at the moment of your death....

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Shanta

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Suppose at the moment of your death, someone or something in which you had complete trust and faith (God, Spirit, the Universe...) came and told you that nothing, absolutely nothing you had done or said or been in your life was wrong.  That you are and were always perfect and good and that you are and always  had been unconditionally loved.  What difference would this knowledge make to you if you were also given another chance at life?

I ask myself this most days now.  My own answer is that I would probably try to be a better person.  Which is strange and paradoxical really.  If I was never wrong, then why any need to be something better??

The need to be better is part of being human.  It is the source of hope, I think.  Also that this need to be better is part of evolution itself.  

I am interested to know what other may think about this.
 
If "better" existed objectively, it would have to relate to the advancement of the species, rather than that of any individual-- survival of the fittest and all that.

A need to be "better" as an individual is really just a desire to fit into some fraction of a given society at a given time, and it seems to create as much (or more) conflict as it does cohesion. Religious wars are the classic, horrific example of this, as are subjugation, brainwashing and genocide.

tl;dr Social evolution is just as harsh as natural selection, but without the associated bump in adaptation.
 
As much as I would love to explore that idea. Reality and consequences peaks it's ugly head for me to reply to this more properly. I apologize in advance. And please, not to be confused with pessimism either. I just feel to better ourselves we must look at ourselves and not at a higher presence for any guidance.

I fear that sometimes religion (and it coincides with what harper has said), gives just as much despair as it does hope. As if all these things play a large part in what keeps us where we are and the cycles that hold us back, to continue. "Doing god's work for a better world". "Necessary evils" just to name a few examples.

Everyone should always try to be a better version of THEMSELVES. Not what other people or beliefs tell them they should be. Then you're in fact molding to someone else's version of "betterment". And to what end exactly, to achieve whatever desires or circle they wish to be in or in the never ending pursuit of happiness? Finding happiness in servitude is suitable for some but not everyone. And not everyone knows who or what they are enough that I think that's when hope and belief comes into play to fill in those gaps. So, I sometimes understand and respect the need for such a thing. It's just, as everything else apparently, it's easily corruptible or can be a guise of sorts.

Is it truly spirituality or faith or is it simply fear? Fear of being wrong. Fear of nothingness in the after-life. Fear of never existing. Fear of being judged?

This can be very subjective and whatever helps for anyone is their business and more power to them. I just hate when one's beliefs are thrown into a pot of others and turned into selfish self-righteousness. That's where a large chunk of our hope is diminished from in my opinion.

Bottom-line, my opinion is, you have to confront yourself, not expect a greater presence to judge or validate you. But that's just my own reality and beliefs. I respect others and their path to enlightenment or growth as their own.

I'm a strong believer that self-reflection and compassion is our primary key to evolution. It will bring us together for faster advancements. And what personally keeps me going is at least knowing what we do know thus far that's been proven. That, we all return to the earth or enter another 'living' thing at some point and time. Decomposing, or being eaten lmao. Whose to say that process doesn't show some truth we're still unaware of. There's some hope in that reality I suppose.

And I absolutely agree. I feel being a better you (as long as it's with others in mind other than yourself). Can be a great beacon of hope and not just an entirely internal one that may do the opposite for others in it's wake.
 
I more or less echo Harper and Siku.

Why wait until death to realize you could have been a better person. Be a better person now. All that matters is being a better person than you were yesterday. If you think you can be better than you were yesterday or you are today, then be that better person. Don't do it because of what might happen when you die. Do it because you truly want to be better. Do it because you want to help others. Do it because you know that you can always be better than you were yesterday. Do it for you, not anyone else.
 
Thank you for your replies. Gives me a couple of things to think about.
 

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