Live for the MOMENT
Being an atheist i have never been much fond of religion. One basic reason in addition with numerous others is that all such religions preach guilt. Rightly has been said
" All religions are the same: religion is basically guilt, with different holidays."
( Cathy Ladman, quoted in Dawkins, Richard (2006). ""The Roots of Religion"". The God Delusion)
All these religions want one to live with utmost simplicity, give up everything that gives pleasure to get a chance at similar pleasures in an "may be or may be not" after life. All of these try to make one feel guilty about everything. What one eats, how one dresses, how one behaves, how one lives, what music one likes etc.
And all of this makes me abhor each religion a little more. Hence i have been more declined towards "philosophy", as in it one can have his own philosophy about life, one can take a bit of this and take another bit from that and live happily and still everything is up for an argument in case of better evidences whereas in religion things are always so certain no chance of change (at-least willingly). Because of this inclination towards philosophy i have come across various schools of philosophical thoughts and in process i stumbled upon a different kind of school of philosophy. The followers of this particular school are called the epicureans this school was established in ancient athens by " Aristippus " one of the pupils of a great philosopher " Socrates ". they used to live by a saying that
"highest good is pleasure and highest evil in pain"
They actually believed in avoiding pain in all forms. Whereas many others in that time believed in experiencing all sorts of pain. eg- cynics and stoics (these were other prominent schools of philosophy in athens)
These epicureans lived in a garden and were called "garden philosophers".
They hung a notice at the garden entrance saying
" stranger,here you live well, Here pleasure is the highest good"
They also preached balancing of various pleasures like giving preference to one over the other , which may vary from person to person.
They were not concerned with wasting their life in preparing themselves for an after life . Another one of their saying was
"Death does not concern us! because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come we no longer exist."
Although this group of philosophers also advised to "live in seclusion" and showed no interest in society in politics (two things i cant survive without). Till this day one who doesn't concern himself with anyone else accept himself is called an "epicurean".
But this is the beauty of philosophy, accept what you like leave what you don't want and come up with your own. Therefor each one of us has our own philosophy about how to live.
That is why keeping aside a few minor details like seclusion from society , I can take a few pages out of there book and "Live for the MOMENT"
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