Efilism

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Watana
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Efilism

Post by Watana »

Those who didn't sleep during their science classes know that reincarnation is a stupid fairy tale... however they probably don't know that there is a philosophy that emphasizes the negative value of both birth and life : efilism. It is of course perfectly compatible with the idea that desire is the source of stress and birth.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Efilism

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Watana wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:19 pm Those who didn't sleep during their science classes know that reincarnation is a stupid fairy tale... however they probably don't know that there is a philosophy that emphasizes the negative value of both birth and life : efilism. It is of course perfectly compatible with the idea that desire is the source of stress and birth.
Science doesn't say that reincarnation is a fairy tale. Mostly it's only people with no formal education in science who make those claims, or those looking to sell a book aimed at people with no formal education in science who make those claims.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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DNS
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Re: Efilism

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Watana wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:19 pm ... however they probably don't know that there is a philosophy that emphasizes the negative value of both birth and life : efilism.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=efilism

Sounds like a terrible philosophy.
efilism
The belief that life is inherently negative, and therefore should be voluntarily ended. Efilists do believe in people's rights to choose for themselves however, and would not support a genocide of all life. In an efilist's ideal world, every human on earth would commit suicide, ridding the world of what they see as the plague of human life.
"Did you hear Johnny killed himself?"
"Oh my god! Why?"
"He said in his note that it was something to do with this philosophy of his called efilism. He urges us to kill ourselves as well."
"Wow, that's dark."
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Efilism

Post by Ceisiwr »

DNS wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:33 pm
Watana wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:19 pm ... however they probably don't know that there is a philosophy that emphasizes the negative value of both birth and life : efilism.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=efilism

Sounds like a terrible philosophy.
efilism
The belief that life is inherently negative, and therefore should be voluntarily ended. Efilists do believe in people's rights to choose for themselves however, and would not support a genocide of all life. In an efilist's ideal world, every human on earth would commit suicide, ridding the world of what they see as the plague of human life.
"Did you hear Johnny killed himself?"
"Oh my god! Why?"
"He said in his note that it was something to do with this philosophy of his called efilism. He urges us to kill ourselves as well."
"Wow, that's dark."
I'm going to assume that whomever came up with this garbage hasn't gone through with it.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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retrofuturist
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Re: Efilism

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Oh... so nihilism has a new name on Urban Dictionary. :?

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Watana
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Re: Efilism

Post by Watana »

retrofuturist wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:38 pm Greetings,

Oh... so nihilism has a new name on Urban Dictionary. :?

Metta,
Paul. :)
Nah, nihilists make children and don't question life for real, they're pretty much just a bunch of intellectual emos.
BrokenBones
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Re: Efilism

Post by BrokenBones »

My ageing eyes need stronger glasses. I clicked on the thread thinking it said Elfism... I was quite looking forward to reading about Tolkien and his fantasy world... although it sounds like Efilism is something Morgoth cooked up.
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SDC
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Re: Efilism

Post by SDC »

BrokenBones wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:16 pm My ageing eyes need stronger glasses. I clicked on the thread thinking it said Elfism... I was quite looking forward to reading about Tolkien and his fantasy world... although it sounds like Efilism is something Morgoth cooked up.
I would never have admitted it if you didn't first, but I also saw "Elfism" :? :D
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Pondera
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Re: Efilism

Post by Pondera »

Science is close to uploading our consciousness to a hard drive. This is a form of reincarnation. This is a form (the closest we have) to immortality.
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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Re: Efilism

Post by SteRo »

Watana wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:19 pm Those who didn't sleep during their science classes know that reincarnation is a stupid fairy tale...
Scientifically speaking: there is no evidence for reincarnation and a hypothesis of reincarnation is incompatible with science because it cannot be logically supported by anything for which there is evidence in science.
Watana wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:19 pm ... however they probably don't know that there is a philosophy that emphasizes the negative value of both birth and life : efilism. It is of course perfectly compatible with the idea that desire is the source of stress and birth.
Efilism
Efilism (life spelled backwards) is an offshoot of the VHEMT [Voluntary Human Extinction Movement] which not only argues that humans should not only bring about their own extinction by not reproducing, but that the last humans left alive should deliberately cause a mass extinction event that would result in the extinction of all sentient life, in order to prevent the suffering that inevitably affects all sentient animals, whether from hunger, being eaten alive or otherwise attacked by other animals, cold, thirst, disease or any other cause.
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Voluntary ... nt#Efilism
Cleared. αδόξαστος.
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Dan74
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Re: Efilism

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Pondera wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 2:46 am Science is close to uploading our consciousness to a hard drive. This is a form of reincarnation. This is a form (the closest we have) to immortality.
Science doesn't even know what consciousness is. Brains don't work like computers, not remotely. So I am not sure what you're referring to, but I think we are not even close.
_/|\_
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Sam Vara
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Re: Efilism

Post by Sam Vara »

Any "movement" or "philosophy" which is named after the word 'life' spelt backwards cannot really be worthy of consideration. It looks more like an exercise in attention-seeking from a young person who thinks they are brighter than they are. Shame on those who perpetrate this as if it is a serious philosophy, rather than tihsllub.
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Dan74
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Re: Efilism

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Sam Vara wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:57 pm Any "movement" or "philosophy" which is named after the word 'life' spelt backwards cannot really be worthy of consideration. It looks more like an exercise in attention-seeking from a young person who thinks they are brighter than they are. Shame on those who perpetrate this as if it is a serious philosophy, rather than tihsllub.
There are a lot of young people nowadays who know nothing but suffering. Depression is rampant, so it makes sense that they would try to enshrine their experience of life in a "philosophy". We, who disagree, can still honour their experience and reach out, in case they are interested.
Last edited by Dan74 on Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
_/|\_
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Coëmgenu
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Re: Efilism

Post by Coëmgenu »

Sam Vara wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:57 pmAny "movement" or "philosophy" which is named after the word 'life' spelt backwards cannot really be worthy of consideration.
:rofl:
I like it more now that I know the etymology.
:rofl:

The Dhamma backwards is "Ammahd." ...Aḥmadīyah? Have we found the "opposite" of Buddhism?

:spy: :spy: :spy:
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Efilism

Post by Sam Vara »

Dan74 wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:11 pm
Sam Vara wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:57 pm Any "movement" or "philosophy" which is named after the word 'life' spelt backwards cannot really be worthy of consideration. It looks more like an exercise in attention-seeking from a young person who thinks they are brighter than they are. Shame on those who perpetrate this as if it is a serious philosophy, rather than tihsllub.
There are a lot of young people nowadays know know nothing but suffering. Depression is rampant, so it makes sense that they would try to enshrine their experience of life in a "philosophy". We, who disagree, can still honour their experience and reach out, in case they are interested.
Go on, then, you reach out. Let me know how you plan to do it.
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