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Finding Religion

Yes, it is "magic" :) and for me, demonstrates why so much is possible. Will, ritual and an external force.

But I see it as a mere mortal turning bread into the actual flesh and blood of God. I just can't square it, if a priest is given that sort of Magic by God then why not the power to heal? I could accept a real presence in the bread though.
 
Mark R,

Maybe if he had simply called it LaVeyism then the ambiguity would have been avoided.

Coal.

Why is suicide considered a sin.

I see that it is, to the religious mind, destroying one of God's works. Sort of 'God provide you with this existence, and you have no right to opt out of it' Or something like that.

Maybe if 'God' had put a little more thought into the design at the beginning then people would not find themselves wanting out.

That, of course, is an atheists point of view.

INT21
 
...That's not the same Buddha who patiently asked questions of even the worst human beings who came to him, until the visitor answered his own question....

Sounds very much like any modern psychoanalyst.

And it seems Buddhism, like all teachings, is open to interpretation.

INT21.
 
Find a dark sky. Look up. Wonder at the vastness.
That’s spiritual enough for me.

Yes, I often stare at the star-filled sky (well, as star-filled as it gets in London). The vastness of it, the wonder of the fact that the little points of light are all stars, most with their own planets, far, far away never ceases to awe me. I try to get my head round it, and try to imagine what it might be like to be on one of the planets orbiting one of those stars, looking up into the night sky there.
 
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I'm a Happy Atheist but a cultural High Presbyterian. The beautiful architecture and organ music got me. Enjoy beauty--enjoy acoustics! I hope you find some high church
churches that have mid-week meetings that organize help for the homeless or encourage poor kids. They don't seem to proselytize much. There's some fellowship feeling.
 
Find a dark sky. Look up. Wonder at the vastness.
That’s spiritual enough for me.
Some years ago, my Daughter was in Turkey and sent a lengthy text one late night, expressing how overwhelming it was, just to simply take a moment to herself on the beach and observe the most clearest nighttime sky ever imaginable.
 
Dr wu,

May I take it that he included himself in that ?

You are right though. No one knows what the really big picture is. It is just too big with too many unknowns.

Leonard Susskin suggests that anyone who knows says they know how quantum physics works is fooling them selves. No one knows.

But they use their best estimate and work with it anyway.

INT21.
Oh...I'm sure he meant all of us, himself too.......he was a humorist, armchair philosopher and 'trickster'...he once referred to himself as a guerilla ontologist.
 
One of my favorite films (the earlier version is also very good) ...based on Razors Edge by Maugham of course.....it sums up the 'religious experience' for me ..I used to read a great deal about Eastern mysticism in college and after for many years and even practiced Zen bench sitting and meditation aspects of Vipassana for a few years. I simply didn't have the patience so gave it up....though I still use eastern precepts when it comes to religion and metaphysics.
 
One of my favorite films (the earlier version is also very good) ...based on Razors Edge by Maugham of course.....it sums up the 'religious experience' for me ..I used to read a great deal about Eastern mysticism in college and after for many years and even practiced Zen bench sitting and meditation aspects of Vipassana for a few years. I simply didn't have the patience so gave it up....though I still use eastern precepts when it comes to religion and metaphysics.
Perhaps not only myself who appreciates this..

Ultimatey, what is your conclusion?
 
Perhaps not only myself who appreciates this..

Ultimatey, what is your conclusion?

Well....not trying to be cautious here...but conclusion on what exactly?
I think the 'eastern approach' to life on the spiritual level (oneness, equanimity, compassion, balance, etc) is a good way to live and can be integrated into our modern world, but I'm not sure about all of the mystical claims and other supernatural things that have been claimed by various mystics and groups.
 
Well....not trying to be cautious here...but conclusion on what exactly?
Hmm... (maybe just wondering if you have come up with the answer!).

On life, the Universe and everything...

You've had long enough now!

[Edit: Just seems no-one else has come up with the explanation, so far, mate!...].
 
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Hmm... (maybe just wondering if you have come up with the answer!).

On life, the Universe and everything...

You've had long enough now!

Oh...because I'm an old man ...is that what you meant? ;)

To be honest, as Ram Dass once said," it's an answer you have 'to be' not one you 'can know'." Or as Haguin once said..."Your coming and going is nowhere but where you are.' Or T S Eliot once said, "We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."

That's the best I can do when someone asks me about the meaning of it all.
 
Oh...because I'm an old man ...is that what you meant? ;)

To be honest, as Ram Dass once said," it's an answer you have 'to be' not one you 'can know'." Or as Haguin once said..."Your coming and going is nowhere but where you are.' Or T S Eliot once said, "We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."

That's the best I can do when someone asks me about the meaning of it all.
Am I alone in now contemplating... fair dialogue, or should never have asked you in the first place...

Conversely, are maybe more than myself grateful for your, personal, summarisation here.

Bottom line... we have to try and make some sense of what's given for us to understand?

Just thought it could be interesting to consider other perspectives.

That's one I, personally, need to think on some more.

Really interesting...
 
What goes around comes around.

INT21:hip:
 
...If we all sat around in saffron robes looking beatific, nothing would get done...
INT21
{Just a wee word to the wise mate? Maybe shouldn't bring up again the esoteric foundations of this forum...}.

X
 
Found this in a box there (looking for that rare, old book, on Astral Projection) - not seen daylight for many a year.

IMG_20181127_002730.jpg
 
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And this is what I'm getting at. I am jealous of people who have found religion, who believe in something else - be it life after death, a deity or some other spiritual level. I want that "inner peace" and tranquility that comes from knowing.

There you have my view as well. I've met many people of different religions. Those who are simply believers do appear to have some kind of inner peace. Those fanatics, zealots and their ilk display exactly the opposite characteristics and the irony of their behaviour seems to elude them completely.
I remain open minded on the subject, although I can't help but accept that there must be something in one belief which has lasted 2000 years.

Hey ho the search for inner peace continues.
 
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