From: Verdop (Verdop@gmx.net)
Date: Thu Jun 25 1998 - 12:48:28 MDT
John K Clark wrote:
> >>Me:
> >>I don't know what "freedom of spirit" means.
> >>and you never will until you find it
>
>
>So help me find it. You used the term so I assume you know what it means,
how
>about giving me a hint, who knows, I may already agree with you that we
have
>"freedom of spirit".
When I used this expression first, I just thought of the ability of taking
own decisions. Maybe this was a language problem, as I told earlier, my
english isn`t very good, so it`s quite hard for me finding the right words
and constructions.
>
> >Religion will lead you to meaning.
>
>
>But I don't understand your meaning. Just one specific example where
religion
>helped anybody understand anything would be more useful in communicating
your
>ideas than a thousand more vague platitudes.
>
Well it`s hard to give an example to someone who is not really open to the
theme. Religion (not every religion, in fact most may not) can help you
understanding better the parts of the world which are already explained by
science.
>
> >Avoid the Bible if it grieves you so, but find some spirit — have
> >you tried Taoism?
>
>
>As I've admitted before, at one time I thought all mystics were fools, then
I
>read a wonderful book written by a mystic Named Raymond Smullyan called
>"The Tao is silent". I disagree with Smullyan on lots of stuff but the man
is
>quite definitely not a fool.
>
I wouldn`t call Smullyan a mystic, but ok, if you do so, for you I`m
probably a mystic too.
Smullyan wrote many interesting and fascinating books and texts, so try
reading!
BTW, how many of you know D.R. Hofstadter?
>I respect Taoism, at least as it was originally taught by Laotse, but then,
>Taoism is not a religion. Unlike a religion Taoism asks profound questions
>it does not provide vapid answers, it claims no revealed truth, it takes no
>position on the existence of God and doesn't even have a position on the
>truth of Taoism. If you want to call something like that a religion then
I'm
>a religious man.
>
I`d call something like that a religion. It seems the main thing you connect
with religion is lying, and the famous religions like christianity. I
connected the word religion with things which can`t be explained by science.
verdop
verdop@gmx.net
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