PaulS

Um, err, no, I was referring to the Australian Father Christmas, Derek! The English one is for real, of course!

A good example of this is Father Christmas or Santa. As a child you believed he existed - indeed, the evidence was there - but try believing in him again now that you're an adult! That is precisely how I feel about mainstream Christianity that says I must believe Jesus mission was to come to this planet to die for my sins as a human sacrifice to God - there's just too much water under the bridge now for me to believe that story again, like I did once upon a time.

Pour away, Derek. I love reading about your interests. It opens things up that I certainly may have never considered - such as learning a little about Samuel Beckett!

Hi Samia, Welcome to the Forum. Yes, it can seem to be a bit quiet in here at times, but our stats do show that hundreds of people are viewing posts on here throughout the month. I think many people may find information and support here, without actually declaring themselves or participating in the discussion threads. In any event, I hope you find the current forums and the backlog of interesting subjects that have been discussed here previously, both interesting and useful on your journey. Cheers Paul

I see different people as different parts of the one environment which can create different wants across the whole.

I'm with you on the 'big picture' about everything being connected and 'as one'. But I don't think the logical conclusion then is that things such as 'wants' can't be different to other parts of the environment contained within the one. It's like there are a number of moving parts all within that one, and wants are just one of those moving parts.

In the broader sense it is, but I thought you were indicating 'environment' as separate or different to our wants. I do agree that 'environment' can encompass all.

I'm not convinced that the environment is responsible for changing our wants. For instance, in Australia we currently have a fair bit of debate going on around our National Day of Celebration on 26 January - Australia Day. This date was selected as it is the date the first fleets from England arrived on Australian Shores and raised the English flag as they claimed the land (irrespective of indigenous peoples already living on the continent). The date itself has changed throughout history. Currently the debate is about changing the date again to recognize that the arrival of England's Fleet to Australia wasn't much good news for the indigenous residents. But my point is that people are affecting the debate, and others are reflecting on those arguments. So more than likely what i see is people favouring a particular point of view that in turn will change the environment. Once that environment is changed, yes, others will probably change their thinking over time, but still, the change was initiated by people's thinking changing in the first place, I think.

It sounds to me like you're suggesting they would have liked to change their wants, but because life was harsh, it wasn't practical too. So when they did get a chance to change their wants (life got less harsh) then they affected the change they may have previously preferred?

Definitely our wants get re-shaped, but I think you're asking if it's our wants that change and subsequently the culture changes as a reflection of those changed wants? I tend to think it's both - maybe some people are ahead of the pack in changing their wants, but then that impacts culture, which then in turn changes and may make others reconsider their wants. I think.

And those 'wants' change over time. For instance, it used to be acceptable for a Jewish girl of 13 or 14 to be given into marriage by her father. Such an activity would be considered 'evil' today. Our understanding of 'evil' adapts and changes with our society and culture.

It certainly is, but I think it's also a term for us to share when trying to communicate behavior that we don't want in our community. For example, as a community, we can see the harm that pedophilia causes our community, so we tend to communicate that activity as 'evil' to make the point that we don't want that activity in our community.

I'm truly sorry you've lost such a good mate, Derek. I don't imagine it's easy, but I hope those memories of all the good times, offer you some comfort. How lucky were you to have such a dear friend!

I don't believe in evil either as a stand-alone 'thing'. What we call evil is simply a judgement we make. In our heads we determine whether we think something is evil - it doesn't make it so, it just aids in communication I guess.

I don't know if it is everything you do that is evil to another, but I'm sure a lot of what I do is considered evil by others. I'm guessing that could be opinions of others as to how I affect the environment, what my politics are, what my religious beliefs are, etc. Whether it be somebody in my own country or culture, or somebody from a different country or culture, yeah, I'm sure often what I don't think of as evil will be considered evil by another in some way, shape or form.