Suffer the little children...

[Pangloss62]

I presented a paper at the recent American Culture/Popular Culture Association Conference here in Atlanta. My session was in architecture, but I noticed they had a whole session on Heinlein; evidently, that guy has struck a chord with many. I'll have to check him out.

Belief, faith, hope...those words just don't apply much to the way I approach reality. That's doesn't mean I don't laugh, or feel content from time to time, I just see no reason to wish for things I have no control over, especially someone else's integrity (been let down too many times). Whatever happens happens. That's why, like Dr. Pangloss said (and hence my cellar name), "It's the best of all possible worlds."

[BlueSky_TheMan]

Originally Posted by Pangloss62

I...

Belief, faith, hope...those words just don't apply much to the way I approach reality. ...."

I wouldn't be too upset at finding Belief, faith, and hope missing from your daily list of experiences. If you've got the Modern, distorted version of those words within your life your probably a walking sack of misery. Feel lucky that your at least finding your own definitions.

Belief.... in ALMOST all cases belief is nothing more than what you've been conditioned to accept as a truth. The conditioning comes from the beliefs of your parents, the beliefs of the religion that you may or may not of had the choice to attend, it comes from the nation you belong to, etc. In short, ANY group that you belong too is pushing some "truth" on you in hopes that you'll accept it and increase their ranks. Belief should be the warmth of understanding that arises when you search inward past your conditioning and all the noise seeking answers.

faith....Many people recognize faith as something your "suppose" to have regardless of any truth of reality that may be proving it wrong. I've received faith in those things that I've found to be completely true within my heart. My insights are proof that gives me faith, I don't try and cultivate faith by crossing my fingers, clicking my heels together, and saying "There's no place like home."

hope...implies something that does not exist, but someday it might. If you have the two items above in the TRUE sense then Hope is never required because you will already have all you need.

[Pangloss62]

If you've got the Modern, distorted version of those words within your life your probably a walking sack of misery.

Well, I'm certainly not that, but I'm incredibly cynical and often stoic.

completely true within my heart.

I see you're a dualist. I'm not a dualist. The only heart I "believe" in is the one that pumps my blood and keeps me alive (for now). "Soul," "heart," "spirit," I don't do those things. And yes, this does lead to my assertion that "free will" does not exist either.

Nonetheless, I'm not a walking sack of misery, much to the chagrin of those who think I should or wish I was because of the way I think. So many assume that I should be miserable when they hear what I say. But I'm not.