10 Specific Questions

[Bring4th_Austin]

Even more great answers, here's two more questions from me..


I want to clarify my question about determinism conflicting with "free will." Although this isn't totally proven, and quantum physics will disagree with me, through the laws of thermodynamics/conservation of energy everything in this universe is cause-and-effect. The mysterious metaphysical consciousness part of people EXPERIENCES brain states, but has no control over/effect on brain states. Every physical being is just an extremely complex version of rocks hitting rocks, with the mystery of conscious experience as a non-interacting cherry on top. Thus, our "souls" DON'T make choices, they just experience cause-and-effect with the illusion/false belief of choice. Assuming this is true, the only way I could reconcile this type of determinism with the Law of One is if our "souls" learned through experience only, and not through true responsibility since determinism negates true choice thus negating true responsibility. Also, the whole point of creation/separation is for the creator to experience itself, so determinism (within this universe) wouldn't conflict with that goal. Do Ra's teachings contradict this absolute scientific determinism though? If so, how? This is really the only thing that I'm having trouble reconciling within the Law of One so far, since I also logically believe in this type of determinism (but am not 100% sure).


What effect does the "heart/essence/energetic signature" of an entity have during their physical incarnation?  I suppose this also goes hand-in-hand with the determinism thing, since I don't think that the metaphysical consciousness/experience can effect brain states, but does Ra ever explain the effect of the traits of the entity/soul during the physical incarnation?

I appreciate anagogy's response, but to respond to your clarification about free will and determinism:

The view you are describing of cause and effect is still at-odds with what Ra says. Ra, at many times, says that free will of the individual (in context, that self that is incarnated) is paramount. Scientism may define consciousness as simply that which is experiencing the simple cause and effect of our neurons firing in ways which are simply determined by all previous occurrences in the universe leading up to that point, but Ra's view is of a free will that may have influence over the mind - a consciousness which is not limited to simply experience, but has the ability of choice.

The laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy are proven laws of the physical universe. What creates this conflict is that, in Scientism, the physical universe is what creates consciousness, or consciousness is an effect caused by matter interacting in certain ways. In the system Ra describes, this is not the case. Consciousness was primal to matter and may have existence and will beyond that which is dictated by matter.

That's not to say that the dynamic of cause and effect are wrong in the case of figuring out the parameters of our physical universe, only that the limit of our existence does not stop at the physical universe.

This is related to your question about the effect of the "soul" during the incarnation. In the Scientistic approach you outline, our traits and experiences within our incarnation are 100% a result of our genetics and the environment we experience limited to our single incarnation. Our "soul" brings biases and tendencies beyond that which is imprinted on us by these material factors. We may choose to incarnate into a situation which accentuates and/or counters those tendencies in order to balance and learn lessons, and so they may be seen as being connected. But beyond these physical circumstances, there is an essence which is a sort of a "distillation of distortions" of all of our previous experience that may influence how we experience, perceive, react, or behave within our incarnation. These are still secondary to the free will available to us at any single moment. Despite any bias carried into incarnation, free will is paramount.

I do want to note that saying any of this is not to discourage any belief which rings true for you or that you find useful. The Law of One may be useful without accepting all things within it as 100% truth, and questioning the source is a great way to determine how we feel about it, ourselves, and our reality. I think it honor's Ra's wishes and intent in sharing this information by weighing it against what we feel we truly believe and not taking their words for absolute truth.

And Ra is not infallible, and could simply be wrong about some things, or communicated in a way which is unintentionally misleading. It can be helpful to be rigorous in figuring out what is or isn't consistent with the universe Ra describes if only to help us understand our own differing beliefs in a deeper way. While many things in the material are wide open for interpretation, we can make objective statements about the material and what Ra says. It is my opinion that your description of determinism is objectively incompatible with the system in The Law of One.