Am I a Taoist or a Zen Buddhist?

[dee]

-

Edited February 15, 2014 by dee

[Marblehead]

More beliefs; ultimately leading to misconception or conception of what is.

Indeed. If we do not test our beliefs for validity we may well be walking in the wrong direction in order to get to where we want to be.

[dee]

-

Edited February 15, 2014 by dee

[Stosh]

Beliefs have just as much potential to be very very useful.

I believe my keys will stay on the table where I put them because I believe the laws of physics will keep them from flying away.

I believe those physical laws are absolute and there are never ever any exceptions to them .. and I can supply proof of it.

My keys are staying put.

[Marblehead]

While I agree with what you said, Stosh, I don't consider what you spoke to to be a matter of beliefs. I know, picky, but still.

[Stosh]

Explain why its not a belief , please, because its true and a fact?

[Marblehead]

Explain why its not a belief , please, because its true and a fact?

Blah, blah, blah.

 

To me, a belief is an understanding we have that is impossible to prove to be fact or that it is unsupportable with fact.

 

A fact is a fact. Sure, we can deny it but it is still a fact. To believe the fact does not exist is a belief.

[NotVoid]

To me, a belief is an understanding we have that is impossible to prove to be fact or that it is unsupportable with fact.

A fact is a fact. Sure, we can deny it but it is still a fact. To believe the fact does not exist is a belief.

 

When in doubt, consult the dictionary.

 

be-lief - noun

1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.

"his belief in the value of hard work"

 

2. something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction.

"contrary to popular belief, Aramaic is a living language"

 

 

So, anything a person holds to be true is a belief.

 

Related to this, blind belief or blind faith is where a person believes in something in which there is no

real demonstrable proof or demonstrable supporting evidence. For example atheism is a form of blind belief,

as you simply cannot prove or demonstrate the non-existence of something like God, which is not supposed to

have form (at least not normally) in our physical dimensions. Actually you simply can't prove non-existence at all. Therefore to insist that something doesn't exist such as God, is clearly a form of blind belief or blind faith.

 

Edited January 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[Songtsan]

'You' are not anything regardless of how much you try to define yourself. The reality of 'you' that can be known is not the reality of you. Just stop thinking and everything will be visibly clear to your true eye.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Many Taoists do the same thing that many Chinese Buddhists do, but part of being a Taoist is cultivation of Life, so they have a particular appreciation of the medicines in the body brought forth through still-clarity, and the transformation from jing, to energy, to spirit that takes place. They are spiritual physicians in fact. Should add that to the dictionary.......

[Marblehead]

When in doubt, consult the dictionary.

I don't believe in dictionaries. That is why I make so many typos.

 

Anyhow, to your addendum,

 

Why would I want to believe in something there is absolutely no proof of? I used to believe in the Tooth Fairy because whenever one of my teeth came out I would put it under my pillow and in the morning the tooth was gone but replaced with a quarter.

 

Using this knowledge, I would be more justified believing in the Tooth Fairy than believing in some god.

 

Atheism is a non-belief. I do not believe gods exist. There is not one single drop of proof that any exist.

 

Atheism: I am against the belief that there are gods.

 

I realize that I cannot prove that something that does not exist indeed does not exist. But then, the existence of gods cannot be proven either.

 

Anyhow, no, I am not a Zen Buddhist, I am a Taoist.

[Marblehead]

Many Taoists do the same thing that many Chinese Buddhists do, but part of being a Taoist is cultivation of Life, so they have a particular appreciation of the medicines in the body brought forth through still-clarity, and the transformation from jing, to energy, to spirit that takes place. They are spiritual physicians in fact. Should add that to the dictionary.......

Hehehe. You came close to blowing that post.

[NotVoid]

Hi Marblehead, sorry, just couldn't resist ribbing you a little bit.

 

Edit:

"Using this knowledge, I would be more justified believing in the Tooth Fairy than believing in some god.

Atheism is a non-belief. I do not believe gods exist. There is not one single drop of proof that any exist."

 

While technically atheism can be just about not having a belief about God, in practice many atheists do seem to insist that there is no such thing as God (a belief that God does not exist) which can only be blind faith, since it can't be proven that God does not exist. It is also not reasonable to say God can't exist because I don't see physical evidence of God here on Earth, because God is not supposed to be viewable from Earth, but that is diverging from the topic of this thread, so I will leave it there.

Edited January 27, 2014 by NotVoid

[Marblehead]

Hi Marblehead, sorry, just couldn't resist ribbing you a little bit.

I knew that was what you were doing. But I played along because it was worthy of responding to.

 

Yeah, someone should test me now and again just to make sure my Atheism is not faltering.

[Stosh]

Any proof at all that god doesnt exist ,, like, that I dont see him,, is at least some assertive proof to that fact.

Saying god does exist requires one to say that the lack of seeing god sitting on that chair over there somehow supports the idea that he does,, which is irrational.

That is NOT an example of being equally probable of being true, its second rate.

 

Faith, as I see it , is maintaining a belief whether the evidence supports your conclusion or not.

If a person wants to have their faith , then there is no need for proofs, and indeed they admit they wouldnt listen,

even if the proofs are shoved in their face.

If instead they want to make rational conclusions about existance based on that which is presented to them,

then they should quit pretending faith , and should instead consider proofs as meaningful.

[RiverSnake]

Life is more exciting when you don't label yourself. You never know whats in the box.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited January 27, 2014 by OldChi

[Marblehead]

Life is more exciting when you don't label yourself. You never know whats in the box.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Well, sure, but then, I like opening boxes to see what's in them.

[Stosh]

I thought it interesting that Fai0607 hasnt been active since may last year.

[RongzomFan]

There is no Creator in Buddhism.

 

But there are devas and Buddhas, which have previous lives as humans etc.

[Marblehead]

There is no Creator in Buddhism.

 

But there are devas and Buddhas, which have previous lives as humans etc.

Yep. I'm with you on this. I don't even include previous lives in my philosophy.

[9th]

woah you are furry too??? we should chat i am a deer

 

i find that fetish fascinating

[ThisLife]

Reading through all the above arguments and counter-arguments as to whether or not God exists,.... reminds me of a saying my Dad used to come out with whenever, as a teenager, I'd use what I thought of as the 'armoured power fof logic', to try to get him to accept as true some current theory I happened to be holding. He'd listen patiently, then whenever he could get a few words in edgeways he'd say :

 

A man convinced

Against his will

Is of his own

Opinion still.

 

T'was very frustrating at the time, but as I've got older I finally began to see what he was saying to me. I was a very slow learner.

 

Applying that idea to the above Taobum renderings of that ancient 'theism versus atheism' chestnut,... is there anyone involved here who can put there hand on their heart and say that, as a result of engaging in this discussion, their stance on the question has altered by so much as a millimeter ?

 

It does seem to lead one into a rather interesting 'follow-on' question about the actual reasons each one of us engages in debates of this nature.

Edited January 28, 2014 by ThisLife

[Songtsan]

Beliefs are illusions - superimpositions of the mind. Belief in God/s - even if he/she/it/they do exist, is/are a false conception/s about reality - "The God that can be known is not the God." At the same time, "The Non-existent God that can be known as non-existent is not the Non-existent God." What I am saying is that none of your beliefs are entirely correct although they may be useful shadow worlds to understand reality by. I like how the Buddha said not to get lost in views about stuff that cannot be known - you get caught up in a 'thicket of views...'

 

Avoid the thickets - unless you are bored!

[RongzomFan]

I thought it interesting that Fai0607 hasnt been active since may last year.

 

I just noticed this is an old thread.

Edited January 28, 2014 by RongzomFan

[Songtsan]

I just noticed this is an old thread.

 

hehe