Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Discuss philosophical questions regarding theism (and atheism), and discuss religion as it relates to philosophy. This includes any philosophical discussions that happen to be about god, gods, or a 'higher power' or the belief of them. This also generally includes philosophical topics about organized or ritualistic mysticism or about organized, common or ritualistic beliefs in the existence of supernatural phenomenon.
Ecurb
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Ecurb »

Scott wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:51 pm

Indeed, Dr. Dyer's comments about human organization do seem in my opinion to apply just as well to questions of science as much as spirituality. It seems to me that one who seeks to engage (or pretends to engage) in truth-seeking via either scientific or spiritual inquiry can be just as hindered by (1) the corruption of human organization, (2) the foolishness of human mobs especially when institutionally organized, and (3) faith in proclaimed human authorities, (e.g. priests, college degree-givers, peer review journals, Nazi commanding officers overseeing scientific publications, billionaire-owned Facebook's paid fact-checkers, Wikipedia, etc.). An example is the published peer-reviewed paper, "Cooperative , Compact Algorithms for Randomized Algorithms", which is simply random gibberish.

Self-help guru Dr. Wayne Dyer probably saw organized religion as a competitor. There's more than a hint of the notion that people should listen to HIM instead of their priests and pastors in his comments. It is true, of course, that many evangelicals preach that Christianity is THE great self-help method. To hear them tell it, becoming a Christian can not only make you happy, fulfilled, and heaven-bound, but can also help you lose weight, make more money, and cure addictions. Maybe they're right. But believing in things because they are helpful seems a soulless religion. Perhaps it's a product of our scientific, mechanical age. Machines are helpful; therefore, we look at the universe as a machine.

"What would Jesus do?" is a standard mantra for Christians, so I don't think they're at odds with Dyer's approach.

It is true that human organizations are often flawed: they can be (as Scott points out) corrupt and foolish. But so can individuals. Mobs can encourage evil behavior because there is safety in numbers, but lone gunmen also abound.

We humans like organizing things. We can't remember our dreams until we organize them by writing them down or telling them to someone. Even our waking memories are easily forgotten unless we tell stories about them. By organizing events into language, we cement them in our minds.

By the way, Fundamentalists and Evangelicals agree with your distate for priests and hierarchical authorities. Such disapproval is the essence of their faith. So some "organized religion", at least, is on your side, and that of Dr. Dyer.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

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Sculptor1 wrote:Key public libertarian figures, though are by no means anti-religious.
Since the US is the spiritual homeland of Libertarianism I'm sure you're right. But I was talking about Scott's overall philosophy and not specifically about his anti-religious views.
It seems libertarianism is not all it is cracked up to be.
I've never personally cracked it up to be very much! Most of the arguments against it that I've had here have been with GE Morton.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

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Steve3007 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:25 am
Sculptor1 wrote:Key public libertarian figures, though are by no means anti-religious.
Since the US is the spiritual homeland of Libertarianism I'm sure you're right. But I was talking about Scott's overall philosophy and not specifically about his anti-religious views.
It seems libertarianism is not all it is cracked up to be.
I've never personally cracked it up to be very much! Most of the arguments against it that I've had here have been with GE Morton.
Indeed.
Libertarianism seems rather self defeating. At some point people have to rely on others for co-operations.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by LuckyR »

Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:34 am
Steve3007 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:25 am
Sculptor1 wrote:Key public libertarian figures, though are by no means anti-religious.
Since the US is the spiritual homeland of Libertarianism I'm sure you're right. But I was talking about Scott's overall philosophy and not specifically about his anti-religious views.
It seems libertarianism is not all it is cracked up to be.
I've never personally cracked it up to be very much! Most of the arguments against it that I've had here have been with GE Morton.
Indeed.
Libertarianism seems rather self defeating. At some point people have to rely on others for co-operations.
Yeah, Libertarians... use the system to get to the point where you don't need the system anymore, then complain about the system.
"As usual... it depends."
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Sculptor1 »

LuckyR wrote: March 24th, 2021, 12:45 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:34 am
Steve3007 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:25 am
Sculptor1 wrote:Key public libertarian figures, though are by no means anti-religious.
Since the US is the spiritual homeland of Libertarianism I'm sure you're right. But I was talking about Scott's overall philosophy and not specifically about his anti-religious views.
It seems libertarianism is not all it is cracked up to be.
I've never personally cracked it up to be very much! Most of the arguments against it that I've had here have been with GE Morton.
Indeed.
Libertarianism seems rather self defeating. At some point people have to rely on others for co-operations.
Yeah, Libertarians... use the system to get to the point where you don't need the system anymore, then complain about the system.
:lol:
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Tegularius »

Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:26 am
Tegularius wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:31 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 5:11 am TRUTH BECOMES A LIE WHEN ORGANIZED:

Pseudo-profound horse excrement; self evidently rubbish.

I wonder if science thinks that the organised truths of Kepler, Newton and Copurnicus when organised into the modern heliocentric system is a lie?
That would be true, but there is one distinction. There's a huge difference between the truths we create for ourselves and those we discover. The latter has nothing to do with the former meaning not customized to our preferences.
So you are implying that if a "truth" is created it will always fail the organisation test. That would make it a falsehood - and only revealed as such after examination. That leaves the above pseudo-pfofound excrement, such that - self evident rubbish.
Truth discovered reinforces itself through organization. Conversely the truths created to serve ourselves becomes more of a lie or non-truth when it's organized by compounding that which has no reality external to the species which applies it.
The earth has a skin and that skin has diseases; one of its diseases is called man ... Nietzsche
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Sculptor1 »

Tegularius wrote: March 24th, 2021, 4:52 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:26 am
Tegularius wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:31 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 5:11 am TRUTH BECOMES A LIE WHEN ORGANIZED:

Pseudo-profound horse excrement; self evidently rubbish.

I wonder if science thinks that the organised truths of Kepler, Newton and Copurnicus when organised into the modern heliocentric system is a lie?
That would be true, but there is one distinction. There's a huge difference between the truths we create for ourselves and those we discover. The latter has nothing to do with the former meaning not customized to our preferences.
So you are implying that if a "truth" is created it will always fail the organisation test. That would make it a falsehood - and only revealed as such after examination. That leaves the above pseudo-pfofound excrement, such that - self evident rubbish.
Truth discovered reinforces itself through organization. Conversely the truths created to serve ourselves becomes more of a lie or non-truth when it's organized by compounding that which has no reality external to the species which applies it.

It seems obvious to me that "a created truth", is not a truth in any meaningful sense, especially in the religious and "spiritual" context.
These are nothing but fantasies, and that is established, since when those ideas are brought to the scrutiny they fail.
Were such things true then they would not fail tests of scrutiny. In the unlikely event that such phantoms do survive the organisation, then by luck you might have hot upon something worthwhile.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

Scott wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:51 pm In the quoted text, Dr. Dyer did not say that the New Testament of the Christian Bible taught kindness, love, concern, and peace. He said that Jesus taught kindness, love, concern, and peace.
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:30 am But the sum of what Jesus was supposed to have taught does not amount to kindness, love, concern, and peace.
It amounts to a threat. If you do not act in the way I says you will be damned. Jesus also says you need to jettison family and follow me, or else. Be subservient to me, or else. Be celibate, or else. Jesus says you are born ill and commands you to be well, or else.
I disagree. May I ask if you have read the full New Testament of the Christian Bible? If not, whose summary are you paraphrasing as a secondhand summary?


Steve3007 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:32 am I've probably said this before, but I think this philosophy is essentially a form of Libertarianism, or is very similar to it.
Spiritual libertarianism? You could label my overall spiritual philosophy as that, and it wouldn't necessarily be incorrect, but I wouldn't label it that way personally since the word libertarian is so equivocal and context-dependent. In other words, I'm not saying it's wrong, just that I would worry it would be prone to being misunderstood. Instead, I prefer the label spiritual freedom a.k.a. self-discipline; I think those are a bit less equivocal and thus a slightly more accurate/clear label for my overall spiritual philosophy. In other words, at least in this spiritual context, I think freedom is a clearer if not more accurate word than libertarianism. Very generally speaking, I find words ending in -ism to be especially equivocal, even more-so when the first letter of the ism-word is capitalized (a point that is surprisingly apropos, considering Dyer's comments in the OP).

Metaphysical libertarianism could be defined as belief in the existence of free-will incompatible with causal determinism. I would say I am generally agnostic about that, but the term "free will" in metaphysics is very equivocal too.

If you are talking about political libertarianism, then I don't see how that relates to Dr. Dyer's comments quoted in the OP. I think Dr. Dyer's comments are more accurately interpreted in the context of spiritual philosophy or the philosophy of religion. Granted, I often use political freedom as an analogy for broader spiritual freedom, such that the self-discipline that is spiritual freedom is an analogy for the self-government that is political freedom.



Ecurb wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:20 amBy the way, Fundamentalists and Evangelicals agree with your distate for priests and hierarchical authorities. Such disapproval is the essence of their faith. So some "organized religion", at least, is on your side, and that of Dr. Dyer.
I don't have a distaste for priests. My own sister is a rabbi, and she is very wise, very well-educated in theology formally, and very kind. I deeply value her opinion, and I have reached out to her on many occasions to ask for her opinions on various things. I don't happen to have an immediate family member who is a Christian priest, but I hold no favoritism for Jewish rabbis versus Christian priests or vice versa.

I also wouldn't say flat out that I have a distaste for hierarchies. For instance, I have a deep respect for my muay thai and jiu jitsu coach, and I work to be especially respectful when I am a guest on his mats or in his ring, a privilege I pay for with money. The same goes for my boxing trainer.

I do have a distaste for blind faith (as well as olives). So as a rule of thumb I usually aim to avoid engaging in blind faith (and avoid the eating of olives). I like olive oil, though. It's hard to believe the oil is made from those nasty tasting olives.

I believe liberty is the mother of order.

In analogy, both sexual abstinence and consensual sex are compatible with my philosophy. Unhealthy discontent addiction to either one is incompatible with my spiritual philosophy. In regard to my political philosophy of political which can as an analogue for my spiritual philosophy of spiritual freedom, both rape and forced abstinence would be incompatible with my political philosophy.

As I wrote in my topic The artistically creative diversity of spiritual freedom, posted in the philosophy of the arts section, I believe the beauty of freedom is in the creative diversity it not only allows but also engenders.

When it comes to (1) being addicted to X, (2) having blind faith in X, or (3) violently forcing X on someone, we must not fall into the false dichotomy of thinking the only other option is simply -X (the opposite of X), or even worse (1) being addicted to -X, (2) having blind faith in -X, or (3) violently forcing -X on someone. Freedom is a second dimension entirely that transcends the one dimension between -X and X.

Excessive asceticism can be an addiction just the same. Even excessive moderation can be an addiction, which is the wisdom in the old adage, everything in moderation including moderation, which is a paradox when looking at things one-dimensionally. Always blindly doing the exact opposite of what a wanna-be master says is just as much of slavery or foolishness as blinding doing what the wanna-be master says, regardless of whether the wanna-be master is an aggressive human bully or a feeling like fear or the urge to shoot up heroin. Replacing forced abstinence with forced sex (i.e. rape) is at least just as problematic, not a solution. Freedom cannot be understood in a one-dimensional way, let alone a binary way. Rather, it requires analyzing situations with at least a second dimension (i.e. a transcendental dimension) of freedom, which allows diversity on the original dimension (e.g. the dimension between sex and abstinence, between drinking tons of alcohol or being totally sober, between respectfully listening to my jiu jitsu coach or storming off and quitting).

Ecurb wrote: March 24th, 2021, 10:20 am"What would Jesus do?" is a standard mantra for Christians, so I don't think they're at odds with Dyer's approach.
Yes, I agree. I think Dyer's approach on this matter as quoted in the OP is very agreeable. It's probably already essentially practiced many, especially those who live in a particularly diverse country or region in terms of culture, ethnicity, and/or religion.
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Tegularius »

Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 6:10 pm
Tegularius wrote: March 24th, 2021, 4:52 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:26 am
Tegularius wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:31 pm

That would be true, but there is one distinction. There's a huge difference between the truths we create for ourselves and those we discover. The latter has nothing to do with the former meaning not customized to our preferences.
So you are implying that if a "truth" is created it will always fail the organisation test. That would make it a falsehood - and only revealed as such after examination. That leaves the above pseudo-pfofound excrement, such that - self evident rubbish.
Truth discovered reinforces itself through organization. Conversely the truths created to serve ourselves becomes more of a lie or non-truth when it's organized by compounding that which has no reality external to the species which applies it.

It seems obvious to me that "a created truth", is not a truth in any meaningful sense, especially in the religious and "spiritual" context.
These are nothing but fantasies, and that is established, since when those ideas are brought to the scrutiny they fail.
I'm not disagreeing when measured in black & white. But there is that which we accept as true in our views and behaviors in that we abide by them and more or less controlled by them. It's not an absurd assumption to think that every intelligent species creates its own endemic values which intelligence demands it must do as a hallmark of its existence. Of course this wouldn't equate to any objective truth which applies equally to anyone or any species. Whatever exists religiously, spiritually, societally, are not fundamental truths but psychological ones containing their own errors and ambivalences. In short, not fundamental fixed truths, but relational ones replete with their own errors which may operate and rule for many hundreds of years or more quite successfully.
The earth has a skin and that skin has diseases; one of its diseases is called man ... Nietzsche
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Steve3007 »

Scott wrote:Spiritual libertarianism? You could label my overall spiritual philosophy as that, and it wouldn't necessarily be incorrect, but I wouldn't label it that way personally since the word libertarian is so equivocal and context-dependent. In other words, I'm not saying it's wrong, just that I would worry it would be prone to being misunderstood.
I can understand why you'd be worried about that. Labels can be convenient ways to concisely refer to collections of views/opinions, or philosophical positions, but they're a mixed blessing because inevitably different people understand overlapping but different things by them. It was the emphasis on individual responsibility and the dislike of supra-individual institutions likes governments or organized religion that reminded me of some of the core principles of Libertarianism. But, of course, to most people Libertarianism carries more with it than just that. And, as I've been reminded, many political Libertarians are religious.
I prefer the label spiritual freedom a.k.a. self-discipline; I think those are a bit less equivocal and thus a slightly more accurate/clear label for my overall spiritual philosophy.
I think they're less overtly political too. Libertarianism, to most people, seems to me to be a specifically political movement associated with specific types of policy positions on things like taxation, public services and the right (or otherwise) of the state to legislate on various moral issues. I was trying to keep things more abstract than that.
In other words, at least in this spiritual context, I think freedom is a clearer if not more accurate word than libertarianism. Very generally speaking, I find words ending in -ism to be especially equivocal, even more-so when the first letter of the ism-word is capitalized (a point that is surprisingly apropos, considering Dyer's comments in the OP).
Yes, and words with the same root as "liberty" seem to be particularly prone to confusing usages. So that a liberal is often seen as left wing, a libertarian is often seen as right wing, libertarianism is sometimes associated with conservatism even though in many ways it's its opposite, the Liberal parties in various countries sometimes sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum to each other, etc.
Metaphysical libertarianism could be defined as belief in the existence of free-will incompatible with causal determinism. I would say I am generally agnostic about that, but the term "free will" in metaphysics is very equivocal too.
I guess if there's any single concept it could be most associated with, I'd pick individual free will.
If you are talking about political libertarianism, then I don't see how that relates to Dr. Dyer's comments quoted in the OP. I think Dr. Dyer's comments are more accurately interpreted in the context of spiritual philosophy or the philosophy of religion. Granted, I often use political freedom as an analogy for broader spiritual freedom, such that the self-discipline that is spiritual freedom is an analogy for the self-government that is political freedom.
No, I wasn't intending to talk about political libertarianism but trying to talk about the broader more abstract philosophical beliefs that, at least partly, seem to underpin it.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

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Scott wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:20 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:30 am But the sum of what Jesus was supposed to have taught does not amount to kindness, love, concern, and peace.
It amounts to a threat. If you do not act in the way I says you will be damned. Jesus also says you need to jettison family and follow me, or else. Be subservient to me, or else. Be celibate, or else. Jesus says you are born ill and commands you to be well, or else.
I disagree. May I ask if you have read the full New Testament of the Christian Bible? If not, whose summary are you paraphrasing as a secondhand summary?
:lol:
And where did you learn YOUR bible??
In Sunday school, or on the back of a cornflakes packet.
"Jettison Family"
Matthew 10
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Jesus validates slavery
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
"Or Else"
Matthew 13
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 25
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:


Do yourself a favour and have the courage to read the bits you don't like.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Sculptor1 »

Tegularius wrote: March 24th, 2021, 8:04 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 6:10 pm
Tegularius wrote: March 24th, 2021, 4:52 pm
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:26 am

So you are implying that if a "truth" is created it will always fail the organisation test. That would make it a falsehood - and only revealed as such after examination. That leaves the above pseudo-pfofound excrement, such that - self evident rubbish.
Truth discovered reinforces itself through organization. Conversely the truths created to serve ourselves becomes more of a lie or non-truth when it's organized by compounding that which has no reality external to the species which applies it.

It seems obvious to me that "a created truth", is not a truth in any meaningful sense, especially in the religious and "spiritual" context.
These are nothing but fantasies, and that is established, since when those ideas are brought to the scrutiny they fail.
I'm not disagreeing when measured in black & white. But there is that which we accept as true in our views and behaviors in that we abide by them and more or less controlled by them. It's not an absurd assumption to think that every intelligent species creates its own endemic values which intelligence demands it must do as a hallmark of its existence. Of course this wouldn't equate to any objective truth which applies equally to anyone or any species. Whatever exists religiously, spiritually, societally, are not fundamental truths but psychological ones containing their own errors and ambivalences. In short, not fundamental fixed truths, but relational ones replete with their own errors which may operate and rule for many hundreds of years or more quite successfully.
It is an abuse of langauge to call thes sorts of endemic beliefs "truth".
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Ecurb »

Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:30 am
But the sum of what Jesus was supposed to have taught does not amount to kindness, love, concern, and peace.
It amounts to a threat. If you do not act in the way I says you will be damned. Jesus also says you need to jettison family and follow me, or else. Be subservient to me, or else. Be celibate, or else. Jesus says you are born ill and commands you to be well, or else.....



Do yourself a favour and have the courage to read the bits you don't like.[/b]
Your quote mining is not impressive, Sculptor. In fact, Matthew 25, from which you mine one quote, suggests that love and kindness are more important than obedience or faith. Here are some of those verses:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Those of us who are educated know that "celibate" means "unmarried". Perhaps Sculptor meant "abstinent", since Jesus (as I recall) never contemns marriage. He changed that water into wine at Cana, didn't he?

To Scott: don't mind Sculptor. He's a jerk to everyone. Just ignore him. The New Testament is complicated, and Jesus does say, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword", but Sculptor is anti-intellectual, and is not interested in exploring the complexities of seeming contradictions in it.

By the way, as I understand it, Judaism is not heirarchical. "Rabai" simply means "teacher" in Hebrew, and rabais have no official duties, unlike Catholic priests who alone can hear confessions, give communion, officiate sacraments, etc.
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Sculptor1 »

Ecurb wrote: March 25th, 2021, 11:01 am
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:30 am
But the sum of what Jesus was supposed to have taught does not amount to kindness, love, concern, and peace.
It amounts to a threat. If you do not act in the way I says you will be damned. Jesus also says you need to jettison family and follow me, or else. Be subservient to me, or else. Be celibate, or else. Jesus says you are born ill and commands you to be well, or else.....



Do yourself a favour and have the courage to read the bits you don't like.[/b]
Your quote mining is not impressive, Sculptor. In fact, Matthew 25, from which you mine one quote, suggests that love and kindness are more important than obedience or faith. Here are some of those verses:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Those of us who are educated know that "celibate" means "unmarried". Perhaps Sculptor meant "abstinent", since Jesus (as I recall) never contemns marriage. He changed that water into wine at Cana, didn't he?

To Scott: don't mind Sculptor. He's a jerk to everyone. Just ignore him. The New Testament is complicated, and Jesus does say, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword", but Sculptor is anti-intellectual, and is not interested in exploring the complexities of seeming contradictions in it.

By the way, as I understand it, Judaism is not heirarchical. "Rabai" simply means "teacher" in Hebrew, and rabais have no official duties, unlike Catholic priests who alone can hear confessions, give communion, officiate sacraments, etc.
None of this changes the fact that Matthew demands that salvation involves abandonment of family to follow the Lord and master. ANd that in the entire NT that avoidance of hell requires obedience which was the key point.

Be nice, or else murn in hell is unavoidable.
For that I say to god **** off
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Re: Dr. Wayne Dyer's Credos: Truth becomes a lie when organized.

Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

Scott wrote: March 23rd, 2021, 6:51 pm In the quoted text, Dr. Dyer did not say that the New Testament of the Christian Bible taught kindness, love, concern, and peace. He said that Jesus taught kindness, love, concern, and peace.
Sculptor1 wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:30 am But the sum of what Jesus was supposed to have taught does not amount to kindness, love, concern, and peace.
It amounts to a threat. If you do not act in the way I says you will be damned. Jesus also says you need to jettison family and follow me, or else. Be subservient to me, or else. Be celibate, or else. Jesus says you are born ill and commands you to be well, or else.
Scott wrote: March 24th, 2021, 7:20 pm I disagree. May I ask if you have read the full New Testament of the Christian Bible? If not, whose summary are you paraphrasing as a secondhand summary?
Sculptor1 wrote: March 25th, 2021, 7:32 am And where did you learn YOUR bible??
Since I asked first, would you please answer my question first: Have read the full New Testament of the Christian Bible?


Ecurb wrote: March 25th, 2021, 11:01 am By the way, as I understand it, Judaism is not heirarchical. "Rabai" simply means "teacher" in Hebrew, and rabais have no official duties, unlike Catholic priests who alone can hear confessions, give communion, officiate sacraments, etc.
That is interesting. Thank you for sharing. And thank you in general for your kind and thoughtful words.
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
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2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise
by John K Danenbarger
January 2023

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
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May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
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June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
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September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
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Emotional Intelligence At Work
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Free Will, Do You Have It?
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February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
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May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
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June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
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Living in Color

Living in Color
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The Not So Great American Novel

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Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

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In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
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Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

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May 2021

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by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
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Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

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by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
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If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
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The Preppers Medical Handbook

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Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

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