mauGR1

Who like the Traffic? Well, the music here's a bit makeshift or even cheesy, but still inspirational imho.

As you said in a previous post, we should study everything from various points of view, that way we can get closer to the truth. In the same way, a botanical scientist should study every plants, and not just the beautiful or useful plants . Yes, the world and some people can be horrifying, nonetheless knowledge is better than ignorance imho.

Are you sure that's an absolute truth? If I said that all men are created different would be false ? Just think of drops of water, or grains of sand...they look apparently same or similar, but they are not. Sorry to bother you ????

You are confusing me with some other person, obviously. Tired to repeat that science is the highest goal of humans, but certain so called scientific theories are just propaganda for materialism. If you are not aware of that, i feel sorry for you, but there's always hope ????

Fair enough in some way, but i would not confuse religion with the symbolism of religion, moreover I wouldn't confuse religion with individual beliefs or rituals.

Yours is a form of superstition, i could explain why, but it would be tiring, and you would not like it. Enjoy your wonder too ????

Not beating a dead horse, but preaching to the converted ???? As i repeatedly said, we have some differences in semantics. I know quite clearly myself the difference between body, soul and spirit.... Yet, if i went into details, it will be boring for everyone, and then you would say that all is one and that there are no differences, and everything is illusion, wouldn't you ? ???? It's typical nowadays for people, even ones who are fairly evolved, to express their opinions without ever listening to other opinions, what do you think ?

I find relevant the fact that you, born a Christian, and apparently not having much interest in Indian religion/philosophy, have accepted the theory that souls incarnate repeatedly. Although i would not say that's an absolute truth, with the danger of being branded a dogmatic, there are indeed many clues that it works that way.

Yet, for some reason, souls appear to wish to incarnate again and again.

That alone is worth a lengthy debate. I think that examining consciousness in the state of sleep, including the dream activity, can offer some important clue though.

Well, all i can say is, I'm glad for you if you've reached that point, but i have to admit that I'm still far from that, and I'm just grateful to be gifted occasionally of that magnificent feeling of oneness.

Did i say that ? I also know that we are soul with a body, rather than the opposite. Yet the physical body exists, and we are more or less tied to it. Still, speaking strictly for myself, i have to build bridges, or ladders between the physical and the spiritual, while the soul will be watching. The spirit will then be connected to the material.

Of course i agree that everyone is creator of his own reality, and thus has an influence on a bigger reality. Actually i got your point, sorry for not being clear. I repeat, there's a fine balance between the rights of the individual, and the well being of everyone. What if a powerful individual is more powerful than a small nation? Yes, it's happening. Plato, the great philosopher, made a great analysis of all this, but after 1000's of years things don't seem to be better. Oops, i went into politics again ????

Apart the dog thing, i agree with your description. You took the example of the ladder, and i imagine that you don't like ladders ???? Well, I'm wary of ladders, i've had my share of incidents, but I don't dislike them ???? So, if i told you that, with your sensible words, you are building a bridge between the physical and the spiritual, would you agree? One can choose different imaginary tools or vehicles, or representations, i can surely agree that the journey is infinite.

Well, i just love splitting hairs, but except for semantics, i have to agree in general with the meaning of your reasoning. I don't agree instead on the dichotomy America/Europe. Imho, the fact that individual freedom is sacred is a sublime principle of politics worldwide, but, unfortunately, we can see individual rights constantly under attack in any nation, including USA. In contrast, one can say that humans are family, so we have to give our individual freedom for the good of everyone. It's a very fine balance, i think, that's why politicians, in an ideal world, should be the best minds. When the leaders are misguided, you can imagine the rest ????

Good/bad Hot/cold Beautiful/ugly etc

Agree with the fact that consciousness is mobile, and surely everyone has a different level of understanding. What i don't agree with, but it may depend on semantics, is the last paragraph of your post. Although we can imagine that on other planes of consciousness there is no dual judgement as in the physical reality , there is indeed a hierarchy of different levels of consciousness from a human's point of view. As peaceful and carefree a dog may look, i never met anyone who would like to be a dog. Although understanding is not the same as consciousness, it seems that the former stimulates the latter.

I understand that, and honestly i have been keeping a safe distance from the bible for most of my life. However, from time to time, i have come across detailed explanations about stories from the old testament, and it's just amazing that other stories from other continents and civilizations seem to be very similar. The story of the flood, for example. Apparently, legends from north European ancient tribes are telling similar tales of flood survivors. Although inaccurate translations and even manipulations have made the bible and other ancient books difficult to understand, it's surely not fair to dismiss all of that as nonsense.

Well, according to what the books say, Jesus said something to Peter about the developments of his teachings. So, if I'm not wrong, Peter is considered to be the 1st Pope in history. It's told that when Jesus was about to be arrested, looked at Peter and said: "before dawn you'll betray me thrice".. which happened. Ironic, given the history of Vatican and the popes. Of course we cannot compare Jesus and his teachings to the different interpretations which have created countless brand names, the most notorious the Catholic , protestants etc. I would add that many chapters of the old testament are much older than the Jews themselves, for example, the stories about the flood seems to be taken from the assyrian-babylonians' literature, they are credited with developing the script, and whose civilization is many 1000 yrs older than Jesus and his times.

Yes, sure, i guess they argued a lot about food and women too.????

Yes, "know yourself " is undoubtedly a solid stepping stone in crossing the river of ignorance. Yet so many still believe that there is only one reality and it must be the same for everyone. The paradox about "reality" is that everything changes, so in fact one can even say that there's no such thing as a permanent reality , except for infinite/eternity, which of course we cannot grasp as long as we are trapped in a state of dual judgement.

If I dared to say that examining consciousness while asleep can offer some clues about consciousness and life after death, i would probably be met with scorn and derision by most people. Yet, according to the principle "as above, as below" it makes a lot of sense to me.

To be fair he's not the only one, there appears to be a large segment of the population worldwide that think and act illogically while at the same time screaming: "logic, logic !!" .. which is hilariously ironic. Materialism has become a cult.

Yep, logic would say that "if" God exists, it's something which can't be described with our vocabulary. The assumption of many, that God and gods don't exist because no one has any scientific evidence, is beyond belief, and defies logic. Even the greatest scientists of the planet know that they don't know.

That's a great question, and there are many answers available. Tbh i don't know the exact answer, but it's reasonable to think that there's a reason for everything.