Bow your head with great respect

[Red Forever]

16 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

 

Here is an interesting empirical statistic: I have never met an atheist who was not an unwavering believer of the Science dogma. I am sure a few will want to forcefully explain to me why that is and/or what the differences are, and therefore illustrate my point for me.

You call science a “dogma “.

Hmm…..pots and kettles.

[Cameroni]

59 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You left out Hinduism, which has likely produced the greatest number of saints in the last couple of thousand years. 

 

Indeed Mike, fair point. There is a reason for this.

 

Whilst I have the utmost respect for Indian Philosophy and Buddhism, surely among the deepest products of the human mind in all our history, with Hinduism I have to say it is just too alien to me.

 

Whilst the Vedas, Upanishads and Baghavad Gita make interesting reading, as does rebirth, the various deities just don't do it for me. It doesn't even seem like a religion, but more like contradictory custom and beliefs.

 

So I left it out for that reason, not something I could subscribe to.

 

 

[spidermike007]

Just now, Cameroni said:

 

Indeed Mike, fair point. There is a reason for this.

 

Whilst I have the utmost respect for Indian Philosophy and Buddhism, surely among the deepest products of the human mind in all our history, with Hinduism I have to say it is just too alien to me.

 

Whilst the Vedas, Upanishads and Baghavad Gita make interesting reading, as does rebirth, the various deities just don't do it for me. It doesn't even seem like a religion, but more like contradictory custom and beliefs.

 

So I left it out for that reason, not something I could subscribe to.

 

 

Yeah I could see where the deities could be off-putting to some people, but from what I've gleaned from my studies of Hinduism, it is that they are devotional manifestations of specific aspects of Divine creation, and it's the devotion itself that is the extraordinary aspect of the practice. Hinduism when practiced at a deeper level can be very profound, especially the meditation techniques and the devotional chanting. 

[Cameroni]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yeah I could see where the deities could be off-putting to some people, but from what I've gleaned from my studies of Hinduism, it is that they are devotional manifestations of specific aspects of Divine creation, and it's the devotion itself that is the extraordinary aspect of the practice. Hinduism when practiced at a deeper level can be very profound, especially the meditation techniques and the devotional chanting. 

 

Oh I have no doubt about that, it is probably among the deepest religions you can study, built as it is on the Vedas, Unpanishads, and folk custom from so many people,  

 

There is a lot of talk about Zen, Chan, but of course these are all mere refinements of the yoga meditation techniques. Just studying yoga could take a lifetime. And would be time very well spent.

 

Indeed if one looks a bit deeper the things these various deities represent are interesting. Indeed some aspects of Hinduism have become all pervasive, karma, samsara, moksha, and these aspects are fascinating.

 

I just could not bring myself to worship Vishnu or Shiva. It is too far removed and a step too far for me.

 

 

[NoshowJones]

On 4/27/2025 at 5:21 PM, Mason45 said:

All religions especially Catholic are total crap.

I am not a Catholic but of all the Catholics I have known in my lifetime, I have never known any of them to be total crap or trouble makers, not like the religion I was born into.

Although none of my family or relations have been involved with the trouble making bigots of the Orange Walk, there are many more trouble making Protestants than Catholics.

[Mark Nothing]

I have found a great deal of benefit in learning and implementing the wisdom of those experts like Pope Francis.  Every aspect of my life is better for it. God bless Pope Francis.