Hello,
I've recently began defining myself as a skeptic. I'm a long way off from being polished, with all the detailed answers at my fingertips. For now, I'm still closeted about confronting people's fantastical notions. My active rebellion against dangerous fantasy started one day on the subway when instead of just ignoring the Jack Chick tracts, I collected them and threw them away. My first baby step. An opressive christian society is a one I just don't want to live in.
To me, God and humanity are essentially the same thing. For you and I our mortality is all there is. From before we born here until the end of our race, we are/were part of humanity. It is the beginning and the end of us individually and eventually as a whole. For the religious, "God" is not so far removed conceptually. He is all things collectively where we are individually. It's only a small difference split wide by those who crave power over others.
I choose to take responsibility for my own actions.
The existence of God, if possible, is unknowable.
Thusly, any progress toward knowing him is illusory and can only hinder progress in my own life.
I hope that I can give those I come in to confrontation with the patience and respect I expect from them and not treat them with ridicule.
It seems the community here is rather small. I'll do my best to participate.
-sal
such as several Saints and all Buddhas. As both teach that the "divine ground" is directly experiential. I've been reading The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley. Huxley is simply amazing in his knowledge of Eastern and Western beliefs and philosophies. He ties them together quite convincingly.
As I don't directly follow the teachings of any saints or Buddhas, this is not a problem for me. In fact, the last thing I want to be is an academic show-off, trying to one up those who's basic disbelief I share. I want to be able to debate the looniest crack-pot with derisively s******ing at their beliefs. I'm cherish my primative education, and value all that I've learned through personal experience.
"...The existence of God, if possible, is unknowable.
Thusly, any progress toward knowing him is illusory and can only hinder progress in my own life."
I am informing you that there are other people namely the Saints and Buddhas that state the opposite which is the divine ground is directly knowable. That experiential knowledge is attainable by each and every sentient being.
So you may be hindering yourself by not reading what else is out there.
The point I'm trying to make is that their conviction is an illusion and not knowledge of divinity. Reveries of perfect grace are attainable, but mostly useless for day to day living other than for a break... a natural high.
know that. Your statement is only your opinion of their state of mind. On the contrary, they are perfectly applicable to day to day living. It is obvious that you have not thoroughly investigated this. Your dismissal of their teachings out of hand is very un-skeptical.
I'm not saying they are right or wrong just that they deserve consideration.
A good idea's misguided inspiration does not negate it's usefulness.
If there are writings of a particular writer that you think would cause me to reconsider, then please share. I must say I was unfamiliar with the the term "divine ground," and I'm nut sure I understand it 100%. My first inclination was that it was a setting that would produce a divine cup of espresso.
Most of what I found argue's it without explaining it. So if you could help there.
In simplest form, no matter how you dress it, God is an abstract concept that works as well in a secular context. Faith in God=No Faith in God. There is power in either direction. Releasing the mind from this debate opens one's life to moral living.
Salvatore. Sometimes we like to argue with each other, especially holes in logic.Take it in a good spirit and welcome.
Myself, I'm really tired of belief as a concept. When someone asks me what I believe I can never answer. I have to tell them instead about my working basis. This is all that makes sense to me even when adressing topics that are ethical, philosophical or religious.
Beliefs can come and go but a person needs a sound working basis. That's why I'm a skeptic.