Philosophy.

danbo wrote: James Lee wrote: Welcome back, brother. I missed you. Try to make Cal-Prog, eh? You, me and Garion could swill a beer and wax philosophic all night. I, too, was the victim of a catholic up-bringing (guilt, supported by fear with a huge helping of responsibility to frick up a youth) and would love to hear your opinion of non-Japanese sushi chefs. Your words above, reflect the things I cannot put into meanful words. Thank you. Thank You, Reed... But I am not righteous, only flawed, like anyone.

Yes James come on down to Whittier in June.

I haven't Master Debated in years.. Errr, weeks. 

Okay, okay, last night, but I couldn't sleep and Shanon Tweed was on Showtime.

I believe in a world called "Progarchives":

Our God Maani is always there for us, keeping our thoughts in check, our morals in line, and of course as any good god does: he sets bounderies.

We here are all followers of the righteous king Danbo (take a bow mate) and are an advanced reace of opiniated chaps out to spread the good word of "Prog". We are constantly spreading on our faith to others, and act with violence when folk dont accept our ideals. Our only goal is to spread the divine word of Maani and his message of  progress, of deviation from the norm. Our members are proud of their befiefs, and although they may be different, they are the cream of humanity! Some of our group include:

The Obssesed maniacs: Rob The Plant, ThreeFates, Reed Lover

The Genesis Freaks: Ivan, Ceasar Inca, Peter, Hangedman, The Musical Box

The Village Idiots: VelvetClown, The Oracle, K00l Prog Guruz

The Master Debaters: Certif1ed, Danbo, Jim Garten, James Lee, Garion, Dick Heath, Mr. Peter Rideout (although hes on an "extended" hiadus) and countless others...

.........: Gdub.......Sigod...the umm..."special ones"

The Dudes: Sweetnighter, Joren, Radioactive Toy, Metropolis

The Cute Girls: Selling_ Echoes, Shrinking Violet

The "Looker": Jim Prog Wizard (refer to page 5 of the picture thread..sorry man)

AND EVERYONE ELSE

(im out of time)...god this was a stupid idea

The evolution of a species able to reflect on its own meaning and purpose was most likely a mistake. Philosophy and theology are both facets of man's search for ultimate truth- a pastime as necessary and hopeful for us as a moth's desire for light and warmth.

Still, the moths seem to manage; I haven't heard of a big reduction in their numbers since their furry-winged prophets heard that first lightbulb filament sizzle...perhaps they simply continue to reproduce sufficiently to afford the loss of those on the quest for illumination.

I only pursued degrees in the field because of my Catholic dedication to self-torture, and a spiteful desire to make myself useless to society. 

The deepest, truest mysteries aren't happy things, folks. Luckily, they're not easy things to track down- you have to listen closely to conversations for the things people don't want to talk about and then figure out why. When we're closest to truth we're usually in the midst of tragedy. Few people have any ability to communicate it, or even to understand it on any sort of rational level (another reason why music and poetry are so important). I have real, fundamental answers that I could never explain to anyone else, even if I wanted to. Sound like a cop out? Sure it does. That's one way that truth continues to get you...by making you doubt the warnings of the people who have 'been there'. ("He stoppeth one of three...")

Philosophy and religion typically try to conceal or avoid the truth rather than make it better known.

Philosophy gives us complicated word games, elaborate logical structures that define and compartmentalize and send our thoughts whirling in pretty patterns. When Mathematics goes to the wrong side of town and has a one-night stand with Poetry, the illegitimate child is Philosophy. And we all know how likely those kinds of children are to grow up healthy and well-disposed. We're about as likely to find truth through Philosophy as we are to find nature by watching "Bambi".

Theology, on the other hand, is a keen sense of sight focused on something just out of view. Without knowing the details of what it sees, it uses the best of its ability to fill in the details. Once you know what you're looking for, it's far easier to see it (just ask the folks who have never met but agree on the description of the aliens that abducted them). Religion convinces itself that it already knows the answers, and the focus is on our relationship with those answers.

Religion works where philosophy doesn't simply because you can talk in religious terms to anyone, especially a child. No parent has ever used Plato to explain a rainbow. Children have as much susceptibility to religion as they do to colds and peer presure. When you're in the womb, you already have a God...and She's physically connected to you, providing you with everything you need (and no fetus has ever bothered to ask why). Sooner or later, you're cast out of this Ovarian Eden, and no angel with a flaming sword is necessary to convince you that you can never, ever return to that blessed state. So to make up for it, you have (if you're lucky) twin gods to look out for you for a while. It's not such a big step to transfer those feelings to something "up there" who watches lovingly or judgingly over you. Every religion ever practiced uses "Father" and "Mother" to refer to its deities...isn't that a bit of a giveaway?

Philosophy and religion are as ultimately pointless as anything else we've created. Can we find meaning in them anyway? Absolutely...but it will just be a passing truth that serves its purpose until we no longer need it. Unlike truth, we can find meaning in anything if we look hard enough. Same goes for meaninglessness. I highly recommend finding meaning in eating, drinking, breathing, screwing, and pooping. Also sneezing, farting, and the hiccups. You're gonna do them anyway- no sense leaving them out as so many religions and philosophies have done before.

What's really nice is if this meaning ends up including ways to make other people happier. An inappropriate belch is sometimes just the thing to bring a smile. An atheist who listens to a friend's problems is worth more than a million preoccupied zealots...but the inspiration for a single hymn of beauty justifies a religion.