[Sunspot]

Just have to refute DarkDawg's statement, the ever-popular lie that "no-one can predict the future". Totally wrong!! I predict it'll get lighter outside in the morning, and in the evening it will get darker. There, I predicted the future with 100% accuracy! It'll snow in New England this winter. Did it again. Wow, I'm a freakin' prophet...
Many things can be predicted about the future. One of them is that, when we start running out of oil on this planet, we're in DEEP SHIT!

[cat]

In response to DarkDawg, I didn't mean my statements in a selfish way. I guess I wasn't articulate enough. The most fulfillment I get from life is via giving and doing what I can to make the world a better place for others. "Living for the moment", may not be the correct term, maybe being present in the moment. Being present for my children and those I love rather than caught up in anger and fear about what may come to pass in the future. And that does not mean not doing everything possible to make a better future.

[RacerJace]

my initial reaction to LadyRuby's post was " jeeeez, laying on the warm and fuzzy a bit thick... " but in considering the meaning behind the words I do agree it is important to get beyond fear and depression to start accepting and living (like there's no tomorrow).

But the thoughts were clearly forming in my mind that DarkDawg had already posted "think of the children". And it is this that I feel the deepest sorrow for. I don't really care too much about how I will be in a post PO world... I'm sure I'll survive for a while somehow. But my children will have their entire lives to contend with an increasingly harsh struggle for survival.

As the strong/survivors take their place on the remains of this wasted overheating planet they will most probably despise their predecessors (us, the baby boomers and generation X) for their selfishness and folly.

[Dukat_Reloaded]

LadyRuby, there is no reason to be concerned about PeakOil. There are alot of scare mongers around, the main thing I believe to worry about is your assets such as your house, debts and other things. Make sure your financially sound because the USA is facing many finacial difficulties and I would stress to be more worried about the US finacial position and I would urge everyone to be investing in hard assests not including property or cash. Peakoil by most estimates is in my belief 10 years away. Make sure you have assets that are not property, consumer items, or finaical stock. I recommend gold&silver just as is jesus day. (I think the bible is bull, but just mentioning to help this person)

[Guest]

I also have come to pretty much the same stage of development, also after about six months. Maybe this is the normal "incubation period", a "generation" period for PO'ers?

In any case, I was determined to remain childless before I knew about PO, and I'm doubly-determined now, so I only feel a more abstract sympathy for (some in) the younger generations. However, I think it's all a matter of perspective. Those who are young or being born now will have a rough time of it, as they will have to adapt from a society of plenty to one of want. However, those born after the societal change takes place will not have a frame of reference to compare their current lifestyle to. They may even live more fulfilling lives than people have done in a long time, simply because their lives will be harder. Notice that I didn't say "happier lives"; they'll need to work hard for those few moments of peace and happiness, which would make them appreciate those times more than we currently do.

[LadyRuby]

I think kids are probably a lot more resilient than we are (assuming they have the basics of food, water, shelter).

[Doly]

It's a well known fact that the most psychologically resilient people are, in this order:

1) Children
2) Older men and women
3) Young women
4) Young men

[AmericanEmpire]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')ssuming they have the basics of food, water, shelter.

[killJOY]

Too bad we didn't start a correct religion years ago, one in line with the sacred laws of the universe:

Energy
&
Evolution.

Our rituals could consist of :

F*cking

Food

Friends

Family

and Fiddling.

Then we might not be worrying about "the end" right now.

We might be celebrating our sacred place in the universe, realizing that every decision we make has an effect on the whole.



Like I said, too bad.

[entropyfails]

Hi Lady Ruby.

As far as I can tell, you have stumbled upon the secret of life…. No secret to life exists. *grin* Trying to figure out a meaning of life always leads you in endless circles. By accepting the present moment without trying to “figure out what it means” you have reached a place where none can touch you. Congratulations! *smile*

As for what comes beyond death, the only scientific information we have about it comes from Dr Ian Stevenson of Ian Stevenson, M.D. Professor of Research Division of Personality Studies at the University of Virginia. He has published several papers in peer reviewed journals about children who claim to remember previous lives and a book entitled “Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation.” Basically, he interviews young children who claim to remember events and experience from past lives, typically between the ages of 2 and 5. By a careful vetting process, he ensures that these children could not have come about this information from any other source, i.e. no family relations, friends, living in the same city, newspaper articles, etc. He then attempts to hunt down the relatives of the supposed person remembered and verifies the information presented by the child including personal information that the family has never released. He also has done research showing that these children have birthmarks that correspond to marks (including trauma due to cause of death) recorded by the coroner at the time of the “past lives” death at a rate far greater than chance.

You can read about his research at the following university website

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/in ... tystudies/

or you can pick up his books or check out his publications in peer reviewed journals.

Even the skeptics have very nice things to say about him and his methodology and to my knowledge, no peer reviewed study has ever contradicted his findings or suggested an alternate theory for his observations.

Anyway, that should provide some food for thought.

Enjoy.

[hotsacks]

As for what comes beyond death, the only scientific information we have about it comes from Dr Ian Stevenson of Ian Stevenson, M.D. Professor of Research Division of Personality Studies at the University of Virginia. He has published several papers in peer reviewed journals about children who claim to remember previous lives and a book entitled “Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation.” Basically, he interviews young children who claim to remember events and experience from past lives, typically between the ages of 2 and 5. By a careful vetting process, he ensures that these children could not have come about this information from any other source, i.e. no family relations, friends, living in the same city, newspaper articles, etc. He then attempts to hunt down the relatives of the supposed person remembered and verifies the information presented by the child including personal information that the family has never released. He also has done research showing that these children have birthmarks that correspond to marks (including trauma due to cause of death) recorded by the coroner at the time of the “past lives” death at a rate far greater than chance.

You can read about his research at the following university website

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/in ... tystudies/

or you can pick up his books or check out his publications in peer reviewed journals.

Even the skeptics have very nice things to say about him and his methodology and to my knowledge, no peer reviewed study has ever contradicted his findings or suggested an alternate theory for his observatio.[/quote][QUOTE


This would really tick the doomers off,wouldn't it? I mean, if huge numbers of people died and then all came back again?

[threadbear]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dukat', 'M')y opinion of near death experiences or NDE is they hold little credit. Assuming a person has a soul, when someone has a NDE, their soul leaves their body, floats around and then re enters it. My question is, memories are stored in the brain, how can someone remember this when their brain has stopped functioning. I think people with NDE are dreaming as most likely there would still be some brain activity, and I wouldn't be suprised the brain creating some strange memories under the stress of dying.

[Doly]

The truth is, if one takes Occam's razor, there seems to be little evidence of ghosts or anything surviving death. That's the reason there's a few people over there that believe that death is the end. It's not so much nihilism as having problems with believing without seeing.

The way I see it, it's people who believe in souls and/or something surviving death the ones that have to prove it. After all, if it isn't the brain what we use to think, what the hell do we use? And why do brain damaged people have problems thinking, feeling, etc?

[threadbear]

Using Occam's razor, most people believe what they see with their own eyes. Taking Occam's razor one step further, I put much more faith in a person's experience with NDE, than a debunker's claim that they are hallucinating after all brain activity has stopped--or making things up.

Dismissing after life experience, casually, without looking at the scientific evidence, (and there is quite a bit of it), may not be technically nihilistic, but a close relation, philosophically. Grasping at hopelessness when hope offers a better explanation for a transfer of coherant energy, from this plane of existence into another, is the ultimate self flagellating absurdity.

[bobcousins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'U')sing Occam's razor, most people believe what they see with their own eyes. Taking Occam's razor one step further, I put much more faith in a person's experience with NDE, than a debunker's claim that they are hallucinating after all brain activity has stopped--or making things up.

Dismissing after life experience, casually, without looking at the scientific evidence, (and there is quite a bit of it), may not be technically nihilistic, but a close relation, philosophically. Grasping at hopelessness when hope offers a better explanation for a transfer of coherant energy, from this plane of existence into another, is the ultimate self flagellating absurdity.

[FairMaiden]

I've been told many times bc I believe in "afterlife" that I must prove it. Guess what? I've been there (I've had 3 NDE) and I know - but I don't care if others don't believe me. Why should I bother to prove it?

[FairMaiden]

And PS - if it just a hallucination that I existed in, then how do we know this isn't a hallucination right now? We dont'. Your brain can only compute 1/100 of the information it is actually receiving. There is no difference between what your brain THINKS exists and that which really exists. Reality is merely a perception.

[threadbear]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bobcousins', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'U')sing Occam's razor, most people believe what they see with their own eyes. Taking Occam's razor one step further, I put much more faith in a person's experience with NDE, than a debunker's claim that they are hallucinating after all brain activity has stopped--or making things up.

Dismissing after life experience, casually, without looking at the scientific evidence, (and there is quite a bit of it), may not be technically nihilistic, but a close relation, philosophically. Grasping at hopelessness when hope offers a better explanation for a transfer of coherant energy, from this plane of existence into another, is the ultimate self flagellating absurdity.

[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FairMaiden', 'I')'ve been told many times bc I believe in "afterlife" that I must prove it. Guess what? I've been there (I've had 3 NDE) and I know - but I don't care if others don't believe me. Why should I bother to prove it?

[hotsacks]

What's with the server?
That's me asking the question Fairmaiden.