Has anybody..

[10sun]

Ever met someone who changed your outlook on life in an extreme way?

I decided to play the good samaritan earlier tonight and pull a stranded motorist out of a driveway and in the process, the homeowner hopped into my Jeep and we talked for a gracious hour about growing up in another state and desperately needing to be back there and how Paul Simon's Graceland is one of the best albums of all time and wow... I am drunk and amazed that I pulled through all the snow drifts that I did earlier tonight.

[Ganzo]

Not a person, but i did read a fiction book, that made me completely reevaluate my outlook on life and world around, made me go back to school and get a job in advanced tech field. And for a complete shocker, it made me an atheist. Since than I've read every book from this author, and it only encouraged me to stay on chosen path.

So I'd say this author is the person who changed my life.

[Ginzburgh]

As corny as it sounds, my wife.

Before I met her, I worked a shit job and had little ambition because I was comfortable, I lived in a ratty apartment, smoked a ton of cigs and weed and played WoW 40+ hours a week.

I met my wife and four years later I have a new job making more than double what I was, own a house in a great town, have a kid, stopped smoking and am more health conscious than I have ever been.

Had I not met her, or if I met a girl whose lifestyle was similar to mine, I'd probably still be in that ratty apartment working at that dead end job.

So in short, to paraphrase Jack Nicholson in As Good as it Gets, she made me want to be a better man. Not because she selfishly wanted a better life for herself, but because she saw something in me that I didn't. Sometimes it just takes a good woman to bring that out.

[Jay]

Not a person, but i did read a fiction book, that made me completely reevaluate my outlook on life and world around, made me go back to school and get a job in advanced tech field. And for a complete shocker, it made me an atheist. Since than I've read every book from this author, and it only encouraged me to stay on chosen path.

So I'd say this author is the person who changed my life.

Wait, you're athiest now? Since when? And what's the book and author's name?

As corny as it sounds, my wife.

Before I met her, I worked a shit job and had little ambition because I was comfortable, I lived in a ratty apartment, smoked a ton of cigs and weed and played WoW 40+ hours a week.

I met my wife and four years later I have a new job making more than double what I was, own a house in a great town, have a kid, stopped smoking and am more health conscious than I have ever been.

Had I not met her, or if I met a girl whose lifestyle was similar to mine, I'd probably still be in that ratty apartment working at that dead end job.

So in short, to paraphrase Jack Nicholson in As Good as it Gets, she made me want to be a better man. Not because she selfishly wanted a better life for herself, but because she saw something in me that I didn't. Sometimes it just takes a good woman to bring that out.

Nah, that doesn't sound corny. Considering how you sounded years ago in contrast to this post it sounds very mature in fact.

[Ganzo]

Not a person, but i did read a fiction book, that made me completely reevaluate my outlook on life and world around, made me go back to school and get a job in advanced tech field. And for a complete shocker, it made me an atheist. Since than I've read every book from this author, and it only encouraged me to stay on chosen path.

So I'd say this author is the person who changed my life.

Wait, you're athiest now? Since when? And what's the book and author's name?

About two years already. Book is only in Russian, i do not think this guy would translate well, he's very much not "politically correct". He wrote a lot of sci-fi and fantasy before and was one of my favorite authors, but recently he had cycle called "Strange Novels" that came out in small print quantity but seemed to have a big impact on a lot of his fans. Author is U.A. Nikitin, the main book is called "Transhuman" but he got others like "I live in this body" "Singomakers", "Imago", "I Singular".

Also after reading his stuff, i quit drinking alcohol completely, eat healthy, exercise 5 times a week, and almost do not watch TV

[10sun]

uh... not to be a prude, but isn't the whole transhumanism movement very much contrary to the Torah's philosophy regarding cutting the body as it stands as a masterpiece? or is that part of the whole atheist philosophy now?

I would like to know more on how you reconcile your current belief system with yourself and how your family feels about it? This is by no means an assault on you or your choices, but rather a deep interest in such a drastic change in a devout man.

Care to talk?

[Ganzo]

First to family view on this: my wife is thrilled that I stay in shape and do not drink alcohol, as far as rest of transhumanism philosophy goes, she thinks i'm crazy. Go figure, if one believes in a man in the sky he's respected, god fearing man, but if you decide that you want to hope for small chance that future will bring technology that will help you evolve to next stage than you are a nut. Oh well i don't push my goals on anyone, and my reading tech news and learning new shit don't bother no one.

For myself this was an easy step to make, In my faith I was already at the point of not reading religious books as testament of events, but more of philosophical guide to bettering oneself. Moving to transhumanism seemed like a next logical step from theoretical to practical. I think logically I got to the point of understanding that even if God exists, he is not involved in our life anymore than I am involved in how atoms of my body function, hence the atheistic view.


As far as Torah goes, I think you have a one type of interpretation about holly body. Here's mine: God told Abraham to cut his foreskin as a sign that your physical body is not perfect, not holly, but just a vessel for your mind and you should modify it to suit your needs, just as you change your clothing.