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In my 59 year life, I have offered to "give my soul for eternity" to ANY entity that would ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 23, 2019:
I’m an entity. I can appear to you. Whur you at?
Pay no mind to silly church dogma or old scriptures. Ultimate Reality reveals herself in every second of conscious awareness, in the advent of life, in reality and in nature herself.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 23, 2019:
I’m an entity. I can appear to you. Whur you at?
Pay no mind to silly church dogma or old scriptures. Ultimate Reality reveals herself in every second of conscious awareness, in the advent of life, in reality and in nature herself.
"Science Baby".
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 22, 2019:
It doesn’t gall me. Doctors and nurses are not omniscient, omnipotent beings. They are our fellow human beings, fraught with error.
Science has benefited mankind in many ways, and I am grateful for science. However, there is a startling aspect of reality beyond our immediate sensory world that is not addressed by science.
Miracles happen. Not supernatural, magical miracles but the miracle of each moment of consciousness.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 22, 2019:
It doesn’t gall me. Doctors and nurses are not omniscient, omnipotent beings. They are our fellow human beings, fraught with error.
Science has benefited mankind in many ways, and I am grateful for science. However, there is a startling aspect of reality beyond our immediate sensory world that is not addressed by science.
Miracles happen. Not supernatural, magical miracles but the miracle of each moment of consciousness.
Are morality and empathy basically the same?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 22, 2019:
If what you say is correct, then it seems to me that the legal system is an expression of morality, because laws are supposed to be enforced uniformly and without passion. Of course laws don’t cover every situation, and also laws have to be interpreted—meaning that there are higher principles upon which the laws are based, such as the golden rule.
Empathy is just a feeling and as such is unreliable as a basis for decisions. But why do we have those feelings? Maybe we are made that way through evolution over millions of years of group living. You can not expect a pack of wolves to formulate a set of rules for behavior.
What it boils down to IMO is that our bodies are robots without consciousness or free will. Their behavior is governed primarily by instinct, . But we are not our bodies. It is conscious awareness that prompts analysis and the making up of rules and codes of behavior.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 22, 2019:
If what you say is correct, then it seems to me that the legal system is an expression of morality, because laws are supposed to be enforced uniformly and without passion. Of course laws don’t cover every situation, and also laws have to be interpreted—meaning that there are higher principles upon which the laws are based, such as the golden rule.
Empathy is just a feeling and as such is unreliable as a basis for decisions. But why do we have those feelings? Maybe we are made that way through evolution over millions of years of group living. You can not expect a pack of wolves to formulate a set of rules for behavior.
What it boils down to IMO is that our bodies are robots without consciousness or free will. Their behavior is governed primarily by instinct, . But we are not our bodies. It is conscious awareness that prompts analysis and the making up of rules and codes of behavior.
The problem of dogma. – Possumpipesup
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
Whether something is a profound truth or just dogma might be only a matter of opinion. Most likely both sides have it wrong. There could also be some truth to both perspectives.
I like that about belief. Best not to believe anything if you can help it.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
Whether something is a profound truth or just dogma might be only a matter of opinion. Most likely both sides have it wrong. There could also be some truth to both perspectives.
I like that about belief. Best not to believe anything if you can help it.
Literally every person I've seen on here that listed themselves as agnostic also listed themselves ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
The trouble with the English language is that we are always saying that we ARE this or that thing as though that thing were identical with ourselves and that is all we are. Usually our positions or opinions can not easily be described by a simple label.
Regarding the existence God as described in the Old Testament, I am not persuaded by any of the evidence I’ve seen. That skepticism is nothing but a characteristic of myself and should be of no concern to other people. It is a trivial thing that doesn’t even concern me and I am certainly not going to label myself an atheist. I am skeptical of many many ideas but I need not label myself in regards to those iffy ideas. Conversely there is no “burden of proof”. If someone is persuaded of something that is their business only.
I lean toward the concept of universal consciousness, not as something magical or supernatural but as a metaphysical idea that might someday become part of the body of scientific knowledge. If anyone wanted to label universal consciousness as “God” I wouldn’t object. But labels are just empty words if you don’t have knowledge of the thing you are labeling.
I don’t know about Universal Consciousness with absolute certainty. Am I supposed to say that I am an agnostic? If so, I decline. Sue me. :-) What I do know is that there is an Ultimate Reality beyond the world of the senses. I reject any burden of proof. Sue me.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
The trouble with the English language is that we are always saying that we ARE this or that thing as though that thing were identical with ourselves and that is all we are. Usually our positions or opinions can not easily be described by a simple label.
Regarding the existence God as described in the Old Testament, I am not persuaded by any of the evidence I’ve seen. That skepticism is nothing but a characteristic of myself and should be of no concern to other people. It is a trivial thing that doesn’t even concern me and I am certainly not going to label myself an atheist. I am skeptical of many many ideas but I need not label myself in regards to those iffy ideas. Conversely there is no “burden of proof”. If someone is persuaded of something that is their business only.
I lean toward the concept of universal consciousness, not as something magical or supernatural but as a metaphysical idea that might someday become part of the body of scientific knowledge. If anyone wanted to label universal consciousness as “God” I wouldn’t object. But labels are just empty words if you don’t have knowledge of the thing you are labeling.
I don’t know about Universal Consciousness with absolute certainty. Am I supposed to say that I am an agnostic? If so, I decline. Sue me. :-) What I do know is that there is an Ultimate Reality beyond the world of the senses. I reject any burden of proof. Sue me.
So how many of you have heard of Pantheism and how do you feel about it?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
I lean toward the idea of pantheism, that God is everything there is. I also think that there might be such a thing as cosmic consciousness or universal awareness and that we are extensions of that.
It is important IMO to keep in mind that the word “God” is nothing but a symbol or icon for ultimate reality, which we humans can not detect or understand with our space/time/matter model. It is silly to argue over something when we haven’t the slightest idea of what we are talking about.
There really is an ultimate reality beyond the sense-world however. That has been universally understood by physicists since the days of Faraday and Maxwell.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
I lean toward the idea of pantheism, that God is everything there is. I also think that there might be such a thing as cosmic consciousness or universal awareness and that we are extensions of that.
It is important IMO to keep in mind that the word “God” is nothing but a symbol or icon for ultimate reality, which we humans can not detect or understand with our space/time/matter model. It is silly to argue over something when we haven’t the slightest idea of what we are talking about.
There really is an ultimate reality beyond the sense-world however. That has been universally understood by physicists since the days of Faraday and Maxwell.
Some people have a head start and don't even know it!
[youtu.be]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
It’s not all that cut and dried.
First of all, success means different things to different people, but the video seems to assume that the acquisition of wealth and influence is life’s goal for everyone.
It’s not either/or. There are a wide range of factors that various people deal with. The poorest of the poor generally have great strength in certain ways which gives them some advantages, while rich kids might be adversely affected in certain ways by their affluence.
All of us have to deal with our circumstances.If the goal was supposed to be a dazzling career and to live in a suburban mansion, them my life has been a dismal failure, but yet I feel very contented. Yes, those groomed for such a life are “privileged”, but that is a relative term, and I had no desire to live such a life anyway.
There were a few stalwarts in the back who did not take those steps forward, and some of them refused to run. They wore expressions of disdain as they listened to a judgmental rant declaring them to be underprivileged because of family circumstances and because of their race. Where I live there are many Black families who live very well and are not underprivileged in any way.
That’s all I learned but maybe I’m stupid.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 21, 2019:
It’s not all that cut and dried.
First of all, success means different things to different people, but the video seems to assume that the acquisition of wealth and influence is life’s goal for everyone.
It’s not either/or. There are a wide range of factors that various people deal with. The poorest of the poor generally have great strength in certain ways which gives them some advantages, while rich kids might be adversely affected in certain ways by their affluence.
All of us have to deal with our circumstances.If the goal was supposed to be a dazzling career and to live in a suburban mansion, them my life has been a dismal failure, but yet I feel very contented. Yes, those groomed for such a life are “privileged”, but that is a relative term, and I had no desire to live such a life anyway.
There were a few stalwarts in the back who did not take those steps forward, and some of them refused to run. They wore expressions of disdain as they listened to a judgmental rant declaring them to be underprivileged because of family circumstances and because of their race. Where I live there are many Black families who live very well and are not underprivileged in any way.
That’s all I learned but maybe I’m stupid.
Anybody ready for the Super Blood Wolf Moon and lunar eclipse tonight?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 20, 2019:
Waitin’ eagerly. Clear and cold at this location.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 20, 2019:
Waitin’ eagerly. Clear and cold at this location.
The brilliant science that has creationists and the Christian right terrified
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 20, 2019:
I am extremely skeptical of the theory described, but let’s say it’s true. What then do we understand?
Nothing really. Nature in its ultimate form is just as bewildering as ever. You see, those carbon atoms that just HAVE to form themselves into life forms—they are not “things”—they exist only as interactions between covariant quantum fields. if we are going to discuss where things came from, where did the environment come from that enabled these carbon atoms to even exist, let alone arrange themselves into living organisms. From whence came the law of thermodynamics, said not to be violated in this case, along with all the other natural laws?
Anyone sitting smugly, thinking that science explains reality is living a life of self-deception more insidious than that based on any religious dogma. Ascribing nature to God, in some cases, might be nothing but a humble admission that you don’t know or understand ultimate reality, but that you are aware of and appreciate the enormously awe-inspiring mystery with which we are faced.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 20, 2019:
I am extremely skeptical of the theory described, but let’s say it’s true. What then do we understand?
Nothing really. Nature in its ultimate form is just as bewildering as ever. You see, those carbon atoms that just HAVE to form themselves into life forms—they are not “things”—they exist only as interactions between covariant quantum fields. if we are going to discuss where things came from, where did the environment come from that enabled these carbon atoms to even exist, let alone arrange themselves into living organisms. From whence came the law of thermodynamics, said not to be violated in this case, along with all the other natural laws?
Anyone sitting smugly, thinking that science explains reality is living a life of self-deception more insidious than that based on any religious dogma. Ascribing nature to God, in some cases, might be nothing but a humble admission that you don’t know or understand ultimate reality, but that you are aware of and appreciate the enormously awe-inspiring mystery with which we are faced.
The death penalty - why dress it up?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 19, 2019:
There are good arguments on both sides and I remain undecided. IMO it’s not a moral issue, even if an occasional innocent person is executed. What about all the innocent people killed in wars? I can only conclude that an individual human body has little value. The right policy is the one that gives the best outcome for society.
The way we execute people in the US though seems pretty irrational. Keeping a person on death row for ten or twenty years for endless rounds of legal proceedings is ridiculous. What I think is that Americans no longer have the stomach to do the job properly. This is born out also by the ruse that there are no suitable drugs available when any veterinarian could do the job handily at any time.
If the public is all that squeamish we should just stop the killing. One pertinent question is whether or not you yourself would be willing to personally be the executioner. For me the answer is no.
Maybe I’m decided after all.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 19, 2019:
There are good arguments on both sides and I remain undecided. IMO it’s not a moral issue, even if an occasional innocent person is executed. What about all the innocent people killed in wars? I can only conclude that an individual human body has little value. The right policy is the one that gives the best outcome for society.
The way we execute people in the US though seems pretty irrational. Keeping a person on death row for ten or twenty years for endless rounds of legal proceedings is ridiculous. What I think is that Americans no longer have the stomach to do the job properly. This is born out also by the ruse that there are no suitable drugs available when any veterinarian could do the job handily at any time.
If the public is all that squeamish we should just stop the killing. One pertinent question is whether or not you yourself would be willing to personally be the executioner. For me the answer is no.
Maybe I’m decided after all.
great tits
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 19, 2019:
I feel cheated. :-(
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 19, 2019:
I feel cheated. :-(
I read this earlier today.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Perhaps I will make a grand and joyous exit via self-cremation, thereby thwarting the greedy medical and funeral industries. It’d be illegal as hell, and that’s another bonus—thumbing my nose at meddlesome bureaucrats. :-)
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Perhaps I will make a grand and joyous exit via self-cremation, thereby thwarting the greedy medical and funeral industries. It’d be illegal as hell, and that’s another bonus—thumbing my nose at meddlesome bureaucrats. :-)
Our greatest journey.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Great post!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Great post!
Is anyone else really disturbed by the popularity of the flat earth nonsense?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
I prefer not to be disturbed or frightened if possible. It’s not worth giving much thought to those attention seekers.
Actually, the earth really is relatively flat in a lot of places, from a local perspective. The flat-earth model works well for local navigation and surveying. Earth as a sphere is needed for long-distance navigation while an oblate spheroid model is used for cadastral surveys over large areas. In all those models the earth can be considered fixed, with celestial bodies rotating around the earth. Of course for astronomical purposes the planetary model comes into play.
No one model is superior. It is important to recognize that all are nothing but models, useful for certain purposes. Actual ultimate reality is far beyond our ken.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
I prefer not to be disturbed or frightened if possible. It’s not worth giving much thought to those attention seekers.
Actually, the earth really is relatively flat in a lot of places, from a local perspective. The flat-earth model works well for local navigation and surveying. Earth as a sphere is needed for long-distance navigation while an oblate spheroid model is used for cadastral surveys over large areas. In all those models the earth can be considered fixed, with celestial bodies rotating around the earth. Of course for astronomical purposes the planetary model comes into play.
No one model is superior. It is important to recognize that all are nothing but models, useful for certain purposes. Actual ultimate reality is far beyond our ken.
Is scientology a religion or a dangerous cult?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
IMO all religious organizations have some degree of cultishness. Scientology has a very high degree of cultishness and any prudent person should avoid their claws.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
IMO all religious organizations have some degree of cultishness. Scientology has a very high degree of cultishness and any prudent person should avoid their claws.
The problem with giving a QM interpretation, not just a comforting, homey sort of interpretation, ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Since the time of Faraday and Maxwell physics has abandoned the materialist/physicalist world view. Anyone still clinging to that sort of illusion is living a lie.
Reality is not the way it seems.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 18, 2019:
Since the time of Faraday and Maxwell physics has abandoned the materialist/physicalist world view. Anyone still clinging to that sort of illusion is living a lie.
Reality is not the way it seems.
Buddhists run me off because I believe in collective consciousness and Hindus run me off because I ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 17, 2019:
I am especially open to the idea of “reconciling religious beliefs with science and history and quantum physics and sociology and psychology and biology and archaeology”. When you do that you are searching deeply within for understanding and truth, even if it is currently only intuitive truth. You are right—most people are not interested in truth. They want a feeling of comfort and they don’t want to have their personal world-views rattled.
As you probably know, some very astute people have advocated for the idea of collective or universal consciousness. Most of the founders of modern physics are on the list as well as John Wheeler with his “participatory universe”, and now even Roger Penrose is talking about it.
I lean toward accepting the evidence for reincarnation and telepathy. Both of those phenomena can be understood to a degree under the concept of universal consciousness. But IMO, what is called reincarnation is not really reincarnation. Just because a child shares memories with a previous person doesn’t mean they ARE that person. The sense of being an individual person within a body is an illusion, and that applies to both the child and the previous person, now dead.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 17, 2019:
I am especially open to the idea of “reconciling religious beliefs with science and history and quantum physics and sociology and psychology and biology and archaeology”. When you do that you are searching deeply within for understanding and truth, even if it is currently only intuitive truth. You are right—most people are not interested in truth. They want a feeling of comfort and they don’t want to have their personal world-views rattled.
As you probably know, some very astute people have advocated for the idea of collective or universal consciousness. Most of the founders of modern physics are on the list as well as John Wheeler with his “participatory universe”, and now even Roger Penrose is talking about it.
I lean toward accepting the evidence for reincarnation and telepathy. Both of those phenomena can be understood to a degree under the concept of universal consciousness. But IMO, what is called reincarnation is not really reincarnation. Just because a child shares memories with a previous person doesn’t mean they ARE that person. The sense of being an individual person within a body is an illusion, and that applies to both the child and the previous person, now dead.
Why did religions originate in the first place?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 17, 2019:
Shermer exhibits an attitude that I find rational and perceptive. IMO it is a mark of courage and honesty to look at the world as it is—to accept and try to understand nature without making negative judgments.
The religious impulse is present in humanity for reasons, and it behooves us to recognize and understand those reasons with dispassion. Perhaps we might also recognize the religious impulse within ourselves and cultivate the best and highest attributes of that impulse.
Equally important—the modern tendency by many to angrily denounce all forms of religious practice—that anger must be recognized and understood as a necessary natural phenomenon, following from the human condition.
Some of those angry denouncers are the ones who say there’s no such thing as free will. If they are correct then they are angry at something that had to happen under natural laws, and that anger seems irrational.
Of course they have no choice in the matter I suppose.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 17, 2019:
Shermer exhibits an attitude that I find rational and perceptive. IMO it is a mark of courage and honesty to look at the world as it is—to accept and try to understand nature without making negative judgments.
The religious impulse is present in humanity for reasons, and it behooves us to recognize and understand those reasons with dispassion. Perhaps we might also recognize the religious impulse within ourselves and cultivate the best and highest attributes of that impulse.
Equally important—the modern tendency by many to angrily denounce all forms of religious practice—that anger must be recognized and understood as a necessary natural phenomenon, following from the human condition.
Some of those angry denouncers are the ones who say there’s no such thing as free will. If they are correct then they are angry at something that had to happen under natural laws, and that anger seems irrational.
Of course they have no choice in the matter I suppose.
NRA ADMITS ACCEPTING MONEY FROM 23 RUSSIA-LINKED DONORS
[newsweek.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 16, 2019:
What of it? We are all linked somehow. Russia is a great country.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 16, 2019:
What of it? We are all linked somehow. Russia is a great country.
The truth is that nobody knows for certain just what happens after we die.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 16, 2019:
At the heart of the problem lies the fact that time is nothing but a human mental construct, which renders meaningless any question about creation or immortality. Our very concept of existence is based on superficialities. When we think of something “existing” we think of it as enduring over time.
The sense of self as a separate person with a body is a very airy concept and IMO is just an illusion. Without your memories you would no longer be you. Many cases have been documented of different personalities occupying a single body.
The question is bound up somehow with the nature of conscious awareness, and that is currently a very deep mystery. What we desire is a continuation of consciousness, but I lean toward thinking that consciousness is primary and is all there is in an ultimate sense, immortal by default. That sense of being conscious doesn’t come from our bodies. Our bodies are mere robots that are led by consciousness IMO.
We are at the door of Ultimate Reality but we can not directly experience Ultimate Reality, mentally bound as we are to our illusions. What then? I have no idea.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 16, 2019:
At the heart of the problem lies the fact that time is nothing but a human mental construct, which renders meaningless any question about creation or immortality. Our very concept of existence is based on superficialities. When we think of something “existing” we think of it as enduring over time.
The sense of self as a separate person with a body is a very airy concept and IMO is just an illusion. Without your memories you would no longer be you. Many cases have been documented of different personalities occupying a single body.
The question is bound up somehow with the nature of conscious awareness, and that is currently a very deep mystery. What we desire is a continuation of consciousness, but I lean toward thinking that consciousness is primary and is all there is in an ultimate sense, immortal by default. That sense of being conscious doesn’t come from our bodies. Our bodies are mere robots that are led by consciousness IMO.
We are at the door of Ultimate Reality but we can not directly experience Ultimate Reality, mentally bound as we are to our illusions. What then? I have no idea.
Some self/no self thoughts
I try envision things in pictures.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 15, 2019:
The imagery comes first. There was Michael Faraday, a brilliant scientist with little education in mathematics who was able to picture electromagnetic fields. Enter Maxwell, who understood those images and wrote his famous field equations. Keep doing what you are doing. Some of us appreciate your ideas. Specifically, you have given an explanation for karma that seems real, understandable, and not supernatural.
James Clerk Maxwell:
“It has been asserted that metaphysical speculation is a thing of the past, and that physical science has extirpated it. The discussion of the categories of existence, however, does not appear to be in danger of coming to an end in our time, and the exercise of speculation continues as fascinating to every fresh mind as it was in the days of Thales.”
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 15, 2019:
The imagery comes first. There was Michael Faraday, a brilliant scientist with little education in mathematics who was able to picture electromagnetic fields. Enter Maxwell, who understood those images and wrote his famous field equations. Keep doing what you are doing. Some of us appreciate your ideas. Specifically, you have given an explanation for karma that seems real, understandable, and not supernatural.
James Clerk Maxwell:
“It has been asserted that metaphysical speculation is a thing of the past, and that physical science has extirpated it. The discussion of the categories of existence, however, does not appear to be in danger of coming to an end in our time, and the exercise of speculation continues as fascinating to every fresh mind as it was in the days of Thales.”
Classified information from CIA
[youtu.be]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
I made it halfway. I’ll believe it when it happens.
Even if such a thing happened. So what? We all die at some point.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
I made it halfway. I’ll believe it when it happens.
Even if such a thing happened. So what? We all die at some point.
Experiencing the Ratha Kalpana
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
I just read your bio, and we are on the same wavelength kauva.
It will take some time to absorb all this. Namaste sir.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
I just read your bio, and we are on the same wavelength kauva.
It will take some time to absorb all this. Namaste sir.
Do you believe aliens exist?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
Belief or disbelief is not appropriate IMO, unless you just like to argue. I am certainly open to the idea of alien life, and there is indeed some evidence. There’s not enough of the kind of evidence that would be persuasive, so I’ll put the question on a back burner for the time being.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 14, 2019:
Belief or disbelief is not appropriate IMO, unless you just like to argue. I am certainly open to the idea of alien life, and there is indeed some evidence. There’s not enough of the kind of evidence that would be persuasive, so I’ll put the question on a back burner for the time being.
What if, unbeknownst to us, we are already in Hell?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 13, 2019:
If life feels like hell to you it is because you are filling your subconscious mind with untrue thoughts.
We are actually in heaven in the here and now!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 13, 2019:
If life feels like hell to you it is because you are filling your subconscious mind with untrue thoughts.
We are actually in heaven in the here and now!
Religion gives people spiritual and emotional fulfillment, nothing more.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 13, 2019:
Others use a belief in scientism and materialism.
The only void is that we cannot understand Ultimate Reality with our limited human perspective. But just moment by moment awareness of the staggering implications of reality must inevitably impart a sense of great value to life.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 13, 2019:
Others use a belief in scientism and materialism.
The only void is that we cannot understand Ultimate Reality with our limited human perspective. But just moment by moment awareness of the staggering implications of reality must inevitably impart a sense of great value to life.
How To Deal With Regret After Religion.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
You are still young, and you are free to follow your heart. You did what you had to do—what seemed right at the time. Forget the past and enjoy the glorious miracle of each passing moment of awareness.
And best wishes!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
You are still young, and you are free to follow your heart. You did what you had to do—what seemed right at the time. Forget the past and enjoy the glorious miracle of each passing moment of awareness.
And best wishes!
Dr.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
What a great thing to learn about! Great photo too.
Thanks for posting.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
What a great thing to learn about! Great photo too.
Thanks for posting.
There have been several questions along these lines lately, so I want to ask a related, but slightly...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
It is to be consciously aware, which enables us to appreciate love, joy and freedom, and to bask in the overwhelming mystery and grandeur of reality.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
It is to be consciously aware, which enables us to appreciate love, joy and freedom, and to bask in the overwhelming mystery and grandeur of reality.
Have you ever expressed an opinion or stated something that proved highly unpopular?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
The slightest hint that you are not in full agreement with the climate change mantra will bring down upon you much wrath and fury. The slightest variation in established dogma will get you clobbered by true believers. Many of them have called for jailing of the apostates while a few advocate summary execution.
The only reason I dare write this is that most of my life is over anyway.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
The slightest hint that you are not in full agreement with the climate change mantra will bring down upon you much wrath and fury. The slightest variation in established dogma will get you clobbered by true believers. Many of them have called for jailing of the apostates while a few advocate summary execution.
The only reason I dare write this is that most of my life is over anyway.
Regarding Religion: Yet Still More Thoughts.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
In “The Perennial Philosophy” Aldous Huxley examines various metaphysical ideas that are common to nearly all religions. I think the best thing is to harvest the wheat and throw out the chaff. By “harvest” I don’t mean to form a rigid, blind belief, but to study, meditate, and allow the ideas to incubate in your consciousness.
Just because someone has described the moon as being made out of cheese, a proven falsity, does not mean that there is no moon and that all discussion and study of the moon must cease.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 12, 2019:
In “The Perennial Philosophy” Aldous Huxley examines various metaphysical ideas that are common to nearly all religions. I think the best thing is to harvest the wheat and throw out the chaff. By “harvest” I don’t mean to form a rigid, blind belief, but to study, meditate, and allow the ideas to incubate in your consciousness.
Just because someone has described the moon as being made out of cheese, a proven falsity, does not mean that there is no moon and that all discussion and study of the moon must cease.
Who else wonders why people are so stupid to believe in gods when there is no proof of their ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Many of the most brilliant people down through history have believed in God, and even today about half of scientists report a belief in God. If your opinion is different than someone else’s you’ll have to make a better argument than to say they’re stupid.
There is evidence. It might not be evidence that persuades YOU, but it is evidence nevertheless. There’s nature with her immutable laws, the dazzling spectacle of life, the experience of conscious awareness that frames our every experience and gives us free will. There is evidence.
I think you are talking about religious myths, and I agree that those are not believable to courageous and discriminating people. But that in no way addresses the question of the existence of God, or whatever you choose to call Ultimate Reality.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Many of the most brilliant people down through history have believed in God, and even today about half of scientists report a belief in God. If your opinion is different than someone else’s you’ll have to make a better argument than to say they’re stupid.
There is evidence. It might not be evidence that persuades YOU, but it is evidence nevertheless. There’s nature with her immutable laws, the dazzling spectacle of life, the experience of conscious awareness that frames our every experience and gives us free will. There is evidence.
I think you are talking about religious myths, and I agree that those are not believable to courageous and discriminating people. But that in no way addresses the question of the existence of God, or whatever you choose to call Ultimate Reality.
Some people think that we should just let everyone believe whatever fantasy they want.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
“Some people think that we should just let everyone believe whatever fantasy they want.”
Who are the “we” who have the correct opinions and are going to jump in and force these “others” to adopt those correct opinions? You can not force anyone to believe something. Belief arises spontaneously.
In a democratic society there will always be a great diversity of opinions on all sorts of issues. Do not be surprised if those who are elected hold opinions that are different than yours. Each person gets one vote, and there their authority ends.
Belief in a materialist/physicalist/reductionist world view is every bit as much a phantasy as belief in church dogma, and IMO such belief has wreaked more harm to the human race than all the religions of the world combined.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
“Some people think that we should just let everyone believe whatever fantasy they want.”
Who are the “we” who have the correct opinions and are going to jump in and force these “others” to adopt those correct opinions? You can not force anyone to believe something. Belief arises spontaneously.
In a democratic society there will always be a great diversity of opinions on all sorts of issues. Do not be surprised if those who are elected hold opinions that are different than yours. Each person gets one vote, and there their authority ends.
Belief in a materialist/physicalist/reductionist world view is every bit as much a phantasy as belief in church dogma, and IMO such belief has wreaked more harm to the human race than all the religions of the world combined.
It seems that being atheist or agnostic is now looked at as a type of religion
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Certainly some individuals present their atheistic religious opinions in a rigid and religious-like way, and can not tolerate any other view.
Whether a person is a robot-like Bible thumper or a raging, robot-like atheist doesn’t matter—they are both blind and the difference between them is only one of labeling.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Certainly some individuals present their atheistic religious opinions in a rigid and religious-like way, and can not tolerate any other view.
Whether a person is a robot-like Bible thumper or a raging, robot-like atheist doesn’t matter—they are both blind and the difference between them is only one of labeling.
Have to start making huge changes in my life from today.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Hang in there! I wish you success in your journey.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
Hang in there! I wish you success in your journey.
What do you believe in?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
When it comes to religion, I don’t think that belief of any kind is the appropriate reaction. More apt would be a sense of deep awareness and awe for the staggering implications of existence and the profound mystery of reality and consciousness awareness.
I know, I know, the above paragraph is a statement of belief. Hmm... maybe there are different kinds of belief. Someone help me.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 11, 2019:
When it comes to religion, I don’t think that belief of any kind is the appropriate reaction. More apt would be a sense of deep awareness and awe for the staggering implications of existence and the profound mystery of reality and consciousness awareness.
I know, I know, the above paragraph is a statement of belief. Hmm... maybe there are different kinds of belief. Someone help me.
When in defence of religion, people say ‘Well the church does a lot of good’ but is it not like ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Which church? Some of ‘em do good things IMO.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Which church? Some of ‘em do good things IMO.
I think I’ll just...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Is that a contrail in the background? Weird.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Is that a contrail in the background? Weird.
If every life is sacred...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
The Bhagavad-Gita explains it nicely.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
The Bhagavad-Gita explains it nicely.
Is this Ao Guang?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Had to look up Ao Guang. Wikipedia shows a picture that is different but of course there could be many different artistic representations.
After reading the article I have decided to withhold belief in this Ao Guang thing. THERE IS ZERO EVIDENCE—THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE ONE MAKING A POSITIVE STATEMENT! YOU CANT PROVE A NEGATIVE!!
Ha ha, I’m learning a lot from this forum. :-)
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Had to look up Ao Guang. Wikipedia shows a picture that is different but of course there could be many different artistic representations.
After reading the article I have decided to withhold belief in this Ao Guang thing. THERE IS ZERO EVIDENCE—THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE ONE MAKING A POSITIVE STATEMENT! YOU CANT PROVE A NEGATIVE!!
Ha ha, I’m learning a lot from this forum. :-)
[sciencealert.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Great timing skado, I just started wood turning as a hobby—set up my lathe and made my first practice piece yesterday. This article gives me positive reinforcement at a perfect time.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 10, 2019:
Great timing skado, I just started wood turning as a hobby—set up my lathe and made my first practice piece yesterday. This article gives me positive reinforcement at a perfect time.
Are the majority of people really that obtuse and is higher education just a form of indoctrination ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
It’s a mix of both. There are some brilliant, deeply aware professors who see their mission as that of awakening their students.
My very worst teacher was a rabid atheist who saw his role as that of bludgeoning the students into agreement with his opinions. No dissent was tolerated, and the course subject matter was totally neglected to make time for his long emotional tirades.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
It’s a mix of both. There are some brilliant, deeply aware professors who see their mission as that of awakening their students.
My very worst teacher was a rabid atheist who saw his role as that of bludgeoning the students into agreement with his opinions. No dissent was tolerated, and the course subject matter was totally neglected to make time for his long emotional tirades.
As atheist and agnostics what in your opinion is the odds of there being a afterlife ?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
It is hard for us humans to think cosmically but IMO the entire chain of organisms can be considered to be a single entity. Time is an illusion—even quantum gravity theory has it so. The concept of an afterlife makes no sense from a cosmic perspective. There’s just life and we are it—right now and forever more. To put it crudely, we are in heaven right now but lack the awareness to fully appreciate our station.
To yearn for immortality as a separate personality is a futile and foolish quest IMO. The sense of self as a particular body is just an illusion anyway. Some bodies are shared by multiple “selves”, all illusory.
Every second of conscious awareness is a heavenly miracle of staggering proportions!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
It is hard for us humans to think cosmically but IMO the entire chain of organisms can be considered to be a single entity. Time is an illusion—even quantum gravity theory has it so. The concept of an afterlife makes no sense from a cosmic perspective. There’s just life and we are it—right now and forever more. To put it crudely, we are in heaven right now but lack the awareness to fully appreciate our station.
To yearn for immortality as a separate personality is a futile and foolish quest IMO. The sense of self as a particular body is just an illusion anyway. Some bodies are shared by multiple “selves”, all illusory.
Every second of conscious awareness is a heavenly miracle of staggering proportions!
You cannot create a black hole by simply adding mass.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
Interesting info. Thanks.
Teach us more.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
Interesting info. Thanks.
Teach us more.
A gift to all of us who have or had mothers.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
Though there is some truth there, I think the case is dramatically overstated. I take a more pragmatic view.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 9, 2019:
Though there is some truth there, I think the case is dramatically overstated. I take a more pragmatic view.
This looks like an interesting read.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Sounds interesting.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Sounds interesting.
As more detrimental religious groups interfere with our politics and government they signify their ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Truly a garbage article, full of stereotyping and false innuendo. Only a small fraction of so called evangelicals have strong political opinions Does anyone really think that conservatism will disappear with declining church membership? Look at other countries where church membership is low—they have conservative political parties.
The evangelical in the last presidential election was Methodist Hillary Clinton.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Truly a garbage article, full of stereotyping and false innuendo. Only a small fraction of so called evangelicals have strong political opinions Does anyone really think that conservatism will disappear with declining church membership? Look at other countries where church membership is low—they have conservative political parties.
The evangelical in the last presidential election was Methodist Hillary Clinton.
Are religious people intellectually inferior? - YouTube
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Smart atheists and smart religious people find common ground.
Dumb atheists and dumb religious people throw rocks at each other.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Smart atheists and smart religious people find common ground.
Dumb atheists and dumb religious people throw rocks at each other.
Apparently there are a lot of brain damaged people living in the Bible Belt. [rawstory.com]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
I am led to wonder if the author of the article has lesions on his prefrontal cortex. Every paragraph says essentially the same thing over and over, and there are at least ten paragraphs. The essence is that there is a correlation between damage to the front part of the brain and fundamentalist religious belief. A confused and bungled statement near the end indicates (I think) that brain inflexibility is a cause for a fifth of fundamentalist views as determined by the study.
I am extremely skeptical of the study. If the scientists are truly interested in rigid thinking patterns they should look, not only at religion but at all areas of human thinking. For many students for example, their textbooks are gospel, not to be questioned. And many cling desperately to a materialist interpretation of reality even when science has moved on.
It’s a pretty ridiculous study from the get-go, based on the religious beliefs of infantry soldiers with brain damage. That is a very small group. Measure the religious beliefs of PHDs with brain damage and you’d get a different result I’ll bet. A high percentage of them are probably atheists. You could then yell that brain damage causes atheism.
How does all this relate to the so-called, and mislabeled “Bible Belt”? Contrary to what is often thought, religious fundamentalism is not an old southern tradition. Christian fundamentalism arose in the twentieth century and was created by churches in the Northeast, specifically New England. Fundamentalism as a doctrine only gained a significant foothold in the Southern Baptist Association in the 1940’s.
Anyone who doggedly opposes my opinion has brain damage. :-)
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
I am led to wonder if the author of the article has lesions on his prefrontal cortex. Every paragraph says essentially the same thing over and over, and there are at least ten paragraphs. The essence is that there is a correlation between damage to the front part of the brain and fundamentalist religious belief. A confused and bungled statement near the end indicates (I think) that brain inflexibility is a cause for a fifth of fundamentalist views as determined by the study.
I am extremely skeptical of the study. If the scientists are truly interested in rigid thinking patterns they should look, not only at religion but at all areas of human thinking. For many students for example, their textbooks are gospel, not to be questioned. And many cling desperately to a materialist interpretation of reality even when science has moved on.
It’s a pretty ridiculous study from the get-go, based on the religious beliefs of infantry soldiers with brain damage. That is a very small group. Measure the religious beliefs of PHDs with brain damage and you’d get a different result I’ll bet. A high percentage of them are probably atheists. You could then yell that brain damage causes atheism.
How does all this relate to the so-called, and mislabeled “Bible Belt”? Contrary to what is often thought, religious fundamentalism is not an old southern tradition. Christian fundamentalism arose in the twentieth century and was created by churches in the Northeast, specifically New England. Fundamentalism as a doctrine only gained a significant foothold in the Southern Baptist Association in the 1940’s.
Anyone who doggedly opposes my opinion has brain damage. :-)
path to happiness
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Great way of looking at it. You can’t find pleasure or happiness by striving for pleasure or happiness.
Happiness is inherent in awareness and appreciation for each moment.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 8, 2019:
Great way of looking at it. You can’t find pleasure or happiness by striving for pleasure or happiness.
Happiness is inherent in awareness and appreciation for each moment.
As I sit here writing and glancing out the window now and then to watch a blizzard blasting the ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 7, 2019:
Sounds great. Enjoy!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 7, 2019:
Sounds great. Enjoy!
Is anyone else mildly excited about the CRISPR/Cas9, Gene Editing Tool?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 6, 2019:
Ha, I didn’t realize that there’s a gene for red-neckness.
Maybe there’s something I don’t know about it but I really don’t understand how you are going to get rid of all those genes, because every cell in your body has those DNA strands. You might prepare a sperm cell to be free from red-neckness so that your children won’t suffer from that malady. Be careful though. There are certain advantages to red-neckness. It can be fun huntin’ possums and makin’ shine, and periodic stays in jail can be stimulating. Maybe the world NEEDS a few rednecks.
An alternative might be to study up on epigenetics. Apparently we can change our genetics just through conscious choices of behavior, if I understand it correctly.
Also, look at this link that tnorman posted:
http://nautil.us/issue/68/context/its-the-end-of-the-gene-as-we-know-it?doex=1
Maybe there’s no such thing as a gene.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 6, 2019:
Ha, I didn’t realize that there’s a gene for red-neckness.
Maybe there’s something I don’t know about it but I really don’t understand how you are going to get rid of all those genes, because every cell in your body has those DNA strands. You might prepare a sperm cell to be free from red-neckness so that your children won’t suffer from that malady. Be careful though. There are certain advantages to red-neckness. It can be fun huntin’ possums and makin’ shine, and periodic stays in jail can be stimulating. Maybe the world NEEDS a few rednecks.
An alternative might be to study up on epigenetics. Apparently we can change our genetics just through conscious choices of behavior, if I understand it correctly.
Also, look at this link that tnorman posted:
http://nautil.us/issue/68/context/its-the-end-of-the-gene-as-we-know-it?doex=1
Maybe there’s no such thing as a gene.
The Creation Hymn of the Rig Veda asserts that in the beginning there was no air, no heavens, no ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 6, 2019:
All of those things of which there were none—those are human mind things with no substance. Locked in our illusory world as we are, Ultimate Reality can not be understood. From a cosmic level even the concept of creation has no meaning.
That’s not religion, it’s physics.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 6, 2019:
All of those things of which there were none—those are human mind things with no substance. Locked in our illusory world as we are, Ultimate Reality can not be understood. From a cosmic level even the concept of creation has no meaning.
That’s not religion, it’s physics.
Next time a Christian claims that you can't prove their god doesn't exist, don't fall for it, point ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
Smart guy. I liked the first part. Negatives are easily proven. Yes, you have to define the thing you are going to prove or disprove. That brought us to the second part of the video, and I am not persuaded. The definitions of God offered are not valid IMO. The ensuing “proof” is only a proof that the definitions are invalid. The argument is only an argument against the traditional myths and dogma of the Bible.
As I have said before, it is easy to prove that the moon is not made of cheese. Whether the moon exists or not is a different question.
A proof is only a persuasion and there is absolutely no “burden” of proof. It is, in fact, impossible for anyone to prove anything to another person. We can point toward evidence and we can demonstrate logical analysis. The other person, if open-minded, might examine that evidence and go through the analysis and eventually become persuaded to some degree of certainty. If he does though, it will be his own doings and not ours.
Maybe omnipotence just means the ability to influence events in the physical realm. Certainly events are influenced totally by natural laws. And really, conscious thought does shape the future.
Maybe omnipresence is a way of saying that space as we perceive it is an illusion and that everything is conjoined—non-local. Scientists are saying the same thing.
Omniscience? Maybe that means complete knowledge of everything in the physical realm—not such a far-fetched idea under the concept of universal consciousness.
So far as “God” being benevolent, nature/god doesn’t give a rat’s ass about whether a baby is born with cancer. Human bodies are a dime a dozen. Every girl is born with a million human eggs, and obviously they need not all become happy, successful people. We are not our bodies.
Benevolence is to be found in Ultimate Reality, of which we are extensions.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
Smart guy. I liked the first part. Negatives are easily proven. Yes, you have to define the thing you are going to prove or disprove. That brought us to the second part of the video, and I am not persuaded. The definitions of God offered are not valid IMO. The ensuing “proof” is only a proof that the definitions are invalid. The argument is only an argument against the traditional myths and dogma of the Bible.
As I have said before, it is easy to prove that the moon is not made of cheese. Whether the moon exists or not is a different question.
A proof is only a persuasion and there is absolutely no “burden” of proof. It is, in fact, impossible for anyone to prove anything to another person. We can point toward evidence and we can demonstrate logical analysis. The other person, if open-minded, might examine that evidence and go through the analysis and eventually become persuaded to some degree of certainty. If he does though, it will be his own doings and not ours.
Maybe omnipotence just means the ability to influence events in the physical realm. Certainly events are influenced totally by natural laws. And really, conscious thought does shape the future.
Maybe omnipresence is a way of saying that space as we perceive it is an illusion and that everything is conjoined—non-local. Scientists are saying the same thing.
Omniscience? Maybe that means complete knowledge of everything in the physical realm—not such a far-fetched idea under the concept of universal consciousness.
So far as “God” being benevolent, nature/god doesn’t give a rat’s ass about whether a baby is born with cancer. Human bodies are a dime a dozen. Every girl is born with a million human eggs, and obviously they need not all become happy, successful people. We are not our bodies.
Benevolence is to be found in Ultimate Reality, of which we are extensions.
Atheism???
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
I think consciousness is just onsciousness. Consciousness is the same when you are four as when you are a hundred and four, and it is the same for all organisms. We are swimming in consciousness—we ARE consciousness.
We would like to think that we are our bodies, and there are a hundred ways of reinforcing that egotistical delusion and hiding from our true Self : stay drunk, cloud the mind with lies, foster grievances, play the victim, stir up internal fear, wallow in guilt, think only of wealth and power, etc.
If a person finds himself mired in a relgious setting where fear and guilt are fostered and where belief in silly dogm is required, then to analyze all that and declare atheism is a great leap forward IMO. Becoming an atheist leads, not to “higher” consciousness, but to awareness of the consciousness that was there all along, and to freedom.
What is not so apparent is the tendency to cloud the mind with false thoughts about science—to tell ourselves that the universe is made of matter and that reality is handily explained by science. Sit proudly on the golden throne of scientism if you wish, but it is a throne sitting on quicksand. A dose of real science might sink your throne.
Do not leap from the frying pan of religious dogma into the fire of materialistic scientism. Throw away the bath water—keep the baby!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
I think consciousness is just onsciousness. Consciousness is the same when you are four as when you are a hundred and four, and it is the same for all organisms. We are swimming in consciousness—we ARE consciousness.
We would like to think that we are our bodies, and there are a hundred ways of reinforcing that egotistical delusion and hiding from our true Self : stay drunk, cloud the mind with lies, foster grievances, play the victim, stir up internal fear, wallow in guilt, think only of wealth and power, etc.
If a person finds himself mired in a relgious setting where fear and guilt are fostered and where belief in silly dogm is required, then to analyze all that and declare atheism is a great leap forward IMO. Becoming an atheist leads, not to “higher” consciousness, but to awareness of the consciousness that was there all along, and to freedom.
What is not so apparent is the tendency to cloud the mind with false thoughts about science—to tell ourselves that the universe is made of matter and that reality is handily explained by science. Sit proudly on the golden throne of scientism if you wish, but it is a throne sitting on quicksand. A dose of real science might sink your throne.
Do not leap from the frying pan of religious dogma into the fire of materialistic scientism. Throw away the bath water—keep the baby!
It's the End of the Gene As We Know It - Nautilus
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
It’s a very stimulating article. Thanks.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
It’s a very stimulating article. Thanks.
What Should We Tell People About Free Will? | Naturalism.org
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
Ha, if there’s no free will, what we “should” tell people is out of the picture and we do what we have to do. Why even raise the question? Oh, you have no choice but to raise the question I suppose.
Who anyway are the “we” who presume to know what they should be preaching in regards to free will? Who appointed them as the ones who know?
There is conscious awareness and free will. There is confusion about what we are.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 5, 2019:
Ha, if there’s no free will, what we “should” tell people is out of the picture and we do what we have to do. Why even raise the question? Oh, you have no choice but to raise the question I suppose.
Who anyway are the “we” who presume to know what they should be preaching in regards to free will? Who appointed them as the ones who know?
There is conscious awareness and free will. There is confusion about what we are.
You cannot prove God exists.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
A proof is nothing but a persuasion. You can easily persuade open-minded people that God, as depicted in the Old Testament, does not exist. However...
That is not necessarily the end of the discussion. If someone tells you the moon is made out of cheese you might easily disprove their assertion, but whether or not the moon exists is a different question entirely.
Before we try to persuade people about whether God exists or does not exist, we need to figure out what existence is and whether the concept of existence has meaning outside our bubble of perception. Since we are talking about being consciously aware of God we ought really to figure out the nature of conscious awareness. “We” should find out what we are also if we are going to settle this issue.
Being bewildered and overwhelmed as I am, I have nothing to add to the argument. I will say though, that the world of our perception is merely symbolic of an Ultimate Reality beyond. Putting a label on that which can not be defined or understood is a meaningless gesture.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
A proof is nothing but a persuasion. You can easily persuade open-minded people that God, as depicted in the Old Testament, does not exist. However...
That is not necessarily the end of the discussion. If someone tells you the moon is made out of cheese you might easily disprove their assertion, but whether or not the moon exists is a different question entirely.
Before we try to persuade people about whether God exists or does not exist, we need to figure out what existence is and whether the concept of existence has meaning outside our bubble of perception. Since we are talking about being consciously aware of God we ought really to figure out the nature of conscious awareness. “We” should find out what we are also if we are going to settle this issue.
Being bewildered and overwhelmed as I am, I have nothing to add to the argument. I will say though, that the world of our perception is merely symbolic of an Ultimate Reality beyond. Putting a label on that which can not be defined or understood is a meaningless gesture.
Time - the most misunderstood concept in science.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
How do you know all this? Do you know with absolute certainty? Do you really understand time on a deep level?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
How do you know all this? Do you know with absolute certainty? Do you really understand time on a deep level?
Corporate America is Causing undue harm to us without our permission or inclination!
Lawsuit ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/cellular-phone-towers.html
If you are locked into a particular belief you can find plenty of web sites to back up your belief.
If you want to learn truth look at reputable web sites.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/cellular-phone-towers.html
If you are locked into a particular belief you can find plenty of web sites to back up your belief.
If you want to learn truth look at reputable web sites.
Pew reports, 'Christians overrepresented in Congress': 55 percent Protestant, 30 percent Catholic, 6...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
I wonder what percentage of politicians say they are religious, hoping to get votes.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 4, 2019:
I wonder what percentage of politicians say they are religious, hoping to get votes.
Nikola Tesla Revealed The Most Efficient Way To Increase Human Energy
[disclose.tv]
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 3, 2019:
I am not convinced that this is a legitimate interview.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 3, 2019:
I am not convinced that this is a legitimate interview.
Submitted my disassociation letter to Jehovah’s Witnesses a few days ago.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Beautifully written. I admire your courage and intelligence, and I know you will stand your ground.
Having thrown off religious dogma you are now in a position to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of nature and reality on a deep and profound level and live in joy.
Congratulations!
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Beautifully written. I admire your courage and intelligence, and I know you will stand your ground.
Having thrown off religious dogma you are now in a position to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of nature and reality on a deep and profound level and live in joy.
Congratulations!
Existential Loneliness is on my mind.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
I think I follow you. Yes, we are alone. Sort of.
The book “Rethinking Madness” discusses man’s struggle to maintain balance between loneliness and engulfment by the all. There’s supposedly a middle way there somewhere.
Some of my finest memories are times of being and feeling very alone, but yet having warm moments of casual connection—just humans sticking together and supporting each other.
Suppose that we do fall out of our egos and join that great oneness. if we are one with that oneness and that oneness is truly one, then we’ll still be alone, wouldn’t you say?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
I think I follow you. Yes, we are alone. Sort of.
The book “Rethinking Madness” discusses man’s struggle to maintain balance between loneliness and engulfment by the all. There’s supposedly a middle way there somewhere.
Some of my finest memories are times of being and feeling very alone, but yet having warm moments of casual connection—just humans sticking together and supporting each other.
Suppose that we do fall out of our egos and join that great oneness. if we are one with that oneness and that oneness is truly one, then we’ll still be alone, wouldn’t you say?
The Cage
I wonder so often why I wander,
through the valleys of the unforgiven.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece of writing.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece of writing.
I love this:
“May Light always surround you;
Hope kindle and rebound you.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Lots of beautiful and inspiring poetry all at once.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Lots of beautiful and inspiring poetry all at once.
Will Western Civilization die like some people say? Will humanity go extinct one day?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Why “Western”? The whole globe is becoming more and more connected and interdependent. World civilization as we know it might collapse or change.
Even without modern technology pockets of humanity might survive and thrive.
At some point the earth might be enveloped by the sun. It’s OK. There’s nothing to fear.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
Why “Western”? The whole globe is becoming more and more connected and interdependent. World civilization as we know it might collapse or change.
Even without modern technology pockets of humanity might survive and thrive.
At some point the earth might be enveloped by the sun. It’s OK. There’s nothing to fear.
An interesting essay, although now a couple of years old.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
There are a lot of unfounded assertions in there. I’m not convinced it’s any more than a foaming-at-the-mouth diatribe.
“It is time for this weapon to be dismantled to stop this madness.”
Really, and who is to do the dismantling? Zealots have attempted just that many times and religion never stays dismantled. The religious impulse is deeply ingrained in humanity, and is there for reasons. Better to work toward better, more advanced religions IMO.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
There are a lot of unfounded assertions in there. I’m not convinced it’s any more than a foaming-at-the-mouth diatribe.
“It is time for this weapon to be dismantled to stop this madness.”
Really, and who is to do the dismantling? Zealots have attempted just that many times and religion never stays dismantled. The religious impulse is deeply ingrained in humanity, and is there for reasons. Better to work toward better, more advanced religions IMO.
What is the Evidence for Evolution? - YouTube
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
It’s a great video so far as it goes but I expect it’s preaching to the choir around here. Not mentioned at all is the traditional idea that evolution is driven strictly by mutations and natural selection, random and mechanistic events without conscious input.
Studies in epigenetics show that evolutionary changes can take place far too quickly to be accounted for by mutations and random selection. What could be the explanation for this? Universal consciousness?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
It’s a great video so far as it goes but I expect it’s preaching to the choir around here. Not mentioned at all is the traditional idea that evolution is driven strictly by mutations and natural selection, random and mechanistic events without conscious input.
Studies in epigenetics show that evolutionary changes can take place far too quickly to be accounted for by mutations and random selection. What could be the explanation for this? Universal consciousness?
The goodness of people depends on the intentions of their brains and not on their religion or ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
How can a mass of neurons have intentions? It seems impossible unless you believe in miracles.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 2, 2019:
How can a mass of neurons have intentions? It seems impossible unless you believe in miracles.
The Other Side of Paradise: How I Left a Buddhist Retreat in Handcuffs
Interesting and rather ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
There are some real gems of wisdom in that article.
“...life is a lot more mysterious than we give it credit for. Ninety-five per cent of the known universe is utterly unknown and unknowable to us. This isn’t propagated in public discourse enough, because of which people are led to this materialist, reductionist idea of reality which leaves them feeling bereft. It leaves them feeling dead inside and as a result you get more people having breakdowns thinking, ‘What is the point of it all?’
And this: “What has always been true,” says Dr Razzaque, “is that when we’re talking about mental health problems and emotional problems, we’re effectively talking about the very nature of consciousness. And nobody really knows what consciousness is. Until we can define the base of what we’re talking about, how can we define an abnormality of consciousness? I don’t think you’ll find a definition of consciousness that’s indisputable, that works. I firmly believe our brains aren’t big enough to understand the firmament we’re in. A fish in water doesn’t really know it’s in water.”
A book that relates psychoses and spirituality is “Rethinking Madness”, It is a book well worth reading IMO. The author says that people create their own psychoses, reordering and reconstructing themselves so as to overcome an unbearable life of stress and fear. It is a natural and healthy process. Those having psychoses, if given support and treated with respect, almost always eventually grow into happier people. Those drugged into oblivion are not as likely to overcome.
I would be careful about blaming the onset of psychoses just on meditation. There were pre-existing circumstances. For myself, I will continue to meditate, but only in a moderate way.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
There are some real gems of wisdom in that article.
“...life is a lot more mysterious than we give it credit for. Ninety-five per cent of the known universe is utterly unknown and unknowable to us. This isn’t propagated in public discourse enough, because of which people are led to this materialist, reductionist idea of reality which leaves them feeling bereft. It leaves them feeling dead inside and as a result you get more people having breakdowns thinking, ‘What is the point of it all?’
And this: “What has always been true,” says Dr Razzaque, “is that when we’re talking about mental health problems and emotional problems, we’re effectively talking about the very nature of consciousness. And nobody really knows what consciousness is. Until we can define the base of what we’re talking about, how can we define an abnormality of consciousness? I don’t think you’ll find a definition of consciousness that’s indisputable, that works. I firmly believe our brains aren’t big enough to understand the firmament we’re in. A fish in water doesn’t really know it’s in water.”
A book that relates psychoses and spirituality is “Rethinking Madness”, It is a book well worth reading IMO. The author says that people create their own psychoses, reordering and reconstructing themselves so as to overcome an unbearable life of stress and fear. It is a natural and healthy process. Those having psychoses, if given support and treated with respect, almost always eventually grow into happier people. Those drugged into oblivion are not as likely to overcome.
I would be careful about blaming the onset of psychoses just on meditation. There were pre-existing circumstances. For myself, I will continue to meditate, but only in a moderate way.
One of the things I've always noticed about the bible belt is they have a grudge against "book ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
The South is a vast, diverse region which contains over a third of the US population. Studies show that religion is slightly more important in the South than in the other regions, but I don’t think that justifies the “Bible Belt” label.
You can find whatever you want in the South.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
The South is a vast, diverse region which contains over a third of the US population. Studies show that religion is slightly more important in the South than in the other regions, but I don’t think that justifies the “Bible Belt” label.
You can find whatever you want in the South.
Spiritual but not religious?
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
For me, to be spiritual is to be deeply aware of the profound significance of reality and to live in awe and appreciation for its overwhelming dazzling mystery.
For religion to mean much it should be based on spirituality. Without spirituality religion becomes just rote adherence to dogma, and quits being religion. A set of beliefs is important for those carrying the flag of religion, but spirituality is not about belief. A spiritual person is enrapt by nature and has no time for arguments about belief or non belief in the unknowable.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
For me, to be spiritual is to be deeply aware of the profound significance of reality and to live in awe and appreciation for its overwhelming dazzling mystery.
For religion to mean much it should be based on spirituality. Without spirituality religion becomes just rote adherence to dogma, and quits being religion. A set of beliefs is important for those carrying the flag of religion, but spirituality is not about belief. A spiritual person is enrapt by nature and has no time for arguments about belief or non belief in the unknowable.
A new species is evolving right before our eyes — an ultra-successful mix of wolves, coyotes and ...
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
Very interesting. I think I’ve seen some of these new animals.
There are hybrid humans all around me, some of whom seem very superior in ways.
WilliamFleming comments on Jan 1, 2019:
Very interesting. I think I’ve seen some of these new animals.
There are hybrid humans all around me, some of whom seem very superior in ways.
It invokes visions of rebellion when you wake up one morning and realize you are but slaves to the ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I’m guessing here. To escape corporate America I could move to Canada onto an island in a large lake. I could eat moose and fish and grow green vegetables and potatoes. I could heat with wood and write creative stories to earn a little cash.
It sounds very inviting except that I am too old to do that. Would I be lonely?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I’m guessing here. To escape corporate America I could move to Canada onto an island in a large lake. I could eat moose and fish and grow green vegetables and potatoes. I could heat with wood and write creative stories to earn a little cash.
It sounds very inviting except that I am too old to do that. Would I be lonely?
5 Ways Atheism Can Be Spiritual | Thought Catalog
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I don’t think the writer has caught the essence of spirituality. A spiritually oriented person has thrown out the bath water and kept the baby. Such a person is enrapt and awed by the deep, mysterious questions of existence, and he has no answers.
Most important, a spiritual person experiences the spiritual dimension, realizing that the world of our senses is illusory.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I don’t think the writer has caught the essence of spirituality. A spiritually oriented person has thrown out the bath water and kept the baby. Such a person is enrapt and awed by the deep, mysterious questions of existence, and he has no answers.
Most important, a spiritual person experiences the spiritual dimension, realizing that the world of our senses is illusory.
What stick figures?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
After much effort I saw the stick figures. Is there something else there? :-)
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
After much effort I saw the stick figures. Is there something else there? :-)
Armed man wearing surgical mask headed to Texas church to 'fulfill prophecy'
SEGUIN, Texas — ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
This deranged guy does not fit the profile of a mass shooter IMO.
I was in a convenience store once when a guy came in, approached a teenaged boy, and announced that he was Jesus Christ. His next move was to pull out a large knife and make a furious, powerful downward stab which luckily only ripped up the teenager’s down parka. It was not a very Christ-like gesture IMO.
There does seem to be some sort of correlation between religion and psychosis, but I’m not sure if it’s legitimate to blame psychoses on religion. There is probably a common cause, such as drug usage.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
This deranged guy does not fit the profile of a mass shooter IMO.
I was in a convenience store once when a guy came in, approached a teenaged boy, and announced that he was Jesus Christ. His next move was to pull out a large knife and make a furious, powerful downward stab which luckily only ripped up the teenager’s down parka. It was not a very Christ-like gesture IMO.
There does seem to be some sort of correlation between religion and psychosis, but I’m not sure if it’s legitimate to blame psychoses on religion. There is probably a common cause, such as drug usage.
Everything is connected
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
Not only are we connected. Our true and real essence is one single thing IMO. Identity as a body is only an illusion.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
Not only are we connected. Our true and real essence is one single thing IMO. Identity as a body is only an illusion.
I know this may be pushing the boundaries here a tiny bit, but I have cried every time I have ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
It’s touching.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
It’s touching.
Most of us on this site are sceptics (or skeptics, in the case of non-Brits), but many sceptics ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
You are lumping together a whole bunch of things that you don’t like, but some of those concepts might have validity.
What is new physics and what is wrong with it? I thought physics was physics. If by free energy you are talking about cold fusion aka LENR, I think the world is going to be in for a big surprise there—and soon. It’s not free though. Some of the ESP studies are very persuasive. Did you mean to include reincarnation? There’s excellent evidence for reincarnation.
What’s woo today might not be woo tomorrow.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
You are lumping together a whole bunch of things that you don’t like, but some of those concepts might have validity.
What is new physics and what is wrong with it? I thought physics was physics. If by free energy you are talking about cold fusion aka LENR, I think the world is going to be in for a big surprise there—and soon. It’s not free though. Some of the ESP studies are very persuasive. Did you mean to include reincarnation? There’s excellent evidence for reincarnation.
What’s woo today might not be woo tomorrow.
It invokes visions of rebellion when you wake up one morning and realize you are but slaves to the ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
Since my modest retirement fund is invested in stocks and bonds, I am those evil corporations of which you speak.
You can not escape my clutches. Suffer. :-)
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
Since my modest retirement fund is invested in stocks and bonds, I am those evil corporations of which you speak.
You can not escape my clutches. Suffer. :-)
I have decided to block all "believers" just to save myself time and headaches.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I can sympathize with blocking those who are caught up in church dogma and are on an ego-fueled mission to convert all of us to their opinions.
But what about those with spiritual leanings? I lean toward the idea of Universal Consciousness. I don’t call that “God”, but there are those who do. Are you going to block me?
Maybe you already did and don’t see what I am writing. :-(
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
I can sympathize with blocking those who are caught up in church dogma and are on an ego-fueled mission to convert all of us to their opinions.
But what about those with spiritual leanings? I lean toward the idea of Universal Consciousness. I don’t call that “God”, but there are those who do. Are you going to block me?
Maybe you already did and don’t see what I am writing. :-(
What the religious doesn’t understand that all of us would believe if the real God just showed up.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
What has “showed up” is an unfathomablly miraculous Nature that somehow sprang into existence by herself and created certain unbreakable laws She brought life into existence, and is awash with conscious awareness.
There’s no need to ask that gods manifest themselves. What is already manifest takes the cake.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 31, 2018:
What has “showed up” is an unfathomablly miraculous Nature that somehow sprang into existence by herself and created certain unbreakable laws She brought life into existence, and is awash with conscious awareness.
There’s no need to ask that gods manifest themselves. What is already manifest takes the cake.
Human’s really are insignificant.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 30, 2018:
Our human bodies are insignificant and temporary but our true essence is conscious awareness which is overwhelmingly significant.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 30, 2018:
Our human bodies are insignificant and temporary but our true essence is conscious awareness which is overwhelmingly significant.
Many people like to argue or debate about god and religion, but I like the idea expressed here.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 30, 2018:
Some of their ideas might have value. Maybe we should allow them to plant their seeds in our minds also.
If it turns out to be a weed we can hoe it out later.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 30, 2018:
Some of their ideas might have value. Maybe we should allow them to plant their seeds in our minds also.
If it turns out to be a weed we can hoe it out later.
Has anyone a clue what " To obtain wisdom" means?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
I’ve known some fairly young people who seemed to have wisdom in certain areas. Maybe we are all wise in our special strong areas and unwise in our weak areas.
For me, wisdom is to have a deep awareness and connection with life and your environment and to understand phenomena in depth so that you make good decisions and live with self confidence. Maybe people get that way through direct experience, mental analysis and meditation. Maybe part of it is innate.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
I’ve known some fairly young people who seemed to have wisdom in certain areas. Maybe we are all wise in our special strong areas and unwise in our weak areas.
For me, wisdom is to have a deep awareness and connection with life and your environment and to understand phenomena in depth so that you make good decisions and live with self confidence. Maybe people get that way through direct experience, mental analysis and meditation. Maybe part of it is innate.
What would a highly functional society without religion look like?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
You can read about state atheism in Wikipedia and you’ll learn that non-religious societies have been enforced over wide regions of the earth. Some of them functioned somewhat highly for awhile. Some still function. Most fell into famine, war, tyranny, torture, gulag, and so on.
You can get your answer by learning about those places.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
You can read about state atheism in Wikipedia and you’ll learn that non-religious societies have been enforced over wide regions of the earth. Some of them functioned somewhat highly for awhile. Some still function. Most fell into famine, war, tyranny, torture, gulag, and so on.
You can get your answer by learning about those places.
"If you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, he will spend it's entire life believing it is...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
I hope beyond hope that Albert was not so insensitive as to make such an antipiscatorial comment. As a matter of fact there are fish that do climb trees, and very well, and fish are great flyers as well.
There are lots of flying fish, while many birds fly little or none. Hence, we can make a general statement:
FISH ARE BETTER FLYERS THAN BIRDS.
There is a popular myth that due to genetic differences birds fly better than fish, but that myth needs to be dispelled. It is true that some studies have shown fish as a group to be deficient in flying, but that is clearly due to early childhood conditioning, peer pressure, and social expectations. To help fish achieve their due status as flyers, new laws must be enacted to protect them from the bigotry of piscaphobic individuals.
Because of negative associations, henceforth that awful F word (f__h) is to be avoided. The new word will be "Aeroquat". In future, anyone who uses the F word will find himself demonized and banished from polite company.
Textbooks must be rewritten to reflect the new meme. University courses in Aeroquatic awareness must be required.
News outlets, such as this one, must stand constant watch so as to enforce proper thought and speech patterns on the uneducated working under-classes in regard to our Aeroquatic citizens.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
I hope beyond hope that Albert was not so insensitive as to make such an antipiscatorial comment. As a matter of fact there are fish that do climb trees, and very well, and fish are great flyers as well.
There are lots of flying fish, while many birds fly little or none. Hence, we can make a general statement:
FISH ARE BETTER FLYERS THAN BIRDS.
There is a popular myth that due to genetic differences birds fly better than fish, but that myth needs to be dispelled. It is true that some studies have shown fish as a group to be deficient in flying, but that is clearly due to early childhood conditioning, peer pressure, and social expectations. To help fish achieve their due status as flyers, new laws must be enacted to protect them from the bigotry of piscaphobic individuals.
Because of negative associations, henceforth that awful F word (f__h) is to be avoided. The new word will be "Aeroquat". In future, anyone who uses the F word will find himself demonized and banished from polite company.
Textbooks must be rewritten to reflect the new meme. University courses in Aeroquatic awareness must be required.
News outlets, such as this one, must stand constant watch so as to enforce proper thought and speech patterns on the uneducated working under-classes in regard to our Aeroquatic citizens.
Try to remember what this country is capable of being when the intelligent,moral and compassionate ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
An intelligent person: One who agrees with me.
A moral person: One who does what I want him to do.
A compassionate person: One who votes for government to give me lots of freebies.
A wise person: One who respects the opinions of his fellow citizens and accepts the results of an election.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 29, 2018:
An intelligent person: One who agrees with me.
A moral person: One who does what I want him to do.
A compassionate person: One who votes for government to give me lots of freebies.
A wise person: One who respects the opinions of his fellow citizens and accepts the results of an election.
Dwindling tolerance.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
I would never go willingly to a place with a blaring television, and certainly not where there were multiple TV’s. How can you hear anything?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
I would never go willingly to a place with a blaring television, and certainly not where there were multiple TV’s. How can you hear anything?
Where did this idea that people should live in a world where they are never offended come from?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
People who are offended offend themselves.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
People who are offended offend themselves.
Seeing quite a few rather sexists posts just lately.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
I missed it. Please give an example of what you’re talking about.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
I missed it. Please give an example of what you’re talking about.
Do Science & Religion Conflict Over Morality?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
Both religion and science exist only as idea stuff, and there is absolutely no conflict between them in any way. There are people who seize upon either science or religion in a dogmatic way to use as a shield against the stark, overpowering implications of existence. There might be arguments and conflict between humans who are defending their precious worldviews, but those arguments are meaningless. Neither side has the slightest idea of what they’re talking about.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 28, 2018:
Both religion and science exist only as idea stuff, and there is absolutely no conflict between them in any way. There are people who seize upon either science or religion in a dogmatic way to use as a shield against the stark, overpowering implications of existence. There might be arguments and conflict between humans who are defending their precious worldviews, but those arguments are meaningless. Neither side has the slightest idea of what they’re talking about.
The non belivers I know seem to be more balanced mentally more tolorant of others opinions, show ...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
So far as knowing who is mentally imbalanced, I have no credentials in that department. In my opinion though, a measure of mental imbalance can be a good thing.
There’s some slick-talking preachers around here who show no anxiety at all when dealing with others. Run of the mill church-goers are a mixed bag, but I seem to relate better with non-believers, so long as I keep quiet about my spiritualistic tendencies.
Nobody wants to be bullied by atheists or church types. It’s best IMO not to divide up into groups based on religious opinion, but to respect everyone as a dazzling expression of the universe.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
So far as knowing who is mentally imbalanced, I have no credentials in that department. In my opinion though, a measure of mental imbalance can be a good thing.
There’s some slick-talking preachers around here who show no anxiety at all when dealing with others. Run of the mill church-goers are a mixed bag, but I seem to relate better with non-believers, so long as I keep quiet about my spiritualistic tendencies.
Nobody wants to be bullied by atheists or church types. It’s best IMO not to divide up into groups based on religious opinion, but to respect everyone as a dazzling expression of the universe.
Love and compassion is my religion...
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Wow, and here I’ve been trying to project my metaphysical opinions on you guys. Maybe it’s time to back off.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Wow, and here I’ve been trying to project my metaphysical opinions on you guys. Maybe it’s time to back off.
Beliefs inform actions. Actions have consequences
[youtu.be]
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
I’m not going to pollute my psyche with the sordid details.
I would be leery of blaming religion in general for something like this. There’s no need to blame anyone.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
I’m not going to pollute my psyche with the sordid details.
I would be leery of blaming religion in general for something like this. There’s no need to blame anyone.
Do you all participate in Christmas celebration and how? If not, what do you do?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
We are enjoying our winter Yuletide behavior patterns, patterns established in dim prehistoric eras.
No I am not thinking about the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. I hear he was a pretty good guy, however everyone is born and dies at some point. The position of the earth in its orbit at somebody’s birth is a trivial and superficial bit of information and is of no interest.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
We are enjoying our winter Yuletide behavior patterns, patterns established in dim prehistoric eras.
No I am not thinking about the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. I hear he was a pretty good guy, however everyone is born and dies at some point. The position of the earth in its orbit at somebody’s birth is a trivial and superficial bit of information and is of no interest.
"There is no container and anything to be contained" .
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
It’s eerie alright, but the concept of things “happening” or being created at particular times—that is a human mind thing which is meaningless from a cosmic perspective. According to quantum gravity theory time does not exist. Even the concept of existence is a phantom, having meaning only within our human realm.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
It’s eerie alright, but the concept of things “happening” or being created at particular times—that is a human mind thing which is meaningless from a cosmic perspective. According to quantum gravity theory time does not exist. Even the concept of existence is a phantom, having meaning only within our human realm.
Question: How do humanity and its social structures evolve in history?
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Maybe the most basic human social structures arose from primitive behavior patterns. Those behavior patterns which evolved over millions of years are the most deep-seated ones because there has been time for less successful alternative behavior patterns to be weeded out. Examples might be the tendency to engage in combat, evident even in our chimpanzee cousins, which has led to the social structures called armies. Innate religious behavior led to churches, trading behavior led to factories and businesses, gender roles led to families.
As you say, we humans are consciously aware and have the ability to shape the direction of evolution. But it might be hard or impossible to change our most basic behavior patterns and their associated social structures because their origins are in the distant past and they form an integral part of who we are as human bodies.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Maybe the most basic human social structures arose from primitive behavior patterns. Those behavior patterns which evolved over millions of years are the most deep-seated ones because there has been time for less successful alternative behavior patterns to be weeded out. Examples might be the tendency to engage in combat, evident even in our chimpanzee cousins, which has led to the social structures called armies. Innate religious behavior led to churches, trading behavior led to factories and businesses, gender roles led to families.
As you say, we humans are consciously aware and have the ability to shape the direction of evolution. But it might be hard or impossible to change our most basic behavior patterns and their associated social structures because their origins are in the distant past and they form an integral part of who we are as human bodies.
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