OT: Long philosophical spirituality thread.

I appreciate Kismet's concerns, but in the time I've been on forum I've never personally read of a problem with religion here. this place is very understanding about different beliefs concerning God.


This has been a great reading thread and a treat for me to check in upon from the Road.

I know this is heresy for my wife; but i think most problems with our understanding of God are our problems- not His intentions. I don't sweat the battle between Christian sects or other faiths. My best late friend was a Mormon and I used to tell him if they'd added an extra book it would be cleared up later.

The concept of Grace is very difficult to accept entirely. We are guilt ridden.That fascinates me. the simple is very hard


munk
 
What a great thread, and it's civil. Thumbs up from GA.

My meager comment- I have been to death's door, and I have stood in front of the face of the Creator. It was a time when I had a lot of questions - and I got a lot of answers. I never had the impression that it was meant for people to argue over text. The real experience was much more powerful than any book.

If anyone's interested, the face was large, and bright. Blinding light, but you could look at it. Blinding white light, but a multitude of hues and colors in the white light. One old man's face, but at the same time, so many faces.
 
I keep coming back to this thread to read it over and over. It's fun.

A question: Lately I've had a couple relatively intense discussions with my parents over the way I feel, one of which prompted me to post this. Do you think it would be beneficial to email the piece I wrote to my mother?

Lion - cool post!
 
I have really enjoyed reading thru this post.
Lion's Roar- your comment is not meager at all and it takes guts for someone to make an announcement like this. you and I could probably have an interesting conversation, as we may have some things in common albeit from a slightly different angle.
and Philthy, spirituality and religion are usually 2 different things.
You might find some food for thought in the book "Power vs Force" by David R. Hawkins, MD. (warning, this is not a light read) "The Holographic Universe" is also a good one.
 
Really great stuff and approached and handled well by everybody. I think the HI forum may be the only place on the net where you can deal with such matters without somebody -- at least one -- not getting out of order.

Good stuff and good work by forumites.
 
I've mentioned this before but while the Tribal Substance Abuse counselor and I shared an office we found our personal mystic ( noetic, floating out-of-body type ) experiences corresponded about 99.8%+/-.

Now what those experiences meant, him as a Mandan, and me as ( at that time ) a nominal Christian --- differred.

Except that as Andrew M. Greeley has noted, those who've experienced those kind of experiences tend to be concerned with their own personal practice of love, compassion, and healing. (He also noted, much to his chagrin as a priest, that the number of those who lived such faith in a congregation had a higher correlation to the congregation's spiritual health than just about anything a pastor could do to help or hurt. )

Ubi Caritas et Amor, Deus ibi est

edit: In Bill and Yvsa I find people like I've been talking about. And I include myself with them every now and then.
 
And Ferrous, you ain't met me when I'm wearin' my Wyatt Earp hat. Yet!
 
leave the chaps at home.;):D:D:D

I'll wear a bowl or a bowler, whichever I can obtain within reasonable means, minimal cash outflow, and that matches my boots:;)

Keith
 
Enjoyed reading your expressed thoughts, philthygeezer.

Honesty and a quest for the truth always find favour with the Almighty. :)
 
This thread has been increasing in size and I've followed its growth with interest. May I echo all the sentiments about how civil the contributors have been on a subject that can often get folks into heated disagreements. This is one of my reasons for signing up to the HI board - the ability to argue sensibly and add something of value.

Most of the documents that I had to fill out over the years requiring a religious preference have been completed with "Church of England" since that is how I was christened and it was 'what you do'. Over the years, however, I got embroiled in discussions with colleagues who had a Christian faith, and they would try to 'persuade' me that their way is the only way to conduct one's life. Knowing them as I did, it never went down too well if I suggested that, until they had their own lives free of impediment, they might keep their own counsel and not try to organise my life for me. Could this be the premise of 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone'?

Over a long period of time, I came to realise that, for me, it is more important to conduct yourself decently and that subscribing to this or that religion doesn't automatically make one a better person.
Often, we are judged on what is seen of us for only moments. In my previous profession, it is important that the people who encounter you (whether from the inside of a crushed vehicle, the window of a burning house or even just answering a query on smoke alarms) see someone who will help them regardless of circumstances, creed or colour. While you're talking to some poor soul whose very existence may be in the balance, it makes little difference to them what you call your chosen God(s) - what counts is that there is someone there who cares enough to stay put and keep talking. ALL else pales into insignificance at that moment.

I'm not sure if all this means anything, or if it adds to the content of the thread. All I can tell you is that it's part of me and the way I have come to view my path in this world.
The expression 'Life is precious' takes on a whole different meaning when one is compelled to see it vanish at close quarters.

Derek
 
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