Like many people, I have sought meaning in religion and spiritual pursuits. After much wasted time, I have reached the following conclusion: Life probably has no over-arching meaning. We just exist and do the best we can within our limited understanding of the universe and each other. It is helpful to believe in kindness and integrity. We are all locked into a mystery that may not include a grand purpose to our existence, so we should be kind and honest with each other.
There are small, difficult questions and large difficult questions. On the small end of the spectrum, I include the following:
1. Is it a good or bad idea to give money to folks begging on the street?
2. When a family member or friend is doing something that is self-destructive, what is the right response?
3. What is the difference between healthy self-care and toxic self-indulgence?
4. Why do we negatively pre-judge people we have never met?
The bigger difficult questions that bother me include the following:
1. What is the meaning of music? It is not necessary for human survival, but we seem to need it badly.
2. Why does the continued existence of one earthly organism depend on the death and consumption of some other earthly organism?
3. Is it wrong to think about our personal needs in view of our insignificance in relation to the universe?
4. Did the universe create life and consciousness or did life and consciousness create the universe?
The small questions clog up my day; the big questions pop up in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. I have read lots of books that claim to have insights into these questions, large and small. Most have not been helpful.
When it comes to monotheism, I am a non-believer. But there is something, there is something. The mysteries are very deep. Physicists sometimes sound like preachers.
4. Why do we negatively pre-judge people we have never met?
The bigger difficult questions that bother me include the following:
1. What is the meaning of music? It is not necessary for human survival, but we seem to need it badly.
2. Why does the continued existence of one earthly organism depend on the death and consumption of some other earthly organism?
3. Is it wrong to think about our personal needs in view of our insignificance in relation to the universe?
4. Did the universe create life and consciousness or did life and consciousness create the universe?
The small questions clog up my day; the big questions pop up in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. I have read lots of books that claim to have insights into these questions, large and small. Most have not been helpful.
When it comes to monotheism, I am a non-believer. But there is something, there is something. The mysteries are very deep. Physicists sometimes sound like preachers.
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