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LINK Alan Watts - Nature of God - YouTube

My cousin shared this with me earlier today.
She is an Orthodox Jew; raised in the Conservative temple but made the change in adulthood.
Because she is family I listened to it, I asked her why she shared it with me. No answer yet.
I'll give it a second listen when I have time.
Any input on the ideas set forth here?

AmiSue 8 Jan 30
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11 comments

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Allan Watt's was a Zen Buddhist, philosopher and a big part of the human developement movement. He started what is now CIIS in SF, graduate program for psychology and cosmology.

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I really like Alan Watts. Favorite quote: "Anyone who says they can sell you enlightenment is like a pickpocket selling you your own watch."

Orbit Level 7 Feb 2, 2019
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One of my favorite Alan Watts quotes is, "I think 'cosmic consciousness' is the feeling that you love other people... but can't explain why."

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I've heard this talk by Alan Watts before. The music and the picture in the video is grating, most definitely. I do have problems with it, e.g. there even being a presumption that there is a will in this universe. I think your cousin is reaching out to you. Sure it might be a sad attempt at converting you, but think it would be a tremendous shame to miss the opportunity to get to know your cousin on this deeper level. Your cousin might have an agenda to bait and switch you, I think it's important to nurture your cousin's sense of doubt or I should say authenticity. To address doubt is to accept our own fallability and accepting this vulnerability. Suppose your cousin is sharing some sense of doubt and is vulnerable. Honor that vulnerabilty the same way you wish to be treated when someone finds out you're agnostic.

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God, reality whatever it is called, hear what is there to hear; see what is there to see....

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For people who enjoy hating on Jordan Peterson and think he is sexist because he says the feminine represents the negative in mythology, this is a better explanation of that relationship than I’ve ever heard from JP himself. And the talk, as a whole, is a better understanding of the concept of god coming from the depth of historical perspective than the currently popular view held by atheists and theists alike. God is not an “invisible, imaginary entity”. God is a metaphor for an abstract philosophical concept as real as “being” itself.

skado Level 9 Jan 30, 2019
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BIG fan of Alan Watts.

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My guess is your cousin is thinking the unthinkable and would value a second opinion.

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Admittedly I only made it through a few minutes of the video, but from what I heard, his "analysis" is consistent with other xtians. I echo the comment by jlynn37

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I like Watts's take on pretty much everything. He has you view things from various angles.

One of my favorite observations of his is when he said, "I feel the bible is inspired, but not in the sense of someone taking dictation from a supernatural entity, but by human beings trying to make sense of the world around them."

It's much like the maxim about art that says. "Art is a reflection of the times in which it is produced." I think religionism follows the same pattern, even with regards to the claims of divine inspiration or miracles.

Today you hear people talking about finding a parking spot in a crowded lot as "miraculous." Newscasters report people claiming miracles.

Plane crashes, everyone lives... miracle.
Most die, some live... miracle.
Some die, most live... miracle.
All die... God's will (though these same newscasters would never suggest that option)

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Anyone saying anything about an invisible, imaginary entity can only give their opinion and nothing more and we all have opinions so take it for what it is worth.

Practically mirror images.

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