Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 Wether the ultimate perfection and truth, God: - is a creation for the purpose of attaining the ultimate perfection and truth of sentient beings - is the source of sentient beings and the ultimate perfection and truth of sentient beings seek the fact remains with God sentient beings attain the ultimate perfection and truth... If you say so. Like I said, I really don't want to dissuade anyone away from their religion. All I have ever suggested is that religion should be used to bring people together peacefully rather than religion being forced on people or that religion be used to separate people. I actually enjoy looking at Hindu art depicting their gods. Beautiful works of art. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 Wether the ultimate perfection and truth, God: - is a creation for the purpose of attaining the ultimate perfection and truth of sentient beings - is the source of sentient beings and the ultimate perfection and truth of sentient beings seek the fact remains with God sentient beings attain the ultimate perfection and truth... If you say so. Like I said, I really don't want to dissuade anyone away from their religion. All I have ever suggested is that religion should be used to bring people together peacefully rather than religion being forced on people or that religion be used to separate people. I actually enjoy looking at Hindu art depicting their gods. Beautiful works of art. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 13, 2012 Why would I not assume that someone thought they were God if they signed "God"? No, you are not a tool of God. You are a toll of your own desires. That is all. There are many people who are and who have been on this planet that have done some pretty horrible things. You wouldn't suggest that they were doing God's will, would you? And if you respond that God gave us all free will and that is why those who have done evil have done it or that they did it bacause the devfil commanded it I would suggest that any God who would allow such things to happen isn't someone I would look up to. Because you assumed that the one who wrote the message and signed it 'God' did it knowing that they where not God! How do you know someone is or is not a tool of God? There are many people who are and who have been on this planet that have done some pretty wonderful things. They were doing God's will, and their will... Yes God gave us all free will with infinite possibilities... some possibilities where meant to remain as possibilities forevermore... God commanded, the devfil commanded individuals choose who to follow... " I would suggest that any God who would allow such things to happen isn't someone I would look up to". Thats your choice... though I suggest you do look up the God that allows free will rather than forcing its way... The funny thing is everyone get abundantly what they want with God's way... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 13, 2012 If you say so. Like I said, I really don't want to dissuade anyone away from their religion. All I have ever suggested is that religion should be used to bring people together peacefully rather than religion being forced on people or that religion be used to separate people. I actually enjoy looking at Hindu art depicting their gods. Beautiful works of art. I agree we should seek to bring people together peacefully consciously mindfully seeking to understand... and embrace the better ways... whichever those better ways happen to be... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 The funny thing is everyone get abundantly what they want with God's way... Tell that to the many children in Africa and other parts of the world who starve to death. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 I agree we should seek to bring people together peacefully consciously mindfully seeking to understand... and embrace the better ways... whichever those better ways happen to be... Okay. We have at least one area where we are in agreement on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanlung Posted September 13, 2012 Yes, I saw that, and read your links. Maybe I'm misunderstanding why you are posting all your old stuff. Is it because you still agree or hold the same or similar ideas that you used to? Or is it because you've changed your mind but still want us to know what you thought back then? Oh wait...this isn't the seeking approval thread. Never mind. (-: I know what you mean about choices. I recently had to condense my already small pile of stuff into an even smaller portable pile. Books can be replaced; what we choose to keep has already chosen us. warm regards Not to worry. I do not have many old postings. Those were done before Internet and those BBS died and gone without reincarnation. Kind of sad, at least for me. What we spoke about then is what you folks talked about now. My coming here is good for me. If I had not checked back on the google hit, I might not even have known of this Taoist site.And that too, was because someone here spoke also of Taoist Master Tseng Lao Weng. But it seemed Google scored more hits on my site at the time I checked then. What I kept in my old HD died in circumstances that will make your eyes pop later when I talk about that. If relevant, I do old postings. Otherwise I might have to plagiarised myself from my old writings. I thought I also did new writings. At 62 years old, my apologies if I have to talk of the past as I do have a hell lot of my past than the present. Last ten years I wrote largely on birdies and beasties, with periodic one sided forays into Taoism with my captive audience of beasties and birdie forums. Heck! it was the birdie that got me entirely out of taijichuan and taoistic forums 10 years back. And if she was still with me, I probably might not even be in this forum. It was YuanFeng that brought me here us together. Our opinions do not seem very far apart on this You arent Idiotic at all, you should drop that tag line ,its not true. IMHO Stosh The Idiot is an entity of ChuangTzu Which suited me very well. That Idiotic Taoist came to life in those old BBS 20 odd years ago before he went into hibernation Waking up again ten years or so later here. Your Idiotic Taoist aka Shanlung 山 龍 Mountain Dragon http://shanlung.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 13, 2012 Tell that to the many children in Africa and other parts of the world who starve to death. I should had said ... eventually everyone get abundantly what they want with God's way... BTW there is plenty to feed everyone... and if everyone did what God wanted everyone would have plenty... and a bit more... its just that some choose a different way which inevitably leads to the present situation... I believe that soon this will all change for the better... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rene Posted September 13, 2012 Not to worry. I do not have many old postings. Those were done before Internet and those BBS died and gone without reincarnation. Kind of sad, at least for me. What we spoke about then is what you folks talked about now... Some of us spoke of it back then, too. Not much more to say; little new, anyway. LOL I thought there might be a relevance (to this discussion) in the date it was written, since you brought it to my attention, and so asked. No harm, no foul. (-: warm regards Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted September 13, 2012 Shall we try to define God? It is already a given that we cannot define Tao. Yes as i stated before god is everything and again why shameful Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 ... I believe that soon this will all change for the better... It would be nice if you are right about this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 Yes as i stated before god is everything and again why shameful I forget why I said shameful. Okay, if you say god is everything then I cannot argue with that because I say the same thing about Tao. But then I have never tried to personify Tao or give it character traits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 13, 2012 I forget why I said shameful. Okay, if you say god is everything then I cannot argue with that because I say the same thing about Tao. But then I have never tried to personify Tao or give it character traits. Oh I think that the shameful remark was directed to someone else who apologized for mentioning God... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted September 13, 2012 I forget why I said shameful. Okay, if you say god is everything then I cannot argue with that because I say the same thing about Tao. But then I have never tried to personify Tao or give it character traits. god tao words i use them interchangeably as i and no one else as far as i can determine knows what what we are dealing with and my guess is we will never know. That is the game plan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 13, 2012 god tao words i use them interchangeably as i and no one else as far as i can determine knows what what we are dealing with and my guess is we will never know. That is the game plan. Hehehe. Actually, I have no problem with anyone equating Tao with God. In fact, I used to do it myself whenever I got a Christian visitor who wanted to save my soul. Thankfully, I did well at representing myself as an Atheist and they all gave up on me and I don't get those visits any more. And true, it is likely better that we never know certain things about life absolutely. The best I can do is offer my opinions and understandings. But we all should have something to believe in. Makes living a little bit easier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted September 15, 2012 Our cousins the Pure Land Buddhists would probably agree that a cultivation that reifies a deity-like concept is a far simpler path to walk than one which does not. Whilst they know that Amithaba Buddha is not actually a God, to most intents and purposes cultivating via Nembutsu has parallels to the Xtian rosary-repetition ritual. Horses for courses. Whatever gets you there is what works for you. Many paths, one mountain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 16, 2012 Yeah, my real-life friend who is a Buddhist prays to Buddha as if he were a god. I see no problem with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanlung Posted September 16, 2012 Yeah, my real-life friend who is a Buddhist prays to Buddha as if he were a god. I see no problem with that. Neither do I. How to pray to the Void or even to think of the Void? Or to the Infinite Tao. Can one picture the Infinite Tao? Easier and more cheerful to think of a happy Milofor, Or to a Buddha, or Jade Guardian, to channel the thoughts to. To Goddess of Mercy, to Jesus Christ, to the one of your choice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted September 16, 2012 Plenty to choose from in Taoism. Good Luck and Fortune Telling deities for me everytime. Eight Immortals do the trick. It's all reification, but 'coincidentaly' those guys can deliver the goods if you persevere and ask politely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RBSA Posted September 18, 2012 I am sorry ppl. but i arrived only yesterday and i cannot keep up . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 18, 2012 I am sorry ppl. but i arrived only yesterday and i cannot keep up . Hehehe. We talk a lot, don't we? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 18, 2012 I got a Christian visitor who wanted to save my soul. Thankfully, I did well at representing myself as an Atheist and they all gave up on me and I don't get those visits any more. And true, it is likely better that we never know certain things about life absolutely. The best I can do is offer my opinions and understandings. But we all should have something to believe in. Makes living a little bit easier. Once I got a Christian visitor --- and a little bit later another one came to get them out of there... both claimed to want to share the truth but neither one wanted to listen and think about it... and both left.... I don't get those visits any more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
et-thoughts Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) I am sorry ppl. but i arrived only yesterday and i cannot keep up . Just keep walking and you will eventually catch up... or just stand still... for sometimes we keep going round and round and will eventually come to the same point again and again... just jump into the playing field and dance to the music... and remember to pass that hot potato Edited September 18, 2012 by et-thoughts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 18, 2012 ... just jump into the playing field and dance to the music... But it has to be to my music and my drum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted September 18, 2012 It's a 'Flower Drum'. Lovely tone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
