https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature True! Staying in the nature and surrounding by a variety of God's creatures would easily find God closer! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_life
Beautiful photos. I have wondered if some of the biblical myths that were told in many variations throughout antiquity, and then finally became less variable when they were disseminated in written form, might have had their origins in hallucinogens. Certainly that might explain visions such as Joseph Smith's. Or perhaps it was nothing more than natural insanity arising from abnormal brain chemistry as occurs in schizophrenia. I would think it likely that much of the supernatural so commonly a part of the Christian religion today has its origin in schizophrenia.
Ever wonder why none of the gods have ever given a formula or equation or something to nudge mankind forward? No "god" has ever proved himself to be a god.
Yes, He actually Did! Numerous times! Q https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_wishes_joke Three men are stranded on a desert island, when a bottle washes up on the shore. When they uncork the bottle, a genie appears and offers three wishes. The first wishes to be taken to Paris. The genie snaps his fingers, and the man suddenly finds himself standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. The second man wishes that he were in Hollywood, and with a snap of the genie's fingers, he finds himself on a Tinseltown movie set. The third man, now alone on the island, looks around and says, "I wish my friends were back." UQ
I think the holistic philosophy about human spirit was developed in quite a good shape during Stoics' time! Rationality was heavily promoted! Meditation was also practiced for peaceful mind! http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/2013/11/24/audio-recordings-for-stoic-week-2014/ http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/category/stoicism-buddhismmindfulness/ Perhaps back to the future could provide a better answer to humankind! http://www.elitetrader.com/et/index.php?threads/is-god-mute.292671/page-22#post-4177347
Probably only human-being could invent/produce mass destruction weapons to kill humans and destroy wildlife on a massive scale in human history!
what you state must stem from a very incomplete or low level of understanding or purposeful deceit. for instance in Christianity, Paul tells us that we are saved by our trust in God keeping his word (my understanding of faith). I have heard that it stated that it is really God's faith that saves us... not our own works and I think that is a good summary of what the point of the new testament is telling us. We are saved because God is faithful to his word. We just have to understand that and ask for it. We do good works because we have the spirit of God within us making better than we were without Him. In practice, over time, our consciences (or our spirit) does break us down and convict us if we are not on the right path. We know we should be doing the right thing and we can only fight it for so long. You don't need a relationship with God to understand that...
I guess:Education and poverty were two major issues, historically! Religious Faith can also be a powerful mass destruction weapons to kill humans on a massive scale in human history! " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_Rebellion Casualties and losses 2,500 foreign soldiers 2,000 Imperial troops[3] Unknown number of Boxers 32,000 Chinese Christians plus 200 missionaries killed by Boxers in Northern China[4] 100,000 civilians killed by Boxers in total[5] 5,000 civilians killed by foreign soldiers in total " Q https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_spirit_possession Chinese spirit possession is the paranormal/supernatural and sorcerical event in which, allegedly, when Chinese spirits, or gods such as Jade Emperor, Xi Wangmu, Sun Wukong, Dragon King, Nezha, Guanyin, Guan Yu, or other disincarnate or extraterrestrial entities take control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in body functions and behaviour. It was alleged that once the spirit possession take place, the practitioners would be granted supernatural powers like Firewalking, handling red-hot steel rods without getting burnt, and withstanding sharp knife attacks without being cut open. The most famous Chinese spirit possession practitioners were to be found in Boxer Rebellion in the 1900s, when boxers claimed to be invulnerable to the cut of a sharp knife, gunshots, and even cannon fire. Contents 1 History 2 Spirit possession ritual 2.1 Mystical incantations 3 Shaman 4 Paranormal claims 5 See also 6 References History The State of Qi had shamans who claimed to be possessed by spirits, and they were criticized as heterodox by Confucians. These spirit possession movements often led peasant rebellions during Imperial Chinese history. The Boxer Rebellion was one of many peasant movements that had shamans who claimed to be possessed by spirits.[1] For the Boxers during the Boxer rebellion, spirit possession was used for protective purposes.[2] Spirit possession ritual Larry Clinton Thompson, in his book "William Scott Ament and the Boxer Rebellion: Heroism, Hubris and the ”Ideal Missionary”, has a description of the spirit possession practiced by Chinese boxers: ... whirling and twirling of swords, violent prostrations, and chanting incantations to Taoist and Buddhist spirits. When the spirit possession had been achieved, the boxers would obtain invulnerability and superhuman skills with swords and lance. [3] Mystical incantations (1) Incantation to invite the coming of spirits. (2) Incantation to provide protection against spear and fire. (3) Incantation to provide protection against any outside attack. Spirit possession practitioners claimed that once these incantations were chanted, Chinese spirits would descend to offer protection, so that cannon fire or gunshots would not harm the human body.[4] Shaman In Taiwan, shamans who claim to be possessed by ancient spirits still exist. They are known as Jitong. Many people still ask them for advice. Among the "spirits", the Shamans claim they can channel are Chinese historical figures such as Ji Gong, Santaizi, and other spirits, including non-Chinese ones, like Jesus.[5][6] Paranormal claims (1) Thunder bolts in the palm (Chinese:五雷掌). (2) Climbing ladder made of sharp knives (Chinese:上刀山) (3) Invulnerable to gunshots, cannon fire, and knife attack. (4) Ability to command divine spirit warriors. UQ