Mnemosyne Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 "To be human is finally to be a loser, for we are all fated to lose our carefully constructed sense of self, our physical strength, our health, our precious dignity and finally our lives. A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate life." This is a quote from an essay by Mary Gaitskill, an author of short stories. I was thinking that perhaps this is what happens when someone de-converts from Christianity (or any religion, for that matter): They choose to tolerate life. Thoughts anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lothartx Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 "To be human is finally to be a loser, for we are all fated to lose our carefully constructed sense of self, our physical strength, our health, our precious dignity and finally our lives. A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate life." This is a quote from an essay by Mary Gaitskill, an author of short stories. I was thinking that perhaps this is what happens when someone de-converts from Christianity (or any religion, for that matter): They choose to tolerate life. Thoughts anyone? I think I agree with this statement, but I might rephrase it to say ".... A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate mortality." Which is saying the same thing, I guess, but a little more direct? I think a lot of xtians or other beliefs in an "Afterlife" is mental escape from the likely fact that when we die, it's over. I don't blame people for feeling this way. I think it would be awesome to trescend to some higher level. I just don't believe that is part of the Universe we live in. When our synapeses finally stop firing due to lack of oxygen and nutrients, we cease to exist. In a way, it's depressing. Since I can't change it, why worry about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosyne Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 I think I agree with this statement, but I might rephrase it to say ".... A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate mortality." Which is saying the same thing, I guess, but a little more direct? I feel like it's more about life in general, not just the mortality of humanity - since mortality is such an intrinsic and unavoidable part of life, to not accept it is essentially to not accept life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Thoughts anyone? Mostly true, though I'd like to add that not every religious person is religious because of fear of death. Believe it or not, I'm a believer (just not a mad monotheist ) but I fully accept my own mortality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lothartx Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I think I agree with this statement, but I might rephrase it to say ".... A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate mortality." Which is saying the same thing, I guess, but a little more direct? I feel like it's more about life in general, not just the mortality of humanity - since mortality is such an intrinsic and unavoidable part of life, to not accept it is essentially to not accept life. This is really a pretty interesting topic I haven't explored too deeply in a long time. I'm going to have to ponder this for a while. Thank you for bringing it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Huh... I like that quote. Very Buddhist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosyne Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 Mostly true, though I'd like to add that not every religious person is religious because of fear of death. Believe it or not, I'm a believer (just not a mad monotheist ) but I fully accept my own mortality... But if you have some sort of life after death, you aren't mortal in the sense that you would be if there were nothing afterwards... there is still something of you that lives on, as opposed to absolute nothingness and complete loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 But if you have some sort of life after death, you aren't mortal in the sense that you would be if there were nothing afterwards... there is still something of you that lives on, as opposed to absolute nothingness and complete loss. Would be true, if my faith's life after death was said to be "eternal". Which it isn't. Even the High Gods will die at Ragnarok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 "To be human is finally to be a loser, for we are all fated to lose our carefully constructed sense of self, our physical strength, our health, our precious dignity and finally our lives. A refusal to tolerate this reality is a refusal to tolerate life." This is a quote from an essay by Mary Gaitskill, an author of short stories. I was thinking that perhaps this is what happens when someone de-converts from Christianity (or any religion, for that matter): They choose to tolerate life. Thoughts anyone? Hmm. I think there's an unusual meaning of tolerate implied here. To me, tolerate means to not agree with something or be enthusiastic about it, but to simply accept it. I think religious people tolerate life (after all, they don't kill themselves or other people), but many of them (especially fundamentalists) certainly don't enjoy life. I know I wasn't enjoying life very much when I was religious. I was constantly worried about hell and whether or not something I did would send me there. It wasn't until very late in HS that my fear of hell began to lessen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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