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Tim, you've brought up some very interesting points, ones that I'll have to consider. I'm trying to formulate some kind of an argument against this... because I'm somewhat of an evolutionist myself.
I think that evolution itself carries on in somewhat of a 'common sense' way... although common sense itself is a human creation, but that's another discussion. Say we've got the world's first life form flitting through the ocean... and we won't talk about how he got there either, because that's another discussion! But here is Jimmy the single-celled organism, floating happily about... and he needs food. I think we can all agree that one of the basic rules of life is the need for sustenance... so how is he going to find it? 'Common sense,' naturally speaking, dictates that evolution will provide Jimmy or his offspring with some adaptation that will be useful in locating edibles... say, little mandibles for feeling about. And as the evolutionary chain grows, and different species and varieties of species multiply, the need for different sensory organs arises for survival. Hence, noses, ears, eyes. I can very well imagine a little knob on a fish's head that is sensitive to light, telling it when a predator is near, or prey. Light is a given environmental condition for most of Earth's inhabitants, so it's only 'natural' that we've developed sensory organs capable of percieving it. It's the same idea as how legs came about... to move. Noses, to smell, ears- to hear. Nature provides the condition, and evolution adapts to it in the most capable manner. Little slimy in the ocean develops light-sensitive cells... slimy becomes a pre-fish thing... becomes an amphibian... etc etc, just like the little charts in your science book.
Another sensible comparison is photosythesis in plants... an entirely brilliant evolutionary concept for them. Energy is right there for the taking, and that branch of life developed a system to use it. So did we... but in a different manner.
Okay, enough evolution. This is more than enough for another huge thread.
One thing I want to touch on is something Stevie (SkierX) said quite a few posts back, about hope. I think one of the main staples of religions, and one of the primary ingredients in the baking of modern religion, is the prospect of hope. Religion provides an explanation for us.... and doubtless if it's right or wrong, in many cases it can help. I think all of us at one time or another come to the realization that we are all just little creatures living out our little lives... that very, very soon in the eyes of nature we will be dead and gone, and that nothing meant anything and nothing ever will. It's just existence and then non-existence. And religion gives people belief in a higher purpose... A REASON for life. It is very difficult to come to terms with your own nothingness sometimes, and religion offers hope of salvation. Maybe it's wrong... but personally I'm glad that some people have the support they need to carry on in life. Belief can be an incredibly good thing.... and we have all seen its negative aspects, hence wars, killing, violence and bloodshed.
While I'm still in a rambling mood, I'd like to present a little argument about souls.... for anyone who cares to read. A common belief, I think, is that there's a bunch of souls all flitting about out in nothingness, or Heaven, or whatever you want to call it... and we live a life, then return to our little place, then live another life. For every person a soul.... but the problem is, wasn't it only a few thousand years ago when there were less than 50 million people on Earth? Now there are over six billion... so where do all the extra souls come from? Does Heaven have some kind of soul factory? It would certainly be interesting work....
....and I admit it. I got that argument from the movie 'Before Sunrise.' Which I recommend to all of you.
I will conclude this lengthiness with my own beliefs about all this stuff, if you care to read it. I don't really need an explanation for everything that exists, and I don't think I'll ever be happy with one, because there's no way to define.... well, everything. The world (not just this one) is a very big, big place... and if there is a higher purpose out there somewhere, then I must be serving it just by being alive... which is fine by me. But nature hasn't told me to get down on my knees and pray, so I won't. And if I have anything to be thankful for, it is that I AM alive, that I can think, that I can type this right now and talk and love and hope and feel happiness and sadness and be born and die... and to see things that are wonderful and good. And so I am thankful to be alive... damn thankful. But I don't know who to thank, so instead of spending all my time thanking someone, I try to help myself and others to enjoy this life as much as possible... because it's all we've got, after all. There's too much emptiness out there after death for us to all be assholes.
Emily Bennett is a Lizard King-loving Sex Goddess!
'I don't know what's gonna happen, man, but I want to get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames!' -Jim Morrison