Baba Ku Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Okay, so here's a thing that has vexed me for a long time now. I'm a Buddhist by inclination, and I've always believed there is some kind of intelligence behind the universe, whether it's God or whatever I know not, but it just seems to make sense to me that life, the Universe and Everything is not just down to some random accident. Now I know it could be a random accident, but lets just leave that aside for now and start a whole new thread on it if necessary. So, assuming there is an intelligence behind it all, the question that vexes me the most is, why the suffering? If the Universe is the creation of something both aware and intelligent, then why the fuck would you, given that there is a choice, create the kind of suffering that the average human being experiences? Why not create a Universe of eternal bliss? The only reason I can ever come up with is this: If the Universe is infinite, i.e has no end (the beginning is probably worth a thread of it's own too) then I guess that you would want to experience everything, i.e human life, life as a ten dimensional being in the fofuiduasdo Universe, life as a slug on Jupiter, whatever. Infinity means we will never, ever, run out of things to be and experience. So this life, and all it's attendant suffering and indeed good points, are only the blink of an eye in cosmic terms. For me this explanation is about the only one that makes sense of all the shit I have experienced in this life. It's the only thing that can justify putting up with all the shite I have lived through so far. I'm therefore intrigued to hear other people's thoughts on it? Care to contribute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father McPot Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Why not create a Universe of eternal bliss? My idea is that if you only experienced bliss/contentment/happiness/etc... 1. Life would lose it's excitement. 2. Only having this experience would be taken for-granted and would be just "part of life". It's because we have pain and suffering that we can experience pleasure, though comparison. Sorry, I'll type more tomorrow. Bit tired just now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Freddy Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 The higher beings have left us to our own devices I'm afraid, as they have done with many thousands of other worlds. They will only return when/if we call them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_L_t Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 The Meaning of Life, is a Life With Meaning. says me monk book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurnaJ Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I feel that all creatures ever ceated must suffer in some way or another. The fact that humans have knowledge of their death and suffering before it happens and know that it continues throughout life seems to act as a burden on us like no other species. It is the price of knowledge while having feelings and emotions. As far as explaining the Universe and where we come from, man is hundreds of years from any scientific proof. Intelligence behind the Universe I would agree, but Intelligence is relative to the being. What is amazingly intricate to us humans may be simple science to other beings we have never had contact with. Maybe we were placed here on Earth by Alien beings and they are waiting till the planet reaches full capacity till they come back and farm us and haul us away into a life of slavery and captivity. Sorry to say, we will never know the truth behind the Universe in our lifetime. And I must agree, Buddism makes the most sense to me of all religions. Focusing on self-improvement and discipline, something that is lost in today's world. I could use a third eye right now, believe me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialbrew Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 but it just seems to make sense to me that life, the Universe and Everything is not just down to some random accident. Now I know it could be a random accident, but lets just leave that aside for now and start a whole new thread on it if necessary. Random accident for me Baba Interesting topic all the same,I'm sure they will be some interesting replies.Sb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughie Green Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 (edited) I think the question is whom creates the suffering? us or the omnipotent deity/creative intellligence, I think we mostly create the suffering by(as in the other thread) our desires or lack of fulfilment of those desires whether realistic or attainable or not, then there is the suffering some inflict on themselves and/or on others, some for pleasure, some for pay, some for a twisted ideal or theory or political power. Edited January 17, 2008 by Hughie Green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canabizbob Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Why exist at all? What is existence? I don't know ,nobody can,our brains can't understand stuff like that,and infinity. We could be insignificant accidents,no more important than a colony of bacteria. Or we could be everything,Religion might be right,it might be like starwars,or your whole existence might be a dream,or you might be playing a really good computer game,I don't think we can hope to understand why we exist,or existence in this existence. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodhisattva Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I've often thought that if God exists then I am probably he - or at least part of he - and the rest of you are but figments of my fervid imagination - or, more likely, dispersed parts of myself. The universe is actually very complex and part of the reason for the suffering is that I haven't got the coding quite right yet, there's a whole load of bugs - but I'm working on it. Or maybe it's just a "now get out of that" situation for a bit of fun on a wet Sunday afternoon? The other thing is that the universe is equal in all aspects to my own imperfection, evil exists because I necessarily comprise of both good and evil (the evil is well under control I might add), it's the old 0=2 equation, you can't make something out of nothing unless you make anti-something as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Percy Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 maybe we are just a tiny part of a greater meaning a vowel in a great poem, which when viewed singularly has no meaning in itself without the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_L_t Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I have read the bible a bit, and after eve gave adam the apple, they're eyes opened and they had full acknowledgment of all evil. this is when they ran off and covered their nakedness with leafs and shit. to me this sounds like, you can't see the good things without be aware of the bad things. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastajedi Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 (edited) i have been running into a similar haunt, if theres nothing when you die why be anything at all, same goes for planets, stars, galaxies, universe etc sounds alittle strange my statement and like theres some fear of death but its not, its just ...why...row the boat, Rj Edited January 18, 2008 by Rastajedi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soto Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 (edited) Why Exist At All? It's a silly question if you think about it. You exist. Your question supposes there is a reason not to exist. If there were such a reason we wouldn't exist. There has to be a reason for our existance simply because we do exist. Nothing could possibly exist without having a reason to exist. Whether it be the propogation of our species or whatever, we cannot exist without a reason. Perhaps I'm being short sighted but our existance has to be for something. And I think it's better to say that you don't know what that reason is rather than to say there is no reason. The former is far far more likely imo because there is so much to existance. If existance was a black abyss of nothingness then it would be more likely that there were no meaning to existance but it's not, just look around you. Edited January 18, 2008 by soto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta-green Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 i suppose if you believe in reencarnation the point of existance is to experience life in all shapes and forms, through all walks of human and animal life. where this leads you i dont know or cant say [as i dont really believe in this sort of thing] but i guess at the end of it you would attain true awareness or wisdom or something or other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest djdavid4u Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 (edited) I was readin a book called The Spirits Book By allan Kardec Intresting read we are here to evolve here spiritually good or bad we will keep comin back to this matrialistic prison on earth till we evolve spiriually our aim is to stop comin back to earth in the spirit world there is no time apprently we pick who we are when we get reincarnated and pick our spitit guide and the type of life we have and family to make it spiritually challangeing let me get a torrent for this book that should be it http://www.mininova.org/tor/914124 Edited January 18, 2008 by djdavid4u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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