A little conversation...

Here's a bit of a philosophical conversation between my cousin and I. I hope the members of the Spirituality board will respect it more than the members of the Recreational board.

Me(Jake):
"The only way to truly become immortal is to leave behind a legacy" Well, Coach Alverson did just that, my friend and cousin.
Matt:
very well said
Me(Jake):
*nods*
Me(Jake):
What are you up to?
Matt:
not much
Matt:
chillin'
Matt:
what you doin
Me(Jake):
Chillin' at Cam's, although I have no idea where he is.
Matt:
smokin a doobie maybe
Me(Jake):
What, he told you?
Me(Jake):
I thought he wanted to keep that shit quiet...
Matt:
guess not'
Me(Jake):
It is apparently so.
Matt:
yea
Me(Jake):
I still don't see any shame in admitting it, as long as the people you tell aren't snitches or narcs.
Matt:
and I donâ??t think I am one
Matt:
nor do I think you are
Matt:
so its all good
Me(Jake):
All good it is.
Me(Jake):
I'm proud to admit I toke it up.
Matt:
fo show
Me(Jake):
It has made me more socially for...no...apparent...reason
Me(Jake):
social**
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
lol
Me(Jake):
I'm serious, though.
Matt:
you have to do what you have to do right
Me(Jake):
All of a sudden I'll talk to people face to face! It's pretty damn cool!
Me(Jake):
"The ends may explain the means, but they'll never justify them"
Matt:
true that
Me(Jake):
Yeah, that's MY quote, thank you very much.
Me(Jake):
I'm quite proud of it.
Matt:
very nice
Me(Jake):
*nods with eyes closed, accidentally head butts screen*
Me(Jake):

Me(Jake):
What've you been up to, Matt?
Matt:
shit cuz not much just chillin
Matt:
what bout you
Me(Jake):
Same, cuz.
Me(Jake):
Boring as hell out here, but at least it's chill.
Matt:
yea
Me(Jake):
QVO and Surenos haven't grown the balls to go to war yet, and I doubt they ever will, so Tooele remains peaceful.
Matt:
for now
Matt:
how you with now
Matt:
who
Me(Jake):
Twyla, but she's a cheating whore and we have not spoken with each other in several weeks, so I guess I am single.
Matt:
oh cool
Matt:
I guess
Matt:
what gang you with lol
Me(Jake):
No Side, bitch!
Me(Jake):
*throws up nothing*
Matt:
thatâ??s good
Me(Jake):
Gangs are but shells of men trying to give their pitiful lives purpose.
Matt:
true that
Me(Jake):
Although...gangs do show us where the idea of government came from.
Me(Jake):
The first government came from the bandit gangs who would attack villages of people and steal their food. The villages themselves had no government, people were expected to (and rarely failed to meet those expectations) keep to themselves without anyone to tell them to.
Matt:
your smart cuz
Me(Jake):
Then the villages formed a government as a way of repelling the bandits. The rest is history.
Matt:
I did not know that
Me(Jake):
Except nowadays, the governments have gone back to their robberous ways.
Me(Jake):
That's probably because this is what I think, not what anyone told me.
Matt:
lol
Matt:
oh
Me(Jake):
Schools teach us that the first governments were formed so that people could learn to get more food.
Me(Jake):
A load of shit if you ask me.
Matt:
lol I agree
Me(Jake):
Think of how the first governments worked.
Me(Jake):
They revolved around ONE person.
Me(Jake):
Just one.
Matt:
yah
Me(Jake):
Do you really think a group of people would just say "Oh, Wise One, please tell us what to do!"? Of course not. The bandit gangs revolved around whoever was the biggest baddest motherfucker involved in the group.
Matt:
yah thatâ??s why the Mormons believe in 239 gods because they donâ??t look up to one guy like everyone
Me(Jake):
So, one of the harmless farmers got the bright idea that "Hey! If I can somehow show them I'm better than them, they'll worship me!".
Me(Jake):
Excuse me for saying this, cuz, but religion in itself was a noble notion that went horribly wrong.
Matt:
yah
Matt:
religion is all wrong..
Matt:
just what you believe in
Me(Jake):
No religion has really nailed what I believe in.
Me(Jake):
Catholicism...sadly...doesn't come close.
Me(Jake):
Catholics have a hard time believing I'm not a polytheist.
Matt:
whets that
Me(Jake):
For the same reason many non-Catholics think Catholics are polytheists (who believe in more than one god).
Matt:
ah
Me(Jake):
I believe in three influences, one God, and the idea of the afterlife being Nirvana (which means you become a part of the universe...basically you go back from whence you came and just sort of blend in with everything else there is)
Me(Jake):
And my God is not an active god.
Me(Jake):
It created the universe, and trying to comprehend Its power or its reasons is pointless.
Me(Jake):
Trying to wrap your mind around such amazing power just won't work, so it's best to not try.
Me(Jake):
And the mere notion of SPEAKING with my God is laughable.
Me(Jake):
Like God cares what the hell is going on in the universe It created, come on now.
Me(Jake):
It's probably just watching.
Matt:
yah
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
Si si.
Me(Jake):
My idea of morals is simple...just treat other people the way you would treat yourself.
Me(Jake):
Not like it makes a difference in the end, but it's just common courtesy.
Matt:
thatâ??s good and simple and makes sense
Matt:
yeah
Me(Jake):
I mean, you die, and you become a part of God, regardless of your life.
Me(Jake):
See, my ideals make selflessness REALLY selfless.
Me(Jake):
The Catholic idea of being selfless so you can get in to heaven is selfish.
Me(Jake):
Environmentalism is selfish, because we're just trying to keep ourselves from dying off, and the only way we can do that is by respecting nature.
Me(Jake):
Government is selfish, because the common form of government nowadays (Capitalism) turns the government into a business.
Matt:
I agree sadly
Me(Jake):
Will you do me a favor and save this conversation and give it to me when I get back on my computer?
Me(Jake):
Once we're finished, of course.
Matt:
ok
Me(Jake):
Thanks much.
Me(Jake):
Well, what do you think?
Me(Jake):
Are you a Catholic, or do you believe in something else?
Matt:
umm
Matt:
lol
Matt:
catholic
Me(Jake):
Do you believe -everything- the church tells you to believe?
Matt:
no
Matt:
well
Matt:
shit
Matt:
screw you
Me(Jake):
Hey, calm down.
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
It's just a question.
Me(Jake):
lol
Matt:
a hard one
Me(Jake):
True, but hard questions are more worthwhile.
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
Well...?
Matt:
I agree with some but not all
Me(Jake):
That's good. The types who believe whatever the Church tells them to...they are not very wise people.
Matt:
thatâ??s true
Me(Jake):
I mean, the Catholic Church has stood behind mass murders!
Me(Jake):
Nazi's, The Spanish Inquisition, The Crusades, The Holy Roman Empire!
Matt:
true
Me(Jake):
All of them the Church either started or, in the case of the Nazis, agreed with them!
Matt:
bastards
Me(Jake):
Anyone who would blindly follow a Church that did such horrible things should have their left eye plucked from their head so we know who they are! Well, not really, but people need to think for themselves.
Matt:
yah
Matt:
and not many people do
Me(Jake):
I mean, they don't even accept that they could be wrong! They are so arrogant as to think they, and they alone are right! Not only that, but they look down upon those who disagree!
Me(Jake):
I mean, I could be one hundred percent wrong in my beliefs.
Me(Jake):
I accept that.
Matt:
yes
Me(Jake):
And anyone who believes what I believe I will think that it is great, but I will not look down upon those who disagree with me.
Me(Jake):
Wait.
Me(Jake):
Never mind.
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
I never walk up to people and say "You're going to burn in hell! Get behind me, Satan!", now do I?
Me(Jake):
*sighs*
Me(Jake):
That which you take pride in most will lead to your eventual downfall.
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
It is inevitable.
Matt:
yea
Me(Jake):
I do not know how, and I am not very sure on why, but I do know it happens.
Matt:
youâ??re smart
Me(Jake):
Thank you. Sadly, that is what I take pride in, and I wait for the day in which it destroys me.
Me(Jake):
Although...it might not be what I take pride in most...
Matt:
what do you most
Me(Jake):
That is a really hard question to ask yourself: "What do I take pride in above all else?"
Me(Jake):
I do not know. I have a feeling it may be my intelligence, but it could just as well be my kindness, my wisdom, or even my influential tongue.
Matt:
you're smart
Me(Jake):
Let me ask you; What do you take pride in above all else?
Me(Jake):
I know it is a hard question, but it is best for you to know.
Matt:
hmm
Matt:
thatâ??s tough
Me(Jake):
Very tough.
Matt:
umm I donâ??t know.. either smarts.. or athleticism
Me(Jake):
As long as you can keep it to a few things, you have answered the question.
Me(Jake):
Now, I do not know how you can keep yourself from being proud in them. Simply fearing your talents, abilities, or character will get you nowhere.
Me(Jake):
Fearing them shows you take even more pride in them.
Me(Jake):
Knowledge.
Me(Jake):
It suddenly came to me.
Matt:
it came in great burst cause youâ??re smart
Me(Jake):
Knowledge of your pride waiting for you like a serpent waits for the bare heel waiting for you, that is what will keep you from taking pride in whatever it may be you take pride in.
Me(Jake):
Bare heel of a traveler**
Matt:
you should be like a philosopher or something
Me(Jake):
That is already the life I have chosen.
Matt:
good
Me(Jake):
Forsaking the upper class to become a philosopher.
Me(Jake):
I decided it is best for me.
Matt:
do you plan on going to college
Matt:
it is
Me(Jake):
No.
Me(Jake):
Why would I?
Me(Jake):
I do not care if I have to work hard to live in the middle class. I would rather teach myself what I truly need to know rather than be taught what I do not need to know.
Matt:
true
Me(Jake):
Especially since doing what I love will not make me money.
Me(Jake):
Trying to make money off of it is foolish, anyway.
Me(Jake):
If, and only if, I choose to write a book or two, I will not accept any money from its being sold.
Me(Jake):
As long as no one else takes credit for my thoughts, I do not care.
Matt:
true true
Matt:
I will buy your book
Me(Jake):
You can have it.
Matt:
ok
Me(Jake):
There is no need to pay for it.
Me(Jake):
I am sure whatever publishing corporation publishes it will give me plenty of extra copies.
Matt:
alright
Matt:
just make sure you hook me up
Me(Jake):
Gladly.
Matt:
coo
Matt:
you have to sign it too
Me(Jake):
I do not really have a signature...my handwriting is unique in itself.
Me(Jake):
But, sure.
Matt:
I don't care
Matt:
I just want your dang name in it
Me(Jake):
Then it will be.
Me(Jake):
I wonder, does the author of a book have the ability to get as many of them as he or she wants?
Matt:
I think so
Matt:
why wouldnâ??t he?
Me(Jake):
Greedy publishing corporations.
Matt:
true
Me(Jake):
"Iâ??d also like to thank all the starving homeless children for being there for me so I didnâ??t have to be in that position, god bless currency for putting them in that position and not me."
Matt:
they might not give you all you want cause they need to make money.. but I bet they give you like 100
Matt:
lol
Me(Jake):
They do not need to make any money, they simply want to.
Matt:
yah
Me(Jake):
No one needs to make any money, it is a fault of society that people can not eat because they do not have a silly coin or slip of paper.
Matt:
yah
Me(Jake):
It is truly sad that we blame poverty on starving people's hunger, and not currency itself.
Me(Jake):
I would love, just once, for one of the people who devote their lives to helping those children to get up the courage to take a camera and say "Do you see this? This is a result of your greed. You force these people to hunger simply because they do not have a coin or slip of paper with some idyllic face on it."
Matt:
you should do it
Me(Jake):
"Do not send them money. If you truly want to help them, forsake your currency and find some other way to make your pathetic society work"
Matt:
you should
Matt:
I will be in it with you
Me(Jake):
If some network makes the mistake of giving me a television program, I will.
Matt:
lol
Matt:
ok
Me(Jake):
You will be my first guest, then.
Matt:
alright
Matt:
Iâ??ll do what you want to help you out
Me(Jake):
Mention my name, spread my words.
Me(Jake):
Do not be fooled, I have no desire to be famous. No one is going to give an unknown Utahn any credit, though.
Me(Jake):
Sadly, our society forces us to make a name for ourselves in order to be heard.
Matt:
your way like I donâ??t know the word
Me(Jake):
What?
Matt:
like..
Matt:
I donâ??t know..... umm thoughtful and opinionated and yah I donâ??t know the word I am looking for
Me(Jake):
Hmmm...
Me(Jake):
Insightful?
Matt:
yah
Matt:
but thatâ??s not it lol
Me(Jake):
Damn...
Me(Jake):
Wise?
Matt:
yes
Matt:
thatâ??s it
Me(Jake):
Thank you, Matt.
Matt:
no problem Jake
Me(Jake):
This society will collapse.
Me(Jake):
One can not deceive billions of people and expect them to never figure it out.
Matt:
hopefully I wont be around to see it though
Me(Jake):
I hope I will.
Me(Jake):
Maybe I will see it when I reach Nirvana, and I will laugh.
Me(Jake):
Who knows, perhaps my words will be one of the factors that lead to the collapse.
Matt:
lol
Matt:
maybe
Me(Jake):
I can only hope.
Matt:
yah