tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24006920.post114486763187258952..comments2023-10-15T06:36:17.734-05:00Comments on Truth Be Known News | Blog of Acharya S: What am I doing here?Acharya Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03091289754963053674noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24006920.post-41466485174036003792008-07-23T13:42:00.000-05:002008-07-23T13:42:00.000-05:00Acharya, contrary to you experience with the Jesus...Acharya, contrary to you experience with the Jesus story I find that it can be uplifting and inspiring. We've obviously had different experiences throughout our lives and this would then predispose us differently on this and many other subjects. There was a time when I rejected all religion as just so much nonsense and I rebelled against any religious thinking for long. Yet we find ourselves in a society that is not ready to let religion as defined and prescribed by their preferred traditions go. I've had numerous discussions and arguments with many people from various religious perspectives and have studied philosophy, sociology, psychology and comparative religion since my early teens informally as well as formally later on up to postgraduate level in religious studies and have finally come to the conclusion that most people are rather robotic when it comes to thinking and feeling. There are many people who are simply incapable of matching their beliefs with our shared, real life experiences, since their real experience incorporates their belief structures to such a degree that it colors their other experiences so much that it validates their views for them. To them it doesn't matter how logical, reasonable or verifiable your more informed view is, they cannot, and probably more importantly, don't want to know anything that contradicts their frozen views. Although I admire your work, and deem it very important in helping those who are capable, to escape the confines of the dogmatic nonsense we find all around us, I am convinced (at this stage in my life anyway) that it would be more fruitful in the long run to concentrate on the humane and morally meaningful aspects already embedded in the mainstream religions and help people inside the traditions to become more socially and ecologically aware and responsible. I cannot really relate directly to dr.w.sumner davis' feeling of being left out since I've never been one who wanted that much to belong, but I do find that I hardly know anybody who shares my view and it gets a tad lonesome sometimes. On any issue there seems to be many people on either the pro or con side and very few who straddle the mean in between. Good luck with your efforts and "keep on thinking free!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24006920.post-1145632228440373162006-04-21T10:10:00.000-05:002006-04-21T10:10:00.000-05:00Certainly, you know better than most that it is im...Certainly, you know better than most that it is impossible to refute such things as God or gods for the simple fact that one cannot disprove them. One excellent example of this mentalizing is the Mormon Church.<BR/><BR/>We are told that Joseph Smith received some Hieroglyphic tablets from an angel named Maroni (perhaps he is the Italian Angel)? Reticent of Moses, who, like Smith, led his followers through the wilderness to the Promised Land.<BR/><BR/>Joseph Smith went on to claim that Jesus Christ had walked on the American Continent. At a time when there were great divisions in social and economic groups, those needing the reassurances of a "Prophet" a person who had attended seminary; an "expert" Smith was welcomed, albeit a bit dubiously. <BR/><BR/>The Followers of Smith had the spiritual ammunition to confront the Natives who were seen as little more than the new "Canaanites" who stood in the way of "God's Chosen."<BR/>Despite the obvious in that Smith's writing, "The Book of Mormon" borrows heavily from the 1611 edition of the King James Bible and through plagiarism of the Minor Prophets of the Tanakh paints a picture more reminiscent of 1st century Palestine than 18th century America, his message of self fulfilling prophecy did not fall on deaf ears. Many followers have realized that much of Smith's "prophecy" is directly pulled from the KJV and that stories from the minor prophets of the Old Testament and have been "changed" to include the personage of Jesus. Still, despite the obvious concerns, Smith's new religion gave people who led a hard life hope that their toil would be rewarded, if not in this life, in some other life to come. <BR/><BR/>Now, Modern day Mormon's have to defend Smith's claims using circular arguments based on "History" and "Prophecy." <BR/><BR/>My problem is that I enjoy talking to Mormons--but they seem to cut me a wide path. Just like the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I feel a bit left out. I guess with my education and background I should not be surprised. Still, I feel left out.Dr. W. Sumner Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12968211508032766959noreply@blogger.com