They aren't Anglicans then......?jim stone wrote: In the USA the people volunteering in nursing
homes are usually Christians. No accident,
they're doing in their way what Jesus did.
- Stephen
Jim, Don't you think this is because the vast majority of people living in the USA are Christians? It stands to reason that most of anybody doing anything would be Christians.jim stone wrote: In the USA the people volunteering in nursing
homes are usually Christians. No accident,
they're doing in their way what Jesus did.
i see agnosticism as an intermediate step, a theist may become agnostic on the way to athiesm, or visa versa.jim stone wrote: So if you believe that God doesn't exist, but you
don't pretend to know it, you're an atheist.
The agnostic has no opinion. Best
Christianity also teaches self-denial.Jerry Freeman wrote:Jim and I have had a long dialog about this teaching.
I am of the opinion that some element of "self cherishing I" is necessary for survival in the world, and that much violence is done in efforts to permanently slay the ego sense.
However, there is something that changes fundamentally in the process of enlightenment, and the role of the small ego does become utterly transformed in the process. But it is not, and cannot be, permanently slain.
Best wishes,
Jerry
An atheist, like a believer, has to make a choice: to believe or to disbelieve. In this characteristic they are completely different from agnosticism which does not make a choice to believe or not to believe but simply says, "I don't know and I don't believe or disbelieve." For this reason I don't see agnosticism on a continuum from belief to atheism.Marko wrote:i see agnosticism as an intermediate step, a theist may become agnostic on the way to athiesm, or visa versa.jim stone wrote: So if you believe that God doesn't exist, but you
don't pretend to know it, you're an atheist.
The agnostic has no opinion. Best
I was raised catholic, and I had about 4 years where i'd considered myself agnostic (in college, funnily enough), then i came out as an athiest.
it's not particularly easy to do, it takes a sort of leap of faith
it often leads to stupid questions like "do right and wrong, or good and evil have any real meaning?", etc.
i respect anyone whos put some thought into their choice of spiritual path
Indeed, the Western concept of the "ego" is such that, without it, consciousness is inconceivable. Maybe there is a difference between Eastern and Western concepts of "ego," since in Eastern thought it is apparently an entity which may be extinguished without destroying consciousness. This possibility is explored in C. G. Jung's essay "Eastern and Western Thought."Jerry Freeman wrote:There must remain a sense of "I and mine" for experience and life to continue, even for the enlightened.
In the Srimat Bhagavatam, Krishna (who can be taken as representative of universal consciousness) says, "Taking recourse to My eightfold nature (prakriti), I create again and again."Ridseard wrote:Maybe there is a difference between Eastern and Western concepts of "ego," since in Eastern thought it is apparently an entity which may be extinguished without destroying consciousness.
I like that. Actually first thought of "Discordian" as a group of beginning musicans... like beginning band. Much to my surprise that it is the name of an actual religious belief. Learn something new everyday here. Also liked the bit about "Whislam"... even though I don't plan on ever worshiping my whistles.Wombat wrote:A session after the piano accordeon player turns up with three bodhran playing mates.Nanohedron wrote:What's a Discordian?
Actually, that's pretty astute of you and Marko to recognize that. When I point that out to my athiest friends, they get quite ticked But it's true: It takes a leap of faith to fall off the agnostic fence.An atheist, like a believer, has to make a choice: to believe or to disbelieve.