If the universe expands, then it expands into what? Is it possible that life is everything that exists AND everything that does not exist? afterall how can you have something unless you also have the nothing around it to define the boundaries of the something? Is it possible that life is everywhere, and it just expresses it self in different forms, concepts, ideas? Could it be that the universe just expresses it self in infinite possibilities so it can self experience all it can be? Is it possible that there is an infinite consciousness, an infinite intelligence that we are all part of, and our though energies contribute in collectively expanding it? Is it possible that everything that can be is already out there, and our human minds are tapping into this infinite awareness? Could this explain revolutionary ideas out of the blue, or people separated by continents thinking the same thoughts simultaneously? Like tuned radios on the same frequency? Maybe we are all connected in great many ways and we just haven't fully reached that realization yet. Josh
how about spirits organized into kingdoms (one good, one evil) that communicate 'ideas' according to the agenda of their leaders in a grand chess-game-like battle for the souls of men?
Chasin I often had this vision as a boy sitting in church... of god and the devil... but it always went round and round in my mind and ultimately became blurred and really scared the shit outta me, when I really took the time to embrace the extreme perversion of such a concept... PEACE and good trading, Commisso
Kymar Well for me, that just summarises the whole debate. An excellent piece if I may say so and it's posts like yours which in my opinion represent the nuggets of intellectual and concise thought that make this board so intersesting and educational. (Along with mine of course lol) To rationalise others categorical statements, when they are expressed in dogmatic terms or as absolutism, in a metaphorical construct, is I think much more appealing and meaningful than assuming such assertions are mere superstition Thanks for that _______________________ ...........Spam sandwich perhaps....
Nicely put Kymar, rounding out the varied views of the thread with a thoughtful agnostic position. You would make a good sparring partner for Thomas Aquinas, who believed that individuals could be wrestled into the kingdom of God through rational argument. While this thought would be appealing to someone like me, I disagree with Aquinas. Just because potential connections are there does not mean they have to be made by all, as you point out. Intellectual debate can rattle cages and pry open doors but not in itself change hearts. I noticed you used the word 'uncomfortable,' which makes me think of the market lately- my need to sit on my hands, read, go to the pool and otherwise do a lot more nothing than i would like. I have known what it is like to be deeply 'uncomfortable' with my own views of reality as well, in fact in times past i have experienced periods of deep anger. i remember one point many years ago where my faith in God was almost perfectly balanced by my extreme resentment of him- irresistable force meets immovable object. talk about cognitive dissonance, i thought my head was going to explode at the worst point. but truth eventually won out. i recognized that emotions, being malleable, were not grounds to deny what i knew, and that the problem was within myself. The concept of acknowledging complete sovereignty to a creator can be EXTREMELY unpalatable to anyone who has laid their own ground, walked their own path, and otherwise built up an illusion of control. Putting one's pride to death hurts like hell, literally. All belief systems, whether they see the buck stopping with God, a nameless force, the universe itself, or just plain old spontaneously generated atoms- have certain emotional 'flavors' that the subjective mind can respond to. I know this all too well from firsthand experience, as many of my past detractors have tried to convince themselves I choose my path on purely emotional grounds, even as they themselves are guilty of their accusation (NOT pointing fingers here just speaking in general observational terms). So I guess i'm rambling a bit, but i'd like to highlight the idea that the search and the conclusion if any should ideally be devoid of emotional bias or comfort, just as the ideal trading mentality should be devoid of emotional bias or comfort. There are many 'potential' ideas for how things could be, and it is easy for the mind to seize on the idea it likes and fill in the holes, especially if said mind is an intelligent/creative one. Better to be brutally honest and let reality speak for itself, even if we do not like what reality is saying to us.
Hey Stu...take a look at page 7 of "what kind of training...." You got an honorable mention from yours truly
Could be a lot worse!!! BTW did you see Bono's comment on top of page 10 "what kind of training..."? Should I retire right now? Go out on top
rs7 Page 7 eh.... so far back like looking into a previous existence. I feel I have gained a lot from being able to study in other places and have access to some really inspiring thoughts posted on this thread. I surely now have a better place to stand and view all the possibilities. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable than having to conclude my innate feelings into a specific encampment. Thanks again Kaymar..... and thanks for the mention rs7