Just mulling things over, today. This is a question/thought for both theists and atheists. I personally believe that the issue of our fundamental nature - ie whether consciousness is a by-product of the movement of matter and electrons or if there is also a non-physical component - is so important that it requires proper, open-minded speculation: not pat-religious answers or reactions to religious answers, but actual contemplation and rigorous evidence-gathering (and I include subjective experience in this). Now, there is no actual evidence out there in the universe of an afterlife. However, that doesnt prove conclusively such a state of being cannot be experienced. Nor can any physical evidence prove that it does. Personally, I am concerned by the polarisation of this argument in our society. Whether we live after death or even if we have lived before birth is a very important question and deserves respectful treatment with an open mind. I mean, what if...? That, for me, is enough of a question to stimulate an investigation. If somehow we could separate ourselves from religious dogma or empirical scientific epistemology and actually explore this question deeply within ourselves - relating it to how we experience the self, the world and others and to examine what actually is the nature of our consciousness - then I really think we would be making progress in our search for the truth. We may find that that truth isnt as objective and external as first thought. Or we might. Or we may find that, deep down, the quest for scientific and spiritual truth are the same or, at least, intimate bedfellows. But, at the end of the day, whatever side of the bed we prefer to be on, surely the real pursuit of both is to improve the human condition and increase our human capacity for love and altruism. Just a thought :-) Peace and big hugs to you x
Posted on: Tue, 13 May 2014 15:18:42 +0000