please, share your opinions

[Nick_A]

religious debate is not that foolish, it may be the way to reach some understanding in order to be able to continue. It is the same with the question in the beginning, God does not care about that all, he knows already all. I woudl say like Aurobindo says, God is also a "personal" being, and it is impossible for that "Person" not to have "personal relationships" and it is immossible for the Divine Energy not to create, it is just the way it is...

Experience: yes I do have the experience that I am touched by some kind of spirit when words are able to shut down in the mind... but, we are here in the material world and in order to communicate at our Level of Consciousness, we must speak. So, there are parallel ways.

religious debate is not that foolish, it may be the way to reach some understanding in order to be able to continue.

A person has to choose what the goal of their relgious practice is. If the purpose is in discussing secular views of right and wrong then compromise through debate can be beneficial. It leads to a kind of I"m OK, You're OK" feeling.

However, if the goal of the path is for the inner experience of human meaning and purpose then it requires being open to the naked truth of the human condition as it exists within our "being." One can neither compromise it or debate it since by definition when genuine it is a conscious affirmation rather than our normal efforts of self justification.

This is why in a Buddhist sangha for example right speech and the whole attitude of communication is important since they are aware that debates furthering egotism defeat the purpose of the teaching.

The basic difference I've learned between a debate and a discussion is that you can win a debate but not a discussion. So if the idea is to win and justify oneself, debate is the way to go. But if the need is to get closer to the objective reality of our nature and how to profit from this awareness for the sake of experiencing human meaning and purpose, then discussion is preferable. It is our choice.

 

[Clarity]

If God really is omniscient then my entire experience is almost superflous to God, right? Since God already knows what is gonna happen, no?

It is almost exactly that thought that made me abandon Christianity

I read this quote that is attributed to Rumi... "There is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence it opens. With wandering talk it closes".

I've never heard of Rumi before so I did a quick google and I'm getting that he's a wise old fellow and quite respected, so I'm guessing this is just well out of context because it sounds to me like absolute nonsense masquerading as some sort of spirituality. Sorry.

I was kinda hoping people would share with me what they feel Spirit is.

I personally think of 'Spirit' as the essence of your true self, a basis on which a personality can form and a source of life which remains between lives. I think death is a bit like the spirit waking from a dream in the middle of the night. It will then roll over and have another dream. Sounds a bit silly I know, but it makes sense to me.

 

[citizenzen]

Perhaps avoiding this revelation is why you need to argue so much.

Nahhh. It's just remnants of bloodlust.

Still got a few of them left.

Look! There's one now.