tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28879143.post5037755094972457672..comments2023-10-30T04:37:01.791-04:00Comments on mind-ambition: The Ghost In The MachineTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07534406701337157342noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28879143.post-1684784586948624062007-01-31T16:24:00.000-05:002007-01-31T16:24:00.000-05:00It's interesting, this guy I work with, who's actu...It's interesting, this guy I work with, who's actually an atheist, likes to use the word "preter-natural" to refer to the sorts of religious or extra-sensory experiences people might otherwise refer to as SUPER-natural. He thinks that considering we use such a small percentage of our brains it's silly to think that such experiences go beyond our nature as opposed to simply beyond what most of us consciously experience every day. That might be akin to what you're talking about as far as a level of existence or knowledge between ourselves and God.<br /><br />As far as organized religion, I think it's necessary and useful to a point, at least insofar as all organized religions exist as a repository for the whole history of human mystical experience. That has to be at least as important to our present spiritual state as political history is to our political state. Nonetheless, I see your point-- that perhaps on a higher level, spiritual knowledge beyond what most of us take for granted could likely shatter our conventional ideas and symbols of religion to pieces.<br /><br />Maybe that's the next great step in the spiritual evolution of humankind. Interesting...Arlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394835536394310271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28879143.post-88754919193011620062007-01-31T01:55:00.000-05:002007-01-31T01:55:00.000-05:00Ha - mentally Renard-ed... Love it. Interesting S...Ha - mentally Renard-ed... Love it. Interesting Shan that we were thinking about similar things without communicating about them. <br /><br />What's interesting to me is the possibility that what seems to be reality could really be an illusion or a manifestation of something else. I don't think we need to be God or outside the universe to know what reality is. It's possible that there is a level of existence somewhere between God and the meat and plasma bags we are now that allows us to sense and understand an objective reality. <br /><br />Another effect of thinking about these things (at least in my mind) is that it seems to minimize the importance of organized religion, and increases the importance of establishing positive relationships on a micro and global level. If we're all part of the same thing, and possibly part of the same mind or intelligence, then all the conflict that exists in the world, from road rage to murder to genocide, is a war against ourselves. Or a war against myself. It's like the proverbial grade school bully who takes hold of your arm and keeps making you punch yourself in the face.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07534406701337157342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28879143.post-58215940711225898982007-01-30T12:20:00.000-05:002007-01-30T12:20:00.000-05:00I agree with arlo, I touched on this subject here....I agree with arlo, I touched on this subject <a href="http://shanthology.blogspot.com/2007/01/streams-or-lakes-of-consciousness.html">here</a>.Shanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09720024916714288188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28879143.post-69889878496676435992007-01-29T14:35:00.000-05:002007-01-29T14:35:00.000-05:00When it comes right down to it, all we're really l...When it comes right down to it, all we're really left with is the world of our own experience , our own perspective on what's out there. Consequently, what we can know about others, the world, and ourselves is limited. Even if there is a world "out there" to be objectively known, you could only objectively "know" it outside of yourself and anything and everything else that exists. You would have to exist outside of the universe which would only be another limited perpective. <br /><br />To totally know something you might need to be in it and beyond it at the same time-- have a universal perspective. You'd have to be mminent and transcedent at the same time. Which leaves the possibility of either being God or being nothing at all. So perhaps the universe doesn't exist... either that or we're both mentally Renard-ed.<br /><br />In any event, those are my thoughts, T. Thanks for another cool post.Arlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394835536394310271noreply@blogger.com