Do You Believe That God Has Many Different Forms, Or Do You Only Believe In One Religion?

[BreezeWood]

Evil is created by men just like gods are created by men

whenst born one can become either, the mixture is a lifetime pursuit for control and is seldom of their own creation.

the images of gods created by man are real, proven through evolutionary change over time both physiological and spiritual.

 

[Blues Man]

Look up the definitions. One is normal, one is abnormal. What is the goal of Buddhism? It is to reach the state of Nirvana where greed, hatred, and ignorance is quenched. Self improvement, therefore ego, correct? No reason to get so defensive about it, because the same is true of many religions--to overcome evil thoughts and deeds. The difference is the power higher/greater than self, and that power is God.

I am astonished that you are disagreeing with me.

Defensive?

You're the one who stated spiritualism without belief in a god is ego.

And you call it self improvement so as to dismiss Buddhism as a spiritual pursuit.

To think that a Buddhist monk is some sort of egoist is ludicrous.

Ego is craving the entire purpose of Buddhism is to end craving, end ego.

And FYI there is no normal there are only points on a continuum.

 

[Blues Man]

whenst born one can become either, the mixture is a lifetime pursuit for control and is seldom of their own creation.

the images of gods created by man are real, proven through evolutionary change over time both physiological and spiritual.

One chooses to be either one does not become one or the other

 

[Blues Man]

Teaching religion is no more endorsing the subject that teaching science or PE is endorsing/pushing people into those particular fields. Ignorance of those subjects is seldom lauded. Why should ignorance of religion be lauded?

Of course it is.

What religion would the government teach? Yours?

 

[BreezeWood]

One chooses to be either one does not become one or the other

you imply a person knows what they are doing from the very beginning, at birth ... stumbling into the mix, fortune is for who begin learning the difference the soonest and hopefully rejects the dark side, completely. to free ones spirit they do become one or the other or just 6' under when their time is up.

 

[Blues Man]

Defensive?

You're the one who stated spiritualism without belief in a god is ego.

And you call it self improvement so as to dismiss Buddhism as a spiritual pursuit.

To think that a Buddhist monk is some sort of egoist is ludicrous.

you imply a person knows what they are doing from the very beginning, at birth ... stumbling into the mix, fortune is for who begin learning the difference the soonest and hopefully rejects the dark side, completely. to free ones spirit they do become one or the other or just 6' under when their time is up.

No one is born "evil".

All action is a choice. there are no unseen beings pulling the strings.

 

[Meriweather]

Defensive?

Yes. Anyone who argues against what is said without even bothering to understand the point is taking a defensive stance.

You're the one who stated spiritualism without belief in a god is ego.

The center is ego...self. There is no higher power.

And you call it self improvement so as to dismiss Buddhism as a spiritual pursuit.

I merely pointed out the difference between spiritualism devoid of religion and spiritualism united with religion. I am mystified as to why you have a problem with this. Also, there are still differences between spiritualism and self-improvement. For example, getting fit or learning is self-improvement, but it is not spiritualism.

Why are you so intent on arguing?

To think that a Buddhist monk is some sort of egoist is ludicrous.

You are the one who brought in that ludicrous thought. It had never crossed my mind. You thought it up and now seem intent on cementing it on me...another example of you telling me what I "really" think.

Ego is craving the entire purpose of Buddhism is to end craving, end ego.

End craving for whom? Self, correct? The Buddhists I know don't go around trying to end cravings in others.

 

[Meriweather]

What religion would the government teach? Yours?

Do you know anything about teaching? For example, what science is taught? Could it be physical science, biology, chemistry--i.e., all science? What is taught in Language Arts: Grammar, spelling, literature, writing, speech....or, could it be all? Let's go on to history. Is only local history taught, or do we teach state history, national history, international history? I'll bet you will concede we teach all of it. Same with PE. Do we teach only basketball and call it good?

Finally, the government doesn't teach. Government's purpose is to provide a place for learning. The government insisting that religion be banned from the learning curriculum can give some of us a shivery feeling about the way power is wielded by government.

 

[Blues Man]

Yes. Anyone who argues against what is said without even bothering to understand the point is taking a defensive stance.


The center is ego...self. There is no higher power.


I merely pointed out the difference between spiritualism devoid of religion and spiritualism united with religion. I am mystified as to why you have a problem with this. Also, there are still differences between spiritualism and self-improvement. For example, getting fit or learning is self-improvement, but it is not spiritualism.

Why are you so intent on arguing?

You are the one who brought in that ludicrous thought. It had never crossed my mind. You thought it up and now seem intent on cementing it on me...another example of you telling me what I "really" think.

End craving for whom? Self, correct? The Buddhists I know don't go around trying to end cravings in others.

I disagree with your definition that is not defensiveness.

So Should I call you defensive for not bothering to understand Buddhism?

There doesn't need to be a belief in a higher power for one to engage in spiritual pursuits.

When one does not crave one is not serving the self but realizes that there is no self. If there is no self there is no ego.

So maybe you want to try to understand Buddhism before you tell me what it is or isn't.

 

[Blues Man]

Do you know anything about teaching? For example, what science is taught? Could it be physical science, biology, chemistry--i.e., all science? What is taught in Language Arts: Grammar, spelling, literature, writing, speech....or, could it be all? Let's go on to history. Is only local history taught, or do we teach state history, national history, international history? I'll bet you will concede we teach all of it. Same with PE. Do we teach only basketball and call it good?

Finally, the government doesn't teach. Government's purpose is to provide a place for learning. The government insisting that religion be banned from the learning curriculum can give some of us a shivery feeling about the way power is wielded by government.

What science is taught?

Only that which has passed the test of the scientific method.

Do you think there are different sects of physics or biology each with their own dogma?.

And the government deciding what religion is taught to people should give you the shivers.

 

[Slyhunter]

No one is born "evil".

All action is a choice. there are no unseen beings pulling the strings.

I was born bipolar and until I got medical deep into my 40's via the VA I did not know it and I could've ended up committing suicide or killing someone due to my lack of control of my emotions.

 

[Meriweather]

So Should I call you defensive for not bothering to understand Buddhism?

From what I can tell, I know it better than you. But then, two family members are Buddhist. I've studied with them.

 

[Meriweather]

There doesn't need to be a belief in a higher power for one to engage in spiritual pursuits.

And I never claimed this. I simply remarked on the difference. I am still wondering why a simple truth is so offensive to you.

 

[BreezeWood]

No one is born "evil".

All action is a choice. there are no unseen beings pulling the strings.

you imply a person knows what they are doing from the very beginning, at birth ...

no, that split second is a clean slate, surly - it's what begins to happen when they take their first breath and scream ... self preservation ... in the long run is not the answer, they find out and pay the price for how deeply they believed it. some never recover. evil abounds and seemingly is eternal and without spin truly is. eternal.

 

[Blues Man]

I was born bipolar and until I got medical deep into my 40's via the VA I did not know it and I could've ended up committing suicide or killing someone due to my lack of control of my emotions.

Woulda coulda shoulda

Does any of that make you "evil"

We have long recognized that mental illness is an actual medical condition and not caused by some demon

 

[Blues Man]

From what I can tell, I know it better than you. But then, two family members are Buddhist. I've studied with them.

I don't think you do since you think it is merely a course in "self improvement"

 

[Blues Man]

And I never claimed this. I simply remarked on the difference. I am still wondering why a simple truth is so offensive to you.

Of course you did.

you said any spiritual pursuits without the belief in a higher power are nothing but ego and yet Buddhists believe there is no self. No self/ no ego

Anatta | No-Self, Non-Attachment & Impermanence | Britannica

Anatta, in Buddhism, the doctrine that there is in humans no permanent, underlying substance that can be called the soul. Instead, the individual is compounded of five factors (Pali khandha; Sanskrit skandha) that are constantly changing. The concept of anatta, or anatman, is a departure from the

www.britannica.com

Unless you are telling me that egotistical pursuits are also spiritual.

And it's not truth at all.

There need not be a believe in gods for one to follow a path of spiritual pursuits

 

[Slyhunter]

Woulda coulda shoulda

Does any of that make you "evil"

We have long recognized that mental illness is an actual medical condition and not caused by some demon

The family of the person I killed would call me evil.

 

[Meriweather]

I don't think you do since you think it is merely a course in "self improvement"

You didn't bother to read what I said about this, did you?

 

[Meriweather]

you said any spiritual pursuits without the belief in a higher power are nothing but ego and yet Buddhists believe there is no self. No self/ no ego

Not quite. But I am through trying to help you understand. See you on another topic, perhaps. Please take the last word on this one.