a higher purpose?

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Other animals can't do this, so no, I don't believe they have souls in the same was as we do.

I have to differ. My dog has more soul than a lot of people I know.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I have to differ. My dog has more soul than a lot of people I know.

[Rot 911]

That's one guilty looking dog.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

That's one guilty looking dog.

Yup.

And if you feel guilt, then you have remorse, and if you have remorse then you know the difference between right and wrong.

And if you know that, chances are you have a soul.

Cheers.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Bingo. It was a trick question.

Nuh huh, I found it but it was on the back of the piece of paper. Down near the lower left corner. See it?

[dhoward]

You guys are a bunch of pansies...

[Burnin' oil]

I'm not wearing any clothes.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

For those of you who speak of the vastness of the universe, I will leave this 1.5m GIF file on my server for a few days. (Please D/L rather than stream.)
http://www.performanceaeromotive.com/vast.gif


My philosophy is based on something Kirk said to Picard. As he was dying, he looked up at Picard and asked, "Did we make a difference?"

When I am dead, I want my eulogist to think about that.

It simply is not possible for one human to make any real difference in the universe.

Completely, totally impossible.

[trekkor]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

It simply is not possible for one human to make any real difference in the universe.

Completely, totally impossible.

Incorrect!


KT

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by kstarnes

Our galaxy is but one of hundreds of billions of galaxies, and yes, that is a guess.

Our footprint in the universe is unimaginably tiny.

Emphasis on unimaginably added by me.

We are not even capable of grasping just how utterly insignificant we really are. Even the entire history of humanity, even should it survive for another billion years will be a totally insignificant non-event in the history of the universe.

We truly do not matter at all on a cosmic scale. Trekkor's delusions of grandeur notwithstanding.

[trekkor]

I have no delusions.


KT

[m21sniper]

Everyone of us could die tommorow, all of us, and in the grand scheme of things it wouldn't matter not one whit or iota.

What the hell does the universe care? It doesn't.

[trekkor]

I'm sorry you have such a bleak outlook for the future.

No matter what you think of the 'rest of the universe'.

We matter.


KT

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I see the insignificant have spoken.

[JavaBrewer]

We matter to those who know us and are affected by us. Otherwise... pretty egotistical to think us humans, being as physically and mentally challenged as we all demonstrate, are all that and a bag of chips measured against the universe...

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by trekkor

I'm sorry you have such a realistic outlook for the future.

Fixed it for you.

Originally Posted by trekkor

No matter what you think of the 'rest of the universe'.

We matter.


KT

You just keep thinking that as our sun consumes its fuel, turns into a red dwarf, and every living thing on earth dies. Or some meteor or comet falls from the skies and wipes us all out in a flash.

Or fast forward a few thousand billion more years as the entire universe collapses back in on itself and all life EVERYWHERE is totally annihilated in the creation of a new singularity. Or even worse, if the universe endlessly expands until the stars all blink out, one by one, leaving a massive dark empty expanse of lifeless nothing.

Our future is 1000000000000x more "bleak" than most care to realize. All life in this universe is going to die, we are all doomed, nothing we do will ever change that fact.

Our own doom is simply inescapable. It is therefore impossible for us to 'matter' in any way. I lead a good life, but it's really because i don't want to go to prison. Not because i care about some afterlife or some fantastical concept such as karma. My morality is an entirely practical consideration.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Our own doom is simply inescapable.

Many folks can't deal with that simple concept. So the invisible buddy was invented and suddenly if we do what the buddy says then we're not "really" going to die. For the a simple person whose life is spent toiling in the dirt, or serving others, life now has meaning. Go on to a better place - as long as you do XYZ with a smile. Peace and power is restored.

[trekkor]

Believe as you please.


KT

[m21sniper]

I believe i shall.

[trekkor]

sun expanding? universe collasping? hooey!


KT