David, A discussion about how someone comes to believe something that I do not, a meta discussion about beliefs themselves, is one to the best thing about participating here. I am as stuck in my own perspective as anyone, and I am not really looking for new content, just more understanding about the process of our beliefs. When I first dropped my spiritual perspective, I focused on the content of beliefs more, and predictably felt I had little in common with people on a spiritual forum. Over time I began to notice that in fact everyone had a mix of what they selected out of all possible beliefs, no one believes everything. I have heard it said that an atheist just believes in one less god than a theist since most people don't believe in Zeus or other gods from man's long past. The theist has good reasons for not believing in all the possible versions of god and choosing their own preference. Both theist and atheist share more disbelief so they have all that in common.
To have a respectful discussion with someone with a different set of belief choices is a privilege that I appreciate. BTW I think the information on the site about the violence in schools was overly pessimistic. Although we have had some horrible high profile cases lately, violence in schools is down from a decade ago. I am constantly trying to swim upstream against the non intuitive nature of statistical reality verses the skewed impression created by the media. I think we can make a good case about the world being better off or worse off depending on what we pay attention to from the overwhelming details in the world. We may all may just be seeing our own perceptual filter choices, but it is fun to try to break out of them. Thanks for the assistance! PS Tai Chi rocks, you will outlive us all! --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "David Fiske" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Curtis, > I learned from Tai Chi that the second you think you know you stop > learning. One must always be alert for change to happen. Master Moy > insisted on us remaining students in our attitude and, moreover, open > to learning from our own students. > > Opinions can be a terrible barrier and prevent us rethinking our position. > > I took a peek at one poster here on another subject and blow me down > it could have been a rant written several years ago. One must find a > balance between consistency and intractable opinion. > > I have opinions like everyone but in my heart I sometimes acknowledge > that the only thing I KNOW is my Being as Silent, all the rest is > decoration. > > Maharishi taught us that once we know the Oneness of life we can > accept anything in diversity. > Thank you for your courtesy. > Love, > David > > P.S my symptoms were light headedness, dizziness, as though drunk, a > sense the world was receding away from me, occasional terrible > grumpiness, extreme lassitude. Everyone there had the same thing so I > swallowed my scepticism and tried to listen to what they said and how > they explained it. In the process I became fascinated by the > interpretations we apply to get through our days. I rather enjoy the > crazy sometimes. And don't we all dwell in our own reality? > > If everything taught there was wrong it wouldn't affect me. My own > life is so rooted in my own practices and I KNOW their effect. However > believing in the separating 12 time lines does allow me to deal with > the utter horror I also see in the world and the pain of being here. I > find if I focus on my life and where I am and where I `believe' > I am headed `all is well'. My only fear now is I live another ten > years and nothing outside has changed. That is too painful. `I can't > endure for only that. > > "It's a mighty big world out there isn't it? " > > Exactly what I said to Neil Patterson in Seelisberg when after 3 days > he still wouldn't give me the video machine and recent tapes of > Maharishi to watch. I got in my car and never looked back. > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > Thanks David. I think casting your intellectual net wide is a great > > way to live. I think that we all have a bunch of stuff that strikes > > us as right or useful, and more that does not in each of our worlds. > > That seems to be true for both people who consider themselves skeptics > > or spiritually opened people. Thanks for taking a moment to broaden > > my understanding. I enjoy reading stuff that I don't necessarily > > accept, so I enjoyed the site. But an insight into how someone finds > > value in it is really cool. Tolerating the bizarre is something I > > value also, although we may pick different areas to practice that > > tollerance. It is a mighty big world out there isn't it? > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
