Belief Statements - Robinrohan

There's always some purpose involved. It can change of course.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Mod. I'll give your links a spin when I get a mo. I found the whole thing fascinating and was just reminded by the post to find out more about how they do it. A scan of the links indicates that my cursory wonder then was only scratching the tip of the iceberg. The complexity is probably even more immense than my knowledge-lite of programming allows. (It was the programming aspect that caught me most - the engineer in me took the mechanical aspects for *blush* granted)

Beautiful! (The rest of your story as well.) You are a poet, Robin. "My life BC"?? Come on Faith, I know you're not the youngest, but surely you can't be that old?!But seriously, that was a joy to read. I don't know why really. I mean, you're not saying anything particularly profound there, but yet the flow of your sentences makes them read like something out of the memoirs of a philosophical giant. Have you ever considered studying philosophy? I think you and Robin should pair up. You two would make a wonderful team writing philosophical poetic prose. Your writing, Robin's, and that of some of the others, is why I keep coming back to EvC. That, and the intellectually stimulating discussions.

---

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." - Charles Darwin.

Robin,Since I'm currently reading Nisargadatta's book I AM THAT, I'll make another futile attempt of presenting what I see as an alternative to beliefs either religious or nihilistic. The vast complexity of the world captures our attention. The mystery of ourselves gets ignored as are fascination with the manifest universe developes. The meaninglessness can serve to direct our attention back to our basic nature. Dissatisfaction in the dream state can function to help awakening.The meaning is not out there in the world. Nor is it even in the organism as desires, feelings, ideas. It is in that which is the seeing and thus can't see itself.lfen

Thank you, Parasomnium, I also appreciate your writing, and I'm thoroughly smitten with Robin's writing. Another one here whose writing grabs my attention is Omnivorous. It makes it worth it to take some time crafting sentences knowing there are people around who are sensitive to such things. It's true, though, you can make something trivial sound important if you express it elegantly.

I couldn't agree more. Omnivorous is a sage. I knew there was something we had in common! Well, I wouldn't say what you wrote is trivial. I especially liked

quote:

---

Just following one's own inclinations isn't exactly finding a purpose is it? Or is it?

---

The "or is it?" gave it a nice twist. It reminds me of Stephen Fry's writing. Now don't be offended, but he's a gay, atheist (probably communist and terrorist as well) writer/actor/comedian/tv-presentor/genial personality/my favourite writer. Speaking of expressing things elegantly!

Thanks. I do ok if I'm narrating or describing something. THINKING is another matter. Yeah, I keep telling Faith that she should write a "spriitual autobiography," but the idea of talking about her past doesn't appeal to her.

Then don't think, just write. Perhaps she just doesn't remember. She had a life BC, after all.Edited by Parasomnium, : No reason given.

Your posts are not futile at all. I enjoy them. My problem is that it's very difficult for me to think in "non-dualistic" terms(in your sense of the word). I can't imagine there not being subjects and objects, things and beings.

I don't know how "bright" it is, but thanks. One might call my viewpoint "existentialism." The term just doesn't appeal to me much. And anyway it means a lot of different things. There's even such a thing as "Christian" existentialism (Kierkegaard). But you're right: a simple definition of "existentialism" is that you recognize the lack of purpose, and so you make up your own, with full knowledge that this is what you are doing. In such a case, one lives "authentically." I accept that.Creating a purpose is not foolish: it's inevitable. A very common overall life purpose is to "get safe." It's impossible to achieve, but one can obtain relative, temporary safety. This is not an exalted purpose like altruism, but it's certainly natural. Yes, that is my reasoning. Viewed objectively, all purposes are equal, whether it be collecting matchboxes or finding a cure for cancer. I'm not certain what you mean by "truth preserving." No problem. Just stock up on alcoholic beverages. That may be, but it's a rather tall order.Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.

Good idea. She is rather forgetful.

Forgetful maybe. But also: {queue Nat King Cole} "Unforgettable..."

I discovered you are a writer when you wrote the story about your adventures with chickens. NICELY written.

I wish I didn't laugh at remarks like this. But it is funny. Life is purposeless, so we make our own purposes and that way we're authentic, but we still need to render ourselves unconscious to tolerate it.

Many of the young men whom I talk with have reported to me that one of the main reasons they attend church is because of pretty women. The Lord works in mysterious ways!Everyone is drawn to church by an unfullfilled need. When, as is often happens, the church lets us down, we occasionally give up, thinking to ourselves that we ARE still in Kansas and there is no magic kingdom.One could also argue that existensialism and/or nihilism are merely safe places to never be anxious.I would rather dies believing in something worth believing in than to die conclusing that this life is all there is.For now, however, Im content to get on with living.Alcoholic beverages are optional.