End of the world?
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End of the world?
Tiffany 21st May 2011, 1:25 am
Who is tired of hearing these "end of the world" stories and predictions?
My view is that no one knows what tomorrow holds and screw it! Live like there's no tomorrow! if we all die, GREAT! If Religions are right, we're all screwed. but whatever. Lol
thoughts? comments?
My view is that no one knows what tomorrow holds and screw it! Live like there's no tomorrow! if we all die, GREAT! If Religions are right, we're all screwed. but whatever. Lol
thoughts? comments?
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Re: End of the world?
prof_memes 21st May 2011, 2:25 am
Even if the world ends tomorrow, I'm not giving all my money and final moments to some douche evangelist. >< Threats of the end are another way of scaring a populace, controlling them, and ultimately, taking advantage of them. Always beware the charismatic ones, and their personal agendas. <_<
If the world does end tomorrow, then frankly, I can finally ask God to let me peek into the Book. I want to see if Fermat really had an elementary proof of that damned theorem. <_< Personally, I still think he was math's greatest troll. ^^v
If the world does end tomorrow, then frankly, I can finally ask God to let me peek into the Book. I want to see if Fermat really had an elementary proof of that damned theorem. <_< Personally, I still think he was math's greatest troll. ^^v
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Re: End of the world?
The Crippled Intern 21st May 2011, 3:43 am
If I may go out of character for a moment:
I had a fight with the family at the dinner table last night about religion and God. The topic came up due to the "the world is going to end on May 21st" nonsense. By the end of the "discussion" I was so angry I could barely hold my fork, but it wasn't the typical sort of anger. It was just this feeling of "ARGH!" in general, if that makes sense.
To try and make a point, I told them I'd joined the Church of Google -- check out proof that Google is God -- and their reaction was pretty reasonable: they treated me like I was out of my mind, and like that was the most ridiculous thing they'd ever heard.
Never mind all that talk about "respecting each individual's belief system". Respecting a belief system only works when that belief system isn't radically different from your own, I suppose.
Anyway, my favorite bit of the entire conversation was when my step father tried to trip me up. The look in his eye when he did it was smug to the point of wanting to hit him over the head with a halibut. The exchange went like this:
He had a lot of answers to that -- some of which involved alien lifeforms continuing to worship the Almighty long after we're gone -- but the point is, you can justify anything if you try hard enough. If the world ends today, well, no one's going to be around to be bummed out about it tomorrow. But if it doesn't end, then the devout who've been talking about it for all these years will have to retcon the entire thing and push the end of days back until whenever. They've done it before, they'll do it again.
I'm beginning to get the feeling that God is like Skynet: he's really unreliable at destroying everything. When the sun finally expands and engulfs this world, I suppose that'll be God's will and not a natural scientific occurrence.
For what it's worth, I'm not an Atheist. Bet you didn't see that one coming!
I had a fight with the family at the dinner table last night about religion and God. The topic came up due to the "the world is going to end on May 21st" nonsense. By the end of the "discussion" I was so angry I could barely hold my fork, but it wasn't the typical sort of anger. It was just this feeling of "ARGH!" in general, if that makes sense.
To try and make a point, I told them I'd joined the Church of Google -- check out proof that Google is God -- and their reaction was pretty reasonable: they treated me like I was out of my mind, and like that was the most ridiculous thing they'd ever heard.
Never mind all that talk about "respecting each individual's belief system". Respecting a belief system only works when that belief system isn't radically different from your own, I suppose.
Anyway, my favorite bit of the entire conversation was when my step father tried to trip me up. The look in his eye when he did it was smug to the point of wanting to hit him over the head with a halibut. The exchange went like this:
Him: If there was no electricity, could Goggle continue to exist?
Me: When an extinction event kills humanity, will there be anyone left to believe in God? After all, we're the electrical current that keeps God online.
He had a lot of answers to that -- some of which involved alien lifeforms continuing to worship the Almighty long after we're gone -- but the point is, you can justify anything if you try hard enough. If the world ends today, well, no one's going to be around to be bummed out about it tomorrow. But if it doesn't end, then the devout who've been talking about it for all these years will have to retcon the entire thing and push the end of days back until whenever. They've done it before, they'll do it again.
I'm beginning to get the feeling that God is like Skynet: he's really unreliable at destroying everything. When the sun finally expands and engulfs this world, I suppose that'll be God's will and not a natural scientific occurrence.
For what it's worth, I'm not an Atheist. Bet you didn't see that one coming!
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Re: End of the world?
Tiffany 21st May 2011, 12:13 pm
prof_memes wrote:I want to see if Fermat really had an elementary proof of that damned theorem. <_< Personally, I still think he was math's greatest troll. ^^v
^^^ BAHAHAHAH! this was epic! i was having this very discussion with my research advisor! honestly, i think Fremat was out of his damn mind! Although brilliant. Lol.
Intern, i never judge a person before i meet them. I'm not a Christian anymore but most people don't know that. I honestly never called myself that. I was classified as such. I see myself as agnostic, but that doesn't entirely explain it. But i feel you. I would be pretty frustrated in that situation as well. I often do get frustrated. Although previously stated that i'm not a Christian, i DID study the bible for years. and when other people try to quote it to me and tell me "what it says" in reaction to something i've done or said, that just pisses me off. I know what the bible says and i can't stand morons that think they can justify everything with one book or scripture that can be interpreted a million different ways!
Whew! that felt good. ^_^
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Re: End of the world?
prof_memes 21st May 2011, 3:43 pm
I have a hard time listening to people who say "wanna save yourself from fiery damnation? Then, give me your money, your time, and your lives!" It sounds too much like a scam than a belief system about the universe and morality. <_< Honestly, they could be absolutely right, and if I'm wrong in my first impression, I'll be right damned.
Intern, I'll drop character as well. This is the "real world" forum, after all.
Honestly, I've had moments where I didn't know what I believed. I still do now and then. Sometimes, this is caused by other people challenging my faith, other times by my own thought experiments. I sometimes worry that I'm rationalizing my own belief and existence. As a professional in the sciences, how can I old religious beliefs in spite of all the evidence in the physical sciences that seems to contradict it?
Frankly, I have no rational reasons, but surprisingly, it's from my profession that I draw many parallels. In mathematics, or science in general, there is a tension between the concrete (the stuff you can literally see and use) and the abstract (the stuff you can't see). Abstract problems are may times easy, once you see what to do. Concrete problems are often messy, time consuming, and just bloody hard. As such, people doing concrete problems will appeal to an abstract result, an easier setting, to get intuition to proceed. In a way, the abstract is this "ideal world" where only simple and basic rules apply, where there isn't all this complication from reality.
I like to believe that there is an ideal world for morality as well. I like to believe that apart from the opinions of the world, there is an objective idea of what "good" and "evil" are. With abstract notions, I can then test if something is "good" or "evil", "right" or "wrong". Even then, the difference can be a hard, concrete problem.
I believe there is an answer to these questions. Unfortunately, I don't believe I can determine it. T_T The mathematician Paul Erdös talked about "the Book", God's schematic of the universe holding the answers to every question possible with the most elegant and simple solutions. I'd like to believe that the Book exists and that one day, I will have a chance to see inside of it.
It's possible that my belief system is wrong or flawed. I try not to be bigoted or judgmental. I try to hear others out on their beliefs because they might have insight that my current understanding lacks. However, I'm human and make mistakes. But, I am human and have free will. I choose what I believe, for better or for worse. If the world ends today, I was wrong not to belief some of the recent talk.
"Oh, hi, Satan. How're you doing?" ^^;
Intern, I'll drop character as well. This is the "real world" forum, after all.
Honestly, I've had moments where I didn't know what I believed. I still do now and then. Sometimes, this is caused by other people challenging my faith, other times by my own thought experiments. I sometimes worry that I'm rationalizing my own belief and existence. As a professional in the sciences, how can I old religious beliefs in spite of all the evidence in the physical sciences that seems to contradict it?
Frankly, I have no rational reasons, but surprisingly, it's from my profession that I draw many parallels. In mathematics, or science in general, there is a tension between the concrete (the stuff you can literally see and use) and the abstract (the stuff you can't see). Abstract problems are may times easy, once you see what to do. Concrete problems are often messy, time consuming, and just bloody hard. As such, people doing concrete problems will appeal to an abstract result, an easier setting, to get intuition to proceed. In a way, the abstract is this "ideal world" where only simple and basic rules apply, where there isn't all this complication from reality.
e.g. Computing the precise velocity of a man running is really hard, if you take into account wind-resistance, friction with the ground, the motion of the extremities, etc.
Let's just assume he's a block or particle. That removes all the messy bits that probably contribute very little to the result we want. ^_^v
I like to believe that there is an ideal world for morality as well. I like to believe that apart from the opinions of the world, there is an objective idea of what "good" and "evil" are. With abstract notions, I can then test if something is "good" or "evil", "right" or "wrong". Even then, the difference can be a hard, concrete problem.
e.g. Is it good or evil to kill a mass murderer for his crimes?
e.g. Is it good or evil for a destitute man to steal bread to feed himself or his family?
I believe there is an answer to these questions. Unfortunately, I don't believe I can determine it. T_T The mathematician Paul Erdös talked about "the Book", God's schematic of the universe holding the answers to every question possible with the most elegant and simple solutions. I'd like to believe that the Book exists and that one day, I will have a chance to see inside of it.
It's possible that my belief system is wrong or flawed. I try not to be bigoted or judgmental. I try to hear others out on their beliefs because they might have insight that my current understanding lacks. However, I'm human and make mistakes. But, I am human and have free will. I choose what I believe, for better or for worse. If the world ends today, I was wrong not to belief some of the recent talk.
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update
Tiffany 21st May 2011, 8:05 pm
I would like to report that the rapture didn't happen. Lol. WOOO! haha
Tiffany- Newbie
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