Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

by failing to recognize its connection to everything else. by dividing humanity into competing segments all trumpeting their own ignorance, it has conquered itself with its own fear.

you have forgotten who you are

WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO WE ARE....

Are you not just another sect trumpeting ignorance? And how do you know who I am? Let alone what I was?

the human race in general im talking about

ok...then we is a better pronoun than you

so are you religious?

in the traditional sense no

thats good then. because i think religions are there to engulf the mind with fear and guilt

And why are the devisive lines relgions draw any different that the ones we draw between ourselves and the religion.

Originally posted by Deano
thats good then. because i think religions are there to engulf the mind with fear and guilt

You have a narrow view on religion. My religion does not focus of fear or guilt.

ummm...with all due respect kid...your religion is hardly representative

Originally posted by Alliance
ummm...with all due respect kid...your religion is hardly representative

Do you mean that there are fewer Buddhists in the world?

yes...and I'm not the authority on budhism, but would you consider yourself a representative buddhist?

Originally posted by Deano
by failing to recognize its connection to everything else. by dividing humanity into competing segments all trumpeting their own ignorance, it has conquered itself with its own fear.

you have forgotten who you are

...? The opposite to a divided humanity would be a united humanity - but I thought that you didn't like that idea either, as a united humanity would be a "NWO" (even though once again I say that a united humanity would be good).

And besides, religion is nothing new, as long as there have been people there has been religion and sometimes religious devision.



Actually Buddhism is in a boom time at the moment - Buddhism, Hinduism and new age religion are going strong - as it seems these religions offer what people need (or maybe want) in this day and age. Statistically the religious demography is changing with more people turning to atheism or eastern religions.

Christianity is experiencing a decline, though Islam is benefiting from large scale population growth in Islamic states.

This reminds me of the "End of the World" thread.

It is something of an eye-opener to talk to senior citizens, specifically those who were alive during WWII. They will tell you that the "end of the world" seemed pretty clear then, too. And all during the Cold War, as the US and USSR built up insane stockpiles of nuclear weapons: it appeared fairly obvious we were gonna blow ourselves to smithereens then, also.

Coupla points, though, I would tend to agree with:

1. All mystical schools of thought say that "we have forgotten who/what we are;" that we are that sleeping aspect of "God" which has the potential for awakening to our true nature (I will leave the definition of "God" open for the moment; suffice to say, it is Not the BBWGITS (Big Bearded White Guy In The Sky).
Regardless, grand proclamations ain't gonna be the alarm bell which wakes everybody up. Self-discovery is a personal choice, and whether or not you believe in "God," one excellent starting point is by taking responsibility for one's actions, right here, right now, in how we treat one another, treat our environment, and yes, how we treat ourselves.

2. If we don't start taking responsibility for the above, then I feel at some point we may very well do serious damage to ourselves as a species. The 20th century marked Man's emergence as a globe-affecting power; this power will only grow stronger in the 21st century. Does that mean we Will kill ourselves? Not likely; we love our reality TV shows too much. However, we Will end up changing the world in a manner that will make life harder, if not for ourselves then our children and grandchildren.

Man, sometimes I ramble...

There is no such thing as a representative Buddhist, or even something as a 'Buddhist'. But there are people in the world who follow the advice of a person who was called Buddha about 3000 years ago.

Buddhism is only a label to refer to the collective teachings attributed to Buddha, and Buddhists are people who follow, in subjective consequence, the teachings of Buddha. That's all.

I see this from a different persepctive...

Globalization has increased world contact. The curiosity obout other lands has existed forever, but now people can easily travel (commercial airliners) an even surf the web. The internet is a huge dawingin in the public access to knowledge...bottom line is...ideas are spreading transglobally way faster than anyone thought possible.

The bottom line is nations have yet to adapt to a bigger world. It always takes a generation or two to push the old fogies out. I would love to be rid of US Cold War policy (which imo was reinstated after 9-11), buts not going to happen until my generation, or smarter aspects of later generations instate a good policiy of transnational rationalism.

This isnt going to work if we are so wrapped up in our relgisous beliefs...this new globalism, combined with education, is shifting relgious views. Atheism/agnosticism has skyrocketed, The Christian/Islamic bowerhouses are in decline. Hinduism is growing, but mainly only becuase India is exploding in population, and smaller religions are gaining a platform. Hence the panic by organised religion. Dogmatic relgious conservatism and globalization don't work together.

Originally posted by Alliance
yes...and I'm not the authority on budhism, but would you consider yourself a representative buddhist?

I may have some quarky ideas, but I'm not that far off from my dear Buddhist friends. None of us would fit into the description given by Deano.

Originally posted by Wonderer
There is no such thing as a representative Buddhist, or even something as a 'Buddhist'. But there are people in the world who follow the advice of a person who was called Buddha about 3000 years ago.

Buddhism is only a label to refer to the collective teachings attributed to Buddha, and Buddhists are people who follow, in subjective consequence, the teachings of Buddha. That's all.
I'd disagree. Of course everyon'es faith is different, but there is a general core of principles that is common among most buddhists.

What you stated was the core of buddhism, the defining part.

For example: representative beliefswould be: spiritual discovery thoguh meditation, investigation into the nature of reality, pursuit of the bodhi, belief in the middle way.

I only have one friend whose; buddhist, and we never talk aobut religion...so I only know skidbits.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I may have some quarky ideas, but I'm not that far off from my dear Buddhist friends. None of us would fit into the description given by Deano. Isnt; using the term buddhist in itself a "dividing line?"

divide and rule is the key to religions. when will people realise we are all one.

the killings soon begin. kill the heathen, kill the infidel. this is your god.
i dont want any part of that thanx

how can we all be one if some of us are lizard rulers from another world though

and Bill Hicks would most likely say "**** david icke" if he were alive today

that was Hicks genius...he took the piss out of everyone

Originally posted by jaden101
how can we all be one if some of us are lizard rulers from another world though

and Bill Hicks would most likely say "**** david icke" if he were alive today

that was Hicks genius...he took the piss out of everyone

why would you believe that? i doubt hicks would tell icke to **** off. only the people who sit on there arse and watch the world destroy itself.

Originally posted by Deano
divide and rule is the key to religions. when will people realise we are all one...

Buddhism is a joining, not a dividing. People and their ignorance are dividing.


Originally posted by Alliance
Isnt; using the term buddhist in itself a "dividing line?"

No, I joined Buddhism. Buddhism dose not say you have to leave the world, or other religions, but that we are all one in our diversity.

There are also other beliefs like that............

Which is cool.

We are Infinite consciousness so why do we need some priest, caliph or rabbi to tell us what to think and how to live our lives?

Originally posted by Deano
We are Infinite consciousness so why do we need some priest, caliph or rabbi to tell us what to think and how to live our lives?

My religion dose not have priests. Everyone is equal.

yeh but If you can give a term or title for what you are and believe, the Matrix has you.

Originally posted by Deano
yeh but If you can give a term or title for what you are and believe, the Matrix has you.

I don't believe in the Matrix. You should learn more about my faith.

http://www.sgi.org/

chanting Spam..........

Originally posted by debbiejo
chanting Spam..........

If anyone needs it, Deano dose. He is obviously in great mental pain. If he learned about the ten worlds and how we move from one to the next, he would be able to gain some control over his astonishing imagination and put it to good use.

Originally posted by Deano
We are Infinite consciousness so why do we need some priest, caliph or rabbi to tell us what to think and how to live our lives? I agree!

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I don't believe in the Matrix. You should learn more about my faith.

http://www.sgi.org/

belief is an illusion of the mind

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
If anyone needs it, Deano dose. He is obviously in great mental pain. If he learned about the ten worlds and how we move from one to the next, he would be able to gain some control over his astonishing imagination and put it to good use.

im in no pain. why do i need faith in something like you?
it obviously makes you sleep better at night. and you are so sure about these 10 worlds are you? its a belief. ignorance

Originally posted by Deano
belief is an illusion of the mind

Not believing is an illusion of the mind, also. We can never understand the true nature of reality, but we are the true nature of reality, so the middle way is the only way that leads to enlightenment. For we are enlightened and do not know it.

Originally posted by Deano
im in no pain. why do i need faith in something like you?
it obviously makes you sleep better at night. and you are so sure about these 10 worlds are you? its a belief. ignorance

Faith is the only true magic we have. We create reality at every moment, and faith is the only way to be the artist instead of the clay.

The ten worlds is just a model; a way to understand the true nature of reality. It is a tool that can be used to better a persons life.

I read all of your posts, and to say that you are not in pain, is to try and hide it.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Not believing is an illusion of the mind, also. We can never understand the true nature of reality, but we are the true nature of reality, so the middle way is the only way that leads to enlightenment. For we are enlightened and do not know it.

your right. we are enlightened, we don't have to seek it,we are already enlightened. We just have to wake-the-****up, break out of the trance, and remember who we are.

we are all knowing, no schools necessary. no religion can teach us that. do you think the Infinite has to go to school to learn anything when it knows everything there is to know?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Faith is the only true magic we have. We create reality at every moment, and faith is the only way to be the artist instead of the clay.

The ten worlds is just a model; a way to understand the true nature of reality. It is a tool that can be used to better a persons life.

I read all of your posts, and to say that you are not in pain, is to try and hide it.

im happy and at peace with myself .i am in no pain. i promise you.

Originally posted by Deano
your right. we are enlightened, we don't have to seek it,we are already enlightened. We just have to wake-the-****up, break out of the trance, and remember who we are.

we are all knowing, no schools necessary. no religion can teach us that. do you think the Infinite has to go to school to learn anything when it knows
everything there is to know?

Yes, however, we are just humans, and we need each other. My religion is a way to have that. There are those around me that are asleep, but I still love them.

Originally posted by Deano
im happy and at peace with myself .i am in no pain. i promise you.

Then I have mistaken all of the defensiveness that you put forth, as pain in your life.


Deb told me I should use more smilies.

Originally posted by Alliance
The internet is a huge dawning in in the public access to knowledge
Hell, yeah. It is The best thing to hit the globe since the printing press.

The bottom line is nations have yet to adapt to a bigger world. It always takes a generation or two to push the old fogies out. I would love to be rid of US Cold War policy (which imo was reinstated after 9-11), buts not going to happen until my generation, or smarter aspects of later generations instate a good policiy of transnational rationalism.
I know I'm not holding my breath...

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Deb told me I should use more smilies.

Hooray for the Freedom of Information!