Sunmaster

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

It's fair game to troll christian nationalists who believe Trump was chosen by God. It's just another reason to reject religion altogether.

Show me one Christian nationalist in that other thread. I beg you.

Any more excuses? 

Anyways, you guys have fun here. 

If anyone is up for a mature discussion, you're welcome to join the conversation in the "God thread", which is NOT just about the personal God of Christianity or religion, but goes far deeper than that. 

Peace

29 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

LOL, you think that was about God or about religious nutcases?

It was a poor troll attempt. You had the choice to either contribute something valuable to the conversation (doesn't matter if you believe or not), or post silly nonsense. 

You chose the latter. At least stand by your decisions. 

5 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

I have never asked a question about whether god did this or that or why? I never would any more than I would ask what the tooth fairy eats.

Oh, you didn't. I must have dreamt it then.

8 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

 

You're distorting the question and I'm pretty sure you know you are.

 

Just in case you are actually confused... when an atheist writes "how come God gives babies disabilities", what they almost certainly mean is "if your God exists, and he is all good,  all knowing and all powerful, how in the world can babies be born with disabilities."

Of course I know. ;-)
It's the intention behind the question that is crucial. They don't want nor expect a proper answer. It's just a way to troll. And what do you do with a stupid troll question? You give a stupid troll answer, of course.

5 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

Atheists aren't the ones writing a letter to santa claus every sunday.

Yet you (and the other atheists) keep asking why God did this or that bad thing. Make up your mind. Do you believe in God or not?
Not that it makes any difference for me personally. 

24 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

I am interested to know why the Japanese airline on it's way to send aid to the earthquake victims was set ablaze by God?

There you go:

Why does God >insert your grievance here<....? - ASEAN NOW Community Pub - Thailand News, Travel & Forum - ASEAN NOW

This is for all those people who like to post in the "Do you believe in God?" thread, asking why God allows this or that bad thing to happen.
Maybe just see it as a way to unburden yourself with your question, so as not to clog up the other thread.
You're welcome. 

17 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

I am interested to know why the Japanese airline on it's way to send aid to the earthquake victims was set ablaze by God?

I'm confused. I thought you don't believe in God, yet here you are, trying to blame all the world's problems on God. 
If you do that then, if you're honest and fair, you'll have to praise him for all the good things too, right?

@Tippaporn

If possibile, I'd like to continue the discussion around the ego and free will. 

As far as I can judge, my arguments are  build on sound logic. I know you value logic and don't base your beliefs on thoughts without heads or tails. 

For that reason, I would like to hear from you (no Seth quotes please) where you think you disagree with what I wrote. 

To summarize:

1. The ego is the very "thing" that prevents opening up to a wider reality, because its very job is to concentrate your attention on a small part of reality. 

2. Does Free Will exist? Yes and no. It apparently exists within a paradigm bound by time and space, but since we know that this reality is only one reality within a bigger reality that is not bound by those restrictions, free will becomes just another illusion. In short, free will appears to be real when we look at it from inside the dream (this reality as seen from the ego perspective), but once you wake up, it disappears along with the dream. 

3. A personal question. Do you practice any kind of meditation or have other ways to find the silence behind the thoughts? If yes, what happens when your thoughts quiet down?

We should start a new thread called "Why does God >insert your grievance here<....?"

Atheists will love it.

17 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

Fairly easy one for today.  Why did God allow the Holocaust to happen?

Why only the holocaust? 

Why do wars happen?

Why do children get cancer?

Why do accidents happen?

Why did he give us emotions like hate, envy, anger?

Why do we have to die at all?

If God existed, he should allow only good things to happen. He should make us all immortal, and loving, and perfect.

He should give us perfect wisdom and knowledge right from the moment we are born, instead of being clueless, helpless babies. No need to learn, no need to experience anything but love, no responsibility, no wonder, no discovery, no surprises.

What a great life that would be. Or would it?

29 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

Funny. I too was thinking about him just yesterday and sent him a message on FB. 
I met him a few times (thanks to this thread) at his place. Will try to give him a call if he doesn't answer.

He said he was a bit tired of the thread but maybe will come back to have a look. 

9 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Just curious.  What's happened to mauGR1?  Just checked his profile.  His last postings were in the God thread on May 25 of last year.  No posts anywhere else since.  Last visited the site on Sept. 21.  Hope he's well.

Funny. I too was thinking about him just yesterday and sent him a message on FB. 
I met him a few times (thanks to this thread) at his place. Will try to give him a call if he doesn't answer.

41 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

I hate funerals.  Not easy getting out of going to your own mother's if in country.  I was out of country when my father died.  So I had some luck there.  It's not that I have any aversion to paying my last respects but the grief and the tears and the sadness is what I have an aversion to.

 

Everyone dies and that's only sad given the belief that it's the END.  Once it's understood that there is no end and it's only a new beginning can there be a joy within it.

Last year, I had the privilege of having my mother-in-law staying at our house for her last 4-5 months. I was there when she released her last breath. It was the first time for me to witness the process of dying this close. It was a beautiful thing really. She had time to say goodbye to friends and family, get her things in order, even dropping a long-held family secret on us! My wife and her sister stayed with her day and night, showering her with love and attention. I hope it will be like this when my time comes. 

57 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Ah ha!  You're from Bozen!! 

 

Isn't that still a part of Italy? 

 

Or perhaps you're right on the borderline and that's what makes you a hybrid.  No matter.  You're Thai now. 

 

All joking aside they're beautiful watercolors, Sunmaster.    I was into art until my early twenties.  Even had a job opportunity as an illustrator.  Unfortunately I dropped it as I didn't have enough confidence in my artwork.  I made the bad mistake of comparing my work to others and thereby always falling short in my eyes.  Gave it up after I had kids. 

Right, you got me. 55

It is part of Italy since 1919, but was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire before that, with German culture and German language. My mother tongue is a German dialect, but I grew up in a mixed family, so fluent in both languages. I always felt neither fish nor meat as a kid. Defending Germans when Italians overstepped and the other way around as well. Firmly perched on the fence, so to speak. 55
Nowadays, when asked where I'm from, I just say I'm Southtyrolean and let others work it out for themselves. 

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is it a picture book with words or a story with pictures?

I hope you post it as it progresses. The pictures look great.

Thank you.
The children's book is a short story with 10+ illustrations, meant for older kids around 7-14, but the message is really appropriate for all ages, including us old farts. hehe

The subject of the story is about dying and death, but unlike other such books who focus on feelings (grief, loss, anger), I try to approach it from a wider perspective. 

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Well, here's what I know.  Since I understand quite well that this world is all about ideas and that people form their beliefs using ideas held to be true then I'm acutely aware that whatever anyone says or writes is an expression of the ideas and beliefs they hold.  Hence the cryptic "revealing" comments. 

 

What are you revealing then?  Your beliefs.  Whilst there's always room for interpretations by others sometimes the beliefs expressed are so unambiguous that interpretations aren't needed.

 

I'm not certain whether you subscribe to any particular eastern philosophy or whether it's just an amalgamation of different eastern philosophies and/or other philosophies but no matter.  Regardless of what the case may be I would aver that those philosophies are not the same as the Seth material in important respects.  Whilst there most certainly are parallels there are also quite stark contrasts.

 

All in all, and I believe I've expressed this to you before, I personally have found the Seth material to be not only more comprehensive than anything which exists presently or heretofore in the form of any religion or philosophy - my personal opinion - but as well it is written in clear English and at a level which even a child can understand if his material was read to them.  Between the conciseness of the material and it's breath and scope what I most appreciate is it's breath and scope.  Nothing that I know comes even close.  Again, merely my personal opinion derived from my personal experience.

 

Seth is my personal preference for learning.  Others have their own.  Is one better than any other?  Nope.  Is one more useful than any other?  Nope.  It is my belief that everyone is attracted to that which is best suited for their own individual purposes, their own growth, and serves best their own intentions whilst they occupy this world.

 

This world is dearly precious to me and I would not have it any other way.  I am completely and utterly enjoying my Tippers-ness.    And I am thoroughly thankful for my identification with this Tippers individual for he will be me throughout eternity.  Yes, he'll become more.  But the identity, Tippers' individuality, will never be lost.  Evolve?  Certainly.  Lost or absorbed?  Never.   Eternal?  Most definitely.

 

This Tippers is an expression of myself as myself.  It is expressly for the purpose of knowing myself in a different fashion, in an earthly fashion, which cannot be known in any other fashion.  It is unique, precious, eternal and beloved.

 

Be kind to your ego, Sunmaster.  For it is a part of you.  An inseparable part which when made separate is only an illusion of separateness.  It is not a tool.  Not a thing to be dispensed with for something higher.  For the higher you that is you, well, you are that already.  There truly are no divisions except those we make.  This portion of you here in this world is as necessary to your greater self as much as your greater self is necessary for you.

 

A trance is a trance is a trance . . .

I often come across statements like "You can't just pick and choose." when religious people refer to spiritual people. Of course you can, and you should. That's what I did my whole life. No, I don't subscribe to any eastern philosophy in particular, although I recently dove into Advaita Vedanta and was awestruck at the simplicity and clarity of its map. In my map I also incorporate many of Seth's ideas, but I haven't read all of the material yet. So far, I couldn't find those gaping discrepancies you were talking about. Would be interesting if you could expand on that some more.

Yes, sure...the ego is a part of the bigger Sunmaster....it's a marvelous creation to interact with the world....when healthy.

But the only healthy ego is a dead ego. 555 
I'm only joking, but not much. 
What I'm so clumsily trying to say is that the ego is what divides reality in "me VS the rest". Its job is to cut reality in 2 parts so that those other parts can be observed as objects and interacted with. It concentrates awareness to shine a light on the material world, to the detriment of more subtle realms. 
I truly don't think it's possible to access the subtle realms of the Self with an intact ego. In fact, it is the very thing that prevents it. I think that's where we differ.

The ego will tell you it's a lie, that it is so precious, so necessary for your wellbeing, that it alone can lead you to salvation or freedom. It really is the thief dressing up as a policeman and pretending to chase itself. 
I think the ego is necessary to manipulate the material world, but I don't think the ego is necessary to experience life at its fullest. 
 

3 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Not too many people I know who read.  My feeling is that reading went out of vogue.  Evidenced by the fact that I get so many complaints about my long posts. 

 

A book?  Never thought about it.  I have, however, thought about fiction.  Either mystery or horror.  I could base the latter on some of my life. 

 

The forum setting suits me.  I like to dabble.  In everything.  Easy in and out makes it convenient.  Perhaps a Substack would do.  Would you guys be subscribers?  I could use the extra dosh. 

I actually have (what I think is) a great idea for a science fiction story. You could be my ghost writer! 

Right now, I'm working on a children's book. The story line is finished and now I'm trying to do the illustrations by myself. I'm using watercolors, which I haven't used since elementary school. I always thought watercolors are a bit lame but turns out they are super fun. 

1 minute ago, Tippaporn said:

 

You are of course referring to nationality and not to sexuality? 

555555
I would hope so!

1 minute ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Hmmm . . .

 

Not German and not Italian?  In between?  Austrian? 

Nearly.
I'm a hybrid. 

2 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Two can play . . .

 

What does an Italian have when one arm is shorter than the other?
-> A speech impediment.

 

Very funny. :-D 

Good thing I'm not Italian coz my left arm is a little longer than the right one. (y) 

18 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

It's not serious at all. 

 

The true interpretation is it was a joke. 

I know a joke when I see one. I'm not German. 

Sorry, couldn't resist...

33 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

 

Sorry to say, not much. 

You say it as if it were a bad thing. 😄