The Flickr Matthew1626 Image Generatr

I took this photo at "Inferno" in the virtual world, Second Life. The hellscape was created by Hera, who's known for her super short-term builds ... which has served to draw her a healthy fanbase inworld. Inferno can be found in SL at: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Themyscira/199/39/2421

Richelieu, Indre-et-Loire, France.
Handwritten Bible scripture on the wall of a courtyard chapel dedicated to 'Très Sainte-Trinité' (the Holy Trinity) in Richelieu:
'Que servirait a l'homme de gagner le monde entier s'il vient à perdre son âme'
(what good will it do a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul)
Mathieu/Matthew 16:26

This image belongs to the Saints and Sinners album

A poignant scene. A hot, dry dusty road, curving, uphill through a Chinese cemetary, filled with dead vegetation....and dry bones which once held life.
Questions, questions, and more questions..

Ecclesiastes...condensed:

"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."

3 What does man gain from all his labor
at which he toils under the sun?

4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.

5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.

11 There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.
14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is twisted cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.

Pleasures Are Meaningless

1 I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem [a] as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.

3 But better than both
is he who has not yet been,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
15 Naked a man comes from his mother's womb,
and as he comes, so he departs.
He takes nothing from his labor
that he can carry in his hand.

29 This only have I found:
God made mankind upright,
but men have gone in search of many schemes."
1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.