Wondering About Different Religions

[Spockrates]

I see no harm. If there is a famine in Africa, India helps. There is food, shelter, fun, drinks, sea, mountains, grassy expanses - basically heaven on Earth.

And I cracked up when Fox got angry at the Jinni and shouted, "I wanted peace on earth and good will toward men!" to which she replied, "You never mentioned good will toward men."

* * *

But getting back to your idea, Aupmanyav: Would you say beings who have no freedom of will are morally better, more beautiful and more worthy of existence than beings who freely choose to love?

 

[allfoak]

So I find it fascinating that I've been watching old episodes of the X-Files on Netflix, and an episode I watched last night is so applicable to our discussion this morning.

You do not yet know that circumstance and thought have both an holy and unholy connection?

 

[Spockrates]

You do not yet know that circumstance and thought have both an holy and unholy connection?

Actually, yes I do know. I've had too many experiences like this to logically call them mere coincidence. Though it has been awhile since I've had such an experience.

 

[allfoak]

And I cracked up when Fox got angry at the Jinni and shouted, "I wanted peace on earth and good will toward men!" she replied, "But you didn't mention good will toward men."

If all human desire was fulfilled instantly and without constraint or prudence, humanity would not fair well.
There are laws that have been put into place to insure that wishes are exposed for what they are.

 

[allfoak]

Actually, yes I do know. I've had too many experiences like this to logically call them mere coincidence. Though it has been awhile since I've had such an experience.

It would be more accurate to state that this is the first time you have noticed in a while.
Everything is mind sir.
We create our life.
Thought and circumstance are intimately connected...always.

 

[Spockrates]

It would be more accurate to state that this is the first time you have noticed in a while.

Perhaps, but I'm speaking of events that are too obvious to be ignored. In my case it is repeated occurrences of noticeable experiences too frequent to be mere coincidence. For others, I suppose different experiences get their attention. We're all coded differently, but the differences--though sometimes creating conflict--also have the potential of making the whole of our experience richer, I think.

Everything is mind sir.

How so?

We create our life.

Yes, at least as much as our life also creates us.

[emoji4]

Thought and circumstance are intimately connected...always.

True.

[emoji41][emoji106]

 

[Spockrates]

If all human desire was fulfilled instantly and without constraint or prudence, humanity would not fair well. ...

Yes, but I still think Aupmanyav's idea is worthy of full consideration. I mean, if it is possible to make us with the constraint, prudence and humanity to always freely choose good instead of evil, then why are we not so? Think about it: Isn't it the goal of most religions to become what we aren't--if not in this life, then in one to come? So there is a common belief (perhaps, as you said, Maara?) that such a state is attainable, isn't there?

 

[allfoak]

Perhaps, but I'm speaking of events that are too obvious to be ignored. In my case it is repeated occurrences of events too frequent to be mere coincidence. For others, I suppose different experiences get their attention. We're all coded differently, but the differences--though sometimes creating conflict--also have the potential of making the whole of our experience richer, I think.

Many have recurring events, or events that cannot be ignored.
Sometimes it is like trying to ignore one's stomach.
It is easy enough to ignore most of the other organs because they do not have the voice of the stomach, but need the help of the nervous system to be heard.

So you see, like the stomach and the other organs, some things are louder than others and somethings make no sound until things have gone to far.
A nightmare would be a good example of something trying to get our attention in an immediate or impressive fashion.
Something like bad attitude we have been harboring for example, may cause us to experience some pain in the body.
All things are intimately connected and speaking at all times through all sorts of ways and by all means possible.
The fact that many cannot see this does not change the reality.

Everything is mind sir.
How so?

If further explanation is desired, i will certainly oblige.
For now, perhaps this will suffice.
Something you can appreciate.

It is the only way a logical mind can make sense of this.

 

[allfoak]

Yes, but I still think Aupmanyav's idea is worthy of full consideration. I mean, if it is possible to make us with the constraint, prudence and humanity to always freely choose good instead of evil, then why are we not so? Think about it: Isn't it the goal of most religions to become what we aren't--if not in this life, then in one to come? So there is a common belief (perhaps, as you said, Maara?) that such a state is attainable, isn't there?

It is not possible for it to be done the in way of which you speak.
The reason this is, is because of a great mystery very difficult to understand by the average person.
In fact ,the average person would think i was crazy if i began to talk about these things.

 

[Spockrates]

It is not possible for it to be done the in way of which you speak.
The reason this is, is because of a great mystery very difficult to understand by the average person.
In fact ,the average person would think i was crazy if i began to talk about these things.

You seem sane enough to me. Please tell me, unless you fear the opinions of others.

"You must think me mad," said the Hatter.

"Don't worry about that," replied Alice. "All the best people are."

 

[allfoak]

You seem sane enough to me. Please tell me, unless you fear the opinions of others.

It is not the opinions that i fear, but the power to back them up is what is to be feared.

 

[Spockrates]

It is not the opinions that i fear, but the power to back them up is what is to be feared.

You mean your own trust in your ideas is based more on intuition or a subjective feeling of confidence than in logic and empirical evidence?

 

[allfoak]

You mean your own trust in your ideas is based more on intuition or a subjective feeling of confidence than in logic and empirical evidence?

I mean that the mysteries of God are not understood by the average person.
Are you one of those people?
Your question lends me to believe that you do not understand.

 

[Spockrates]

I mean that the mysteries of God are not understood by the average person.
Are you one of those people?
Your question lends me to believe that you do not understand.

The possible meaning of the words, "the power to back them up is what is to be feared" are many. I don't see how I can know what meaning your pour into them unless you explain what you mean. For I cannot read your mind. Hence my taking a guess.

 

[Spockrates]

The same is true of the passage of scripture you mentioned: "In him we live and move and have our being." The words are ambiguous, for there are differing and contrary possible meanings. They might be taken literally, and so mean God is the universe in which we live. They might be taken figuratively and mean we can be in a relationship with the God who created us, living for him and doing as he desires, for we owe our existence to him. Or they might mean something completely different.

One cannot know the true meaning the author intended, unless he, or someone who truly understands him explains his meaning.

 

[Spockrates]

Reminds me of something Socrates said to a close friend:

"I cannot help feeling, Phaedrus, that writing is unfortunately like painting. For the creations of the painter have the attitude of life, and yet if you ask them a question they preserve a solemn silence. The same may be said of written words: You would imagine that they had intelligence of their own, but if you want to know anything and put a question to one of them, they always give one unvarying answer. So when they have been once written down they are tumbled about anywhere among those who might or might not understand them. They know not to whom they should speak and to whom not. If they are slandered or abused, they have no parent to protect them. For the written word cannot protect or defend itself."
(Phaedrus)

So if I don't understand something you write, reading it over and over won't enlighten me, I think. No, the only way to avoid misunderstanding is for you, the parent of the truth you gave birth to, to explain your child's meaning to me.

 

[Spockrates]

...

 

[Spockrates]

I mean that the mysteries of God are not understood by the average person.
Are you one of those people?
Your question lends me to believe that you do not understand.

But I appear to be going down a rabbit trail. Are you asking if I understand the mysteries of God? If so, I'd say I don't know. I think I try my best to comprehend what I don't know about God. But I'm in no way certain that what I think I know is true. Are you?

 

[allfoak]

But I appear to be going down a rabbit trail.

There is nothing wrong with following a thought out to it's reasonable end.
It seems to me to be the logical thing to do.
Kind of like making sure something is level and secure before you use it to hold up a structure, whether the structure is physical or of the mind.

Are you asking if I understand the mysteries of God? If so, I'd say I don't know.

Then that would be a no.
A mystery:
The key of knowledge is to turn everything within.

I think I try my best to comprehend what I don't know about God. But I'm in no way certain that what I think I know is true. Are you?

How is it that one knows, that they know, what it is that they think they know?
What is the measuring stick of knowledge?

Does a Bible scholar know more than an infant?
How do you decide?

An healthy infant has a subconscious that runs all of the things that the child will never know how to run even as an adult.
An infant is aware of all of the intricate movements happening within itself.
It is itself that it is most conscious of at this stage.
It takes in information at a rate that most adults can only dream of achieving.

Imagine if an adult had that kind of an awareness.. we would never be sick again if we had an awareness of what is happening inside of us.
We do not have this awareness because most of us are taught that what is happening on the outside of us is much more important.
What happens on the inside is only important when it comes to the maintenance of the stomach and perhaps sometimes the mind, through the ingestion of various substances.

What we are not taught is that there is an intelligence within us that is beyond the proof of the average mind because of the process that it requires to prove its existence to oneself.
We have now been programed to believe many contrary things to the knowledge of our source and how we consciously come into contact with this source.
This intelligence not only knows how to run things while we are gone so to speak, but...
Another mystery:
This intelligence is subject to suggestion and is very amenable to both the good and the bad.
I digress..

What i am getting at here is that we are all born with an intelligence that is within and as we become adults we stop relying on this source of knowledge and start relying on others opinions through the reading of books or whatever medium we happen to use to program the mind.

We are all born "knowing".
What it is that we all have access to depends upon many things, but mostly it depends upon the laws we are born under, but we all have the ability to access all there is to know, if we are willing to do what it takes to come out of the darkness that we live within.

What does it mean to know who we are?
What label is that?
I use the term Alchemist because it describes the process necessary to come to know oneself.
There is no other label that does not carry some worse connotation than the one i use now.
So be it as it is.

I am eagerly awaiting your response mr. @Spockrates sir.

 

[Corthos]

Ushta te, @Spockrates, and welcome! =)

Just curious, but what are you currently researching as far as religion/faith goes?