Answers interleaved: > This may be your own construction. Do you feel the same thing about voodoo > ceremonies? How about about a rasta smoke-in? A religious ritual involving > killing a goat? A human?
Yes it might be my own construction - but its equally possible it is not. Never been to a voodoo ceremony. Seems creepy. Been to many smoke-ins...love Rastafarians. Don't think I like killing so much. Though I've eaten goat...very tasty after a smoke-in. > When our subconscious expectations are matched in the environment, our brains > reward us. We get flooded with the expected good feelings. We have > historically been shown to suck at evaluating such groups outside us. You > are judging what is outside by a feeling inside. It implies only > simultaneity, not causality. Yes...Actually I don't spend much of my time evaluating people or groups..I'm not looking for grace it just sorta randomly shows up. Can't explain it...and certainly don't need to justify or prove it. > > Here is what I propose: we get a curtain and you sit facing away from it. > Across the curtain we bring in a succession of followers of Sebud, Thug hash > smokers from Northern India (the original assassins) and a variety of new age > groups along with a group of guys who used to cut up bodies for the mob. > > Without the visual clues, can you accurately tell what field effect they are > emanating? > > (I can get the Mafia guys and thugs, I need help gathering up the rest.) I don't choose when and where or how I get vibes from people or situations... It's just something that randomly happens. I dunno Curtis, just because you bought the whole stinkin' enchilada for many years doesn't mean the opposite of everything you learned in the movement is the truth...dive for the pearls...they are there. > > > > I do believe that individuals and groups of individuals can be conduits for > > grace to flow into this world...Each member of the group "tugging" each > > member along in a symbiotic manner. > > > > What I don't believe is that the manner in which that grace expresses > > itself in the world is predictable with respect to individuals: as we know, > > "God is no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34) > > > > Grace influences our thoughts, behaviors and choices in the world and moves > > situations towards positive outcomes. But - it's only through action and > > behavior that it (grace)becomes meaningful. > > > > I am sure that sitting and radiating grace is great. But, Krishna told > > Arjuna to act for a reason...Action is the bridge through which that grace > > becomes manifest. > > >