Twokinds ARCHIVE Forums

People seem to have missed my philosophical threads, so I have thought that it would be good (or so Socrates has told us), to share some of my meager supply of wisdom out of common love. Good, because it is both kind and prudent- it is always a kindness to provide one's perspective (however the intent comes) and certainly prudent, for I can hope, in sharing my wisdom, others would be similarly inclined to share their own.

I have found, through my experiences of human behavior, that, if through some arcane science yet unknown to man, we were to prove without doubt a religion -any religion- was indeed the true religion, it would garner only so many followers. Why? Because our world -our culture- puts a very low value on truth.

We put a value on what we want to believe. We put a value on our own selves, our own intelligence. Empiricism has taught us that we are fools to trust anyone but ourselves and our own experiences. While such things are generally reliable- can we truly base everything on a scope of the world that is ultimately limited? Even with the vast amount of information that is easily accessible to us- do we really know so much? Even the most savvy reader of modern events and events gone past knows little compared to the true scope of happenings in the world. Can we truly understand the sorrow of the Christ as all his friends flew from Him as He was beaten with Roman whip and cross and spear? Or the elation of the Greeks when they finally pushed back the seemingly unbeatable Persian horde? Or perhaps the true evil of Nero, who burned men as candles for his yard and played sweet-noted music as his own city burned.

What is ultimately more important to us- the death of our dearest or the history of the Civil War, where countless men's dearest friends died, were cut down at early age by sword and cannon-shot? The answer, likely, is the former. But this is not regrettable- it is, after all, what friends are for.

But in former years men used history and acted, thought, as if it really happened. They were inspired on incredible levels by ancient tales that they had memorized front and back- and was it because they were more primitive than us? Quite the contrary, I believe it was because they were far more sophisticated in their thought. So easy is it for us to say that each friend is incredibly different, that they must be treated in totally different fashions. And while in a sense, we must respect the individuality of every human being, must we not also understand that their are common elements of friendship? Must friends aid one another in crisis? Surely, if one aided the other, but the other did not raise a hand for the one, it is not friendship, but one man feeding parasitically upon another!

There is no such thing as a bad friend, because what is commonly called a bad friend is not a friend at all. He is, in fact, an enemy of perhaps the most insidious kind the mortal world can bear- one that gives the guise of friendship.

Regrettably, my own body seems to limit my ability to continue this dialogue, and I must depart to the realm of sleep.

Pax vobiscum,
~(\/).(.

That sure was fun to read.
X3

Queries:
- How would one prove, without doubt, that any given religion was true? In most cases, it would quite literally require the direct intervention of the deity in question. In that case, one would think that it would make that particular religion a bit more that simply popular. I mean, if everyone were to look up one day and see God standing there pronouncing, "The Baptists are doing it right - listen to them! ...and, oh yeah, I exist" and it was scientifically proven without a doubt that this indeed just happened, you better believe that there'd be quite a massive baptizing line forming along the banks of your local river way before lunchtime.
XD

- I consider the death of a loved one far more important to me than the multitudinous deaths during the Civil War...if for no other reason than the fact that, even if they had not all died during that awful tribulation, they would still, without a doubt, be quite dead right now...where my friend wouldn't need to be...hopefully.
;3

Call me dim or uneducated, but what, in simple English, are you talking about?

my eyes hurts...>_<

anyways, ima use some stuff in the stuff above for ma epic story !! w00t

Why do current events matter more to us than past events- or should they? I suppose if my brother, mother, father, or just about anyone in my family passed away, it would turn my world upside down. But when I think about the past atrocities- the Civil war, Nero, slavery, you name it- I simply accept it. I've had much more time to acknowledge what has been done. It has happened, and I cannot change that. In any event, I didn't know anyone who was involved, so there is a limit to the amount of emotional attachment I have.

Slaver conjures up feeling of sorrow and anger. But, should someone I know suffer the same fate, those feelings would me multiplied exponentially. Perhaps it's ignorance or apathy, but those living with me have had more of an impact on who I am and how I think than those who gave their lives (or had them taken away) before I could know them.

It isn't much different than looking in the paper, or on the internet, and read about a murder. You may feel sorrow for the family, but, deep down, you feel fear about your own family. You're relieved that they are still unharmed. Selfish, I know, but I would rather some nameless face perish than someone I love.

If religion is ever proved? I, personally, doubt it ever will be scientifically validated- faith is just the nature of religion, believing without absolute scientific certainty. It's easy to believe in something true, but you need to be devout to believe in something you can't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Besides, by the time any religion is proved true, it'll be too late for everyone else- whole "end of the world" thing.