What should I learn?

[quote name='"ChiefBuddha"']quantum physics[/quote]

That's a very broad subject.

[quote name='"Sweetleaftoker"']How to play "Twilight of the Gods" by Helloween on Guitar[/quote]

I need to get a new guitar before I can do this.. mine is hanging on by its last vestiges

 

[quote name='"underahoneymoon"']Pantheism. Aka closest I have come to defining my beliefs.[/quote]

So you believe God is simply the universe? Does that affect any aapects of your life other than a different label to define everything that exists, within and outside of our perception?

[quote name='"didier12"']This philosophy and concept is great, as I have had direct experience with it and could easily have made this website myself I'm not the only one to believe this either definitely an interesting read. We Die to Remember What We Live to Forget[/quote]

I believe this as far as a physical level. Our molecules change and interact with the world differently. But as far as anything spiritual or consciousness-related, seems far-fetched to me.

One of the first quotes explicitly says our existence is subject to things outside of our control. I agree. Life is just a reaction to the environment it was placed in.

So why would consciousness continue after death? There's no way of knowing, first off. Second off, our lack of control is exactly what causes us to die. So it is also the cause for us to remain conscious? I don't see the connection.

 

[quote name='"didier12"']You probably have to read the whole thing granted it is fucking long. Also I'm not really grasping your last sentence in relation to the theory.

The reason I believe it is because I have had a direct experience with this concept and it is remarkably similar to the guy who wrote this site almost too similar to be a coincidence.[/quote]

I'll hold off on responding until I read it all.

[quote name='"underahoneymoon"']

I think that because I was raised so long on the belief that labels are a necessity and an important part of life that it gives me some comfort to find a belief system that somewhat matches my own that allows me to label my beliefs. But the more I learn and gown the more I slightly change what I believe to be true. I feel like I still have a lot to learn in regards to spirituality and truth.
If it affects any part of my life I think it would be that is has opened my eyes to the intricacies and complexity and beauty that is in the universe, but with out feeling like there is an all powerful deity I owe my soul to. If that makes sense[/quote]

'Spirituality' is definitely a mission that is everlasting and ever-changing. I think the truth comes when you can see reality without your impact on it.. as differentiated by your existence. Like, what is different because you're there - the effects your existence has on the larger and smaller pictures. I'm not sure, it's an idea I just recently developed.

So essentially pantheism comforts you because you can easily describe your belief, which is comforting to have, but without giving up any power to it? So that you are able to adjust your views if something contradictory appears?

 

[quote name='"underahoneymoon"']

Yeah I think that is exactly it. I tend to gravitate to more abstract beliefs because I was raised in such an extremely rigid and uncompromising environment. The most powerful elements of what I believe are the importance of helping others, of giving of yourself, loving yourself and appreciating what you have - everything else is secondary. I feel like religion puts too much emphasis on the after life and not enough on the world we are living in right now, and the people we are living with.[/quote]

I agree on your elements of belief although I would move self-love and appreciation to the front, because it's hard to love others when you don't feel the same way toward yourself. I differ in my label though, simply because I'm afraid if I start having beliefs, I'll become too comfortable with them and not be as willing to adapt to changes as they occur, or else belatedly change. Also if I don't hold a belief, I am absolved from any responsibility of explanations. It's very convenient

 

I watched part one and two. I have to say, those computers, monitors, and animations made me but I agree that our brains make up our perceived world. Somebody told me that different areas of the brain function separately was disproven, but a quick Google search squashed that idea. At the end of part 2 it said we're also just images in our brain; if you take the brain out of a dead person, it's physically perceived just like anything else. Supposedly, if you could take a brain out of a person and keep it alive(functioning?), and hooked it up to a computer, it would believe it was those images. That seems a little far-fetched to me.

The narrator then decided to go on a tangent about how because we are just the senses, the matter itself is special and had to be created by a Creator (I am assuming the capitalized C) who created everything of his own will. That was the end of my interest I may continue to see if they can make me believe it somehow.. but it seemed to make a lot of quick assumptions, even quicker than mine!

Could you give me a couple examples?

My opinion of the point of existence, there is no why, the how is evolution - it just works. So I try to live to be happy, though it sure takes work

It's theorized that the universe is a closed system - which implies that according to what we know, energy cannot be created nor destroyed. So what is happening to our perceiving self when our senses are gone? I wonder if we really do meld with the earth or something hippieish

Basically that what moves, is only moving relative to the speed of what it is moving with it. If 2 guys are standing on a long trailer driving 100mph and one throws a baseball at 100 mph, the ball moves 100mph - to the 2 guys on the train. To someone watching the train go by, it would appear to be going 200 mph - this can be tested by clocking it with a speed radar gun thingy that they use in baseball.

At least that's what I remember from the video I watched on it. It was also a while ago, I think it went into more detail, but I don't remember what it was about

 

Also, bump

 

In Australia: "Christmas shopping is often done in shorts and t-shirts. At many beaches Santa Claus arrives on a surfboard, or even on a surf lifesaving boat." They also celebrate with picnics. Just another reason to move there!

Iran has a celebratory few days that ends on Christmas Eve.

http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm

That's an alphabetized list of countries and their Christmases there.

It's really annoying that I can't copy wiki text on my phone. But they eat wild moss and lichen, and leaves off of birch trees.. and willow trees; you'd better watch out!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeer

Santa's reindeer are special tjough, and eat oats.