Looking for people who have some aim or purpose in these forums

Jim said:

If you’d like to be able to do it better, and if you think it could help to have people to talk to about that, I’m volunteering to be one of them. Only, I don’t really know how to go about it. Have you already done some thinking about how to do better?

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Not really. I'm already doing the best I can. I've been on this forum for close to 15 years and the only thing I've learned is that it's best not to even bother trying unless both parties are willing. That may sound like a defeatist attitude, but it's really just the old adage, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," at work. And I'm not saying that I only want to talk to people who may be open to my beliefs being "correct." I enjoy learning about what other people believe and always look for things that can bring us closer together. Most of the time, if that's the other person's goal, too, things tend to work out. But there seem to be few people who don't just want to get you to change your mind. I have no interest in even trying with them. I probably did at one time, but it's just too frustrating. So if you have any ideas, I'm open to hearing them. You and I seem to have pretty much the same goal. I've just more or less exhausted my ideas of how to reach it. Maybe I can learn something from you.

Katzpur said:

You and I seem to have pretty much the same goal.

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Well, actually, that isn’t how it looks to me. Your goals look very different to me, from mine. My goals have nothing to do with building bridges, promoting tolerance, or correcting misunderstandings about my religion. I’m against promoting tolerance. I haven’t seen enough of what you do to have any ideas about how to do it better. All I can think of to do is tell about my ways of working for my goals. My goals are about changing attitudes and behavior. Attitudes meaning not what or how people think, but their feelings and intentions towards other people. Some ways that I try to do that are:
- Continually try to improve my practice of the attitudes and behavior that I want to promote.
- Learn to be a better friend to more people.
- Learn to tell stories that will inspire people to want to improve their attitudes and behavior
- Learn to help with the growth and spread of healthier, happier and more loving communities.
- Bring all that up for discussion sometimes.

Jim said:

Anyone who wants to know what my aims and purposes are can start here: Looking for people who are working on forum social development

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No, but thanks for asking.

David T said:

No, i will not discuss it here. The only reason i came here is to examine the patient.

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But there are no patients here, only doctors.

Thief said:

I suspect .. this same activity fills our time in heaven multiplied by billions of souls

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The billions of souls which according to you will reach heaven (Jesus' estimate was way down at a few thousand), what will they have for discussion? Just curious. They all will have the same view.

Vinayaka said:

I am no Brahmin. Didn't know that about Mahabharata ... so how do people read it, from libraries?

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Gotcha. I did not say brahmin, I said Brahman. It is a part of Srimad Bhagawatham. So the bad effects are ameliorated by other parts of Srimad Bhagawatham.

Aupmanyav said:

Gotcha. I did not say brahmin, I said Brahman. It is a part of Srimad Bhagawatham. So the bad effects are ameliorated by other parts of Srimad Bhagawatham.

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So it's okay to have the whole thing, not just the Mahabharata by itself? We used to have condensed version around here. Not sure if we still do though. I read it, just to have some basic familiarity with the story, but it's been a long time.

Jim said:

I’m looking for people who have some aim or purpose in posting about religious or anti-religious topics in these forums, that you might possibly be willing to discuss with me. I’m not saying that anyone should, just asking, because that would interest me.

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Always happy to chat.

My purpose is essentially philosophical, trying to reconcile my own perceived Humanist ideals, and my understanding of human nature, with the religious impulses that others have. If that's of any interest, feel free to engage. I try to answer fully and honestly, as much as I'm able.

Jim said:

I’m looking for people who have some aim or purpose in posting about religious or anti-religious topics in these forums, that you might possibly be willing to discuss with me. I’m not saying that anyone should, just asking, because that would interest me.

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Procrastination

Aupmanyav said:

Hindus do not keep Mahabharata in their homes, it is supposed to start Mahabharata in their homes. They are advised to keep Srimad Bhagawat Purana in their homes.

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I like the Mahabharata...someday I may own a full copy and I will certainly be keeping it at my home!

I answered Jim's question indirectly but not directly...

I came here to discuss religion and myself. I had been through a lot of struggles involving my health. Upon joining, people pointed out my writings skills weren't very good. They must have gotten better because I fathom people understand me better now.

I acted very closed off in personality at first. I didn't think I should reveal too much about myself. I now wear my opinion on my sleeve because I feel more comfortable.

I stated to one member once, "I'm just here to improve myself and my sense of humor." That's 70 percent true. I'm still trying to pinpoint that other 30 percent though, maybe it's just my curiosity seeing what's in store for this forum mixed with a question of "Maybe I will make a difference?"

Jim said:

I’m looking for people who have some aim or purpose in posting about religious or anti-religious topics in these forums, that you might possibly be willing to discuss with me. I’m not saying that anyone should, just asking, because that would interest me.

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What in the world are you on about now?

What is your purpose for posting on Internet forums? Do you think you could do better at expressing your honest thoughts in one of the many threads about what Jim can do to make debate forums more friendly, loving and non-combative?

What exactly is this plan of yours so we can all get on board?

I think asking the same irrelevant question hundreds of times and never acknowledging any answers given is rather creepy. Noone can read your mind so if you have something important, life and forum altering to say, why not just get on with it?

What is you plan for making a homogeneous and passive forum world?

I don't know anyone who outright professes to be a cry-baby about getting hurt feeling from people expressing opposing views from your own and being proud of running to mom and dad about your unfair treatment instead of taking responsibility for individual thought and problem solving. Really.

Samana Johann said:

The topics, Brahman Jim, look always the same and like "advertising" into backyards, what ever reason. And for one with eyes it's visible that not a fool/not-smart is acting.

That he does not give much at first place, without not asking from others first, has been noted by others here as well, not only that the red line in his treads are visible.

It remembers on skilled marketing. Why not simply sharing how to promote ones purpose better if really volunatry. At least it would take lesser time then to make such in the backyard individual (just from an economical view, yet not always good for a certain trade or ones product binding).

Sure many would be interested on his purpose, and when asked, he goes astray.

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It looks to me like you’re accusing me of being dishonest and treacherous. It looks to me like you want people to think that I have motives and intentions contrary to forum rules, that I’m trying to hide from people. Did you intend it that way?

Evangelicalhumanist said:

Always happy to chat.

My purpose is essentially philosophical, trying to reconcile my own perceived Humanist ideals, and my understanding of human nature, with the religious impulses that others have. If that's of any interest, feel free to engage. I try to answer fully and honestly, as much as I'm able.

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That might interest me. Have you posted your current thoughts about that, somewhere where I can read them?

I’m always trying find ways to translate my God-centered thinking into naturalistic terms, with no God in them.

Samana Johann said:

The topics, Brahman Jim, look always the same and like "advertising" into backyards, what ever reason. And for one with eyes it's visible that not a fool/not-smart is acting.

That he does not give much at first place, without not asking from others first, has been noted by others here as well, not only that the red line in his treads are visible.

It remembers on skilled marketing. Why not simply sharing how to promote ones purpose better if really volunatry. At least it would take lesser time then to make such in the backyard individual (just from an economical view, yet not always good for a certain trade or ones product binding).

Sure many would be interested on his purpose, and when asked, he goes astray.

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I’ve seen people whose only interest in an Internet forum is to market their books or other products, or recruit people for some business or project of their own, contrary to forum rules. I agree with you that you are not the only one who has tried to defame publicly vilify me as one of those. I say that I don’t have any aims or purposes here other than the ones that I’ve already posted many times, in many places. Now will you accuse me of lying about that?

Katzpur said:

So if you have any ideas, I'm open to hearing them. You and I seem to have pretty much the same goal. I've just more or less exhausted my ideas of how to reach it. Maybe I can learn something from you.

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I didn’t think that I had any ideas for you, but now I remember some ideas I was practicing, that I’ve been forgetting. For a while, every time I wrote a post, before I sent it, I thought of a verse from my scriptures that I had memorized, about what I want to do, and said two prayers to myself that I had memorized. The few days that I remembered to do that every time before I posted were some of the best that I’ve ever had in almost 20 years of posting in Internet forums.

wandering peacefully said:

... what Jim can do to make debate forums more friendly, loving and non-combative?

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Some things that I’m trying to do are:
- Continually improve my own practice of the kinds of attitudes and behavior that I want to promote.
- Learn to be a better friend to more people.
- Learn to tell stories that will inspire people to want to improve their own attitudes and behavior.
- Help with the growth and spread of healthier, happier, more loving communities.
- Bring all that up for discussion sometimes.
- Recognize and appreciate the community service that other people do in these forums.

... if you have something important, life and forum altering to say, why not just get on with it?

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I’ve already done that many times, in many places, but I’ll repeat it here. I think that people will learn more and more to use Internet discussions to get ideas and encouragement from each other, in whatever good they’re doing and hoping to do. I also think that they will learn more and more to stop projecting religious stereotypes onto people and drawing lines of alienation between themselves and others, defined by what they think people believe and don’t believe. Some ways that I think that anyone who wants to can help with that are:
- Continually improve their own practice of the kinds of attitudes and behavior that they want to promote.
- Learn to be a better friend to more people.
- Learn to tell stories that will inspire people to want to improve their own attitudes and behavior.
- Help with the growth and spread of healthier, happier, more loving communities.
- Bring all that up for discussion sometimes.
- Recognize and appreciate the community service that other people do in these forums.

I see a light in science, and in some religions, that I think the world and all its people need. One way I think that people might be able to see that light is to look past all the things that people think they know that they call “science,” and all the things they think they know from their scriptures, to the human stories of discoveries in science, and to the stories that the religions tell about themselves.

I think that the best thing that can happen to anyone, and what the world needs most of all, is for people to learn to love and follow that light, following a master teacher in a religion where they see that light, along with some other people who see it.

What is you plan for making a homogeneous and passive forum world?

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I don’t have any plan for making a homogeneous and passive forum world.

Jim said:

Well, actually, that isn’t how it looks to me. Your goals look very different to me, from mine. My goals have nothing to do with building bridges, promoting tolerance, or correcting misunderstandings about my religion. I’m against promoting tolerance.

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Hmmm. I guess I was wrong then.

Jim said:

I’m looking for people who have some aim or purpose in posting about religious or anti-religious topics in these forums, that you might possibly be willing to discuss with me. I’m not saying that anyone should, just asking, because that would interest me.

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I started here (so so long ago!) because of my interest in philosophy and spirituality. I continue to come because I learn so much from the community. By engaging with people, even in contentious debate, I shape my own spiritual and philosophical views--sometimes solidifying, sometimes dropping, and sometimes reworking concepts and opinions.

Katzpur said:

Hmmm. I guess I was wrong then.

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That doesn’t mean that I’m not interested in helping you with your goals. I am. I’ve been thinking about your goals, and what I might do if I had those same goals, and I keep getting new ideas.

Guitar's Cry said:

I started here (so so long ago!) because of my interest in philosophy and spirituality. I continue to come because I learn so much from the community. By engaging with people, even in contentious debate, I shape my own spiritual and philosophical views--sometimes solidifying, sometimes dropping, and sometimes reworking concepts and opinions.

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Me too, I always learn a lot, especially from people who disagree with me the most. If you’d like to be able to do all that better than you do now, and if you think it might help to have people to talk to about that, I’m volunteering to be one of them.

Aupmanyav said:

The billions of souls which according to you will reach heaven (Jesus' estimate was way down at a few thousand), what will they have for discussion? Just curious. They all will have the same view.

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nope.....the common fulcrum won't be there

no two people see anything the same way

if both of us stood still watching
the same event right between us

your account will be different than mine