of time on the cosmic clock. I read an amazing article by Steven Hawking earlier, and it will be a miracle if we survive another 100 years.

 

[Seana30]

Ok, all the posts are long, and I am to lazy to read all of them, so if I am repeating what others say I am sorry.

First, this might piss people off, but I do not believe there is a man in the sky that points his finger down on us and tells us we are "doing good" or "doing bad so you will go to hell". I do believe there is a higher being than us, but what that is I am not sure.

I could not sleep last night and ended up watching BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. As I sat there watching the video of those two boys shooting up the school I couldn't help but think..... these boys came from white, upper middle class, religious families. What happened?? If you believe what society says these boys should have grown up to become CEOs of companies, and taken their wifes and 2.5 children to church every Sunday. Why did they take the direction they did???? I don't for one minute believe it had anything to do with religion!

My personal beliefs are this.......you can be quite happy without religon in your life. For those that religion makes them happy....GREAT....whatever makes your life full and complete. What makes my life full and complete is my family, taking the dog for a long walk on a cool summer night, playing a board game with the kids and laughing so hard with them I almost pee my pants, having a fullfilling job (such as when I was an EMT), cooking a meal for my family and watching them gobble it down because it turned out really good, etc.

This is just my opinion. I hope you find the direction you are looking for ender!!

Seana

 

[Seana30]

Ender,

I just reread my post and do not feel like I got my point across like I wanted to.

My whole point was this....................

I do not believe religion is the only thing that can make your life complete. You have to choose what will make life worth living whether it is your family, your job, your religion and do that with all of your heart!

Hope I made sense!

Seana

 

[anonymous]

I feel life is all about appreciation for whatever has been given to you and when you appreciate you will receive. Think about it, when you appreciate (whatever that is) that is a form of receiving.

my motto I live by "When you appreciate you will receive"
Risa

 

[anonymous]

I will also add when you give of yourself you are appreciating as well. Sorry for the philosphical words

 

[anonymous]

i'm not really religious but my dad died a couple of months ago, ( he reached a fair age and was tired and worn out). it makes me feel happier to think he is "up there" and is now looking out for me , my own personal guardian angel<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">. it doesn't hurt anyone if you want to believe things like that and it takes away the pain ( a little bit) janet uk.

 

[Scarlett81]

I think that a belief system/Faith helps with pain, for me personally it gives me answers and peace of mind-but as Risa said- it's all about appreciation. There are people that "believe" in God, but the first time something bad happens to them they hate him. (True, sometimes people have to go through that emotion)

My point is-appreciation for everything in life to me is the key-Whether you belive in a creator/savior or not-appreciate what you have, appreciate others and yourself for what you do too.

 

[anonymous]

Hi Christian

we are thinking like sisters <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0">

 

[EnergyGal]

Sorry that was me above.

It is difficult when someone is depresesd to even appreciate. I find if we make a practice of appreciating something each day it will help people who are not feeling well. As long as we are alive there is something to be grateful about.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Basically, what everyone else said. For some people, it's religion. Not for me. For me it's my family (when they're not pissing me off <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">) and a majority of it is Mike. My boyfriend, now my fiance, in a few years my husband. Our kid(s), if we figure out a way to have any someday. All that.

Whether or not there is a "purpose" to the universe, I have no idea. I currently don't see anything that would say there is. But to me, having meaning to your individual life is enough. I kind of agree with the saying "To the world you may not mean much, but to one person, you mean the world." It goes something like that. You may not make a huge global difference. As long as you matter to the people in your life, that's enough "meaning," as far as I'm concerned.

 

[anonymous]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>anonymous</b></i>

Don't drink the orange koolaide dude.





Personally regarding religion, I think it's funny. People seek it out because they want to feel like they are important, and ultimately can't deal with just dying and not existing anymore. I call it "after life insurance". Some of the biggest hypocrits I have ever ran into were religious, and some of the most moral and ethical people I have ever ran into were either Atheists, or Agnostics. To be fair, I find Atheists are extremely intellectually egotistical, so much so that it's hard to be around them for any extended period of time. The same can be said for people who agree strongly with religion, like say fundamental Christianity or something similarly "extreme". Maybe i'm a tad psychotic, but when some people talk to me, and share their rediculousness in either of these realms, I say to myself "I'd really like to push you in front of a speeding bus".





I have spent countless hours postulating about life, the afterlife, multi dimensions, hell, heaven, religion in general, organized religion, most if not all of the great philosophers and theologians. I've studied psychology, sociology, and philosophy. I've also always been very intrigued by human aberrant behavior, and sexual deviancy, and studied it in college and researched these topics on my own.





My personal conclusion on "the meaning of it all"? To me, Agnosticism is the most logically, least egotistical way of looking at reality and post reality, and the most humble in general. I view us just like I view any other animal on planet earth. The difference between myself and that aligator in the retention pound (besides the obvious physically), is that my ancestors evolved to the end point of having a very complex highly advanced brain, and that has proven to be very successful for us as an organism. It has been too successful, seeing as how our population has now broken the 6 billion mark globally, and is now causing serious problems to sustain such a population.





I feel that on this planet, certain lucky species get a chance to flourish, and then either via natural causes or self created causes, they are wiped out and something else that was in the background during the former reign gets a shot at sitting at the throne. The dino's had their pretty long run, now it's our turn, and it looks like we won't last too much longer to be honest. We are inherantly flawed. The same human brains that create wonderful works of literature and beautiful art, creates sarin gas, cyanide, and commits acts of throwing their own new born infants into dumpsters, and raping, torturing, killing, then eating 5 year old children.





It's very conveinent to say our actions and our history are heavily dependent and influenced in general by some all knowing force that is good, and some lesser powerful force that has a grudge against the all powerful force that wants to get back at it's previous boss through us. I treat others as I'd like to be treated in general, but I also realize not everyone deserves respect just because you are drawing breath. I tolerate people from the lower parts of the curve, and enjoy the presence and learn from those from the peaks of the curve.





Countless, extremely intelligent men have postulated about the meaning of life for their entire lives. They have handed down what they had learned to the next generations of extremely intelligent men trying to figure it all out again. You know what has been learned? Absolutely nothing. Hence why religion was created. It truely is the opiate of the people as Karl Marx said. It soothes people and gives them an internal, maternal/paternal "It will be ok" regarding life and it's hurdles. If that makes people feel better and ends up being complete BS, who cares. If it ends up being completely true, who cares. Nothing matters. I could sit here all day and discuss the Bible alone, but it's pointless. People will believe what they find comforting, conveinent, and what they were brought up to believe in. It's a handy crutch.





In case you haven't seen it, go rent Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life. Great flick. Also their movie The Life Of Brian is great too. Very good films lampooning life, the meaning of it all, and the rediculousness of religion/organized religion and the human condition.





You know what else? Nothing I have said matters, and nothing you have said matters, and nothing anyone else says in this thread matters. It's just a way to reaffirm what we feel to ourselves, with voyeuristic tendencies. Just have a good time and enjoy the heart beats that you have. Enjoy good food, enjoy sexual pleasure in whatever legal way you like to, have fun with friends, do the little things you like to do to pass the time, and don't impinge too heavily on others trying to do the same in their lives. Life is just a series of mostly negative stress, with intersperced moments of positive stimulous. We end up gravitating towards whatever pleasurable distractions we can get away with doing, as much as we can do them.</end quote></div>


Sean is this you by any chance? LOL

 

[anonymous]

Hey Kiel,
Deep thoughts for sure. I think everyone goes through that - and it is a good thing. You keep things in perspective when you ask questions and ponder life around you. I have questioned my "religion" before, and frankly, it ultimately made me stronger.

As far as the house with the white picket fence; it is all about keeping it in perspective. It is not wrong to have the house and the fence but if you are only focusing on yourself then life gets out of balance. One of the Docs I work with has a nice home and the three children in private school but he takes time out of his work to go to Honduras, Haiti and other places to do free services. He makes a lot of money but he gives away alot too. And I bet his family is well taken care of emotionally and spiritually - they do not get ignored.

To me, Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with Christ. I am not perfect and niether is anyone else. Thank God for "grace" because I need it.

 

[thelizardqueen]

Well, I wouldn't call myself religious. I haven't gone to church in about 14 years I think. I'm sort of in the mind set of I'll believe it when I see it - agnostic if you want to call it that. That being said, when I'm in very hard times I do pray. Who am I praying to? I'm not sure. That being said, I've very envious of people who believe in God and don't question his existance, because it gives them a sense of peace, and it means that they believe in something that's going to save them. I wish I could believe in something that will save me when my time comes.