ScholarlySeeker
Well-Known Member
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Hello all you out there in forum land.
I just joined yesterday and didn't realize there was a place to introduce myself and describe a wee bit about me and my interests.
I am an enthusiastic guy just turned 60, and I still love to learn. I earned a Bachelor's degree in history so many years ago the cavemen knew me back then... but I have never lost my love for reading and learning. I usually have a style where I throw in footnotes on posts. Please don't let that bother, I promise I am not trying to be an uppity snob or anything. I just really like referencing where I find my materials is all. I had many a professor who really appreciated me doing that!
I am a former Mormon apologist (don't hold it against me now, we all make mistakes ya know) and was for a few decades, ayiyi. When I discovered through time the church was having a truth crisis instead of me having a faith crisis, I flew the coop. I went from one extreme to the other, an atheist for several years, reading all I could of them, and actually ended up with a decent reference section for my personal library now! Sure it cost me a ton, but so what? That's what makin money is for right? Blow it on good things like books! No one tells my wife! (GRIN!)
Now, I believe in giving credit where credit is due, truly, the atheists really did win the war as far as I am concerned against organized religion. But... ya know, I really have nothing against them or Mormonism either, but it just seems to me atheism falls short of what I am looking for. No offense to any of you atheists at all. I am not angry or have anything against them, they have done a first rate job helping me!
I have always been interesting in the esoteric, for whatever reason. It ain't my fault man! God(dess) made me this way - lol.....
Well I enjoy looking into all areas and seeing what others have said and have found. There is just so much great crap out there to read you know? So many books so little time! But Kabbalah, the Jewish esoteric especially appeals to me. As an apologist I wanted to be the best I could be, so I even went into the Hebrew and Greek of the Bible, and Coptic and Egyptian for the Egyptian materials (Book of the Dead, Coffin Texts, etc), and it helps with Kabbalah believe it or not. I love science! I love history, philosophy, and the ancient Greeks. Gadzooks the Greeks! Fabulous reading. I enjoy reading poetry and I write a little bit of it at times. I enjoy alchemy and the ancient Pythagoreans as well. Gnostics, don't forget the Gnostics...
I am one of those who likes to see common threads in many disparate disciplines, and weave themes together which gives new insights. I do this mostly with the Tarot Cards.
Now let me describe my view of the Tarot. I am just not into the New Age version of Tarot. I do a more scholarly approach of using the symbolisms for personal growth and find their meanings are far deeper than most think. Yes I am aware they have a history, that is they have been "developed" through time, fine and well, no problem, I still find the attribution of the Hebrew letters to them fascinating and the alchemical connections as well as the Jewish mystical materials. I have lots to share on this as you will see. I will bore you all to death, it's your fault, not mine....lol.
I really do believe that Joseph Smith had some esoteric insights. No, this does nothing to prove Mormonism true at all, even though Mormons slobber all over themselves thinking it does. But giving credit where it is due, some things he said are truly deep and insightful. Unfortunately I think he went too literal on a lot of it and lost the thread.
I enjoy the study of early Christianity and archaeology and stuff like that. I also really love mythology and the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and the Search for the Holy Grail. Love that stupid stuff man. The historical Jesus.....what a subject!!! It, for me, is fascinating to read all the myriads of hundreds if not thousands of various interpretations that have been given him through the centuries! I mean man! I enjoy the scholarly stuff in this area very much, as also with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Intellectually I am probably a moron, but I like to think I am serious about finding out stuff. I am not serious about myself (heavens why would I possibly be that?!), but I do enjoy a good rumble through books and learning new connections and reviving ancient ones as I find them.
The nice thing about no longer having to defend a religion that has become a pap n pablum corporation far more interested in money than anything (they have 124 billion, that's Billion dollars with a "B"), I find it very nice not to have to worry about converting anyone or convincing people I am right! I AM RIGHT! What a joy it is to have that behind me now. I much rather enjoy a good old home down discussion, learning, sharing, changing my mind on things when there is good evidence to, etc. I view myself as an explorer. An explorer of spirituality. I love trying to keep up with science, it is so cool in so many respects. But I also love the spiritual and studying religion too. So far my dear wife hasn't divorced me, so there is that - lol......
Sooooo, you are yawning by now, sorry. Just wanted to make sure you got sort of a feel for me because I can write fast. I can put together a 60 page paper with 100 footnotes together in a weekend. For whatever reason, I have always been decent at researching and writing, so what the heck, I will now torture you with all my missives and make you wish you were never born - GRIN!
I also believe in having a little fun ya know? There is no real reason to be so dang serious about stuff ALL the time. If we can't laugh a little, then what's the blinkerin point, right? I'm 60 and old enough to at least say hey man lets have some fun learning instead of worrying so much about whether we are right or always have to show someone else to be wrong all the time. I've been there done that, it isn't what they say it is. It is much more enjoyable making friends, drinking a cyber beer together every now and then and learning together. Be good and see you all out on the boards!
Best to all,
ScholarlySeeker
I just joined yesterday and didn't realize there was a place to introduce myself and describe a wee bit about me and my interests.
I am an enthusiastic guy just turned 60, and I still love to learn. I earned a Bachelor's degree in history so many years ago the cavemen knew me back then... but I have never lost my love for reading and learning. I usually have a style where I throw in footnotes on posts. Please don't let that bother, I promise I am not trying to be an uppity snob or anything. I just really like referencing where I find my materials is all. I had many a professor who really appreciated me doing that!
I am a former Mormon apologist (don't hold it against me now, we all make mistakes ya know) and was for a few decades, ayiyi. When I discovered through time the church was having a truth crisis instead of me having a faith crisis, I flew the coop. I went from one extreme to the other, an atheist for several years, reading all I could of them, and actually ended up with a decent reference section for my personal library now! Sure it cost me a ton, but so what? That's what makin money is for right? Blow it on good things like books! No one tells my wife! (GRIN!)
Now, I believe in giving credit where credit is due, truly, the atheists really did win the war as far as I am concerned against organized religion. But... ya know, I really have nothing against them or Mormonism either, but it just seems to me atheism falls short of what I am looking for. No offense to any of you atheists at all. I am not angry or have anything against them, they have done a first rate job helping me!
I have always been interesting in the esoteric, for whatever reason. It ain't my fault man! God(dess) made me this way - lol.....
Well I enjoy looking into all areas and seeing what others have said and have found. There is just so much great crap out there to read you know? So many books so little time! But Kabbalah, the Jewish esoteric especially appeals to me. As an apologist I wanted to be the best I could be, so I even went into the Hebrew and Greek of the Bible, and Coptic and Egyptian for the Egyptian materials (Book of the Dead, Coffin Texts, etc), and it helps with Kabbalah believe it or not. I love science! I love history, philosophy, and the ancient Greeks. Gadzooks the Greeks! Fabulous reading. I enjoy reading poetry and I write a little bit of it at times. I enjoy alchemy and the ancient Pythagoreans as well. Gnostics, don't forget the Gnostics...
I am one of those who likes to see common threads in many disparate disciplines, and weave themes together which gives new insights. I do this mostly with the Tarot Cards.
Now let me describe my view of the Tarot. I am just not into the New Age version of Tarot. I do a more scholarly approach of using the symbolisms for personal growth and find their meanings are far deeper than most think. Yes I am aware they have a history, that is they have been "developed" through time, fine and well, no problem, I still find the attribution of the Hebrew letters to them fascinating and the alchemical connections as well as the Jewish mystical materials. I have lots to share on this as you will see. I will bore you all to death, it's your fault, not mine....lol.
I really do believe that Joseph Smith had some esoteric insights. No, this does nothing to prove Mormonism true at all, even though Mormons slobber all over themselves thinking it does. But giving credit where it is due, some things he said are truly deep and insightful. Unfortunately I think he went too literal on a lot of it and lost the thread.
I enjoy the study of early Christianity and archaeology and stuff like that. I also really love mythology and the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and the Search for the Holy Grail. Love that stupid stuff man. The historical Jesus.....what a subject!!! It, for me, is fascinating to read all the myriads of hundreds if not thousands of various interpretations that have been given him through the centuries! I mean man! I enjoy the scholarly stuff in this area very much, as also with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Intellectually I am probably a moron, but I like to think I am serious about finding out stuff. I am not serious about myself (heavens why would I possibly be that?!), but I do enjoy a good rumble through books and learning new connections and reviving ancient ones as I find them.
The nice thing about no longer having to defend a religion that has become a pap n pablum corporation far more interested in money than anything (they have 124 billion, that's Billion dollars with a "B"), I find it very nice not to have to worry about converting anyone or convincing people I am right! I AM RIGHT! What a joy it is to have that behind me now. I much rather enjoy a good old home down discussion, learning, sharing, changing my mind on things when there is good evidence to, etc. I view myself as an explorer. An explorer of spirituality. I love trying to keep up with science, it is so cool in so many respects. But I also love the spiritual and studying religion too. So far my dear wife hasn't divorced me, so there is that - lol......
Sooooo, you are yawning by now, sorry. Just wanted to make sure you got sort of a feel for me because I can write fast. I can put together a 60 page paper with 100 footnotes together in a weekend. For whatever reason, I have always been decent at researching and writing, so what the heck, I will now torture you with all my missives and make you wish you were never born - GRIN!
I also believe in having a little fun ya know? There is no real reason to be so dang serious about stuff ALL the time. If we can't laugh a little, then what's the blinkerin point, right? I'm 60 and old enough to at least say hey man lets have some fun learning instead of worrying so much about whether we are right or always have to show someone else to be wrong all the time. I've been there done that, it isn't what they say it is. It is much more enjoyable making friends, drinking a cyber beer together every now and then and learning together. Be good and see you all out on the boards!
Best to all,
ScholarlySeeker
