h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Jane!

*ponders NINJ4's statement* H'm..yes...I agree. Difficult to cherish the bad, I reckon....

What? You say bad parts in life are not worth remembering? That would be like having a bacon sandwich without fat.

they are worth remembering if only not to go there again

who doesn't like the fat on bacon?

um, I hate bacon, so, would naturaly hate the fat from bacon, I love pigs though, that,s why I don,t eat them.

Jane

Hi Elfrida

Fnord, there are things which happen to people during their lives which are so terrible, so bad, that should never happen to anyone, if life were at all just and fair, only those who have personal experience of major tragedy can possibly begin to understand, I have friends who have such experiences, therefore, I can emphaticaly say no to your comment "shouldn,t we cherish the bad"!! or words to that effect.

Minor glitches in life are important, things going wrong too, we can take those experiences and learn from them, and without certain lows in life we would be unable to enjoy the highs, not only that, if life was just totally good, as it is to some fortunate few, it makes for egoism and self-centredness causing the person to be a total bore to those around him/her!!

I don,t preach.

Jane

With so many aspects of life.
Doesn't life itself have to have a meaning ?

Jane
Having had a personal experience of the type you speak about, I'd say that in retrospect I can learn to see the good in it.
It's made me who I am, it entitles me to understand others and empathise.
It enables me to make a choice that I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer in that way from any actions of mine.
The meaning of life could be to experience the good and the bad of it and decide which one you choose to be.

Does this mean that we must experience a full term of life (ie birth to death) and that as long as we live we will never understand the full meaning of life. ?

What ever the gap between birth and death is a persons full term
It may take many lives to remember who you really are.
I believe in reincarnation, but not on an individual level.
I believe that the thing we call God is the unified field of consciousness, that returns to source upon the death of the body.
After death that consciousness is 'one' thing and has the complete knowledge of all.
When consciousnes returns again to the body state, it is the 'one thing' returning to separation. With no memory of it's previous existance.
Remembering who you really are may take many lives and many experience fields.
remembering who you really are is 'nudged' by the good and the bad experiences. although that can be merely a perception of what is good and bad, since the words mean different things to different people.

Life after death is questionable.
I thought you might have grabbed the point about life before birth.

Existance after death is questionable
It may be to you , but not to me

could you make that point again ?
there is existance before conception, not life.

(waves!)

Moth - I can only speak as one who is approaching death not as one who has nearly died.
I should point out that it was you who used the word conception not me.
Life after death is a concept of the living.
Life before birth is much more tangible.

Ancient Brit

I'm happy with the word conception, as life before birth is ongoing in the womb. So yes it is more tangible.
We all have different concepts and mine is based on my experience and you on yours.

but before the moment of conception in the womb, there is no 'life' only potential life and existance of the soul/consciousness.
PS I didn't nearly die, I did die. Cardiac arrest brain dead. Kaput.
and we all approach it as soon as we are conceived.
PPS Waves back to Az.

Are you speaking as Moth or Hasslefree ?
Hasslefree says she had a near death experience. Moth claims to have died.
It is said that our lives are influenced by 'things' we experienced in the womb. I have no doubt that your experience has influenced your life, just as sad/happy/traumatic experiences influence all our lives. Such events influence our lives for better or worse, and no two people experience these events in the same way, some find a new purpose in life and others find a reason for living, some may even wish to die. Be that as it may those experiences bring us no nearer to understanding the true meaning of life.

Why are you making such a big deal about the things which happen before birth affecting us? Things in life affect us, too, you know.
To the late Moth/Hasslefree : it often seems amazing, the amount of decent philosophers in this site who've had traumatic experiences in the past. My condolences. Experiences like that seem to be very, hah, "I-opening".

No big deal. Just observations.
Has Moth/Hasselfree died in the last

Ancient Brit
All are classed as near death experiences, whether brain dead or near brain dead or indeed in epileptic fits.
So I'm speaking as moth and hasslefree.
Near death isn't particulary 'nearly dead'

No you see you're not getting my point
It may not bring YOU nearer to the meaning of life, that is your experiences , but you cannot say;

"Be that as it may those experiences bring US no nearer to understanding the true meaning of life."
because you cannot speak for everyone and their different experiences and neither can I.
I can only tell it as I see it.