08-12-2009, 06:00 PM
I've been thinking about this question for a while and was reminded of it today as I spoke to a friend who happens to have a more practical view of the world we live in (that it is just as it appears). His basic outlook on spirituality and religion is that as intelligent thinking biological organisms, we are not comforted by the fact that we will eventually die, and that as a general rule, we do not have any reason to believe that our consciousness will survive it. Thus we create religions and belief systems to comfort ourselves.
The interesting thing about our third density reality is that there is no knowing.
So in essence we all choose to believe in the existence of our souls because on some level we choose to believe in it. We will never have hard proof. An atheist also does not have proof of what she believes, but she also does not have as much burden of proof. (Not that I am saying proof needs to be shown to anyone- just that if two people were going to engage in a debate about the nature of reality, the atheist would have a slight advantage). The one known as Dawkins will never face the day he is shown to be in error- in this lifetime.
So what is it that makes US believe? This is what I am interested in hearing about... it's a wide topic so we will have to make some effort to remain true to it in this thread. I will volunteer to be first.
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I just don't believe that certain people and groups are fabricating, consciously or unconsciously, their testimonies and/or channelings. People like Michael Newton (past life regressionist) and the L/L Group (that we are all familiar with), or my mother in law's experience getting in touch with her now dis-incarnate relatives. This is something I have chosen to believe in- yet my spiritual opposite could come up with explanations that I could not conclusively say are implausible.
I have also always been fascinated with nature here on earth, and the cosmos in general. Something so infinitely large, and infinitely small, and infinitely beautiful... The idea of it springing in to existence independently of a creator seems arrogant at the least, and nonsensical in the extreme. Yet again this viewpoint is my choice. We're all familiar with the scientific explanations- that life on earth is by chance and the fact that we view it as beautiful may have evolved along with our species.
I would also add that if my consciousness could not survive the death of my physical body, I would see much less point to existing in the first place. But again, as my friend today so eloquently suggested, living life to it's fullest and being of service to others is as much a reward in itself. No greater purpose or scheme is needed for these things. (incidentally this is one of the best philosophies that has evolved out of the religion/atheist debates, IMO).
Last thing, and maybe the only thing I could rely on heavily in a spiritual discussion, is a simple resonance with the materials / philosophy. Everyone here likely knows what I mean by this but it's hard to explain to anyone else. But to counter myself again, another friend of mine would say that everyone has a resonance with what they believe in, and may even be a slippery slope, to extremism in some cases. Surely Islam extremists who always land in the news feel a strong resonance with their teachings, as did those who committed suicide in the 'Heaven's Gate' cult. So where do you draw the line between rationality and blind faith?
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To tie this back in to the Law of One- why do you believe the Law of One, as apposed to any other spiritual philosophy? I believe the LOO is correct in so far as we understand it in this reality... my point in creating this thread is to really examine why I believe this. For me it's a tough question, but I'm equally unwilling to shy away from it.
The interesting thing about our third density reality is that there is no knowing.
So in essence we all choose to believe in the existence of our souls because on some level we choose to believe in it. We will never have hard proof. An atheist also does not have proof of what she believes, but she also does not have as much burden of proof. (Not that I am saying proof needs to be shown to anyone- just that if two people were going to engage in a debate about the nature of reality, the atheist would have a slight advantage). The one known as Dawkins will never face the day he is shown to be in error- in this lifetime.
So what is it that makes US believe? This is what I am interested in hearing about... it's a wide topic so we will have to make some effort to remain true to it in this thread. I will volunteer to be first.
---
I just don't believe that certain people and groups are fabricating, consciously or unconsciously, their testimonies and/or channelings. People like Michael Newton (past life regressionist) and the L/L Group (that we are all familiar with), or my mother in law's experience getting in touch with her now dis-incarnate relatives. This is something I have chosen to believe in- yet my spiritual opposite could come up with explanations that I could not conclusively say are implausible.
I have also always been fascinated with nature here on earth, and the cosmos in general. Something so infinitely large, and infinitely small, and infinitely beautiful... The idea of it springing in to existence independently of a creator seems arrogant at the least, and nonsensical in the extreme. Yet again this viewpoint is my choice. We're all familiar with the scientific explanations- that life on earth is by chance and the fact that we view it as beautiful may have evolved along with our species.
I would also add that if my consciousness could not survive the death of my physical body, I would see much less point to existing in the first place. But again, as my friend today so eloquently suggested, living life to it's fullest and being of service to others is as much a reward in itself. No greater purpose or scheme is needed for these things. (incidentally this is one of the best philosophies that has evolved out of the religion/atheist debates, IMO).
Last thing, and maybe the only thing I could rely on heavily in a spiritual discussion, is a simple resonance with the materials / philosophy. Everyone here likely knows what I mean by this but it's hard to explain to anyone else. But to counter myself again, another friend of mine would say that everyone has a resonance with what they believe in, and may even be a slippery slope, to extremism in some cases. Surely Islam extremists who always land in the news feel a strong resonance with their teachings, as did those who committed suicide in the 'Heaven's Gate' cult. So where do you draw the line between rationality and blind faith?
---
To tie this back in to the Law of One- why do you believe the Law of One, as apposed to any other spiritual philosophy? I believe the LOO is correct in so far as we understand it in this reality... my point in creating this thread is to really examine why I believe this. For me it's a tough question, but I'm equally unwilling to shy away from it.