Religion

Thats my opinion

(2,001 posts)

21. Nihilism developed a century ago with the rise of the French existentialists.

Sat Jan 28, 2012, 03:01 PM

Jan 2012

But if you read them carefully, they hunger for a world where there is meaning and purpose. My favorite is Camus. Sisyphus never did get that rock to stay at the top of the hill, but he "died happy"

[link:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus|

In "The Plague" there is no hope for anyone to survive the disease, but there were a couple of residents who simply did whatever was in front of them day after day--and that gave life meaning. I choose to live as if life had meaning and purpose. Otherwise to be caught in the web of meaninglessness is without any reason to go on. So I do what is before me at the moment, and that supplies all the purpose I need. And for me, I get the intrusion of purpose into life through my religious commitments. I am a Christian because I choose to be, and I find in Jesus an alternative to nihilism.

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A conceptual perspective on belief [View all] GliderGuider Jan 2012 OP

I've been reviewing my old physics courses this week. Somehow this is related. Gregorian Jan 2012 #1

I think you might like this GliderGuider Jan 2012 #2

Is there data that unemotional people have systematically different religous beliefs? FarCenter Jan 2012 #8

I don't know of any such research, but it would be interesting to do. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #9

Conscious interpretations tama Jan 2012 #3

"In terms of echo" - that's a nice way of putting it. n/t GliderGuider Jan 2012 #10

My reaction to your first paragraph: Wow, your brain is really impressed with itself. ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #4

It's all about reducing emotional reactivity GliderGuider Jan 2012 #5

I didn't say it was nihilism, I said it was a goal of philosophical nihilism: ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #11

I didn't see it as nihilistic until just now when I looked up the word. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #12

But of course the important point is that everything is real GliderGuider Jan 2012 #18

Nihilism developed a century ago with the rise of the French existentialists. Thats my opinion Jan 2012 #21

"Nihilism" is a slippery word. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #22

I'm not sure I want to eliminate the emotional charge associated with life. Jim__ Jan 2012 #6

It's OK, I doubt we can eliminate it all. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #7

This may or may not help. westerebus Jan 2012 #13

That's very good. Thanks! n/t GliderGuider Jan 2012 #16

The begining to preception is observation. westerebus Jan 2012 #19

Judgement and story are related. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #20

Let's go fishing. westerebus Jan 2012 #40

It seems to depend on how one thinks of the Me. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #41

Stokes hearth, boils water. westerebus Jan 2012 #42

I agree. Not sure what Me thinks about it, though :-) GliderGuider Jan 2012 #43

Drops pot. Rejoices. westerebus Jan 2012 #44

Smokes pot. Chills out. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #45

You lost me at "miracle" then ditched me at "second miracle". cleanhippie Jan 2012 #14

It would truly be a miracle GliderGuider Jan 2012 #15

I just did...and it wasn't a miracle. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #17

There are miracles all over the place. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #23

Or, you know, just finding what you look for. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #24

Yep. I love finding what I look for. That's why I look for fun stuff. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #25

Don't you think that finding a "miracle" when a perfectly plausible explanation exists... cleanhippie Jan 2012 #26

Give me plausible explanations for the existence of: GliderGuider Jan 2012 #27

You need to give me an example of a miracle first. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #28

In that case all we have is a semantic disagreement. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #29

Are they? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #31

No, just the incomprehensible stuff that feels wonderful or amazing - it's a colloquial usage. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #33

Because the words we choose reflect more than just what is on the surface. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #38

Language is funny that way. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #39

Agreed. And yes, I do. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #32

So if there were no humans, time would not exist? GliderGuider Jan 2012 #34

What you are calling "time" is a human construct. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #35

Uh, no. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #36

*consults dictionary.com* Oh, you're right. ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #37

...and sexual innuendo in Disney art? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #30