tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post3800425672434540895..comments2024-03-27T11:16:36.951-07:00Comments on One Cʘsmos: 100 Million Americans Living in Spiritual Poverty!Gagdad Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14249005793605006679noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-82364298764097855032007-09-08T10:41:00.000-07:002007-09-08T10:41:00.000-07:00Consider: The missing element in every human 'sol...Consider:<BR/> The missing element in every human 'solution' is <BR/> an accurate definition of the creature.<BR/><BR/> The way we define 'human' determines our view of self,<BR/> others, relationships, institutions, life, and future. Many <BR/> problems in human experience are the result of false <BR/> and inaccurate definitions of humankind premised <BR/> in man-made religions and humanistic philosophies.<BR/><BR/> Human knowledge is a fraction of the whole universe. <BR/> The balance is a vast void of human ignorance. Human <BR/> reason cannot fully function in such a void; thus, the <BR/> intellect can rise no higher than the criteria by which it <BR/> perceives and measures values.<BR/><BR/> Humanism makes man his own standard of measure. <BR/> However, as with all measuring systems, a standard <BR/> must be greater than the value measured. Based on <BR/> preponderant ignorance and an egocentric carnal <BR/> nature, humanism demotes reason to the simpleton <BR/> task of excuse-making in behalf of the rule of appe-<BR/> tites, desires, feelings, emotions, and glands.<BR/><BR/> Because man, hobbled in an ego-centric predicament, <BR/> cannot invent criteria greater than himself, the humanist <BR/> lacks a predictive capability. Without instinct or trans-<BR/> cendent criteria, humanism cannot evaluate options with <BR/> foresight and vision for progression and survival. Lack-<BR/> ing foresight, man is blind to potential consequence and <BR/> is unwittingly committed to mediocrity, collectivism, <BR/> averages, and regression - and worse. Humanism is an <BR/> unworthy worship.<BR/><BR/> The void of human ignorance can easily be filled with <BR/> a functional faith while not-so-patiently awaiting the <BR/> foot-dragging growth of human knowledge and behav-<BR/> ior. Faith, initiated by the Creator and revealed and <BR/> validated in His Word, the Bible, brings a transcend-<BR/> ent standard to man the choice-maker. Other philo-<BR/> sophies and religions are man-made, humanism, and <BR/> thereby lack what only the Bible has:<BR/><BR/> 1.Transcendent Criteria and <BR/> 2.Fulfilled Prophetic Validation.<BR/><BR/> The vision of faith in God and His Word is survival <BR/> equipment for today and the future. Only the Creator,<BR/> who made us in His own image, is qualified to define<BR/> us accurately.<BR/><BR/> Human is earth's Choicemaker. Psalm 25:12 He is by <BR/> nature and nature's God a creature of Choice - and of <BR/> Criteria. Psalm 119:30,173 His unique and definitive <BR/> characteristic is, and of Right ought to be, the natural <BR/> foundation of his environments, institutions, and re-<BR/> spectful relations to his fellow-man. Thus, he is orien-<BR/> ted to a Freedom whose roots are in the Order of the <BR/> universe. selah<BR/><BR/> That human institution which is structured on the<BR/> principle, "...all men are endowed by their Creator with<BR/> ...Liberty...," is a system with its roots in the natural<BR/> Order of the universe. The opponents of such a system are<BR/> necessarily engaged in a losing contest with nature and<BR/> nature's God. Biblical principles are still today the<BR/> foundation under Western Civilization and the American<BR/> way of life. To the advent of a new season we commend the<BR/> present generation and the "multitudes in the valley of<BR/> decision."<BR/><BR/> Let us proclaim it. Behold!<BR/> The Season of Generation-Choicemaker Joel 3:14 KJV<BR/><BR/> - from The Season of Generation-Choicemaker Joel 3:14 kjvAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-40255435766209354472007-09-06T07:26:00.000-07:002007-09-06T07:26:00.000-07:00I got your book, along with Meditations on the Tar...I got your book, along with Meditations on the Tarot.<BR/>I should be caught up with Y'all in about a year or so.<BR/>A dictionary to fill in the many blanks in my head will be just what the doctor pre-scribes.<BR/><BR/>WV=akhkzkd--must be a long time smokerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-66882515254308825502007-09-06T06:52:00.000-07:002007-09-06T06:52:00.000-07:00Magnus:I love the pointing analogy. In a way, the ...Magnus:<BR/><BR/>I love the pointing analogy. In a way, the capacity to point is everything. This is the essence of Polanyi's philosophy, what he calls the distinction between subsidiary (the finger) and focal (the moon) knowledge.Gagdad Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14249005793605006679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-8280492878305296052007-09-06T06:14:00.000-07:002007-09-06T06:14:00.000-07:00“to struggle with knowledge is as much a part of t...“to struggle with knowledge is as much a part of truth as anything else,” or “to struggle with love is as much a part of relationships as anything else," or "to struggle with virtue is as much a part of being good as anything else." <BR/><BR/>Or as Smoov noted, to struggle with being human - or not.Van Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-89094354671385756222007-09-06T05:51:00.000-07:002007-09-06T05:51:00.000-07:00Pavarotti died. One gliberal publication writes: "...Pavarotti died. <BR/><BR/>One gliberal publication writes: "In 1972 he famously hit nine high C's in a row in 'Daughter of the Regiment' at New York's Metropolitan..."<BR/><BR/>which is of course to exactly miss what Pavarotti represnted to the world. Leave it to the soul-less modern to eulogize this vehicle for Beauty as though he was a dumptruck with an impressive hauling capacity.Stephen Macdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13474300559219020772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-11049180292866298122007-09-06T05:18:00.000-07:002007-09-06T05:18:00.000-07:00I beg to differ. God invented marriage and family...I beg to differ. God invented marriage and family. God warns Adam and Eve to leave and cleave even before they had in-laws.joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11456465195258073699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-71871314487785717692007-09-06T05:14:00.000-07:002007-09-06T05:14:00.000-07:00That way madness lies. But also tenure, so there a...<I>That way madness lies. But also tenure, so there are compensations. </I><BR/><BR/>You never miss a chance! I love it!Joan of Argghh!https://www.blogger.com/profile/14729682908266300507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-60616536582434843982007-09-06T02:37:00.000-07:002007-09-06T02:37:00.000-07:00On the commute I read an article about the co-evol...On the commute I read an article about the co-evolution of the dog. It seems man's best friend has lost a part of its brain that kept much of is wolf instincts. On the other hand, it has gained the ability to understand pointing. When we point at something, a fellow human automatically transfers its attention to the object we point to, rather than just staring at the hand. So does a dog with just a little training. Wolves do not, and neither do chimps or any other species known to man.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if "religiosity" is not something equivalent. We have gained an ability to understand God's pointing and this alone can replace a multitude of instincts that would be necessary if living apart from God.<BR/><BR/>Imagine a dog trying to explain the concept of pointing to a wolf. The wolf would just look dumbly and say: "It's a hand. No matter how it moves, it is still a hand."Magnus Itlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18445902788427523461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-58334636590644878912007-09-05T21:39:00.000-07:002007-09-05T21:39:00.000-07:00Bob writes in today's post:"I’m imagining the Gagb...Bob writes in today's post:<BR/><BR/>"I’m imagining the Gagboy 10 or 20 years down the line, when he is at the peak of his enchantment with the opposite form of the complementary gender."<BR/><BR/>If you're lucky, Bob, if you're lucky. Inversion is statistically not uncommon and one must be ready to deal in any case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-71291476976499818272007-09-05T21:20:00.000-07:002007-09-05T21:20:00.000-07:00Thanks, Smoov.Ahhhh, Tuscany. The one place my wif...Thanks, Smoov.<BR/><BR/>Ahhhh, Tuscany. The one place my wife and I really want to go...someday. There's this great little bicycle / wine tour...<BR/><BR/>Back to reality - Go Fred!NoMohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01100042056270224683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-68087620423847979732007-09-05T20:06:00.000-07:002007-09-05T20:06:00.000-07:00"Misery rises to the level of the means availible ..."Misery rises to the level of the means availible to alleviate it."<BR/><BR/>Why <I>else</I> would I... wanting to relax... turn on the TIVO'd Republican debate?<BR/><BR/>Arghhh...<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry, but if I hear another politico spouting memorized blurbs about how they'll use Gov to promote values and help the family... as if that isn't exactly how we got to the state we're in now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-1525653550479783712007-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:002007-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00A more pithy and effective argument against materi...A more pithy and effective argument against materialism I've not heard in a long while... and of course the catalogs... um... articles... very illuminating.<BR/><BR/>wvniowxmr - oh, I'm pretty sure they do wax.Van Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-10802700414027503292007-09-05T19:49:00.000-07:002007-09-05T19:49:00.000-07:00Tough day, long day, must save energy...What Will ...Tough day, long day, must save energy...What Will said.<BR/><BR/>What Walt said.<BR/><BR/>Smoov, if you need anyone to research how pocketpc phones operate in Tuscany, I'll see if I can free up some time.<BR/><BR/>and of course,<BR/>"To the extent that you find them alluring, just remember that it’s just an illusion programmed into you by evolution. In short, I am only looking at this Victoria's Secret catalogue for its scientific value. Now run along and mind your own business.” "Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-88639110006220174372007-09-05T18:18:00.000-07:002007-09-05T18:18:00.000-07:00Voltron:I sent you an e-mail. It's a pic of your n...Voltron:<BR/>I sent you an e-mail. It's a pic of your nic.<BR/>Godaikin 1983 MIB<BR/><BR/>JWMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-29195795065452978752007-09-05T17:07:00.000-07:002007-09-05T17:07:00.000-07:00ximeze,Thanks!, I finally got to read the Arthur M...ximeze,<BR/><BR/>Thanks!, I finally got to read the Arthur Miller piece. It was linked to on Ann Coulter's site and I was having a hard time getting in yesterday...<BR/><BR/>(It IS pretty good)IrOnY RaGeDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15415495177472751193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-11522777169957184932007-09-05T16:47:00.000-07:002007-09-05T16:47:00.000-07:00And I don't mean to "trivialize" anything either, ...And I don't mean to "trivialize" anything either, but in spite of all the provocative points in this post, the following is what spoke to me:<BR/><BR/>"...I have begun to think of religiosity as simply “the right way to live,” so to speak. After all, these are traditions that somehow nourished the human soul for hundreds and thousands of years, almost as if we were made for them and they were made for us. Regardless of whether or not we may attribute these traditions to a creator, I find that there is a wisdom in authentic religion that far surpasses what any single mind could have come up with."<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that that passage is one of those that answers the question, "Upon what basis?" or follows-on from, "By virtue of the principle...." It seems to state very simply the <I>foundations</I> of so much else besides.walthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388218390016612051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-6466469207741632102007-09-05T16:02:00.000-07:002007-09-05T16:02:00.000-07:00"Not Hatha yoga, but Integral Yoga -- i.e., Raja, ..."Not Hatha yoga, but Integral Yoga -- i.e., Raja, Jnana and Bhakta, with a little Hatha on the side."<BR/><BR/>You know, I realized later today that I knew that already - I'm pretty sure this has come up in the past (and in your book - sheesh!). I guess my brain wasn't completely up and running earlier. Ah well, perhaps this'll be helpful to some of the newer Raccoons who might have missed it the first time round.<BR/><BR/>I'm pretty sure my husband was thinking only of Hatha yoga, but I'll remember this time in case he's perhaps looking for a more wholistic kind of fitness.juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15975754287030568726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-77811320476058922182007-09-05T13:49:00.000-07:002007-09-05T13:49:00.000-07:00Speaking of Christian Yoga, I stumbled over this p...Speaking of Christian Yoga, I stumbled over <A HREF="http://www.dreamhawk.com/yog-chr01.htm" REL="nofollow">this piece</A> a few weeks ago. <BR/><BR/>"The beauty of yoga as it has developed in the west, is that each person has the opportunity of releasing or finding their innate and extraordinary potential in themselves in their own way. Yoga has always been associated with a personal discipline or techniques relating to self-help. So the words Christian and Yoga are here joined together not to suggest that Christians should practice Eastern yoga postures or breathing techniques, or even meditation techniques from the Far East, but to denote a path within Christ’s teachings that is a personal way for each of us to take."Kaffepaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12345465424685778306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-34214561677604169232007-09-05T13:48:00.000-07:002007-09-05T13:48:00.000-07:00"I think we are simply built this way, in the same...<I>"I think we are simply built this way, in the same way that the flower is built to turn toward the sun."</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://robinstarfish.blogspot.com/2007/09/rise.html" REL="nofollow">Rise</A><BR/>she absorbs the sun<BR/>kissed by possibility<BR/>caretaker coils hoserobinstarfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15665546554663005609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-51446807505321617042007-09-05T13:29:00.000-07:002007-09-05T13:29:00.000-07:00Wow, slow day for comments. Excellent post too. Ma...Wow, slow day for comments. Excellent post too. Maybe everyone is like me being kept waiting by lawyers AGAIN.<BR/><BR/>Oh well. One more round of sign-offs at the bank tomorrow. Then I'm heading to Tuscany for a week. Or something.Stephen Macdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13474300559219020772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-19718212869915585512007-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:002007-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00>>faith begets faith. Just by taking that leap and...>>faith begets faith. Just by taking that leap and living in the way humans have always lived, something automatic seems to kick in . . . <<<BR/><BR/>And I think all it takes for that first leap is a simple act of *imagination*, imagining - not fantasizing, big difference there - but imagining one's self as a being of faith. By doing so, one transcends the struggle, in effect. It's not a Saturn V 3-stage rocket groaning and straining to achieve liftoff - rather it's soundless, graceful anti-grav machine. <BR/><BR/>I think that's one reason why prayer, contemplation, ceremony are so effective in anchoring and sustaining faith - they are, among other things, acts of the imagination. And to be sure, Imagination is a primal attribute of the Creator, one that we, as particles of the Creator, share, and of course, should use.<BR/><BR/>Through imagination, we enter into the Mystery, we learn to embrace the Mystery, and, I think, to a great extent we become the Mystery. For what it's worth, I read the Book of Job as the story of a human who ultimately denied imagination and Mystery - he was perfectly "good" in the conventional sense, followed the rules to a T, thought that by doing so, he understood God. Thus the trials and tribulations . . . until he was compelled to confess that he had no clue as to what God *really* was/is. At which point, I take it, Job fell into Mystery and began to develop the higher senses that would allow him to more fully perceive the nature of God.<BR/><BR/>What is good for God and what we finite beings may "logically" think of as good may be two very different things. By allowing ourselves - via our divine imagination - to freefall into Mystery we can begin to perceive the "goodness" of God in a very different way that we did before. This, I think, is real faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-12286918893824260202007-09-05T09:40:00.000-07:002007-09-05T09:40:00.000-07:00BTW, it is in this sense that one may speak of "Ch...BTW, it is in this sense that one may speak of "Christian yoga," i.e., an integral approach that addresses, body, mind, soul, spirit, and heart.Gagdad Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14249005793605006679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-1393929729685228222007-09-05T09:38:00.000-07:002007-09-05T09:38:00.000-07:00Not Hatha yoga, but Integral Yoga -- i.e., Raja, J...Not Hatha yoga, but Integral Yoga -- i.e., Raja, Jnana and Bhakta, with a little Hatha on the side.Gagdad Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14249005793605006679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-80256660384290321102007-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:002007-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00Bob, what kind of yoga did you start with and how ...Bob, what kind of yoga did you start with and how did you do it (a class, on your own, with Leslie...)? I'm asking because this weekend my husband mentioned that he'd like to start doing yoga to help get in shape a bit. Oddly enough, he was also a former philosophy major...<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I was just wondering if you (or any other Raccoon, for that matter) had any recommendations for beginners who don't have the option of taking a class.juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15975754287030568726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8580258.post-49178619421071883142007-09-05T08:09:00.000-07:002007-09-05T08:09:00.000-07:00Since it was late in the day when I posted the lin...Since it was late in the day when I posted the link to Bob's paper I'll re-post it again here for those who missed it.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://24.222.29.58/misc/BionChaos.pdf" REL="nofollow">Psychoanalysis, Chaos and Complexity: The Evolving Mind as a Dissipative Structure</A><BR/><BR/>I started in on it last night, but quickly realized this is better done on the weekend when distractions are at a minimum.Stephen Macdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13474300559219020772noreply@blogger.com