---Quite true!: (below): "The three monotheisms have glimpses of this sort, but they never commit to non-dualism. Even the most ardent of the mystics fall short of merger between themselves and the paternalistic supreme being. To go further would be heresy" Among the thousands of listed Roman Catholic Saints, we can search the literature for a few and far between Saints who may have realized the Self (say St. John of the Cross). Even among such persons, the idea of becoming "One" with God is indeed heretical and invites anathema.
In [email protected], "Stu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Angela, > > I am a little unclear here. I understand there are difference between > Plato and Aristotle but effectively they are the same tradition. One > was the other one's teacher. Plato was a bit lost, Aristotle brought > him home. I agree that these guys do form the basis of a rich western > philosophical tradition. This is a tradition the managed to stay > vibrant despite the influence of monotheism. > > There is no monotheistic tradition in the west. I am thinking you are > pointing to non-dualism. The sort of mysticism where the individual > sees their interconnection with the kosmos as a unified whole. The sort > of mysticism where infinity and nothingness live together. > > The three monotheisms have glimpses of this sort, but they never commit > to non-dualism. Even the most ardent of the mystics fall short of > merger between themselves and the paternalistic supreme being. To go > further would be heresy. > > For the most part the big 3 spend make sure a priestly class keeps a > secret knowledge that the most fervent followers can only dream of. > This priestly class dangles visions of heaven in front of their > followers in exchange for tidings. What is amazing is how long this has > been going on without anyone complaining. Then again, any complaints a > few years ago meant being burnt at the stake or going through the sort > of thing Spinoza had to bear. > > What a pleasure to live in a world were we can talk freely now. > > s. > > > --- In [email protected], Angela Mailander > <mailander111@> wrote: > > > > Of course, there's a tradition. It just tends to get obscured in the > West since we have systematically suppressed this kind of knowledge and > burned people at the stake for it. But there definitely is a tradition. > Normally we look to the the Platonic tradition rather than the > Aristotelian tradition to find it. > > >
