When someone lived a life that was so helpful to total strangers, one can only imagine what comfort he gave those he loved.

 

Sad that he is gone, but I doubt Ubonjoe left any good thing unsaid to his loved ones.

8 hours ago, still kicking said:

Who is God?

That answer, if I recall correctly was (translated into English): I am who I am … I will be who I will be … and, …  I am who is hath sent me … Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai …

Mark Twain said it best:

“I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

1 minute ago, Skeptic7 said:

Mark Twain said it best:

“I do not fear death. 

"If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha."

:- Indian Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Being an atheist doesn't mean one is prevented from doing a "dance around a fire." You can do it at any time that suits especially during the current burning season here.

and even if you are atheist and don't do the dance you still get the burning smell

Now I regret that I didn't take the chance to meet him (and others from Thaivisa) in Pattaya some years ago.

He was just seven years older than me.

Such news remind me that every day is a day closer to death.

Seen even very keen fitness freaks extinguished overnight. Strokes and heart attacks. Make your final arrangements now. Have a will in Thailand if needed and overseas for those assets. Even if you follow every health trend and spend most of your free time exercising and cooking healthy food. You might not live forever.

3 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Happy, you sound like my wife.....assuming and guessing about everything. Of course, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, but it is unwise for you to state your opinion as fact. Consider this....of all the knowledge in the world, let's modestly say that you are aware of .00000000000001% of it. Have you considered that the true knowledge of God is hidden somewhere in the balance of that, and you just haven't discovered it as yet? Keep searching my friend! Take it from a former "rich gone broke" alcoholic and drug addict, God the Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus are all real and can change your life dramatically when they come into your life. All you have to do is receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you will never have to worry about losing your life. You will find eternal life!

 

You criticize for stating an opinion as fact, then you state your opinion as fact. While it's possible there is a God, it's very unlikely.

 

But the gods I've heard and read about so far? Too many contradictions and ridiculous claims to take seriously, at all. 

12 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I was shocked to read about Ubon Joe passing on. RIP Joe.

He has been a part of many threads that I have read.

It does not need an illness for someone to pass on in this world.

My wife was only 55, very fit and full of energy.

One night, we both went to sleep. She never woke up.

My Thai wife (dr. of medicine) passed away quite young from second hand smoke, as did all her siblings and mother.

 

Many years later her father (the only smoker) also died from lung cancer. He was a chain smoker.  Wife & kids had to have the next cigarette already lit for him. He smoked all over the whole family every meal time, in the car, everywhere. Even woke up to have 1 or 2 cigarettes every night. 

 

Many thanks and RIP to Joe and condolences to his family. 

I suggest you speak for your self regarding the usefullness of others on this site .

There are many that contribute in a positive way not just Ubon Joe .

However there are many in the same profession as Ubon Joe have a lot to learn .

10 hours ago, still kicking said:

Who is God?

who is on first..

Did you know there is a condo block in Pattaya reputedly know as "God's Waiting Room"

Many elderly residents pop off here!

I wonder if many know where I'm talking about?

 

 

10 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

I wonder if many know where I'm talking about?

Nirun?

"Youth is the most precious thing in life; It is too bad it has to be wasted on young folks." (George Bernhard Shaw).

 

I live as fully now, or perhaps even more-so than I ever did as a ruby cheeked youth.

 

Learning to be in the moment as fully as possible, to let go of should's, oughts, and musts has been a seminal journey to self for me.

 

To take risks and let myself to see and be seen by others, to laugh every day, to not take self too seriously and to laugh at my self-centredness and take actions to redress this defeatist trait.
To slow down so as to be able to taste life's moments more fully.

To cry as I am touched by life, to speak kindly to myself within, to live honourably, to bend like bamboo to, to smile at others, to be generous of spirit, to love, to strive to be the best I can in each moment and work each day to accept all that comes in life. 

 

Just celebrated a birthday.  Went to BKK and did the usual things and got a pleasant surprise:  Shake Shack opened at Central World close to the Apple Store.  Had the best cheeseburger I have had in a very long time.  It was a great birthday. 

 

"enjoy the moments for as long you can".  

1 hour ago, Unify said:

You criticize for stating an opinion as fact, then you state your opinion as fact. While it's possible there is a God, it's very unlikely.

 

But the gods I've heard and read about so far? Too many contradictions and ridiculous claims to take seriously, at all. 

There are currently 4,200 gods. Either 4,199 are wrong or 4,200 are wrong.

 

(And, to be clear, this is another rhetorical statement for entertainment purposes only)

13 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Sorry for sounding preachy, but have you checked out the God thread on Aseannow?

 

Oh dear, you might want to stay away from that thread as it's full of Jesus believers/Bible thumpers/miracle workers/mystics and anything else you want to throw into the mix.

 

The discussions they have on that thread are akin to discussions about, "how many fairies you can fit on a pinhead". Best not go there if you want to retain your sanity.

I think as time rolls on, you start to realize you are going to an increasing number of funerals.

 

Two weeks ago Guy a friend of mine, only 62, pretty healthy, went to bed and never woke up. Massive heart attack totally out of the blue.

 

No rational person wants die, but I think most of us also recognize that the days ahead of us are sadly diminishing, and no amount of going to the gym and sucking down wheatgrass is going to make you immortal.

 

So you live your life the best you can, but knowing that like UJ and my friend Guy, nobody really knows when the lights will finally go out

Yes, Joe will be sadly missed.

 

There are a few others who have been pretty quiet recently, including Colin (who was in a wheelchair and a lively contributer) and even Rooster seems to come and go a bit.

36 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

Yes, Joe will be sadly missed.

 

There are a few others who have been pretty quiet recently, including Colin (who was in a wheelchair and a lively contributer) and even Rooster seems to come and go a bit.

Thanks for reminding me, because I was wondering what had happened to Colin, and I wondered if the accident he had which had put him in a wheelchair, had finally taken its toll?? Anybody know?

Life is nothing but waiting.

You wait to get up, you wait to go to sleep.

You wait to be born, you wait to die.

All your actions are waiting for a next thing.

Eventually waiting to die. You know it will happen.

You are brought up in that way, wait.

As you said, why not begin dancing around a fire

Don wait.

I am comfortable approaching death in Thailand, though hopefully more than few years away yet 

My biggest comfort is that since arriving in Thailand I couldn't fail to notice how my knowledge and experience is largely viewed as secondary to most Thai 

I can therefore die with confidence knowing life may well improve without me around, and the funeral will be a series of carefully coordinated events leading to a good meal and a plume of smoke ????

 

 

17 hours ago, still kicking said:

Who is God?

That abusive parent who throws you in a pit of fire if you don't worship him. What's not to love?

11 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Happy, you sound like my wife.....assuming and guessing about everything. Of course, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, but it is unwise for you to state your opinion as fact. Consider this....of all the knowledge in the world, let's modestly say that you are aware of .00000000000001% of it. Have you considered that the true knowledge of God is hidden somewhere in the balance of that, and you just haven't discovered it as yet? Keep searching my friend! Take it from a former "rich gone broke" alcoholic and drug addict, God the Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus are all real and can change your life dramatically when they come into your life. All you have to do is receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you will never have to worry about losing your life. You will find eternal life!

 

He is correct.

 

There is no god but there are still hundreds of gods being worshipped around the world every day.

 

Few of them have the arrogance to claim that their god is the only true god, and all the other gods are false.

18 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Rather having a fast ending then suffering from a disease which slowly kills you.

When I was younger, and older folks wished each other 'good health above all', I thought WTF, but now that I'm getting older too, I understand it...

12 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Happy, you sound like my wife.....assuming and guessing about everything. Of course, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, but it is unwise for you to state your opinion as fact. Consider this....of all the knowledge in the world, let's modestly say that you are aware of .00000000000001% of it. Have you considered that the true knowledge of God is hidden somewhere in the balance of that, and you just haven't discovered it as yet? Keep searching my friend! Take it from a former "rich gone broke" alcoholic and drug addict, God the Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus are all real and can change your life dramatically when they come into your life. All you have to do is receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you will never have to worry about losing your life. You will find eternal life!

 

But using your exact same arguement, isn't there a chance that in that 0.99999999% that you don't know about fittobethaied is the error of your thinking that you do think there is a God?

 

13 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Happy, you sound like my wife.....assuming and guessing about everything. Of course, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, but it is unwise for you to state your opinion as fact. Consider this....of all the knowledge in the world, let's modestly say that you are aware of .00000000000001% of it. Have you considered that the true knowledge of God is hidden somewhere in the balance of that, and you just haven't discovered it as yet? Keep searching my friend! Take it from a former "rich gone broke" alcoholic and drug addict, God the Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus are all real and can change your life dramatically when they come into your life. All you have to do is receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you will never have to worry about losing your life. You will find eternal life!

 

Complete and utter hogwash. You do not know any of this. Prove it's your god. Prove it's any god. You are fooling yourself with BS. You know NOTHING of an afterlife, so much as eternal life. You're lying to yourself and us, pretending your scaredy-cat security blankie is real. Maybe, by the most infinitesimal chance, it is real...but we don't know and you certainly don't either. Chill out, relax, take a deep breath, THINK...and have a drink❗????????????????

6 hours ago, xylophone said:

Oh dear, you might want to stay away from that thread as it's full of Jesus believers/Bible thumpers/miracle workers/mystics and anything else you want to throw into the mix.

 

The discussions they have on that thread are akin to discussions about, "how many fairies you can fit on a pinhead". Best not go there if you want to retain your sanity.

Don't we know it❗ Tried logic and reason on those woo-sters for years before finally throwing in the towel. The mystics were the worst by far and that's no small accomplishment. 555 ???? 

20 hours ago, still kicking said:

Who is God?

 

12 hours ago, spambot said:

swissie - You have a talent for words and you paint a subtext many of us all feel after the passing of Ubonjoe, an outpouring from the soul and I recognise that feeling.

 

I am saddened by the passing of a man I never met, Ubinjoe and I find it difficult to articulate what I feel. All I know is that he changed my life in so many posts while also helping thousands of others while he selflessly did so.

Right! One of the great things about UJ was that you learned a lot from his answers on threads that didn't even concern you.

14 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Happy, you sound like my wife.....assuming and guessing about everything. Of course, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, but it is unwise for you to state your opinion as fact. Consider this....of all the knowledge in the world, let's modestly say that you are aware of .00000000000001% of it. Have you considered that the true knowledge of God is hidden somewhere in the balance of that, and you just haven't discovered it as yet? Keep searching my friend! Take it from a former "rich gone broke" alcoholic and drug addict, God the Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus are all real and can change your life dramatically when they come into your life. All you have to do is receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you will never have to worry about losing your life. You will find eternal life!

 

OMG!