A lively response! Well done! Will try to answer as far as I am able.
Recent pronouncements by Martin Amis, Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Hawking irritated me. I suppose athiests can get by with pagan ethics and cultural ettiquette. I have been reading all over the map lately- so some of my thoughts are merely flirting at the moment. They must ripen. I don't really feel "bitter" and that, of course, is such a loaded word and usually is slapped on critics- esp. females to de-sex them of feminine qualities. So let's just say I am critical and that quality also has an up side when warranted. I don't think I ever felt that a public life in the arts or elsewhere was a worthy goal and most biographies tend to support my opinion though there are rare exceptions.It is also a fact that being an only child and attending boarding schools probably contributed to my contentment versus running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Now raising children was another matter as I had to join groups and buzz about for their sake but I really didn't care for it very much. Perhaps I am a contemplative? Prayer can mean different things to different people. They can be empty rote like false manners and forecasts. When I pray for myself it is for strength or to improve in some area. When I pray for others it is to wish them well and to back away from interference in their lives and choices. I have no idea whom I have prayed to all these years which makes the answers to prayers quite mysterious! :-) On Sep 2, 7:31 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > I like the first line rigsy, the connection/opposition of emotions and > reason, and we should delve into that more deeply in the future, > perhaps in another thread that you or I might start, but rigsy, > seriously, the rest is so much a pessimism without value except > personal blah blah. > > So atheists begin to sound foolish after becoming their own god. wow! > > Well that is quite the inference without basis. > > From what maze of conundrums have you exited to reach this conclusion? > > If you can please start with how an atheist who believes not in any > gods becomes a god. I'm confounded by this notion. > > So how do atheists sound foolish? Is that "All" atheists or just some > that you would denote as having this character? > > Scientists are the new "god" you say. > > Well how is that when scientists have a history that comprises a > higher percentage of failure than success. They still haven't found a > cure for the common cold nor have they found anything significant in > making life disease free. Scientists have fallen behind new diseases > and viruses. > > Can you explain this idea of "tragic and idiotic fate" among modern > writers and artists? I'm not really sure what you are driving at. Is > it the affection you have for past writers whom you have a greater > passion, admiration and desire for? > > I'm sure you are a very sweet woman at heart but there is some > bitterness emanating from many of your posts. I haven't really paid > much attention to them until now that I see you are somehow still > lashing out. Please don't be offended, I'm just trying to get at the > crux and soothe the savage beast. > > I'll pray for you if you think that is worth anything but personally I > think it is the next best thing to the tooth fairy and a product of > our fear of the unknown. Exactly what do we pray to? People have > been praying for thousands of years and I think it is because people > love to be duped as long as it feels good. > > On Sep 2, 4:39 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I am getting more interested in the connection/opposition of emotions > > and reason. > > > I think atheists basically become their own gods and begin to sound > > foolish. > > > Scientists are the new gods and prophets of the "modern" age but they > > are quite flawed in their magic and impact. > > > Artists- especially writers- try to create a view of life but have an > > impossible task which probably accounts for such tragic or idiotic > > fates among "modern" artists and writers. > > > Someone has prayed for me for 42 years- isn't that wonderful? :-) > > > On Sep 2, 12:06 pm, RP Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Consciousness is not something out of the world , it is simply an > > > attribute > > > of life. As long as an organism is alive it has consciousness to some > > > level > > > or the other. Mind and understanding are not intangible but are merely > > > functions of different parts of the brain. We are connected to the > > > Absolute > > > through our bodies and being alive is a proof of the existence of the > > > Spirit or God. > > > > On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 7:26 PM, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Mind: All human beings share in being a part of, and connected to > > > > Mind, the universal Life energy and source of intelligence beyond the > > > > brain. Because of Mind, we share in an endless flow of wisdom—each of > > > > us equally capable of being wise. > > > > > Consciousness: All human beings share in the principle or fact of > > > > Consciousness. We experience life. We also experience life from > > > > different levels of consciousness—from truncated and fear-based, angry > > > > and insecure “levels” to grounded, secure, safe, wise and even > > > > enlightened states (Buddha Mind, Christ Consciousness, the “Father > > > > within,” the Kingdom of Heaven.) If humans lived even a little more > > > > often in this last state of mind, the impact on world peace, from a > > > > personal to a global level, would be significant. > > > > > The principle of Thought, as a universal function, guides humans > > > > either toward or away from non-violence, love and compassion. The > > > > existence of a personal thought system, or “ego”—which we see as > > > > simply being a sticky attachment to, or identification with thoughts— > > > > trips up our noble aspirations for peace. Yet we have found that > > > > teaching people about the neutral fact of Thought, and how it creates > > > > reality for each of us (rather than attempting to change “content”), > > > > allows people to shine the light of this principle on all their > > > > thinking. Levels of consciousness jump as people gain understanding > > > > about the formless source of all ideas, beliefs and opinions. > > > > > When humans understand that a thought is just a thought, just a > > > > creation from formless energy, the iron grip the ego can have on us > > > > begins to lessen. Lighter, gentler, more inspired feelings arising > > > > from impersonal, or universal thoughts create kind and selfless > > > > behaviors. We begin to realize we are so much more than our limited > > > > thoughts. So much more than we ever “thought”! While respecting our > > > > own and others’ traditions, cultures and preferences, we see beyond > > > > the forms that humans have created—and to the deeper truth of our > > > > common divinity, our shared existence in universal Mind, Consciousness > > > > and Thought … or in Life. From this vantage point, there is no reason > > > > to argue, to fight, to hurt another. When I hurt you, I diminish me. > > > > > So, our personal answer is to share with people these simple > > > > principles that govern their states of mind. Because, beneath it all, > > > > all humans are already wise, good, generous, kind and even > > > > enlightened. When the clouds of thought begin to part, they each take > > > > their unique and radiant place in being one in “six billion paths to > > > > peace. > > > > > What do YOU think? > > > > > See also Sydney Banks, “The Missing Link: Reflections on Life and > > > > Philosophy” & other works. > > > > >http://www.centerforsustainablechange.org/principles.php-Hidequoted text > > > >- > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
