"Seems to be a reason to live every day as best we can because we won't get another go."
I respect your point, Ellis, but think of this question: What is living "every day as best we can" anyway?
For those of us who are selfish and greedy--and also myopic about there being any life beyond this one--it is having as many material and luxury items we can, now. If I don't get it now, I never will. And I don't care who gets hurt in the process of my getting what I want.
DO MANY PEOPLE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE NO PERSONAL AND FUTURE CONSEQUENCES, EVER, FOR THE THOSE WHO DO GREAT EVIL, OR GOOD IN THIS LIFE?
Surely this kind of lack of belief in any future-life consequences, one way or the other, must be the basic cause of a lot social injustice, of crime, including wars of aggression.
I am not an advocate of using nothing but sticks like fear, guilt and shame to motivate people to be better do good things, but who of us would obey all the annoying laws out there, pay all the taxes we should, or be Good Samaritans just out of the goodness of heart? You recall that it was fear of that "dream of death" and "What dreams may come?" is what kept Hamlet from taking his life.
Last edited by Revlgking; 06/14/08 04:56 PM.
