Great list. Jody is always good for stirring things up. I'd be interested in how many here believe in them. My comments are below, to prime the pump.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "yifuxero" <yifux...@...> wrote: > > I disagree that some of these are folk theories. In any event, I > found the list at guruphiliac: > > Folk Theory of Guru-Based Spirituality > > Enlightenment can be transmitted supernaturally I believe that *experience* can be transmitted. Whether the process is "supernatural" or whether the experience being transmitted is enlightenment is an open question for me. > Enlightenment is the culmination of something I don't believe this. I think it's a result of hierarchical thinking, whereas the universe is relational, not hierarchical. It's fascinating, though, how many believe this without reservation. It's also fascinating how many think that they can kick back and not work on themselves any more once they experience something they consider enlightenment. > Enlightenment entails knowing everything Don't believe this. But then I don't know everything. :-) > Enlightenment causes all thought to cease Don't believe this. It's actually contrary to the common definition of enlightenment. Samadhi may be defined as the cessation of thought, but the definition of enlightenment is samadhi *with* thoughts and actions. > Enlightenment is love Don't think I've ever heard this, much less believe it. Love is the middle name of actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. How stupid would her name sound if she billed herself as Jennifer Enlightenment Hewitt, right? :-) > Only a guru can bestow enlightenment Don't believe this. It's even contrary to the anecdotal historical record. See Buddha and Ramana Maharshi. But I like the word "bestow." It makes me think of pirates. "Bestow that bilge below decks, me hearties." Or was that "stow?" Never mind. :-) > The guru is within yourself And boy! does that make it hard to shop for clothes. I believe that it's possible that the guru is inside Bevan Morris, but that's why he shops at Big & Tall. :-) > Being God means having some or all of "God's" powers Especially the part about not being able to prove that you exist. :-) > Because you are God, you can affect things by thought alone I affect things by thought alone all the time. Some shyster on TV or in an introductory lecture tries to sell me something, I think, "That sounds like a scam," and don't give him my money. I have affected him. And my bank balance. :-) > Because you are connected to everything, you can affect things > by thought alone See above. My bank balance is connected to having learned a little something from a lifetime of gullibility. > Everything is connected And it's made of Tinkertoys. :-) > You are guided by a higher self If so, it's got a white cane and is wearing dark glasses and needs help at busy intersections. :-) > You create your own reality This is the one I'm interested in how many people here believe. I don't. I'm more of an interdependent origination kinda guy. Reality is the intersection of internal reality and external reality, both of which are real, both of which exist. > Everything in the world is an illusion See above. Don't believe this for an instant. As someone once said, "Knowledge is structured in consciousness." In some states of consciousness, the world *appears* to be an illusion. That does not mean it is in any other state of consciousness. It's amazing to me how many people don't get this. > Divinity can be subverted by the flesh I'm not sure what exactly is meant here by either "divinity" or "flesh." If Jody is trying to say that one's divine nature can be somewhat humbled by being covered with a ton of chicken parts and flesh, I agree with him. If he's suggesting that the body having "impure" thoughts or doing "impure" things keeps its "divinity" away, I think that's a crock of shit. I believe that everything is equally divine, and equally base. Except chicken parts. They're icky. :-) > Good and evil are forces locked in an eternal struggle And as at all title bouts, front row seats cost a *lot*. :-) I believe that forces of creation and destruction interact constantly, but that's just called entropy, or life. "Good" and "evil" are constructions created by human beings to express their preferences for some things and their fear of others. > Good always prevails Anyone who believes this has never been in a war zone. I have. > Things will be better in the future I believe that the only thing one can realistically say in this regard about the future is that it will be the present when it happens, and that it won't be all that different from this present. > Things were better in the past I believe that the past was not much different from the present, and won't be from the future. Thinking that either is "better" than the present is a way to avoid experiencing the present. > People and things can be holy I believe everything is equally holy. And unholy. > Ancient wisdom is better It all depends on the barrel it's aged in. Oh. That's whiskey and tequila. Never mind. :-) > A just, omnipotent God exists And he's having an illicit affair with Santa Claus' wife. That's just because he just "knows" that it's OK, and he's omnipotent. :-) > Everything happens according to a Plan Unfortunately, the Plan is written in a language that no human understands. Many claim to, in the same way that they claim to see the future in tea leaves. :-) > You'll get back every good and bad thing you do I don't know about you guys, but I'm still waiting to get back the money I spent on my first girlfriend. :-) > Sex is a loss to the spirit The Spirit is a comic book character. As far as I know, none of the issues showed him having sex, much less losing it over it. :-) > Sex is a boon to the spirit I'm going to have to remember this one in singles' bars. "Could you grant me a boon, sweet miss?" :-) > Technology is harmful Absolutely. And indoor plumbing is the worst. :-) > Only the heart knows what is true If that's true, then the money I spent on my first girlfriend was Truth incarnate. So is the fact that she dumped me for a guy who could spend more on her. Such is the nature of truth. :-) > The mind is an enemy of the spirit But The Spirit always wins, because his name is on the cover of the comic book. :-) > The spirit is an energy I thought we covered this. The Spirit is a comic book character. He is two-dimensional, and composed of ink on paper. Whatever "energy" one perceives in him is projected there. :-) > Personality survives death I am fairly certain that any number of personalities will survive my death. At the present moment, if I died this instant, approximately 6,758,267,315 per- sonalities would survive it. Whether mine would is an open question. Great fun. Thanks, Yifu.
