The most profound and important questions we ever ask

[opus10no2]

The first questions we ask in our lives are often the most important. We overlook them in adulthood, and many come to accept this as are, and not think too deeply.
Putting oneself in the mindset of the innocent and naive is revelatory and enlightening.
To many it actually isn't even important, are they really the enlightened? Perpetual openmindedness, or settling in/finding a niche or thought process...maintaining the awe and wonderment of youth, or simply getting on with life and forgetting about that which isn't immediately evident and tangible/relevant.

As intelligent beings, we are unique in our capacity to think, to contemplate the beyond.
Is there relevance in asking the unanswerable? After all, this is the nature of having or finding a belief system.
Is a question more important than an answer?

Most of the questions are 'why's and 'what's ....

 - Why?
 - Why do we live?
 - Why do we die?
 - Why am I me and not someone else?
 - Why exist?
 - Why is it commonly believed for a form of deity to exist, without evidence?


 - What is nonexistence?
 - What is nothing?
 - What is?
 - What isn't?
 - What if? (alternatives to what 'is', as pondered in m1469's topic)
 - What is space?
 - What is time?
 - What is reality?

These are some of the most pertinent questions for me, and I find all to be unanswered, some may find answerable and answered questions to be the most practically relevant to their life.

The best questions are the briefest too, if it isn't, it often has a question within the question, and perhaps should be divided.

Relevance is the big thing here, and I think that is personal.
Alot is answered without question, is it of any relevance to question those answers? 

[elspeth]

I was at a wedding last weekend, and some of the guests hadchildren with them. One in particular was a little girl I already knew, she's two and a half and just big enough to start showing an intelligent interest in the world around her. We were out in the gardens after the service having photos taken, and she was totally absorbed by the sticks that had fallen off a big tree there - her dad explained to her the sticks had come from the tree and she found that fascinating.

I really envied her in many ways. The world is new and exciting for her, there are infinite possibilities, she has none of the cynicism that I do. I found myself thinking that somewhere along the line I've become sophisticated, and I'm not at all convinced that's a good thing!

[pianistimo]

usually children believe in God just as they do santa claus.  it's not a difficult concept excepting for a few.  my son immediately went up on the patio table in the back yard and looked up at the sky.  he said, 'i don't see him.'  therefore - he ruled Him out at age 3.  i kept teaching him about God and the bible - but he took it with a grain of salt.  how is this possible?  with the entire creation around us.  someone had to make it.

the evidence for a Creator is the Creation.  i think it's as simple as that.  also, why is there intelligence.  i mean, we could all be less intelligent than the animals - but it is exactly as the bible says - we RULE over creation and are one step under the angels in terms of rulership.  why should we then say that we are 'animals.'  we don't even have similar brains.  our brains accept the idea of rulership over more than our own kind.  you don't see horses attempting to access a computer.  or have a government (other than a very minimalistic pecking order) - let alone a world government.

the fact that computers exist opens up a whole different concept, too - in terms of networking.  animals don't network.  where did this idea come from initially.  i think 'family.'  family is our first network.  it is a 'cell' of society.  what if it is a cell of God.  what if God created a family for himself?  what if the family has an inheritance?  what if we don't even know about it?  what if God doesn't need to die twice for us to inherit the inheritance?  what if He died and was ressurrected so that we might live.  would you then choose to die anyways?  what if what is beyond this life is more than you ever dreamed?  that is profound, imo.

ps - yes i am aware animals have a family - so in that sense you might say - aha - network.  but, they don't use it to their advantage.

[counterpoint]

- Why am I me and not someone else?

That's what I'm asking me all the time... 

[elspeth]

ps - yes i am aware animals have a family - so in that sense you might say - aha - network.  but, they don't use it to their advantage.

Try telling that to ants, or bees, among others...

[pianistimo]

to take over the world.  to gain superiority over all the other creatures.  well, you might be right.  in california we had fire ants - and when we left i was fairly certain they were taking over the world.

[opus10no2]

with the entire creation around us.  someone had to make it.

the evidence for a Creator is the Creation.  i think it's as simple as that.

This is a belief though, not a truth, and therefore it is an unanswered question.

Beliefs are interesting,  they are conclusions we come to without concrete answers.

Personally, I am agnostic, and I frankly don't understand the surety some people have with their beliefs. I mean I can attempt to find logical reasoning for it, as people have, but I cannot bring myself to empathise with that mindset.

[pianistimo]

if it is not a truth - then why are humans logical?  we should be eaten alive every day for lack of consciences.  you know - just oblivious to lions and bears and whatever else - and another point on the food chain.  sort of unhandy with weapons.  basically quite undexterous.  why are our muscles so refined to use computers and write?  writing is another thing that animals typically don't do.  and reading.  where did that come from.  i suppose that is from nature?

i say - that because we are in God's image - we rule over even the mightiest of beasts.  and our ability to use language produces more profound ways of communication.  what is the source of humans language ability?  are our mouths and tongues and voice boxes created to talk AND sing?  how can this not be created?  how is it we have libraries of books and music?  why collect it?

perhaps the highest of all skills is the sexual ones that humans possess.  why?  why do humans not use sex only for procreation?  that is probably my biggest argument.  why would humans use something that is not necessary for survival and take enjoyment from it.  you don't see animals doing it for hours at a time.  it's just - quick - get the job done.  now if nature truly had it's way - that's the way it would still be.  everyone in the nude - quickies here and there.  no big deal.  in fact, nobody would be married either.

and, last question - why do so many people go to church?  where did the idea come from?  nature.  who would think up - church?  sit.  listen for 1-2 hours.  if someone didn't make that a 'situation' who would come up with this on their own?  i just don't know anyone who would invent church.  gatherings.  people coming together for something other than celebrating a birth or mourning a death.  why do we even do that.  celebrate a birth or mourn a death?  if life is really a matter of just simply existing - death should be nothing to worry about.  it's just a fact of life.  why are people sad when others die?  it's natural. 

if God didn't exist - how did the concept even arrive at a human's brain.  and, where did the bible come from?  simply imagination.  why was it conceived that we would need to know information from our creation until now?  why not let it have been destroyed once created.  has anyone found anything false in the bible.  can we prove human lifespans that existed before the flood?  did people really live as long as they say in the bible?  how could this be so?  is it because of the human growth hormone  HGH ?  that is what popular science magazine says.  they say that if we had access to it like many rich and famous people - we'd live a lot longer.  not sure what to think about that - because i personally think God shortened our lifespans - but could he have done it through taking HGH away?  is this a possiblity or ruled out somehow by science?  what causes aging?  are our bodies meant to take much longer lifespans? 

[pianistimo]

perhaps our hearts are the most mysterious thing about us?  what makes them a literal 'time bomb' and quit when we're done.  who set the timer?

[thalbergmad]

The most important question must be:
















When does the bar open?

[nicco]

When does the bar open?

In heaven, the bar is always open.

[opus10no2]

perhaps the highest of all skills is the sexual ones that humans possess. 

Quite.

Assuming a god created us in 'his' image also, would beg the question why does 'he' have that image? who/what created 'god'?

A counterbelief to theism, is that things just ARE, and the universe and life just is....randomly.

[jakev2.0]

if it is not a truth - then why are humans logical?  we should be eaten alive every day for lack of consciences.  you know - just oblivious to lions and bears and whatever else - and another point on the food chain.  sort of unhandy with weapons.  basically quite undexterous.  why are our muscles so refined to use computers and write?  writing is another thing that animals typically don't do.  and reading.  where did that come from.  i suppose that is from nature?

i say - that because we are in God's image - we rule over even the mightiest of beasts.  and our ability to use language produces more profound ways of communication.  what is the source of humans language ability?  are our mouths and tongues and voice boxes created to talk AND sing?  how can this not be created?  how is it we have libraries of books and music?  why collect it?

perhaps the highest of all skills is the sexual ones that humans possess.  why?  why do humans not use sex only for procreation?  that is probably my biggest argument.  why would humans use something that is not necessary for survival and take enjoyment from it.  you don't see animals doing it for hours at a time.  it's just - quick - get the job done.  now if nature truly had it's way - that's the way it would still be.  everyone in the nude - quickies here and there.  no big deal.  in fact, nobody would be married either.

and, last question - why do so many people go to church?  where did the idea come from?  nature.  who would think up - church?  sit.  listen for 1-2 hours.  if someone didn't make that a 'situation' who would come up with this on their own?  i just don't know anyone who would invent church.  gatherings.  people coming together for something other than celebrating a birth or mourning a death.  why do we even do that.  celebrate a birth or mourn a death?  if life is really a matter of just simply existing - death should be nothing to worry about.  it's just a fact of life.  why are people sad when others die?  it's natural. 

if God didn't exist - how did the concept even arrive at a human's brain.  and, where did the bible come from?  simply imagination.  why was it conceived that we would need to know information from our creation until now?  why not let it have been destroyed once created.  has anyone found anything false in the bible.  can we prove human lifespans that existed before the flood?  did people really live as long as they say in the bible?  how could this be so?  is it because of the human growth hormone  HGH ?  that is what popular science magazine says.  they say that if we had access to it like many rich and famous people - we'd live a lot longer.  not sure what to think about that - because i personally think God shortened our lifespans - but could he have done it through taking HGH away?  is this a possiblity or ruled out somehow by science?  what causes aging?  are our bodies meant to take much longer lifespans? 

[thalbergmad]

chekkitowt

[pianistimo]

is this some kind of insult to my intelligence?  i'll have you know that i do not make hand gestures whilst talking.  neither do i ask inane things about 'high' vs 'high.'  perhaps drugs did his brain in.  as i see it.  there are questions and then there are questions.  profound and important seem to play no role in this exchange.

but, i asked some things nobody has answered YET.  why do you wear clothes.  huh?  i suppose you will blame God for this.  but, he only used a fig leaf.  (or was that adam) wait - i think there was some fur involved.  anwyas, why the point to make more and more attractive clothing.  why did we not just stick with fur in the winter and fig leaves in the summer? 

[thalbergmad]

i'll have you know that i do not make hand gestures whilst talking. 

Maybe, but how about the people you are talking to.

Thal

[pianistimo]

i take it, you are wearing a fig leaf and a headband. 

the last time i went to the store at midnight (which was about 10 years ago) i vowed never again.  5 or so gangstas followed me halfway home.  whilst they were carrying on with hand gestures, i gassed myself through a stoplight.  noone was coming from the side directions.  this was in an old car, mind you.  theirs was older.