OGKnickfan
Enlightened
First off, I am not a Buddhist. In fact, I never became one. I studied Buddhist texts, in my early twenties, before moving on to other spiritual interests. Since you wrote your erroneous Buddhist Monk thread, I discussed Buddhism with you and added a sig of the Buddha to my profile.
Your first answer to my comparison of your deity versus that of others, as indistinguishable, insofar as their existence, entailed action. You said that "Jehovah acts, and the others don't." But there is no action. You must be talking about your belief in the verity of the powers that your god exhibited in the bible. These are unproven to anyone. Krishna shows his "universal form" to various characters in the Bhagavad Gita (The Lord's Song). This was meant to show them that he created all.
I am sure they could speak as if their story was real, like you do about yours. This just means that they believe these things happened, not that they actually happened. You act as if there is video tape of a divinely created burning bush.
And you refuse to answer the question of superiority. The very nature of the emphasis most Christian groups put on reward, versus your god arbitrarily deciding not to grant the non-believers, as a bloc, eternal life, is the definition of spiritual arrogance and self-perceived superiority. Even if you do not feel it, the bible created these two distinctions: the narrow road and the wide, to motivate believers and threaten non-believers. This is the very reason why Christians have relished in their persecution of non-Christians, be it through the crusades or the act of dis-fellowshiping.
And again, you grew up in a Christian society. No one asked you to give up your culture, religion, and history, to follow Russell's witnesses. The leap is much smaller, when moving from Catholic Christianity to JW Christianity, than when moving from Jainism to any form of Christianity. It is insensitive, and is symptomatic of self-centered belief, to be unable to recognize this.
"If, for instance, He would have magically made the book appear, would you believe that instead? Probably not. Makes better sense to have many men, in different era's write it, along with prophetic word, that those truly seeking God, will have no issue making sense of, correct?"
My answer to this: yes, I would be more likely to believe the bible to be from a supreme being, if it magically appeared. No, it does not make sense to have people write a book and then claim to have been told the contents of it by a supreme being. They may be liars or schizophrenic. They may be high on some sort of hallucinogen.
And you just exposed yourself by claiming that God would need people to write for him, so that his words made be make sense to those "truly seeking God." In other words, you are implying that your God does not have the power to make, at the least, perfect sense to those "truly seeking God."
Further, what makes you think I do not truly seek God? Just because I do not accept the Hebrew deity as the creator of the world, it does not mean I have no belief in a supreme force. I actually do, but I think it is useless to spend time contemplating on it. You only serve creation by living, and treating other living creatures, with dignity. One's time should be spent improving oneself. This is the problem with your beliefs, they distract attention from oneself, which is why many of your Christian brethren fall so short of objective moral conduct (crossing all cultural boundaries) and thought, both overtly and subtly. Why would a being or force create one to put one's energies into belief in old, rotting pages and not the elevation of one's presence in this world?
And it is your denomination's theology, like that of most Christian groups, to use fear. Your watchtowers consistently print issues that ask something like, "When will all suffering end?" "Do you want to live forever?" This is meant to motivate a person according to his or her selfishness (of receiving compensation for believing), as well as his or her fear (of being condemned for not believing). Of course, there is more to it all: the euphoria of being told you are the chosen people, the feeling of belonging to a group of the distinguished, the constant positive reinforcement: "you really know your bible, KFL" "you are definitely going to paradise, KFL," "What will you do in paradise, KFL?"
And when you use the words love and peace, when referring to life in paradise, the words are so loaded with dogma, as well as heathen ideas. Peace is probably best described by balance, homeostasis. Most religions are devoid of this, there is a lack of balance, and, instead, an emphasis on certain things, the neglect of others. Why? Because the authors of these religions have one-track minds, full of certain leanings and definitions that are the result of ideology. There is no purity or innocence in their words.
Love is principally defined by a deep well of compassion. A religion where its deity murders children and women, sanctions that women are subjugated, wherein slavery is promoted, is devoid of love.
As for everything being a "colossal fail in comparison" you would not know that, because you live within the fence of JW theology. JW are not even supposed to visit other temples, churches, etc., so you have no idea what they teach.
And almost every religion has a concept of life after death. In Hinduism, this is called reincarnation into another being, which is based on one's Karma. In Buddhism, selfishness and desire bring you back, over and over, into existence, which the Buddha describes as suffering: age, sickness and craving. I do not believe in any of these more than any other. Why? Because there is no reason to speculate. You would have to die, in order to know. The difference between you and I is that I know that. You seem to think that you know what happens after death, because the Russell's Witnesses have told you.
On your concept of spiritual brotherhood, if you believe that our existence is spiritual in nature, then everyone and thing is supposed to be a sister or brother to you. Some of these people are evil in nature. For those, I can only feel pity, but they are still a brother or sister. It is sad that the JW prevent you from perceiving that.
So... Jehovah can blame the Pharaoh for what he did? Right! And, sir, the hard-heartedness is in your deity, which is why the truly compassionate, or those that strive for compassion, cannot submit to its will. No amount of threats of "rain," no amount of threats of loss of reward can convince people like me to believe in an unproven being that acts in this manner. And I am content to live now, in the hopes of helping as many living beings as I can, if I can.
And his followers are Jehovah's legacy, and their irrational, violent (disfellowshiping, the crusades), divisive (God's ONLY witnesses), threatening (THE RAIN) behavior, which you have exposed, are it. Here is your man God of the Hebrews! Impressive. I want the threats and fear to come out, and I have done that. This is what keeps you in the hall.
As for your explanation of why the Jews were the chosen people, look: every group of people, clan, tribe, etc., has had their own deity, clan God, etc. Why do you think, for example, that the bible refers to Jehovah as "The God of the Hebrews," which intimates that there are possibly other Gods but that this one belongs too them?
The fact that, in later times, the book was modified to allow everyone in is the work of a more inclusive mind. This still does not, however, change the fact of Jehovah's origins as a Semitic clan deity. Proof: he is a man (the Jews were a patrilineal society), other societies have had female deities, because they are matrilineal, he prefers Abel over Cain (they were a pastoral society and try to prove their favor over farmers). It is not a real god!
"Good thing is, Jehovah is the one who can fix it." You said that in reference to my posing of a question about Jehovah's wrath. It is pretty obvious that you admitted his wrath was a mistake. Otherwise, why would you use the word "mistake." I think you are beginning to see your morality trump the bible's stories.
Why do JW always use the same vocabulary, such as "do your own thing?" It is a pretty cheap quality. I am not selfish, so it is not about doing my own thing. I do not follow because I do not see the need to follow a supreme being. Just as the animals need not follow a more intelligent being, in nature, we need not follow a more intelligent being ourselves. I see it as our duty to be moral, strive for wisdom, humility, and compassion, particularly as the most powerful creatures on the Earth, who have the most ability to take care of the Earth's state. A supreme being or force would not need us to acknowledge it, give it worship. It would, if it existed, instead want us to live rightly.
This idea of a worshiping deity is a human concept, the giving of honor and the pleasures that come with that.
You are right, philosophy and spiritual search can become ideological, like with Christianity and the other religions. In fact, it often does. This is not the point. The point is that a governing body, or some other kind of ruling body, stagnates individual growth, key word: individual.
It does not allow one to gain true wisdom, true understanding, pathless, non-ideological perception: seeing for oneself. Wisdom cannot be organized. The JWs are especially bad because they have an actual body of people that dictate theology and action. This is profound in its opposition to spiritual growth and wisdom.
See for yourself, hear for yourself. Do the work of reaching the truth for yourself. Only you can save you. I might give you some words of advice, but it is ultimately up to you to try to encounter reality.
And you asked if there are not other Buddhists repeating what I do. I am not a Buddhist, and what I say comes from personal understanding, gained from countless occasions of having sat down to contemplate, engage in readings, conversations, etc., independent of any religion. Sure, there are people that might say similar things, but it is not because I am tied to any organization or because I sit with them to get our stories straight, or because I am told what to say, or listen to what people have written or spoken and then internalize it. If others say what I say, it is mere co-incidence. With you, you say the same thing as others, as the result of a very calculated process. I started off much like you, but the intention was always to go off on my own.
Contrary to your last post, accepting a deity does not determine if one is Good or not, which is why members of your organization commit all sorts of atrocities, in spite of their belief in Jehovah. Others do not, but belief in the deity has nothing to do with their moral understanding of compassion, self-respect, love, loyalty, etc.
So... are you going to knock on doors and tell everyone, not just on the web, that is not a JW how they are immoral because of this. Answer the question. And if everyone, outside of your organization, was so immoral, you would be wiped from existence, by the very same governments and people that you call into question.
To answer your question, when I meditate, it is not a practice of talking to a who: a concept of God as a person, created by people, obviously. I meditate to achieve a silence of the mind, a destruction of the self, desire and weakness. Meditation allows the being to be free from self, to detach from self, and the things that maintain self, i.e., affiliations of all kind, addictions, attachment of all kinds, etc.
Oh, so you are saying the bible says that Jesus will return invisibly, to allow everything to continue as it is, in 1914? I haven't seen that in the bible. I know it says that you should stone psychics, like CT Russell. I know that the bible says Jesus is coming back, period, to end things. Period. Not that I believe any of this bunk.
And lastly, I repeat, your organization is not special, simply because you are not transformed by your practice. Your members, down to the longest standing, and I know a few of these, simply repeat what they are told. They constantly talk about paradise, "doing your own thing," and "the only people who follow the bible." They move into this religion and remain what they become. The very process is full of attachment, identification, labels, just like everything else. There is nothing unique here. Liberation, here, does not exist.
Read for yourself, study the Buddhist texts: Dhammapatta, try the American book, The Gospel of Buddha. Try reading books by Krishnamurti, Ken Wilbur. Expand your understanding and existence.
Your first answer to my comparison of your deity versus that of others, as indistinguishable, insofar as their existence, entailed action. You said that "Jehovah acts, and the others don't." But there is no action. You must be talking about your belief in the verity of the powers that your god exhibited in the bible. These are unproven to anyone. Krishna shows his "universal form" to various characters in the Bhagavad Gita (The Lord's Song). This was meant to show them that he created all.
I am sure they could speak as if their story was real, like you do about yours. This just means that they believe these things happened, not that they actually happened. You act as if there is video tape of a divinely created burning bush.
And you refuse to answer the question of superiority. The very nature of the emphasis most Christian groups put on reward, versus your god arbitrarily deciding not to grant the non-believers, as a bloc, eternal life, is the definition of spiritual arrogance and self-perceived superiority. Even if you do not feel it, the bible created these two distinctions: the narrow road and the wide, to motivate believers and threaten non-believers. This is the very reason why Christians have relished in their persecution of non-Christians, be it through the crusades or the act of dis-fellowshiping.
And again, you grew up in a Christian society. No one asked you to give up your culture, religion, and history, to follow Russell's witnesses. The leap is much smaller, when moving from Catholic Christianity to JW Christianity, than when moving from Jainism to any form of Christianity. It is insensitive, and is symptomatic of self-centered belief, to be unable to recognize this.
"If, for instance, He would have magically made the book appear, would you believe that instead? Probably not. Makes better sense to have many men, in different era's write it, along with prophetic word, that those truly seeking God, will have no issue making sense of, correct?"
My answer to this: yes, I would be more likely to believe the bible to be from a supreme being, if it magically appeared. No, it does not make sense to have people write a book and then claim to have been told the contents of it by a supreme being. They may be liars or schizophrenic. They may be high on some sort of hallucinogen.
And you just exposed yourself by claiming that God would need people to write for him, so that his words made be make sense to those "truly seeking God." In other words, you are implying that your God does not have the power to make, at the least, perfect sense to those "truly seeking God."
Further, what makes you think I do not truly seek God? Just because I do not accept the Hebrew deity as the creator of the world, it does not mean I have no belief in a supreme force. I actually do, but I think it is useless to spend time contemplating on it. You only serve creation by living, and treating other living creatures, with dignity. One's time should be spent improving oneself. This is the problem with your beliefs, they distract attention from oneself, which is why many of your Christian brethren fall so short of objective moral conduct (crossing all cultural boundaries) and thought, both overtly and subtly. Why would a being or force create one to put one's energies into belief in old, rotting pages and not the elevation of one's presence in this world?
And it is your denomination's theology, like that of most Christian groups, to use fear. Your watchtowers consistently print issues that ask something like, "When will all suffering end?" "Do you want to live forever?" This is meant to motivate a person according to his or her selfishness (of receiving compensation for believing), as well as his or her fear (of being condemned for not believing). Of course, there is more to it all: the euphoria of being told you are the chosen people, the feeling of belonging to a group of the distinguished, the constant positive reinforcement: "you really know your bible, KFL" "you are definitely going to paradise, KFL," "What will you do in paradise, KFL?"
And when you use the words love and peace, when referring to life in paradise, the words are so loaded with dogma, as well as heathen ideas. Peace is probably best described by balance, homeostasis. Most religions are devoid of this, there is a lack of balance, and, instead, an emphasis on certain things, the neglect of others. Why? Because the authors of these religions have one-track minds, full of certain leanings and definitions that are the result of ideology. There is no purity or innocence in their words.
Love is principally defined by a deep well of compassion. A religion where its deity murders children and women, sanctions that women are subjugated, wherein slavery is promoted, is devoid of love.
As for everything being a "colossal fail in comparison" you would not know that, because you live within the fence of JW theology. JW are not even supposed to visit other temples, churches, etc., so you have no idea what they teach.
And almost every religion has a concept of life after death. In Hinduism, this is called reincarnation into another being, which is based on one's Karma. In Buddhism, selfishness and desire bring you back, over and over, into existence, which the Buddha describes as suffering: age, sickness and craving. I do not believe in any of these more than any other. Why? Because there is no reason to speculate. You would have to die, in order to know. The difference between you and I is that I know that. You seem to think that you know what happens after death, because the Russell's Witnesses have told you.
On your concept of spiritual brotherhood, if you believe that our existence is spiritual in nature, then everyone and thing is supposed to be a sister or brother to you. Some of these people are evil in nature. For those, I can only feel pity, but they are still a brother or sister. It is sad that the JW prevent you from perceiving that.
So... Jehovah can blame the Pharaoh for what he did? Right! And, sir, the hard-heartedness is in your deity, which is why the truly compassionate, or those that strive for compassion, cannot submit to its will. No amount of threats of "rain," no amount of threats of loss of reward can convince people like me to believe in an unproven being that acts in this manner. And I am content to live now, in the hopes of helping as many living beings as I can, if I can.
And his followers are Jehovah's legacy, and their irrational, violent (disfellowshiping, the crusades), divisive (God's ONLY witnesses), threatening (THE RAIN) behavior, which you have exposed, are it. Here is your man God of the Hebrews! Impressive. I want the threats and fear to come out, and I have done that. This is what keeps you in the hall.
As for your explanation of why the Jews were the chosen people, look: every group of people, clan, tribe, etc., has had their own deity, clan God, etc. Why do you think, for example, that the bible refers to Jehovah as "The God of the Hebrews," which intimates that there are possibly other Gods but that this one belongs too them?
The fact that, in later times, the book was modified to allow everyone in is the work of a more inclusive mind. This still does not, however, change the fact of Jehovah's origins as a Semitic clan deity. Proof: he is a man (the Jews were a patrilineal society), other societies have had female deities, because they are matrilineal, he prefers Abel over Cain (they were a pastoral society and try to prove their favor over farmers). It is not a real god!
"Good thing is, Jehovah is the one who can fix it." You said that in reference to my posing of a question about Jehovah's wrath. It is pretty obvious that you admitted his wrath was a mistake. Otherwise, why would you use the word "mistake." I think you are beginning to see your morality trump the bible's stories.
Why do JW always use the same vocabulary, such as "do your own thing?" It is a pretty cheap quality. I am not selfish, so it is not about doing my own thing. I do not follow because I do not see the need to follow a supreme being. Just as the animals need not follow a more intelligent being, in nature, we need not follow a more intelligent being ourselves. I see it as our duty to be moral, strive for wisdom, humility, and compassion, particularly as the most powerful creatures on the Earth, who have the most ability to take care of the Earth's state. A supreme being or force would not need us to acknowledge it, give it worship. It would, if it existed, instead want us to live rightly.
This idea of a worshiping deity is a human concept, the giving of honor and the pleasures that come with that.
You are right, philosophy and spiritual search can become ideological, like with Christianity and the other religions. In fact, it often does. This is not the point. The point is that a governing body, or some other kind of ruling body, stagnates individual growth, key word: individual.
It does not allow one to gain true wisdom, true understanding, pathless, non-ideological perception: seeing for oneself. Wisdom cannot be organized. The JWs are especially bad because they have an actual body of people that dictate theology and action. This is profound in its opposition to spiritual growth and wisdom.
See for yourself, hear for yourself. Do the work of reaching the truth for yourself. Only you can save you. I might give you some words of advice, but it is ultimately up to you to try to encounter reality.
And you asked if there are not other Buddhists repeating what I do. I am not a Buddhist, and what I say comes from personal understanding, gained from countless occasions of having sat down to contemplate, engage in readings, conversations, etc., independent of any religion. Sure, there are people that might say similar things, but it is not because I am tied to any organization or because I sit with them to get our stories straight, or because I am told what to say, or listen to what people have written or spoken and then internalize it. If others say what I say, it is mere co-incidence. With you, you say the same thing as others, as the result of a very calculated process. I started off much like you, but the intention was always to go off on my own.
Contrary to your last post, accepting a deity does not determine if one is Good or not, which is why members of your organization commit all sorts of atrocities, in spite of their belief in Jehovah. Others do not, but belief in the deity has nothing to do with their moral understanding of compassion, self-respect, love, loyalty, etc.
So... are you going to knock on doors and tell everyone, not just on the web, that is not a JW how they are immoral because of this. Answer the question. And if everyone, outside of your organization, was so immoral, you would be wiped from existence, by the very same governments and people that you call into question.
To answer your question, when I meditate, it is not a practice of talking to a who: a concept of God as a person, created by people, obviously. I meditate to achieve a silence of the mind, a destruction of the self, desire and weakness. Meditation allows the being to be free from self, to detach from self, and the things that maintain self, i.e., affiliations of all kind, addictions, attachment of all kinds, etc.
Oh, so you are saying the bible says that Jesus will return invisibly, to allow everything to continue as it is, in 1914? I haven't seen that in the bible. I know it says that you should stone psychics, like CT Russell. I know that the bible says Jesus is coming back, period, to end things. Period. Not that I believe any of this bunk.
And lastly, I repeat, your organization is not special, simply because you are not transformed by your practice. Your members, down to the longest standing, and I know a few of these, simply repeat what they are told. They constantly talk about paradise, "doing your own thing," and "the only people who follow the bible." They move into this religion and remain what they become. The very process is full of attachment, identification, labels, just like everything else. There is nothing unique here. Liberation, here, does not exist.
Read for yourself, study the Buddhist texts: Dhammapatta, try the American book, The Gospel of Buddha. Try reading books by Krishnamurti, Ken Wilbur. Expand your understanding and existence.