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  1. L

    Poll: Is killing natural or unnatrual?

    If you mean by natural, innate, then everyone would be killing. Maybe there is a reflex triggered in certain contexts, like war etc. especially where one's life is at stake and the hormones are running thick and fast, but even if so it would probably be overridden.
  2. L

    What are your beliefs about fate and destiny?

    I believe in fate, as a Muslim, but its an article of faith, and belongs to the unseen (i.e. the 'ghayb') or in modern terms, its untestable by observation.
  3. L

    Are people who claim to know God liars?

    I think we might have hypothetical knowledge of God - of the type - "if He exists, then this is His creation" etc. Likewise with philosophy and science "if the external world exists, then experience is a representational model of it".
  4. L

    Sometimes the burqa makes me sick

    Culture shock a lot. Now the whole world can see each other on the internet, I think we ought to be patient rather than instantly try to force our politics and morals onto different peoples. Give it 10, 20, or 50 years - but like ecosystems suddenly joined, we're often acting like invasive...
  5. L

    Muslim scholar: Islam + violence are linked

    I say to some Muslim brothers sometimes, its likely that oil that is keeping the gulf states in power, not their fiqh (jurisprudence). If you take the oil away their "success" which seems to come from above and be related to their piety, it may not be there. Its said in the Koran "don't be like...
  6. L

    The purpose of life is....

    "We each invent or own unique purpose", in one sense its true, in another it is so common a view its probably existentialism and person centred psychology turned into herd behaviour. Next on the list is 42. The humerous cop out. There is no specific purpose collectively, like we must all do...
  7. L

    Our positive emotions are the only light to our lives

    Peace. Its a bit simplistic though I only skim read it. Yes emotions equate with value, but for me they're 'posits' (or evaluations regarded as true but subject to update), or parts of a learning process, where we over time try to evolve equilibrium happiness or life wisdom. So a child's...
  8. L

    The purpose of life is....

    The meaning of life (and the search for such meaning) is a sophisticated form of cultural / rule bound and bio-psychological glue which imperfectly keeps us bonded to the environment. e.g. (image source life is fragile, love is the glue )
  9. L

    Is Personal Experience Evidence?

    Debating this issue, its like the game rock paper scissors (choice 1 hard science (physicalism, verificaitonism... etc), choice 2 soft science (phenomenology... etc)), people in different "mental regimes" have different lifestyle properties and outlooks. But theres never an overall winner.
  10. L

    Whos who?

    Sorry if I don't fit in naturally, I don't blend with groups too easily.
  11. L

    What are the standards for evidence?

    Evidence I respect. eg. humanists meeting in a pub versus bright souled sadhus in a temple. Compare and contrast. Not exactly direct evidence of anything transcendent, but it will do for me. And I 'm not even Hindu. The standards are secular: i.e. well being and beautiful architecture, sober...
  12. L

    What makes God an extraordinary claim?

    Being an atheist makes "God exists" an extraordinary claim.
  13. L

    Question on Sikhism - nature of shabd

    Thanks I have a copy of Gurui granth Sahib, but not read it cover to cover. Theres Sar Bachan Poetry here: Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Volume One | Indian Religions | Spirituality
  14. L

    Whos who?

    Seeing as I dnt get a welcome cake, then here is some to you, Luis! or a "tsog offerieng" to be more precise: http://mindrolling.com/news/images/parinirvana-observance-kmt-2014/parinirvana-2.jpg And for Lucian, a favourite hymn:
  15. L

    Question on Sikhism - nature of shabd

    I got the concept from reading Sar Bachan Poerty by Radha Soami Satsang Beas. Some very beautiful words.
  16. L

    The Buddha's Blessings

    I was told that blessings are like radio waves. This can have a mystic aspect, but also a practical one of tuning into the Buddhist lifestyle.
  17. L

    Zen Master!

    I tried Zen from a book once, but as my local Buddhists were of Tibetan origin, that's where I went.
  18. L

    What philosophy do you follow?

    Do you need to be quite stoic? I am stoic at times, but permanent stoicism to me means I'm failing too often. AFAIK Stoicism is basically about tranquillity (ataraxia) in the face of adversity, a little like being defeated but not feeling defeated. That's just my personal angle, no ill manners...
  19. L

    What philosophy do you follow?

    Is that an affirmative absurdism like Dada/Surreality, or negative and depressing?
  20. L

    What philosophy do you follow?

    I'm a Muslim liking "taqua" (natural and supernatural safeguarding of self, basically keeping me safe). Also chittamatra Buddhism (where ones reality is 'dream like' dependent on memory projections/storehouse consciousness). I like the idea of a wish fulfilling tree (kalpariksha), the purer...
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