A Universe from Nothing?

[Rick O'Shez]

Please, provide or cite your sources that the Quantum Physics ever speak of "Cosmic Consciousness" or "Ultimate Reality".

A lot of this stuff comes from people like Deepak Chopra who shamelessly use pseudo-science to promote their personal agendas.

 

[YmirGF]

'I' is the illusion; your true nature is not. When you are in synch with your true nature, there is no 'I'.

If there is no "I" then there would also be no "your true nature" as there is no you to have any kind of "nature".... Jus' sayin'...

 

[james bond]

It is like having confidence in methods of practice.

Ha ha. The reverend talked about his "back in his day" moments. Books he recommended reading were books by Dalai Lama and others. I read Lama's best seller and he states the purpose of life is happiness.

 

[`mud]

And when one dies,
when one is not an "I",
where's one's cognizance ?
~
Back in the shed,
with the memories and stuff.
~
'mud

 

[james bond]

Your body and identity are illusions. Your consciousness is real.

Finally, some common ground. Once your body and identity are gone, then consciousness is what we are left with. (I do have a question. Is there any history of when and how this "truth" was realized?)

As for the atheists, they probably won't get it. Christians believe we all will get "it" in the end. There are no atheists in the afterlife. Usually, what I found is atheists believe in mockery and parody of religion. This is their religion.

 

[`mud]

Really !
..." This is their religion"...
Like in the phrase: "The lack of"
~
silliness abounds
~
'mud

 

[YmirGF]

Finally, some common ground. Once your body and identity are gone, then consciousness is what we are left with. (I do have a question. Is there any history of when and how this "truth" was realized?)

As for the atheists, they probably won't get it. Christians believe we all will get "it" in the end. There are no atheists in the afterlife. Usually, what I found is atheists believe in mockery and parody of religion. This is their religion.

I'm a strong atheist who believes in what some call an "afterlife". It's nothing like theists tend to imagine with themselves as the centre of the universe however...

 

[ArtieE]

Finally, some common ground. Once your body and identity are gone, then consciousness is what we are left with.

Without bodies or identities there would be no "we" left.

As for the atheists, they probably won't get it. Christians believe we all will get "it" in the end. There are no atheists in the afterlife.

Atheists are perfectly free to believe in any kind of afterlife they want as long as no gods are involved.

Usually, what I found is atheists believe in mockery and parody of religion. This is their religion.

What a curious statement given the Christian track record of mocking and trying to convert everybody with a different religion to their own. How much respect have Christians shown other religions up through the years?

 

[Shad]

No, I did not draw any conclusion, nor did I state one; I simply asked a question and mentioned an observation.

You did as you cited two people that thought design made sense to counter the claim that design made no sense.

And an idea that "makes sense," may not always be correct, but it is rational.

No it doesn't. Merely claiming an idea makes sense does not automatically make the idea make sense.

Bigotry doesn't make sense....that was a bad example.

Which was the point that claiming X make sense does not mean it makes sense or as I put it rational. Yet for these people it "makes sense" I was showing you how an empty statement without an argument is moot. Also that examination of the reasons X "makes sense" may not be rational at all. You still have not provided an argument from either person regarding why design makes sense.

 

[james bond]

Really !
..." This is their religion"...
Like in the phrase: "The lack of"
~
silliness abounds
~
'mud

It's their religion. Many people including the USG classify it as religion. Ask Dawkins and his foundation.

 

[james bond]

I'm a strong atheist who believes in what some call an "afterlife". It's nothing like theists tend to imagine with themselves as the centre of the universe however...

What I've heard is the Buddhist afterlife is nirvana or the other shore. I asked that of the reverend in this one q&a session, and he said that he "doesn't know" about the beginning and end. I didn't think he was referring to the other shore. God said that we will not learn the moment of the beginning or the end, i.e. we won't know when this life begins and ends. That includes everything. It's a basic fact.

Center of the universe is a topic for another day. Not germane to what we're discussing here.

 

[james bond]

Without bodies or identities there would be no "we" left.Atheists are perfectly free to believe in any kind of afterlife they want as long as no gods are involved.What a curious statement given the Christian track record of mocking and trying to convert everybody with a different religion to their own. How much respect have Christians shown other religions up through the years?

That's what the atheists believe.

No disagreement from me except God might beg to differ.

The rest's your opinion. Ask the same about atheists.

 

[ArtieE]

That's what the atheists believe.

What exactly do you think a person has to believe in order to be an atheist?

 

[godnotgod]

Utter nonsense and gross misrepresentation, as usual.

Sunyata = emptiness of independent existence = conditionality of the aggregates.

"Form is only emptiness" = the aggregates are conditional and empty of inherent existence.
"Emptiness is only form" = emptiness is the nature of form, it is only expressed through the aggregates. So emptiness is not a "thing" or "ground of being" outside the aggregates. There is also "emptiness of emptiness", ie sunyata doesn't have inherent existence either.

Please stop misrepresenting Buddhist teachings in an attempt to prop up your new-age dogma. Please stop leading people astray in order to pursue your personal agenda.

You are form. Because you are form, you are empty of self-nature. That is Sunyata. Emptiness cannot be destroyed. You are the Indestructible Sunyata. You are That: The Uncaused, The Unborn, The Unconditioned. This the Buddha realized via Supreme Enlightenment.

 

[godnotgod]

Logically impossible. If I'm just an illusion there is no "you" or "I" that can be in sync with anything.

I am using the terms 'you' and 'I' in the conventional sense. In reality, they are the state of Identification, and are fiction. When in synch with your true nature, you still continue to follow certain patterns of behavior already laid out by your identity, but you are now awakened.

 

[godnotgod]

Have you told your shrink that you are talking to illusions?

The illusion that is Identity thinks it talks, walks, and acts in all sorts of ways.

 

[ArtieE]

I am using the terms 'you' and 'I' in the conventional sense. In reality, they are the state of Identification, and are fiction. When in synch with your true nature, you still continue to follow certain patterns of behavior already laid out by your identity, but you are now awakened.

Fictional "you" and "I" can't be in sync with anything they are fictional.

 

[godnotgod]

What I've heard is the Buddhist afterlife is nirvana or the other shore.

A young Buddhist student, walking along the banks of a river, was looking for a way to cross. Spotting a Buddhist teacher on the other side, he shouts: 'How do I get to the other side?', at which the teacher responds: 'You ARE on the other side!'

 

[godnotgod]

Fictional "you" and "I" can't be in sync with anything they are fictional.

When your true nature awakens, there is no longer a fiction.

 

[ArtieE]

A young Buddhist student, walking along the banks of a river, was looking for a way to cross. Spotting a Buddhist teacher on the other side, he shouts: 'How do I get to the other side?', at which the teacher responds: 'You ARE on the other side!'

What a worthless and unhelpful answer... are all Buddhist teachers this useless...?