Hey all, first time posting here-forgive me if I babble.  I don't know, the last two weeks I've been all over the place; I suppose it started on that saturday night weeks ago.  I had that documentary on my mind "The Falling Man"-about the jumpers on 9/11.  It got me started about thinking about God, life after death, the nature of existance, the nature of the universe and time, evolution, questioning if we have souls etc.....just all that stuff that I suppose normal people don't think about.  And its basically taken over my life; I'm a masters student in political communication-and I always hated science, maybe it was my teachers-but i never really showed any interest in it.  Now, all I seem to do is be watching/reading the vastly contrasting views of hardcore athiests and religious people, reading up on quantam physics, chemical biology, astronomy, brain physiology etc.  On top of all that-I know, no one has all the answers-so I'm never going to be satisfied-even then I'm going to be pi##ed because I know I want to believe in a God-I just can't find any proof of it.  Its really bugging me how I can't get answers but I think I've become obsessed, when I should really be focusing on my work and getting papers writting and researched about media effects and public opinion.  I'm not sure, I've definatly noticed a change, not sure if anyone else has.

anyway, sorry about the ramble 

HI there livinglife - welcome to Big White Wall! (we are all supreme babblers here, you are in good company ;)

Your post reminds me so much of the man I am about to marry. HE turns himself into knots with these same questions, reads Hawking, Dawkins and Darwin cover to cover in search of answers and meaning to it all. The danger is that this kind of thinking, although interesting and challenging, can also lead to a sense of pointlessness. When you explore the harsh realities of the universe and how minimal and irrelevant your own individual impact is on 'the bigger picture' its easy to settle into irreverence. Thats really just a little warning, sometimes the answers are not the ones we are looking for. BUt I guess it sort of depends on why you are looking?

Zx 

Dear Liviglife.  I will share with you what my darling dad said to me as he lay dying in hospital 3 years ago " You know I still don't know what life is all about"

Most of us somehow expect that life will reveal its meaning at some point that at least we'll have a glimmer of understanding. Its the question that haunts many.You have to ask yourself if it is worth pondering . I have put the question aside long ago and know my dad did too. I think he just emphasised the futility of asking over and over.  People who rely on religious beliefs are in a sense free from this kind of  torment then again no one is entirely free from uncertainty on a daily basis. You would not bite your nails over whether you'll make it back home as you close the front door.Yet there is no certainty that you will .I hope your laughing and not worrying about the prospect.Cheers- Cate X