I think that that was perhaps an unfortunate juxtaposition. Things like miracles are largely dependent on the belief in God, it seems to me. If your spiritual journey has taken you to a place where you believe God exists, then miracles aren’t a stretch to believe in. If you don’t believe in God then miracles seem preposterous. So for me to discuss/consider miracles I really had to deal with issue of God first. For others, however, seeing or being convinced of a miracle may open them to the possibility of God, so people do come at this from different angles. I was always one that said that just because there wasn’t an obvious scientific explanation for something didn’t mean that there wasn’t one, so I wouldn’t have been convinced that any miracle was a real miracle before I became convinced of the reality of God.
I don't know why else he would of posted it. To me the earth, the universe and our life is the miracle. The problem is we don't see it. I guess that's original sin belief baggage etc. It's really about believing in divine intervention which I do not. I don't believe the divine is separate from us. If there was divine intervention then the two become one so the duality is impossible.
I did not mean that at all. The "we" in that statement was meant as mankind - which includes me. I was just saying that miracles listed in the Bible should not be a reach if you believe in 1 God that created the universe and everything in it. These "miracles" are only miracles to us - for Him, it's nothing. My last statement was something I have hard time understanding.
I’ll let him speak to his intent. That’s just the way I read it. With respect to the issue of duality, that’s an interesting question from a Judeo-Christian standpoint. (And please feel free to point out any errors I may have in my understanding of duality, btw.) In the OT God is generally understood as external. His relationship with his people was very legalistic. There were many rules to follow and pleasing him depended on following and not breaking these rules, or at lest that’s what the people thought. We later find out that even in the OT faith had a higher overriding power. In the NT, however, this becomes explicit. Faith now removes us from law and we are to live by the Spirit of God, which then lives within us. So since we are removed from the law the Good-Bad duality is removed in a very real way. We now live by the Spirit of God, and so are one with him in that way, but we are not God. We are the children of God. Whereas before other people and the world and all that was in it were separate from us, now we have a fundamental connection with them as we are all God’s creations. We are all part of God’s master plan, and this is a spiritual connection not simply an intellectual one. “Whatever you do for the least of my people you do for me.” When a Christian shows genuine compassion for his fellow man he is expressing his love for another one of God’s creations, and for God. So in a very real sense, from a Christian perspective, we are all one. Christians would very much resist the characterisation of us as all being God, but they would agree that God lives in them, is fundamentally connected to them, and is the creator of all things outside of them which connects them to these things. So how does this compare to the Buddhist idea of duality?
To me the Earth,the universe and our lives are inevitable, no miracles are required. The problem is we don't comprehend it...yet.
In Buddhism there are two different "dimensions" the historical dimension and the ultimate dimension. In the historical we see ourselves and others having a beginning and ending etc., and here we think of ourselves a separate beings from the rest of the cosmos. This is due to ego and mind tricks hehe. The ultimate dimension is our deeper reality however. The realm of no birth/death and oneness. The reality that can't really be spoken about, only experienced. Some call it the Kingdom of God. I think Jesus showed how to get in touch with that.
Yes we are one with the Cosmos...but if you are not concious of it what difference does it make? The only stage of existence that matters is your concious existence on this planet, right now. Once you are not the physical perception machine you are now the state of your existence is moot. You aren't you, you don't exist. Someone else may perceive your corporal body or the star dust that was once you, but it's not you. It is possible actually to take great comfort in believing your ultimate fate is oblivion, you certainly won't care and it beats Dante's inferno.
Nihilists! **** me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
Religion is deception in search of comfort. Why else do you think 99% of the billions of people that have ever lived are willing to take the flying leap to believe in something that is totally beyond their experience, without any evidence other than their own lack of understanding about the physical world around them. They want to believe there is a reason, they want believe in something more than the pain, hardship and certain ending of the existence they find themselves in. Seeking comfort is the defining modus operandi for the human species. It's what took us from jawbones to jupiter. (the movie quote is actually a dig against nihilism as being the antithesis to having an ethos, meant to be self depricating of my own ideas.)
dubious -- i agree with a lot of what you're saying. but i feel like i have experienced God. that it isn't merely knowledge. i've seen the evidence of him in changed lives. maybe its all illusion. i recently started visiting a church that sent out fliers to the community they serve saying, "If God exists, you'll be glad you came. If not, at least we'll have donuts." brilliant!
Yo, there is a middle way too. Your fate isn't oblivion however. The cosmos is not oblivion, it is something the seen and unseen. The you of your youth is gone, yet you are transformed to the you of now. You exist and you don't exist. You were/are not made of nothing, you can not become nothing. The wave comes and goes but the ocean remains. What you can take comfort in is transcending your concepts of life and death, being an non-being.
I have no problem with religion. I don't intend to talk any body out of it. I envy those wide-eyed folks with the perpetual smiles who know the good news. Oh Happy day! Finding your own comfortable reality is the only way to cope and there is no universal truth, only individual percetions. Dellusions are real to the beholder. And if you aren't somewhat sel-dellusional after looking around at life on this planet then you are crazy.
Dubious, you remind me of me (when I was in college)- You can also take your premise and turn it the other way- Maybe the pain, hardship and certain ending of the existence (man) finds himself in is the cause of so much belief there is no God. (and many other 'wise' explanations) Comfort is a motivation, but it doesn't always lead to truth or answers that are true. Our own experience defines us but no one else. The sum of human confusion and suffering can be defined a million ways individually. As a pastor the number one question I find from most is- "Why do bad things happen?"- Experience and truth must meet or the answers are moot. If God exists, He is worth experiencing. If not, eat the donuts.
The comos is oblivion, it takes a conscious observer to perceive it. It's reality is only the idea within the observer. Existence is defined by the observer. Let's say all life on the planet ceased to exist, all life in the known universe ceases to exist...does the universe still exist? Who the **** would know?
Maybe God would exist without a physical universe, maybe the universe exits with god. The second seems more likely to me but who the **** would know?
