Saturday, February 21, 2009

Edit: POSSIBILIANS Unite!

After a week and then some of work-free existence, I was finally able to once again catch an episode of "Talk of the Nation" during my afternoon commute. The Tuesday, February 19, episode featured author David Eagleman discussing and reading excerpts from his new book "Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives." He described himself as a "possibilian," aka someone who believes that ANYTHING is possible.

I would kindly suggest that we have another religion to add to our blog poll. I would also highly recommend perusing the excerpts posted on the TOTN page, if not listening to the episode. It was enjoyable and thought-provoking. Also, it was great to hear some creative and unique takes on what the afterlife will consist of. Personally, I'm voting for that mystical moment between wake and sleep, where seconds stretch to infinity. As long as little girls don't creep up next to my bed while I'm there. (I'm looking at you, Madison!!)

6 comments:

Science said...

I would just like to point out, for the arithmetically impaired, that this is the 88th post. You may get all excited about the 100th post in 12 posts.

David Eagleman said...

Thanks for your post! Glad you enjoyed the radio episode. Just as a tiny matter of detail, the term is "Possibilian." I've received hundreds of emails so far from people saying they think that term describes them well, so I think we're on to a real movement here! Looking forward to seeing your 100th post...

The Freakin' Deacon said...

I remember watching the History Channel's "Hell: The Devil's Domain," it was about what you would expect of the History Channel: frustrating straw-man arguments, false dichotomies, and appeals to Euro-Centric Dogmatic reasoning. (The artwork that they used to show the evolution of man's relationship to the Christian hell was pretty amazing, though). But it's clear the argument was that we need to do all we can to stay away from hell. But, to quote the great Lewis Black, "That's a given asshole!" Only a small cross-section of America is actively trying to go to hell (as Hell's minions, or something?). Christians all over the Internet use this show as a way to scare people into the loving, and jealous arms of Yahweh.
I find the work of Mr. Eagleman great. Maybe, just maybe The mind is powerful enough to survive brain death; perhaps after the brain is dead, the mind (soul, spirit, whatever) can live on in some plane of vibration or an odd ultra-metaphysical frequency.

Anyways, what's so odd about an afterlife without formal religious customs. These two things are so ingrained with the other, but are never explained as to why they are are indivisible (other than 'the bible's infallible because God wrote it, God said he created Heaven and hell in the infallible Bible.')

Thanks Science, and stop bringing up the 100th post, I'm totally going to let you down.

Science said...

Not possible.

The Freakin' Deacon said...

Anything is Possible

Ian Gort said...

THe place where the impossible and the possible meet- the Possimpible.

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