Why does the MoQ have to consider itself theistic, atheistic or ant-theistic? I do not consider myself to be against theism nor do I consider myself to be for theism. If I have to label it in terms close to that, I would say that I am a non-theist. However, I totally believe that there is "Quality" without form that does create order where there would naturally be disorder. There is, IMO, purpose and direction in Quality.
Bruce ---------------------------------------- > Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:42:40 -0500 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [MD] The MoQ can't be atheistic > > Hi All, > * > * > Ramakrishna used to ask people who came to him for instruction, do prefer to > think about God with form or without form? > > I suggest theism is thinking of God with form, the Tao and DQ is God > thinking of God without form. If so, the MOQ is not just atheistic but > anti-theistic. > > Best, > Steve > > >>From the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna > > *"Sri Ramakrishna to M:* "How are you getting along with your meditation > nowadays? What aspect of God appeals to your mind — with form or without > form?" > > > *M:* "Sir, now I can't fix my mind on God with form. On the other hand, I > can't concentrate steadily on God without form." > > > *Sri Ramakrishna:* "Now you see that the mind cannot be fixed, all of a > sudden, on the formless aspect of God. It is wise to think of God with form > during the primary stages." > > > *M:* "Do you mean to suggest that one should meditate on clay images?" > > > *Sri Ramakrishna:* "Why clay? These images are the embodiments of > Consciousness." > > > *M:* "Even so, one must think of hands, feet, and the other parts of the > body. But again, I realize that the mind cannot be concentrated unless one > meditates, in the beginning, on God with form. You have told me so. Well, > God can easily assume different forms. May one meditate on the form of one's > own mother?" > > > *Sri Ramakrishna:* "Yes, the mother should be adored. She is indeed an > embodiment of Brahman." > > > M. sat in silence. After a few minutes he asked Sri Ramakrishna: "What does > one feel while thinking of God without form? Isn't it possible to describe > it?" After some reflection, Sri Ramakrishna said, "Do you know what it is > like?" He remained silent a moment and then said a few words to M. about > one's experiences at the time of the vision of God with and without form. > > > *Sri Ramakrishna:* "You see, one must practise spiritual discipline to > understand this correctly. Suppose there are treasures in a room. If you > want to see them and lay hold of them, you must take the trouble to get the > key and unlock the door. After that you must take the treasures out. But > suppose the room is locked, and standing outside the door you say to > yourself: 'Here I have opened the door. Now I have broken the lock of the > chest. Now I have taken out the treasure.' Such brooding near the door will > not enable you to achieve anything. > > > "You must practise discipline. > > > "The jnanis think of God without form. They don't accept the Divine > Incarnation. Praising Sri Krishna, Arjuna said, 'Thou art Brahman Absolute.' > Sri Krishna replied, 'Follow Me, and you will know whether or not I am > Brahman Absolute.' So saying, Sri Krishna led Arjuna to a certain place and > asked him what he saw there. 'I see a huge tree,' said Arjuna, 'and on it I > notice fruits hanging like clusters of blackberries.' Then Krishna said to > Arjuna, 'Come nearer and you will find that these are not clusters of > blackberries, but clusters of innumerable Krishnas like Me, hanging from the > tree.' In other words, Divine Incarnations without number appear and > disappear on the tree of the Absolute Brahman. > > > "Kavirdas was strongly inclined to the formless God. At the mention of > Krishna's name he would say: 'Why should I worship Him? The gopis would clap > their hands while He performed a monkey dance.' (*With a smile*) But I > accept God with form when I am in the company of people who believe in that > ideal, and I also agree with those who believe in the formless God."" > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469226/direct/01/ Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
