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Why seek? What is to be sought after?

Onkara

Well-Known Member
Which God and which ways?

The Christian God and the ways of the Mormons? Or the way of the Catholics?
The Muslim God and the ways of the Sunni? Or of the Sufi?
Or the gods of the Norse or the Wiccans?

There are many views out there; I'm looking for the one that fits me.

Personally, I have found that it is satisfying your questions that will pave the path go God. As to God`s nature, form or will, that will become clear when the seekers questions are answered.

In other words, try each religion and narrow it down until you find your questions are being answered and there is a sense of direction. Don't worry too much about fitting God into your expectations (i.e. which God should be best for me) but rather eliminate any doubts by finding answers. God will then show Itself to you (figuratively speaking).
 

autonomous1one1

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Which God and which ways?

The Christian God and the ways of the Mormons? Or the way of the Catholics?
The Muslim God and the ways of the Sunni? Or of the Sufi?
Or the gods of the Norse or the Wiccans?

There are many views out there; I'm looking for the one that fits me.
One might consider:

  • Christian God and the way of Theosis
  • Muslim God and the way of fana (Sufi)
  • Hindu/Buddhist God and the way of Nirvana/Enlightenment/Samadhi
  • Zen Buddhist God and the way of Satori
  • Jain/Sikh God and the way of Moksha
  • Advaita Vedanta God and the way of Oneness with God
  • plus others and all and the way of Union with God
 

dust1n

Zindīq
Greetings Dust1n.
One might seek to understand what is to be sought . :) just kiddding. But seriously, one might seek to know one's Self. That is the way that the religion founders pointed us: http://www.religiousforums.com/foru...ir/1051-pitch-your-religion-5.html#post586838.

  • The kingdom of heaven is within you. (Jesus, Christianity)
  • Those who know themselves know their Lord. (Mohammad, Islam)
  • He is in all, and all is in Him. (Judaism)
  • Those who know completely their own nature, know heaven. (Mencius, Confucianism)
  • In the depths of the soul, one sees the Divine, the One. (The Chinese Book of Changes)
  • Atman [individual consciousness] and Brahman [universal consciousness] are one. (Hinduism)
  • Look within, you are the Buddha. (Buddhism)


Well, if that's the case.. Why not just skip everything else and just begin looking for one's self?
 

autonomous1one1

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Well, if that's the case.. Why not just skip everything else and just begin looking for one's self?
That's one way to look at it (if you make that a capital S), but then again, 'everything else' can help.
doppelgänger;2105550 said:
Mirror is too dirty?
:)One can find a lot of wisdom in this question.
 
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Tarheeler

Argumentative Curmudgeon
Premium Member
Personally, I have found that it is satisfying your questions that will pave the path go God. As to God`s nature, form or will, that will become clear when the seekers questions are answered.

In other words, try each religion and narrow it down until you find your questions are being answered and there is a sense of direction. Don't worry too much about fitting God into your expectations (i.e. which God should be best for me) but rather eliminate any doubts by finding answers. God will then show Itself to you (figuratively speaking).

One might consider:

  • Christian God and the way of Theosis
  • Muslim God and the way of fana (Sufi)
  • Hindu/Buddhist God and the way of Nirvana/Enlightenment/Samadhi
  • Zen Buddhist God and the way of Satori
  • Jain/Sikh God and the way of Moksha
  • Advaita Vedanta God and the way of Oneness with God
  • plus others and all and the way of Union with God

While you guys have given some fair advice, my statement and questions were primarily a rhetorical response to mandapos' statement.

I appreiciate what you've said, but I've come close to choosing my path.
 

it's_sam

Freak of Nature
How would I know if I actually knew?
It will leave you with only one answer as to what happened. You will have to either accept what just happened or put out an amazing effort to ignore it, but you will know when it happens.
 

it's_sam

Freak of Nature
Well, if that's the case.. Why not just skip everything else and just begin looking for one's self?
The reason its better to connect to society during your search is because of things like whacko texas, or that community who all got poisoned in south america (Jim Jones). People can convince themselves of perty nasty things sometimes, its best to keep people safe.
 

autonomous1one1

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
While you guys have given some fair advice, my statement and questions were primarily a rhetorical response to mandapos' statement.

I appreiciate what you've said, but I've come close to choosing my path.
Thank you for the kind clarification, Tarheeler. Perhaps post #42 just can be considered to be options within various religions towards a similar goal by those RF readers who might still be open and interested in them. Maybe your chosen path 'leaning toward Judaism' considers something similar: Jesus (I and the Father are one); Sabbatai Zevi (I am God); or Rabbi Shimo'n bar Yochai who is described as both human and Divine? or maybe they are designated specifically outside the path? :)
 

Tarheeler

Argumentative Curmudgeon
Premium Member
Thank you for the kind clarification, Tarheeler. Perhaps post #42 just can be considered to be options within various religions towards a similar goal by those RF readers who might still be open and interested in them. Maybe your chosen path 'leaning toward Judaism' considers something similar: Jesus (I and the Father are one); Sabbatai Zevi (I am God); or Rabbi Shimo'n bar Yochai who is described as both human and Divine? or maybe they are designated specifically outside the path? :)

The examples you've given are definitely good avenues for reading. I think many of the religions share significant similarities, at least on the philosophical level. After all, the desired results are similar; it's the paths we chose that are different.

My chosen path is Judaism, but until I complete the conversion process I'll keep it listed as "leaning towards".
 

it's_sam

Freak of Nature
There is no one point in someones life where you have connected fully to everything, this ability is beyond us because we have the potential to create. No matter how far you get somewhere there is always somewhere new to go to. I think in whatever religion you practice its good to remember we are all children playing with rocks on our ball of dirt. Regardless if its a skyscraper or microscopic its the same rocks that were used to make houses and art in ancient times. The reason gems are gems is because you can play with this rock enough to make it pleasing to the eye, they have worthe because they are rare and difficult to accomplish. We all connect to rocks in some way and the life that grows from dirt and water, you just need to find at what depth you are comfertable with percieving them.
 

no-body

Well-Known Member
If I hadn't eschewed all labels completely I think "seeker" would be a reasonable handle. I seek knowledge, learning about life, people, culture, everything.

But the ultimate answer is of course we seek so we can experience the fact that there is nothing to seek and that is how you find "it"

Not to put anyone down but those who "seek" by constantly converting through different religions like they are pairs of pants aren't ready to seek as they are trying to fix a problem with something that isn't designed to fix it in the first place.
 

Zeroa

Dances With Mice
Not to put anyone down but those who "seek" by constantly converting through different religions like they are pairs of pants aren't ready to seek as they are trying to fix a problem with something that isn't designed to fix it in the first place.

That depends on what you're seeking and what you hope to get from religion. Spirituality is a personal pursuit, but religion is a community pursuit. I don't expect anything spiritual from religion-- I do expect it to be a supportive community of people going in the same general direction that I am. I am not seeking any great, capital-T Truth. I am happy with some good company and a few small truths here and there. How can you tell what a community is like to live with if you don't go live with it? Reading is a poor substitute for experience.

Most people are just seeking a better way to get through their day, and there's nothing lesser about that. 'Tis a gift to be simple.
 

no-body

Well-Known Member
That depends on what you're seeking and what you hope to get from religion. Spirituality is a personal pursuit, but religion is a community pursuit. I don't expect anything spiritual from religion-- I do expect it to be a supportive community of people going in the same general direction that I am. I am not seeking any great, capital-T Truth. I am happy with some good company and a few small truths here and there. How can you tell what a community is like to live with if you don't go live with it? Reading is a poor substitute for experience.

Most people are just seeking a better way to get through their day, and there's nothing lesser about that. 'Tis a gift to be simple.

You don't need to convert to sit in on a congregation, speak with the people, speak with a religious authority, etc do you?

Again don't want to knock anyone but I think a person who constantly changes their religion has a problem they need to mature in their personality first before they can really do anything that takes conviction.
 

it's_sam

Freak of Nature
You don't need to convert to sit in on a congregation, speak with the people, speak with a religious authority, etc do you?

Again don't want to knock anyone but I think a person who constantly changes their religion has a problem they need to mature in their personality first before they can really do anything that takes conviction.
I agree with this. People hopping like this are looking for someone else to fill in their voids, when they are overlooking the one person that has the potential... themselves. The struggle is deep and wide but you need to start somewhere wich is why they seek the religion to begin with. These are structures though, structures created for a certain type of person to find God but they enforce the structure as the key not the person. This is what creates a following mind having the thoughts be marked outside of your will. If you are marking your own thoughts you can grow individualy with these thoughts and through all that you learn. Doing this leads our result into something "connected" but individual.
 

Zeroa

Dances With Mice
You don't need to convert to sit in on a congregation, speak with the people, speak with a religious authority, etc do you?

Again don't want to knock anyone but I think a person who constantly changes their religion has a problem they need to mature in their personality first before they can really do anything that takes conviction.


I don't see anything wrong with experience by immersion. Sometimes people mature through the experience itself, and they won't mature until they have the eye-opening that comes with being fully immersed in one thing and then another, getting ever closer to finding themselves in the process. I think conviction is a dangerous thing, to be avoided at all costs.


As for me, I am just hanging around. I haven't 'converted' to anything in years and years and years, but I've visited different institutions.
 
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