Return Posted January 29, 2016 Dear all, I am certainly no expert in anything and I can not boast of many worldly powers either. One of my biggest enemies is laziness. The more I know the more I realize my ignorance. A human being is not even remotely as big as a bacteria in the Universe - yet so many human beings claim to know so many things... What I do know is that people nowadays have a lot of conflicts and that they are in a communist mode of eternal struggles between man and woman, political parties, rich and poor, the elite and masses, media and traditional culture, east and west etc etc. People are unhappy and have no safety anywhere, not at home, not at work, not in religion(b/c they don´t believe in that anymore). I would like to harmonize my own life as well as helping others harmonizing their lives. I can only try my best and I can only have faith in the higher powers helping me in my search for enlightenment. I wish that everyone can continue to live for the ages to come. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) Hello, Return, and welcome to the forums, Your membership is approved and we're happy you found your way to us. We look forward to accompanying you on some of the way that you still have to go. Please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of this Welcome page and take a look at the forum terms and rules. This covers all you need to know when getting started. For the first week you will be restricted to ten posts per day but after that you can post as much as you like. Also, until you’ve posted fifteen times in the forums, you’ll be a “Junior Bum” with somewhat restricted access and will be allowed only two private messages per day. Good luck in your pursuits and best wishes to you, Marblehead and the TDB team But then laziness can sometimes be our friend too. If you find enlightenment please let me know as I don't even yet know what the word means. May you enjoy your time here. Marblehead Edited February 2, 2016 by Marblehead 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted January 29, 2016 I saw enlightenment just a few minutes ago, Marblehead! It went that way: 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leth Posted January 29, 2016 Over a hunderd years old and will make you enlightened: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted January 30, 2016 Hi Return - sincerest welcome to the Dao Bums. This is a wonderful community. I like your name too - Return - as the action of the Dao is reversion. You're in the right place. Do enjoy yourself, and don't be shy about sharing. Manitou 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted January 30, 2016 Over a hunderd years old and will make you enlightened: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light I have just joined the Light Bulb Conspiracy group - convinced that all others have planned obsolescence built into them. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Return Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) Thanks to everyone for their greetings. I have heard that the true Daoists focus on truthfulness and I know I can improve this aspect in daily life and speech, so I will try to work on that from now on... Edited January 31, 2016 by Return 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) Thanks to everyone for their greetings. I have heard that the true Daoists focus on truthfulness and I know I can improve this aspect in daily life and speech, so I will try to work on that from now on... I don't know how many true Daoists you'll run into here - but I think most of us have found a place where there is commonality in all philosophy; many of us have transcended traditional paths and are focused on being better people. What better place to start than with exactly what you have described; to focus on truthfulness in our daily life and speech? I guess I should come clean. I didn't really join the Light Bulb Conspiracy group..... There is so much basic wisdom contained in the Dao De Ching, that it seem to be a beautiful template for living a good, true life. that is the one commonality we all do share here - and you'll find the DDC mentioned or referred to often. It is helpful to search out different translations of this tome, because the wisdom and enlightenment contained in each translation is conditional on the wisdom or enlightenment of the individual translators. There are true religious Daoists on this forum as well, but many of us have seen the wisdom of the principles without subscribing to the actual religious practice. You'll find many Buddhists, Yogi, Hindu, Egyptologists, Metaphysicians, Shamans - name it, we're here. Atheists, Nihilists, transcended Christians, you name it. But the DDJ is what binds us together, and the desire for Truth in our lives. A real nice community. Edited January 31, 2016 by manitou 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 7, 2016 What is truth? An absolute. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leth Posted February 7, 2016 An absolute. Is that the only charecteristics it has? Why is it not simply called "an absloute" or 'The Absolute' in that case? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted February 7, 2016 (edited) Oh, this is funny. Ergo the dilemma of our existence of duality / singularity. Edited February 7, 2016 by manitou Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 7, 2016 Is that the only charecteristics it has? Why is it not simply called "an absloute" or 'The Absolute' in that case? Yeah. Good question. We each have our own personal truths, don't we? My truths may not always be equal to your truths. My truths are those things I consider (subjective) absolutes (objective). But my reasoning may be faulty from your perspective. When I say, "I am telling you the truth." I'm not saying I am telling you an "absolute" but rather I am telling you what I understand to be a valid statement. I may, in fact, be missing a lot of data and this missing data may actually cause my truth to be false in the absolute. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leth Posted February 7, 2016 Yeah. Good question. We each have our own personal truths, don't we? My truths may not always be equal to your truths. My truths are those things I consider (subjective) absolutes (objective). But my reasoning may be faulty from your perspective. When I say, "I am telling you the truth." I'm not saying I am telling you an "absolute" but rather I am telling you what I understand to be a valid statement. I may, in fact, be missing a lot of data and this missing data may actually cause my truth to be false in the absolute. From this perspective it seems that truth is not absolute but rather a concept of something which we regard as a correct view of reality, is that what you mean? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 7, 2016 From this perspective it seems that truth is not absolute but rather a concept of something which we regard as a correct view of reality, is that what you mean? Yes. You said it better than I did. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leth Posted February 7, 2016 Then truth is surely subjective, no? And can our preception of reality change over time? If it can, then truth is surely not absolute. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 7, 2016 Then truth is surely subjective, no? Correct, IMO. And can our preception of reality change over time? Absolutely! (Sorry) If it can, then truth is surely not absolute. Agree. It can be but need not be. The Earth is flat. That's an absolute Truth. (Well, okay, it's BS.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) There is truth, that's for sure , its just your opinions on it which are speculative. Hit your head in a darkened cave , and it never mattered whether you didn't see the low ceiling or didnt suspect it. Yell harsh things at rough people , and you may end up with a fat lip. Wool shirts are itchy. Etc Edited February 9, 2016 by Stosh 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) Stosh. Please forgive my crassness. Your new avatar made me do a real double take. I used to work in a jail. I am doubled over with laughter. Edited February 10, 2016 by manitou 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted February 10, 2016 You'll know I have to search that backpack too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
