Geoff-Allen
Resident megalomaniac
Greetings one & all!
Hope we're all well & happy.
Here are just a few of my thoughts - make of them what you will.
I used to be an atheist. I wasn't your average atheist either. I was a hard-core atheist. I used to say things like the following:
"If god really wants 2 punish me, he should send me 2 heaven. The thought of spending eternity with god & all his fawning sycophants is MUCH more than I can stomach!"
"Anyone who needs a crutch like religion 2 get through life doesn't deserve 2 live!"
"If god can reveal himself 2 a select few and remove ALL doubt in their minds then why not just reveal himself 2 everyone? It is monstrously unfair!"
"People would treat each other FAR better if they were genuinely happy within themselves."
"Normality is a sexually-transmitted disease!"
So, I spent most of my adult life as a very angry, cynical atheist. If you had suggested to me that I would get right into meditation & reading books like "Conversations with God" & treating everyone with kindness & compassion ... well ... I would have absolutely laughed in your face!
You may be wondering what-on-earth happened 2 change my mind. Well, I had a religious experience on a psych ward! I thought I would be the VERY last person on this planet 2 have such an experience. I have written a LOT about that experience - may share it in this thread if I feel so inclined ...
These are a few of my thoughts about atheism -
If those who believe in a deity are "mistaken" or "deluded", they are still FAR better off than the atheists. That MUST be infuriating! It was 4 me when I was an atheist.
Yes! So MANY people's lives have been transformed by belief in God. If that is merely a "delusion" then that is far MORE amazing than if there actually is a God!
If life is merely a series of "accidents", then there is ABSOLUTELY no reason 2 imagine that things should be any better. The world is actually FAR better than you would expect from an unplanned "accident"!
If the atheists are correct and life is just some "glorious accident", then people's thoughts & opinions & beliefs are also accidents. So any debate is absolutely pointless. It is literally impossible 2 tell who might be "right" and who might be "wrong"!
If the atheists are correct, then life is a real "lottery" and whether you experience love & happiness is merely a lottery - fairly depressing 2 contemplate!
So what DO I currently believe ...
I don't subscribe 2 any one religion. I try to take the very best from ALL religions.
In theory all religions should tend 2 make people kinder & more compassionate.
For example, if we merely followed the golden rule, it would utterly transform life on this planet!
Search for Zen habits golden rule.
I also love this advice from the Dalai Lama. He advises us to perform experiments on our own minds. This means observing your thoughts as they come & go and discovering which thoughts lead to peace of mind and which thoughts disturb your peace of mind. From my own personal experience, I have found that peace of mind comes from thoughts of compassion, forgiveness, kindness & gratitude.
For more wisdom from the Dalai Lama, try this site -
Quotes by His Holiness the Dalai lama
I believe that gratitude is one of the keys 2 genuine happiness. For more on this subject, try the following search:
Zen habits gratitude
If life is an accident then people's beliefs are also an accident. There is absolutely no reason 2 think that one accidental belief system is any better than any other accidental belief system.
We ALL have belief systems - even atheists - it would be nearly impossible 2 function in the world without some belief system. We have beiefs about love, happiness, right & wrong, how best 2 treat people etc etc. How do we determine whether any particular belief is correct? There is NO way of objectively proving whether a belief is "correct" or "incorrect". That is precisely why there are SO many different belief systems!
So, the question isn't whether your beliefs are "right" or "wrong" but whether they bring you peace of mind. If not, then why on earth cling 2 them?
The rest of God's creatures seem 2 function perfectly well without any beliefs. Only humans have the capacity 2 speculate about a God. I find this highly significant. That's a quantum leap that is pretty tough 2 explain in evolutionary terms!
Science does a good job of explaining the physical universe but it has its limits. Science cannot explain why we experience love & happiness & compassion & kindness & gratitude & awe & wonder.
In fact! If you really want 2 drive someone nuts, just keep asking the why question over & over. No matter what his respones is, just keep asking "But why is that the case?" You very quickly arrive at a point where all you can say is "I don't know" or "It's a mystery."
Search for Osho life mystery?
That reminds me of my favourite mantra:
"Once upon a time, I was born into the psychological mysteries of life!"
For mmore mantras, try this search:
Affirmations unconditional love
I believe that meditation can help eliminate negative thoughts & emotions. Some monks meditate for thousands of hours to gain control of their thoughts & emotions and cultivate boundless compassion.
Enlightenement simply means cultivating a constant attitude of unconditional love towards your fellow beings. It's rare but not impossible.
Every human being has exactly the same potential for enlightenment. The big question is how 2 awaken that potential in more people.
For more on this theme, you may like 2 try the following s
earch:
Julie Redstone nature unconditional love
I have noticed that we do tend 2 reserve our fondest thoughts 4 those who agree with us & those who are most like us. I have found that spiritual practices can help us generate kind thoughts towards all beings.
I would by NO means claim 2 have "all the answers" but I definitely enjoy FAR more peace-of-mind than I EVER did while embracing atheism!
I guess there are always mysteries & unanswered questions no matter what you believe!
Yes! We really ought 2 cultivate compassion 4 those whose belief system provides precious little REAL comfort!
Responding with love in every situation can be quite the challenge! The trick is 2 be grateful 4 the challenge.
Here's a couple of books I recommend for the curious ...
"The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz
"Happiness" by Matthieu Ricard
"Emissary of Light" by James Twyman - the first book 2 open my eyes as to what real love is all about!
"The Only Thing That Matters" by Neale Donald Walsch
"In Six Days" by John Ashton
"The Pleiadian Workbook" by Amorah Quan Yin
"The Lost Art of compassion" by Lorne Ladner
That's probly enough for the moment. Feel free 2 disagree with anything I have said
Have a good one!
Hope we're all well & happy.
Here are just a few of my thoughts - make of them what you will.
I used to be an atheist. I wasn't your average atheist either. I was a hard-core atheist. I used to say things like the following:
"If god really wants 2 punish me, he should send me 2 heaven. The thought of spending eternity with god & all his fawning sycophants is MUCH more than I can stomach!"
"Anyone who needs a crutch like religion 2 get through life doesn't deserve 2 live!"
"If god can reveal himself 2 a select few and remove ALL doubt in their minds then why not just reveal himself 2 everyone? It is monstrously unfair!"
"People would treat each other FAR better if they were genuinely happy within themselves."
"Normality is a sexually-transmitted disease!"
So, I spent most of my adult life as a very angry, cynical atheist. If you had suggested to me that I would get right into meditation & reading books like "Conversations with God" & treating everyone with kindness & compassion ... well ... I would have absolutely laughed in your face!
You may be wondering what-on-earth happened 2 change my mind. Well, I had a religious experience on a psych ward! I thought I would be the VERY last person on this planet 2 have such an experience. I have written a LOT about that experience - may share it in this thread if I feel so inclined ...
These are a few of my thoughts about atheism -
If those who believe in a deity are "mistaken" or "deluded", they are still FAR better off than the atheists. That MUST be infuriating! It was 4 me when I was an atheist.
Yes! So MANY people's lives have been transformed by belief in God. If that is merely a "delusion" then that is far MORE amazing than if there actually is a God!
If life is merely a series of "accidents", then there is ABSOLUTELY no reason 2 imagine that things should be any better. The world is actually FAR better than you would expect from an unplanned "accident"!
If the atheists are correct and life is just some "glorious accident", then people's thoughts & opinions & beliefs are also accidents. So any debate is absolutely pointless. It is literally impossible 2 tell who might be "right" and who might be "wrong"!
If the atheists are correct, then life is a real "lottery" and whether you experience love & happiness is merely a lottery - fairly depressing 2 contemplate!
So what DO I currently believe ...
I don't subscribe 2 any one religion. I try to take the very best from ALL religions.
In theory all religions should tend 2 make people kinder & more compassionate.
For example, if we merely followed the golden rule, it would utterly transform life on this planet!
Search for Zen habits golden rule.
I also love this advice from the Dalai Lama. He advises us to perform experiments on our own minds. This means observing your thoughts as they come & go and discovering which thoughts lead to peace of mind and which thoughts disturb your peace of mind. From my own personal experience, I have found that peace of mind comes from thoughts of compassion, forgiveness, kindness & gratitude.
For more wisdom from the Dalai Lama, try this site -
Quotes by His Holiness the Dalai lama
I believe that gratitude is one of the keys 2 genuine happiness. For more on this subject, try the following search:
Zen habits gratitude
If life is an accident then people's beliefs are also an accident. There is absolutely no reason 2 think that one accidental belief system is any better than any other accidental belief system.
We ALL have belief systems - even atheists - it would be nearly impossible 2 function in the world without some belief system. We have beiefs about love, happiness, right & wrong, how best 2 treat people etc etc. How do we determine whether any particular belief is correct? There is NO way of objectively proving whether a belief is "correct" or "incorrect". That is precisely why there are SO many different belief systems!
So, the question isn't whether your beliefs are "right" or "wrong" but whether they bring you peace of mind. If not, then why on earth cling 2 them?
The rest of God's creatures seem 2 function perfectly well without any beliefs. Only humans have the capacity 2 speculate about a God. I find this highly significant. That's a quantum leap that is pretty tough 2 explain in evolutionary terms!
Science does a good job of explaining the physical universe but it has its limits. Science cannot explain why we experience love & happiness & compassion & kindness & gratitude & awe & wonder.
In fact! If you really want 2 drive someone nuts, just keep asking the why question over & over. No matter what his respones is, just keep asking "But why is that the case?" You very quickly arrive at a point where all you can say is "I don't know" or "It's a mystery."
Search for Osho life mystery?
That reminds me of my favourite mantra:
"Once upon a time, I was born into the psychological mysteries of life!"
For mmore mantras, try this search:
Affirmations unconditional love
I believe that meditation can help eliminate negative thoughts & emotions. Some monks meditate for thousands of hours to gain control of their thoughts & emotions and cultivate boundless compassion.
Enlightenement simply means cultivating a constant attitude of unconditional love towards your fellow beings. It's rare but not impossible.
Every human being has exactly the same potential for enlightenment. The big question is how 2 awaken that potential in more people.
For more on this theme, you may like 2 try the following s
earch:
Julie Redstone nature unconditional love
I have noticed that we do tend 2 reserve our fondest thoughts 4 those who agree with us & those who are most like us. I have found that spiritual practices can help us generate kind thoughts towards all beings.
I would by NO means claim 2 have "all the answers" but I definitely enjoy FAR more peace-of-mind than I EVER did while embracing atheism!
I guess there are always mysteries & unanswered questions no matter what you believe!
Yes! We really ought 2 cultivate compassion 4 those whose belief system provides precious little REAL comfort!
Responding with love in every situation can be quite the challenge! The trick is 2 be grateful 4 the challenge.
Here's a couple of books I recommend for the curious ...
"The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz
"Happiness" by Matthieu Ricard
"Emissary of Light" by James Twyman - the first book 2 open my eyes as to what real love is all about!
"The Only Thing That Matters" by Neale Donald Walsch
"In Six Days" by John Ashton
"The Pleiadian Workbook" by Amorah Quan Yin
"The Lost Art of compassion" by Lorne Ladner
That's probly enough for the moment. Feel free 2 disagree with anything I have said
Have a good one!
