Self-Awareness, Death, God, & Forgiveness

[Mathias901102]

I think an even more interesting question would be: Why are we self aware? or even are we self aware? That i sort of what i was hoping this video would be about. I mean what is it about me as a collection of chemical reactions that makes me self-aware. Or am I simply deluding myself somehow. Realistically i am no different than a rock, or a plant. Yet something makes me self-aware. I mean i realize that i have more complex reactions going on then say a plant, but what is it that makes me..me?

[12o1]

Eternal is a powerful word, you can either go into paradise, or burn in damnation. The thing that truly stops us from understanding is the reason that we have no idea what eternal damnation is. I mean, the price is fair in my eyes. Do good or do bad, who would you praise, the one who has stole from you, or the one who has given your wallet back? i think its a fine line, but the first thing Is self awareness, we must look into ourselves to see what we are doing is really right or wrong.

[12o1]

interesting video. my thoughts are goes, i don't think there's a problem with the thought of an infinite self, or a life after death. Truthfully, the only ones to fear an afterlife are the ones who sin continuously without any repraise or remorse. God has given us the choice of free will, and i don't know about you but im pretty sure that murdering someone, coveting their wife, are not good practices. But protecting somebody, like say your child. or protecting your wife, are good deeds.

[atessmann]

Why hardship is bad? You see, here you have a limited view. Maybe its all good. We just feel bad because we are ignorant about the nature of our threefold self. Maybe, just maybe, this life is not an end on itself. F.e. how to develop courage without hardship? And loyalty? And what about intelligence? Everything is done in a way to develop something in us that we even dont understand. The universe is a challenge fit for a copy of itself. Its a scholl for God's children. Why not.

[mikem1234]

So, life is a cosmic gift without a giver, and humans aren't thankful enough for this. But then, if you were to acknowledge a giver in existence, you wouldn't be able to forgive him/her for this gift? I don't know why you wouldn't forgive the god(s), if you would thank the cosmos. I think the word "gift" is a problem because it normally has a positive connotation. Not too much room for ambiguity.

[natedaug1]

Damn this is so amazing stuff, great thoughts.

[detr1mentalist]

haha those who cant forgive god become atheists. infact we're still angry at him

[thesunshon]

HAPPY EASTER COREY!

[DurexDurpaneu2]

I haven't seen the video that you speak of yet, but IMO I can understand why he is apologizing to the universe:

We are the gods of this universe and we will become true gods very soon (look into the singularity point) . Him asking if we can forgive god Is him asking if we can forgive ourselves, and let go of the past. IMO ,yet again ,we have too! in order to achieve our destiny- the unification of all(through knowledge).

Am I going bunkers?

I tend to fill my free time contemplating about thes

[greencheezeeta]

I feel sorry for you....

[billygundum]

Forgive god,

I've been & still am considering this train of thought.

Your videos are insightful, I'm subscribing.

[holybigbang]

since life and death are made up, we can be thankful for life and forgive the bodies to collapse. no hard feelings to god, which is awareness

[Malachi7777777777]

I love your videos!!!!

"If anyone can refute me--show me I'm making a mistake or looking at things from the wrong perspective--I'll gladly change".

Marcus Aurelius

It is very humbling to read Marcus Aurelius work because one this one statement. This is why I love stoic philosophy because finally one person is welcoming the truth! And, there is only one truth; and I'm doing my best to learn it. Sometimes I find myself grinding my teeth at some of the stuff he says, but Whoaa the maturity!

[patternsinchaos]

Forgiveness is great if you can afford it.

[9innail]

"cruel paradox"? "cruel" is a label placed upon something by the limitations of a finite mind contemplating something. Paradox? Most certainly. Within all paradoxes, one can observe true infinity. It is up to you to decide whether the paradox frustrates you, or if you will rejoice at the sight of it, and whether or not you really want the paradox to be "solved", potentially bringing a realization of something that was unknown to light.

[MsDezzyzRayz]

What are you talking about. If Jesus put his hands on my shoulder I would be blessed beyond belief.Think outside yourself.You having not being asked to be born finds your belief system to be all about yourself;Me Generation at it's Max.Your thinking is within a box called My Box & You cannot seem to find yourself out of that box. Look for the light & you'll find yourself outside of your closed in position.People today think like you do. Maybe you should rest your brain & engage your heart/soul.

[FixMeThin7]

It makes sense that religious people are solely driven by the fear of an afterlife. But maybe it is a healthy fear.. a respectful fear. It must be nice to be an atheist and have absolutely no fear or think if you somehow do find yourself in hell you'll find a way to cope with it or somehow reason your way out of it. Maybe atheists are the ones who are so completely terrified of death and the concept of hell that they go into denial just to cope.

[FixMeThin7]

Of course you can forgive God and most people need to forgive God. Many Christians are angry at God and Atheists know they'd be angry at God if he did in fact exist because of all the shit that has goes on in this world. And why does everyone describe God as some man in the clouds playing a harp? Is it honestly that inconceivable that an intelligent conscious being exists outside of this Universe who is eternal?

[circusOFprecision]

fear of death, but also fear that there is no ultimate justice in this world

[stvbw]

I'm happy to feed a tomato plant or an oak tree after my passing. This is my belief of "afterlife". I can live comfortably with that notion. After all I am sustained in this way. If you desire a sense freedom from dogma grow a tomato plant.

Damn me for that?

So be it.

[Lpoolboy]

'To whom do we feel embaressed?'

We are star stuff, we are made up of the universe and are part of the cosmos itsself. So, the universe spawned us, and we've taken away all credit from it and given it to some bullshit religions.

It IS embaressing.

[Professoranton]

Agreed. Thanks so much.

See

watch?v=XySezY9pEsM

[Kidkel69]

What about the simplistic form of Love and Spirituality? Did you forget that Jesus told his disciples " you will have pain and suffering in this world" ?

I am confused if you are being both the advocate and the devils advocate, and just putting it all out on the table, or if your denouncing Jesus Christ?

[Professoranton]

I am denouncing the dogma... For example, so Jesus get to annex all the goodwill and love in the world? What will the Christian God do with all of the Jews? Can you forgive the cosmos if there is not ultimate justice?

[Kidkel69]

@Professoranton I am only stating , I believe this one statement out of the Bible answers all those questions. Without he, the Cosmos wasn't. "So the Lord said " I am the Alpha and the Omega ." which would mean yes all the love, the cosmos, all are his. Remember Mathew 3:16? That answers the rest, It's really simple! The rest is a study of the sciences ,Philosophy to mathematics. which would make Jesus the head professor, and the master scientist.

[Professoranton]

Please watch:

com/watch?v=6KqBd3ALnhw

[jaredgekko]

accidentally pressed enter, sorry.

there is a real possibility you and I chose to be here. Possibly manifested ourselves into existence

[jaredgekko]

Cool video,

I believe that death is the teacher of life. I agreed with much of what you said. However, you state that you do not ask to be born.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT ASK TO BE BORN??

[NowisEvollovetion]

Life is not a gift, Life IS.

Life has created this physical existence to allow Life to experience experience.

You say that Life is finite, this is incorrect.

Life is not finite, the physical forms through which Life expresses its-self within existence are indeed finite.

Every-BODY (form of Life) inevitably dies, although (formless) Life goes on external to existence.

There is only one Life in this Uni(one)verse although it takes a myriad of different forms.

Cont.

[NowisEvollovetion]

Once you realise that every form of life that has ever, or will ever walk this planet has inevitably died, and will inevitably die.

So then will you see that there can be no such thing as death, that Life in fact always goes on.

What is missing in a dead body?

The Life that was powering it.

And what are YOU?

LIFE.

The problem is YOU/LIFE have been conditioned (by those conditioned before you) into believing that you are your body when YOU are in truth the LIFE that is actually powering it.

[dewonthegrass]

"Can you forgive god?" I think christians would ridicule this suggestion because they think god is all-loving, all-forgiving, but, what they also think and never say, is that he is also all-powerful. That's the essence of religion - you are created, you are made this way or that way, and you have no choice! I also wouldn't think of forgiving or not forgiving the universe for the fact that I will die and stop existing, because I know that things are that way and I have no choice.

[mrhnm]

he is also merciless...

[freshmuzic]

I agree with AthiestAntidote.

[TheAtheistAntidote]

I find your video to be very interesting.

I have the feeling we would split intellectual tracks on some things, but I am very glad to hear such a thoughtful video.

I think you are a great addition to youtube.

I look forward to more

[robbwindow]

Professor Anton you have really opened a can of worms with this one. Can we apologise for the creators mess in the universe is like someone going up to a friend or a stranger and apologising. An to top it of the person who he gave the apology to was the same person who gave them the best position in that realm. After-all earth is positioned as such that it receives everything and deflects and avoids the worst of it.

[robbwindow]

So even an apology would be out of keel. However a smile or a radiation of light that sends out good signals of appreciation in those times of not such imposition should be savoured and gratified. The stars do it, the animals do it we do it. Well we could do it right?

[alteringenting]

What do we need all is this derivative meaning for?

[Professoranton]

I think that some people are meaning junkies. They simply do not have the courage to need little.

[heroetu]

self awareness is a crazy subject, most of us think that we are aware of our existence, but when we truly find out that we do exist it can be shocking... .. good stuff/ video peace and love to us...

[shamanizing]

great discussion, i dont believe awarness can become an object of knowledge, its more of an experience, the difference between man and animal is that animals react and man can rationalize and become aware of his thoughts instead of reacting to the thoughts, we are gifted with an intellect and choice.

[cloudmonkeys]

We can say yes to life without forgiving the injustices and the senseless brutality of other people. The barbarity of nature is not exactly barbarity because nature has zero intelligence at least of the kind that we have. So why should forgiveness come into it? The fact that nature is sometimes horrific when judged on our terms might...

[cloudmonkeys]

...lead us to reject life. We often struggle to come to terms with existence and its attendant horrors. Humanity has obviously rejected aspects of nature in as much as we are always trying to change its course, often with disastrous results. What if nature and the nature of human beings is not allowing us to live. This seems like a more important question to me. Just thinking off the top of my head.

[alteringenting]

Thanx for a good vid. I have a question that you might be able to answear. I am writing a masters on mysticism from the fall, and I have heard of a text by Derrida with the word 'cherrub' (the angels) in the title, but I can not find it anywhere.. Do you know it?

[jogayot]

great analysis. the other side of forgiveness coin and dogma's entrapment is christianity's arrogance of unconditional love (as manifisted in "dogville"). i can forgive god and that frees me from that dilemma of still being good in spite of unforgiveness towards true evil doers.

[Maikl71]

Would I forgive God? I wouldn't know what to accuse "him" of in the first place.

It's not the rumour's fault to have been put into the world and been used for all kinds of all too worldly ends.

[0ThouArtThat0]

I'll try and post a response to this soon, Corey. Great ideas here...

Curious, have you read Teilhard's "The Human Phenomenon"? He was obviously as much a priest as a paleontologist, and it shows in his cosmology--but this idea of nature coming to an awareness of itself and in that way creating an almost supernatural situation sounds similar to Teilhard's Omega Point.

[Professoranton]

Yes, You really should consider the Media Ecology Association.

[2bsirius]

James Carse has a really interesting book about this, "The Religious Case against Belief"...

Another interesting, insightful video btw.