Post by Linda on Aug 17, 2010 11:58:46 GMT -5
Thank you Jeffrey for that remarkable reply! I hope I'm not just nit-picking, but I would like to inject a few more comments and questions here and there, maybe just a few brief ones.
Not paranoid at all. But was there ever a time that this was not true? (That must be pre-'civilization'?).
Excellent example.
I've seen you mention this before, because I know you are among the homeless as a mendicant, those statistics are very sad.
Religion is only what its funding wants it to be, so its function can only be to enforce delusions, these are the 'keepers'?
The world is run by the ones with money.
Ok.
Ok.
Yes, I have read about this, trying to find the underlying 'organizing principle' to support a God created world.
Little confused by that, but because i do not have that experience, yet.
Ok. I have more questions about this, it seems to be problematic that we have this faculty, or capacity, separating us from other living creatures, but that we should simply choose to not use it? We are talking about a Utopia again, are we not, because this seems impossible at any time in the even very far future.
I had that feeling when I was in Thailand, how corrupted that culture has become from western technology, they must be one of the most relaxed and laid back cultures I have ever encountered, but their embrace of Western 'ideals' of progress, seemed to make it a quite stressful environment in the cities I should say.
Great point, thanks for that!
Agreed, thank you again Jeffrey for that lengthy reply! That has been wonderful to hear.
Much love, Linda
Hello Linda, as I have already stated, for a mystic, this domain is hellish. It is an insane asylum, and the worst of the lot are the keepers. Corruption runs rampant, and society as we know it is rotten to the core. Now, this may sound paranoid, but I am just calling it as I see it.
Not paranoid at all. But was there ever a time that this was not true? (That must be pre-'civilization'?).
An example of how insane western culture, is the drug war. It began in 1920 with prohibition. After 10 years of enriching gangsters this nation decided that prohibition did not work. However, not seeing that the drug war is the same as prohibition, in that it demonizes the peasants while enriching gangsters, should serve as sufficient evidence that western culture is insane.
Excellent example.
Additionally, fifty percent of all of the people in prison in this country are there for petty drug-related crimes, and 90% of the homeless population, are homeless because they have a felony drug conviction, so they cannot get a decent job. That all sounds pretty insane to me. The pervasiveness of suffering, anxiety and stress is an example of how pervasive insanity is in human society.
I've seen you mention this before, because I know you are among the homeless as a mendicant, those statistics are very sad.
Now, how insane are the major religions of the world? ALL mainstream religions have dumb down the contemplative philosophy of their progenitor, who was a mystic, and converted their philosophy into its lowest common denominator, which is just blind faith in a religious ideal. And, none of these religions value mystics.
Now, the thing to get about how corrupt ALL religions are, is to know that religion has ALWAYS been an arm of control for the hegemony. It is also important to point out that the largest contributor to religion is organized crime. Italian, Central and South American mobsters contribute more money to the Catholic Church than any one community of people. The same is true about the Asian mob contributes more money to Buddhism than any community of people. So, it stands to reason that religion is only what its funding wants it to be. I was brought up in organized crime, so I know it from the inside.
Now, the thing to get about how corrupt ALL religions are, is to know that religion has ALWAYS been an arm of control for the hegemony. It is also important to point out that the largest contributor to religion is organized crime. Italian, Central and South American mobsters contribute more money to the Catholic Church than any one community of people. The same is true about the Asian mob contributes more money to Buddhism than any community of people. So, it stands to reason that religion is only what its funding wants it to be. I was brought up in organized crime, so I know it from the inside.
Religion is only what its funding wants it to be, so its function can only be to enforce delusions, these are the 'keepers'?
We can say the same thing about politics. Who has the money to fund politicians? Gangsters have that money. If gangsters make vast sums of money in their criminal activities, then doesn’t it stand to reason that they are going to fund politicians who are going to keep drugs, gambling and prostitution illegal? Of course they are, because crime is good for business.
The world is run by the ones with money.
Now, society could go on being as insane as they want to, but if they valued and supported mystics, then there would at least be an out for those who see through the insanity. However, humans are so insane that they are threatened by mystics, so they marginalize them in EVERY period of time. How do we know that nearly every mystic was marginalized? We need only examine the record of every mystic, to see nearly every one of them was marginalized.
Ok.
Upon analysis of the origins and history of the major religions we can see each successive age has mis-interpreted the mystical teachings of their progenitor because an entrenched and pretentious priesthood arose, which was funded and directed by the hegemony, to mold and convert that religion into a vehicle of suppression, not liberation. Religion is only what it is funded to do. Who funds religion? For the answer, see above.
Ok.
Regarding your comment about the major scientific movements in the last few hundred years: Evolutionism, Quantum Theory, Special Theory of Relativity. To this list I would also add the “European Enlightenment” which included Galileo’s astronomy, and findings in geology, and every other branch of science. So-called “Creation Science” is just an attempt of the religious hegemony to appropriate, subvert and obfuscate science. And, the Big-Bang theory, as well as New-Age interpretations of Quantum Theory are just examples of “Creation Science.”
Yes, I have read about this, trying to find the underlying 'organizing principle' to support a God created world.
Yes, we find paradoxes everywhere in logic. In part they are 'pointers' to the necessity of finding deeper means of 'understanding' our world. These paradoxes also point out that many of the beliefs that propel western culture are irrational. However, when we step out-of-body, then there are lots of paradoxes encountered. Paradox is just how the spirit world functions, because it is a collective unconscious, which is built upon the projection of all of its beings there. However, when we become enlightened we rise above the collective unconscious.
Little confused by that, but because i do not have that experience, yet.
Yes, when we return to the natural state of being, we still have the capacity for thought, thinking, and reflecting, consciously; however, we are not unconsciously driven by these faculties. We have instead found the “off switch” for these faculties and use them only when necessary.
Ok. I have more questions about this, it seems to be problematic that we have this faculty, or capacity, separating us from other living creatures, but that we should simply choose to not use it? We are talking about a Utopia again, are we not, because this seems impossible at any time in the even very far future.
No, I have no link, or connection, or proof that genuine shaman exist today, or that there is even a living hunter-gatherer society, because most human societies have been corrupted by Western Society.
I had that feeling when I was in Thailand, how corrupted that culture has become from western technology, they must be one of the most relaxed and laid back cultures I have ever encountered, but their embrace of Western 'ideals' of progress, seemed to make it a quite stressful environment in the cities I should say.
To change the world the most radical changes must occur right here with people manifesting bliss, joy and ecstasy in their everyday life by taking up a rigorous contemplative life. So, if one wants to change the world, then change yourself.
Great point, thanks for that!
It is excellent to learn that you, Linda, have changed yourself by leading a rigorous contemplative life, by meditating 1-2 hours/day, which allows you to enter the first Jhana, and usually the 2nd. If every time you meditate you experience the first jhana, and you meditate at least once a day, then you are a stream winner (Sotapanna). If you experience the second jhana every day, when you meditate, then you are a once returner (Sakadágámi). If you experience the third jhana every day when you meditate, then you are a Non-return (Anágámi). If you experience the fourth jhana every day when you meditate, then you are an enlightened, saint (Arahatta). This is how the world can be changed by people being transformed by leading a rigorous contemplative life, as you are doing.
This means it takes daily meditation sessions of about 1.5 hours to experience and maintain the fourth jhana. This does not seem like too much work to me to have the depth of bliss, joy, ecstasy, self-awareness and freedom from stress and anxiety every day of one’s life. If everyone on earth meditated this successfully the world would be changed and it would be heaven upon earth.
This means it takes daily meditation sessions of about 1.5 hours to experience and maintain the fourth jhana. This does not seem like too much work to me to have the depth of bliss, joy, ecstasy, self-awareness and freedom from stress and anxiety every day of one’s life. If everyone on earth meditated this successfully the world would be changed and it would be heaven upon earth.
Agreed, thank you again Jeffrey for that lengthy reply! That has been wonderful to hear.
Much love, Linda