Did any of you see Stephan Hawkins on SBS on Monday night.
He gave you the answer. Yes it is 42 !
He says he has proved there is no God, or Allah, because the big bang was simply the
result of the laws of physics and there was no God to start the big bang because there
was NO BEFORE !
There was no time before the big bang.

So were are because of the laws of physics and chaos theory, so enjoy it !

What's the point of it all? Well, it's interesting that o sung wu applied the question only to our species, almost as to suggest that the answer does not apply to other species, nor to all the materials that constitute planets, suns and everything else. That type of reasoning has a basis in ancient superstition (religions), where it is believed only humans are "special" and thus at the centre of the plan of a god creature, or god creatures.

The fact is that 6 billion humans are no more special than 6 billion lumps of rock, or 6 billion insects, or 6 billion rays of light etc. The point of us being here is no different than the point of anything and everything being here. The point of us being here is that we are no more, or no less, a part of nature than anything else. We're here because of the processes of nature.

There's nothing "special" about us. The belief that we're special and at the centre of some grand supernatural plan, is merely a belief from the ancient religious superstitions like Islam and Judaism etc.

Thank you all for your most edifying and revealing reponse's to this plainly absurd Topic ?

It was BAZZ I think who said, he'd recently heard Stephan HAWKINS declare unequivocally, there is no God ? And there are several amongst us who harbour that exact same belief, PONDE and G'DAY BRUCE are two such individuals. And I do recognise that Mr HAWKINS is considered to be one of the world's most eminent scientist. As such, many of us would readily defer to much of what he says, given his immense intellect, notwithstanding the limitations of his Motor Neuron disease ? But how would he and others, possibly know ?

While there are others amongst us (RUNNER and a few more) who would strongly disagree with the above statement (and their views are just as meritorious as those of Mr HAWKINS). I honestly believe they have a genuine belief in the existence of a Christian God ! And I suspect they acquire appreciable contentment from that belief ! However with respect to them, how would they know, where's the evidence ?

Others herein;... SPINDOC, WM TREVOR, POIROT, YUYUTSU, ONTHEBEACH, YABBY, FOXY and CONSERVATIVE HIPPY, all of whom, regularly contribute to this august Site, seem to be neither believers or unbelievers. They have their own particular philosophical approach to their own existence and their ultimately mortality. All seem to be content, quite settled, even optimistic with their lives and futures, as such ? I'm sorry, if I've misunderstood or misread any of your comments thus far, relating to this topic ?

Finally, my old mate HASBEEN is to my way of thinking, the only genuine arch-pragmatists within this eminent group of contributors ? His basic take of life in general, is philosophically fundamental. Solid as a rock. Plain and simple, even unsophisticated ! With HASBEEN, what you see, is what you get ! Reliable, dependable and steadfast. Muck around with him, you'll soon end up on your arse. Typical Navy bod.

Thank you all.

OSU: You've got an amazing memory.

Hard to forget when you were right there when it went off.

Sgt. Lenny little legs. (I can't think of his last name for the life of me, at the moment)

He was giving a lecture on the M18A1 when I came through A Coy lines from D Company 2 RAR in the old lines. I was taking my Orders from Ingleburn up to Bull $#!t Castle. I stopped to listen for a while. He was on the veranda of the Barracks & the Company was sitting on the ground facing the building. He was standing over it when it went off. The blast blew his legs off & the 750 ball bearings went over everyone's head. I was directly off to the side of it, about 10 metres away.

That Claymore had done the rounds of all the Commands & Canberra Head Quarters painted white & marked "Inert." All the Big Wheels had played around with it for months before it was released to a Unit.

Anyway mate it seems like you're having a bit of a downer at the moment. Go & have a talk to some mates you served with or anyone that did a tour. That's what we're here for & we'll help.

'morning Foxy,

It's interesting that some believe in what we leave as a legacy as important, whilst others It as what we can get out of society?

Spindoc says "For me I believe in immortality. My interpretation of this is that we live on through our children, by the values we impart to them, the quality our interaction with other humans, our contributions to our society and through meaningful education. These are all part of the legacy we leave behind when we shuffle of as dust."

For foxy is is an internalised "what's in it for me" perspective.

"It is up to us whether we bemoan or enjoy the
interval between these two events.

We can enjoy life to its utmost by taking
responsibility for the way we live, the way
we look at the world, how we perceive life -
either as miserable or as wonderful. The choice
resides in us as individuals."

We, we, we, we, us and our choice? What about "others" Foxy?

Foxy, here's an old Scottish one that came from my Grandfather.

When you want your chickens to lay
Some eggs, for tonight
March around the house & play
Your Grandfathers Bagpipes.

Except I used to say "Magpies!" No, Bagpipes, "No, Magpies!" I was 4.