We agree in much with regards to the use of talismen and other such things. I would even recognize the context in which you define "transcendentalism and benefits of meditation or prayer." As for the Bible, I am sure you know where I stand on that....it is what faith is all about. But for me it is not incongruent. Everything is not detailed in the Bible blow by blow. I think there is room for understanding, curiosity, and investigation.
Wish I could dialogue more but I have to run.
D
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Originally Posted by Tordok
Quisqueya & Deelt,
We could reduce my beliefs into Deism. I'm open to the presence of a spiritual reality but based on the use of reason and not supertstition. It blends scientific rigor with mystic awe, and no rituals nor dogmas are needed to feel the blessings of Nature and to be in communion with mankind.
My statements essentially reflect my view that there are many things for which science is the best tool around, but quite insufficient to help us grasp our whole 'perceived' reality. I am therefore unable to profess the more extreme materialistic- "soul-less" - views. So religious beliefs and myths are metaphors for something we perceive to be there, but cannot decode. Maybe divinely preordained, maybe a species-specific delusion.
I happen to think that there are forces that are a mystery to us. I do believe that there are forms of communication among humans and nature for which we can't find the right 'frequency' or physical mechanism. But I am always tempted to consider something mopre simple, like tricks of consciuosness coming from overachieving neurons. Such beliefs IMO do not invalidate the transcendentalism and benefits of meditation or prayer. It is when people start telling me that they KNOW what God wants because it was so written by some tribal goatherder several millenia ago, I get a bit testy.
But I do respect even those kinds of beliefs because I expect mine to be considered just as valid. We are allowed to fantasize about the ethereal realms of our lives in different ways and still share and grow in our humanity. It would be much less colorful without the cultural legaciy of our ancestors, whom with their limited knowledge of science developed a variety of cute pagan rituals but also other not-so-cute folk faiths, like blood rites and cannibalism in many cultures. Talismanes and other regalia, evil eye, etc IMO is pretty harmless stuff really, and very rich in human psychology. Those things are remnants of our superstitious past as a species. The real danger comes from religious fanatics with political agendas in today's world. Those rigid, and often brainless, dogmas keep many people divorced from their own natural qualities and away from forming a genuine brotherhood of mankind.
- Tordok
for more info on Deism:
http://www.deism.org/frames.htm |