October Gray

I'm not quite sure this is the right place to post this, but how can someone justify killing a child and experimenting on a fetus? I would really love to hear your views on said topic. Perhaps I just feel that human life is not something to be delt with so lightly as most people I feel are doing. It upsets me to the point that I break at times, and I need different perspectives and views. Thank you for your time, and I apologize if this is not the right thing to be posting here...

http://www.strike-the-root.com/3/gillespie/gillespie1.html Your thoughts?

Thank you, Stigweard, for the additional article. I suppose it's just frequently come to mind how many people strive to make the world a completely "good" place to live, with no regard to the fact that there can be no good without evil. I often times see the government in many ways doing the same thing, and only causing more strife in the end. After all, these illusions of power and authority have had such a terrible impact on so many people... But that's simply my thoughts on it.

Ah, such friendly posts. I thought I may be stepping on some toes here, but I'm glad to see how accepting these reactions are. I do have to agree with Nanashi, sadly enough. Though it seems to make a lot of sense and really appeal to me, I believe it's more a dream than a reality that may one day come true... XP River Gazer, I get the feeling we may have a lot in common.

Never trust a spiritual leader who can't dance.

All I can really say is the same...

You're right, I apologize. I meant to receive Hindu, Buddhist, or Daoist perspectives. I'll keep in mind to phrase things better in the future.

When I come across things like this I simply accept it, take it in as a learning experience, and note once again that the world is filled with both good and evil, and I am no acception. Still, if I feel the need, I will do what I can to make myself a better person.

I've lived in various places, but only in the US, and mainly in the south.

I havn't so much as looked at a bible in years, my friend, so I can't help you with that... But I can say that everyone must find enlightenment in their own way, no matter the religion, and you cannot force someone to believe what you do. If these people are trying to convert you or simply are too aggressive about their veiws on what you're doing being wrong, you may need to let them go. I understand eveyone has good in them, and I'm glad to know you can see that in them, but I personally do not let people hault my spiritual persuits. Everyone has their Way, and choosing to stay friends with them or not is a path you must decide for yourself. It will effect other aspects of your life, as well. I hope I have been of some help, and I wish you well.

I am October Gray (though Gray or October is fine with me), and I've recently been searching for a forum of some sort in which I could find out more about Taoism (or Daoism) openly. I was raised Christian, but for several reasons decided it's probably not the right religious preferance for me, though I am not one to say what is truely right or wrong. I've always felt that religion is something rather personal, and not something that should be cause for arguments. Discussions, certainly, but arguments never. As a result, I'm very open-minded about religion and other's moral beliefs. I give a lot of respect to those with unique or profound beliefs, and I expect a lot of the same in return. I am here to explore other's religions (especially Taoism or Daoism) in hopes to find a religion I can call my own. I've been without one for too long, and I feel a strong need to discover something I can really set belief in. Taosim has always caught my eye, but I've never gotten much further than reading the Tao te Ching, and that was long ago. Thank you for your time, and I hope my being here can be a learning experience for me as well as those I come in contact with.

I was asked today in another forum I've started posting in if I was an irreligious Taoist... And I was wondering what the general meaning of that is. I took it to be true because whereas as far as I have read Taoists believe in one path that will bring them to enlightenment and awareness, I believe everyone's Tao, or Way, is different, and that different people need their own personal way of achieving said enlightenment and awareness. Am I correct, or is there a different deffinition for what I believe?

Whereas I agree with Marblehead on this one, I don't usually concentrate on such things. I'd rather concnetrate on how to become a better person than how to become a better adult. Something that has quite frankly always pissed me off is when an adult thinks they are any more important than a child. The way I see it, everyone is just as important as the next. I hate when someone thinks they are better for any reason. Now, dicipline and teachings of respect and such things are of course nothing I object to... But in my personal experience, the way we live today in America, everyone's itching to prove they are much better than the next person, even people you would think are decent, living a well life. And, in a way, dealing with the kind of adults I have to deal with... I almost have to wonder if we never can truely call ourselves adults anymore. Often times I see these people around me and think that they are children, only with more responsibilites on their shoulders because of their age. Ultimately, my advice to you is simply to not get caught up in silly things like this as I have. As long as you are satisfied with who you are, no such thing should be able to bring you down. Or so is my belief.

Thank you for your responses. I've always been eager to learn more about Taoism, and I think I've chosen the right place to be. I appriciate the in-depth descriptions Zhuo Ming-Dao. It's helped me understand quite a bit better than before.

I have to say Marblehead took the words from my mouth yet again. I do wish you well.

Thank you for the insight. I kind of figured you would be the one to answer this.

I like what I see, and I appriciate the efforts behind it all. ^__^b

"Learning to live is learning to let go." I forget who said this, but it's always meant a great deal to me, and so I thought I should share.

I have to agree, and I'm glad that you pointed that out. I think a lot of the time, rather than basing my opinion of someone on their physical appearance I look into things like that. At times it may seem irrational to try and judge someone like that, whether or not their spirit is one I need to be around, but I am very accepting of most people. I'm generally the kind of person who will look for the good in people before I try and point out the bad. In short, a lot of times these "vibes" can help me decide who I believe will be a good influence on me throughout my life, and who I can be a good influence on throughout their life, but I do take other things into consideration, as well. That's merely the way I look at things...

In a group I used to run with as children, we would call these things "vibes", and to this day a dear friend of mine, Kathy, still uses that term. When I introduced her to my fiance Joshua, she said he gave off a good kind of energy, and she acts very hyper around him. Kathy and I both do that, though... For instance when I met her boyfriend, I got childish, arrogant "vibes", and I was right about him... Though when I say childish, with him it's not always a bad thing.

Ouch... I may still be young, but you'll never catch me doing that one for sure...

For the most part, I'd say I have to agree with King Kabalabhati. I've tried drugs that have been good for my meditation, and others that have not. At the same time, I'm as hard headed as it gets, and a lot of the time I get a strong feel I have to figure things out on my own without aid or guide from such things. Otherwise, the result isn't my own finding and it's not as pleasant. For me, it feels like I got an A in school, but someone whispered the answers to me. I've achieved something, but the learning experience was false.

Thank you, I may look into buying that one instead...

When I was much younger, I borrowed and read a version by Stephen Mitchell, and I was wondering if anyone here had read it and thought much of it. I want to buy a copy of Tao te Ching, but I'm low on income, so if I do spend the money, I want it to be worthwhile. I found it interesting when I had first read it, but I was so young I didn't even know what Taoism was... However, if no one's particularly opposed to it, I may buy that version here soon.