not a debate: personal belief summary (in Debates)

Folks on CB are amazingly interesting. We have people from so many walks of life I thought I'd poke the proverbial badger and ask folks what it is they consider their individual understanding of life to be.

I would appreciate it if instead of commenting on what others have said that we speak specifically of our own ideals and theories.
While we may find much that conflicts with our own beliefs here, I think we might also gain some understanding.

I am an undereducated overly opinionated heathen. I believe that morality has little to do with what a person believes, and that religion while certainly biologically effective over the course of the eons has run it's course and no longer serves to keep the masses in check. I have the utmost respect for the holy books and cherish my feeble knowledge of them. From Judaism to Buddhism I see the beauty of the human experience and revel in the wonders that deism has given us.

I am an agnostic. I say this not because I refuse to state that god does not exist but because I once heard agnosticism defined as the belief that even the search for god was folly. Atheism seeks to disprove the existence of god, I simply think we've got bigger fish to fry.

Humanity's purpose (anthropomorphically speaking of course) is to get life the hell off this backwoods rock. From the tiny bit I understand of possible future events I've glommed onto that one thing. We are likely to be responsible for spreading some form of self replicating intelligent life throughout the universe. This has nothing to do with destiny, and everything to do with the amazingly nifty nature of life.
Life, and living beings, tend to focus intently on going on living.
All known (to us anyway) life is hold up on a tiny speck in a sea of almost nothing. Our speck isn't important enough to survive very long, and life is. Life is freaking awesome.

I believe that in my lifetime that I will be able to record my mentality in a lasting form and that my memories and thought patterns will outlive my already worn body and mind. Either by genetics or electronics (either would likely require some quantum computing and a fair amount of theoretical nano technology) we will be the first generation of undead. A voice of history for the times to come, and a resource unlike anything ever before. A friend of mine wanted his life's work to culminate in extending the human lifespan to the point where wisdom and experience would allow humans to make a better world. I think he was going about it all wrong. We don't need to live that much longer, we just need to be able to live long enough to see the singularity for ourselves.

If there were an ideology I were going to carry a card for it would likely be anarco-communism (AKA social libertarianism). I am however a government employee, and I have my doubts as to the ability of any group larger than a village to actually implement these ideals. The tribal system wasn't pulled out of thin air, and chiefs and priests are biologically required as far as I can tell for the species to survive in a group larger than two. We are individuals bred to be members of something larger than ourselves. How large is really up to us.

Believe there should be some sort of UN elected monarchy to rule a court for the fines and punishment of international corporations proving ill intent. Let them eat cake!

I was bought up in a very liberated and tolerant family. Acceptance and understanding the rule, not bigotry and bias. I was always pushed as a child to better myself academically, and to be honest, I passively rebelled the moment I got a bit freedom, and it only really hurt myself.

I'm a big beliver in society as a whole as the major influence into our morals.

I too am agnostic, purely becuase I refuse to blindly discount any possibility. I think if I look inwards, faith is at odds with my academic upbringing.

I'd love to belive there's something *more*, something else out there. But as I grow older, and my cynicism grows, I'm starting to accept that if there was, someone would have experienced it now, beyond doubt.

It's a little, bland, to think we're only here due to a culmination of random events, and there's no design, or plan. And no 'destiny'.

And I have a enormous problem trying to comprehend my own non existence after death. So I try not to. ;)

I believe fries and a drink should come standard and not cost extra.

Writing down the social-political-religious views of a person such as myself would (and should) be seen as an expression of naivete. I have not had a lifetime of practical (or, heck, philosophical -- although I've tried to expose myself to these views as much as possible) experiences.
I read almost pathologically (often upwards of 7-hours a day), and I attempt to expand my horizons (so to speak) through the study of literature.

I am a Christian, but perhaps not in the traditionally defined sense of the word. I am a critic when it comes to the American church (and "organized" religion in general), and the silly dogmas and theologies which detract from the true belief of my "faith". Organized religion in almost its complete entirety is all-too often an excuse for tyranny and mass-murder (the Catholics, Muslims, and Hindus have been at it for a long time).

With regards to politics (yuck!), I would consider myself a libertarian who favors a government as close to anarchy as possible, while still protecting its citizens from foreign attack, and one that punishes criminals.

(I find nov's idea on the human consciousness to be quite novel, although we can already do what he proposed to some extent now, (i.e., films, books, memoirs, etc.))

I missed that originally from the OP, but I often suggest I'd like my conciousness downloaded to the 'net, before I die.

I'm not so sure the technology will be in place before I die, but we seem to be gettign there somewhat.

Once we can store (and therefore transfer) Memory, which also equates to personality, immortality throught new bodies is only a step away (be they genertically built, or artificial).

What then worries me, is who *I* am. If I'm copied, and placed into the 'net or another surrogate body, which me is me?

Will the me that wakes up in the 'net really be me? What happens if for some reason multiple copies of myself exist simultaneously to each other? Who's really me, and which body will I wake up in?

I don't believe in a god in such a way people would see a god as a grey bearded man hanging somewhere in the clouds (which is a way I know some people personally have) I myself lean towards Eastern Philosophy (or however you want to spell it).

I believe more in that a god resides in every one of us and that a soul has to live through both good things and bad things (both sides of a story) until complete wisdom is achieved.

I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

I have a very simple belief system.

Life is random, has no purpose whatsoever except what we make of it. If you don't create your own purpose, you might as well not bother being alive.
Other than that, live and let live, don't be a jerk.
Do to others only what you'd also expect and want them to do to you.

Eventually, you die and simply cease existing.
All that's left from you is the imprint you left on history and the physical world, be it through your actions, your teachings or your offspring (ideally all three of those).

When somebody else is a jerk, or directly opposes your self-chosen purpose, the "live and let live" statement ceases to apply to them.
Then you apply instead "an eye for an eye", but occasionally extend an olive branch, just in case.

And that's all.

I believe everything that has ever happened and ever will happen has been predetermined since the starting point of our time. We need only look to mathematics, especially in nature, to see that everything we do follows a (likely unknowable) formula. Atoms bash against each other and cause things to happen and these things cause other things to happen until entropy takes over and there is nothing.

I believe that the progression of the human race is the one and only purpose we have. Since we have no control over anything, all we can do is play out our predetermined history. For good or for ill, anything that moves the human race forward is what we must strive for. Therefore Albert Einstein and Adolf Hitler both played important roles in our "evolution" as a race. Perhaps one day we will come to the point where we can rise above our constraints as walking bags of chemical reactions. Perhaps not. But we should try to enjoy the ride.