Blessed are the poor in spirit

[Bob Michael]

Drawing a blank - who is "A. U."?

A. U. = Author Unknown

[cousinbasil]

Drawing a blank - who is "A. U."?

A. U. = Author Unknown

Doh!

[Kelly Jones]

Why not see the wisdom of ending your misogyny wisdom this very moment so that you can drop your belief in boundaries?

If there are delusions arising, then the tools are used. It's as simple as that.

Are you married? Do you have children?


.

[David Quinn]

I'm in Vietnam at the moment, and I heard a local describe nirvana as "a place of nowhere". Throosh! I've been spinning out on that one ever since!

taken into context, that is a frightening idea.

Which one?

-

[David Quinn]

Not really. You're reading too much into it. My complaint would apply to any culture or religion the world over. We are all drowning in womanly pap. It's everywhere.

Surely it's everywhere, however I do feel that Catholics suffer disproportionately and perhaps far more fatally from it than others, at least here in the U. S.

What does it matter? Pap is pap.

And I must ask here. Are you having any real effect in the awakening of any of your fellows? Personally I don't feel that I am presently, though I believe I'm finally on to developing the right approach for this undertaking, which it seems all the heretofore gurus, godmen, saints, saviors, teachers, preachers, geniuses, etc. have failed to do.

Have you heard the expression, when one has to perform a risky action in the face of danger, of "commending one's soul to God"? That, essentially, is how I approach everything. I just focus on being as truthful as possible in my every expression and leave the rest up to God. Whether or not this has an impact on the wider world is entirely out of my hands. And I don't really care either way.

-

[Bob Michael]

Pap is pap.

Ok David, pap is pap. And the challenge is to sense and eradicate all of the negative effects that the pap had on our organisms. Yet I wonder if the effects may be of such a deep-seated nature that we're not at all capable of being aware of them? And especially in a world where the pap effects and expressions reign supreme. Or they have become perfectly normal and acceptable. In which case no one on their own is likely to overcome them, or at best only a relatively few of them. This, in my view, remains the nature of the present stuck-point of the human evolutionary process. A stuck-point whereby even the best of men are simply "human, all-too-human." And no one anywhere is able to fully breakthrough the pap effect and become a Superman. Without which the human species will continue to remain at this stuck-point.

Have you heard the expression, when one has to perform a risky action in the face of danger, of "commending one's soul to God"?

Yes, I know the experience and clearly understand your point here. Though I would say it applies to all kinds of actions.

That, essentially, is how I approach everything. I just focus on being as truthful as possible in my every expression and leave the rest up to God.

This may be all well and good, however, if one completely 'commends one's soul to God' his 'every expression' will have been perfect, or perfect enough, and there'll be nothing 'to leave up to God'. So personally, being 'as truthful as possible' is not good enough, rather I must be vigilantly self-critically aware of where my 'expressions' may still be of the pap-conditioned self or self-will and will be blocking what God wishes to express through me.

Whether or not this has an impact on the wider world is entirely out of my hands. And I don't really care either way.

I think God cares and wants me to care too, which I do. Sometimes to the point of being quite hard on myself. Though He seems to love me all-the-more for it, as I usually wind up the better for it. And of course then He does too.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

I see myself today as a marionette. Really we all are. Though few of us realize it. However, if we cannot or will not let the Puppet Master have all of our strings the show of life won't go off all that well for us or for the bigger scheme of things either.

I think God cares and wants me to care too, which I do.

What exactly, without the poetic speech, do you think that God is?

[Bob Michael]

What exactly, without the poetic speech, do you think that God is?

How about the complete absence of the falsely-conditioned self? Or a pure heart? Or a quiet mind? Or perhaps we could say God-consciousness is the consummation of human refinement. Or perhaps best of all, God is Love.

Perhaps you may consider my answer here "poetic", but it's the best I can do, Elizabeth. I could have probably added some more things here, but I find it's best to try and keep things simple.

One last thought here, I could also subscribe to the old notion that God is our 'Heavenly Father'.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

How about the complete absence of the falsely-conditioned self? Or a pure heart? Or a quiet mind? Or perhaps we could say God-consciousness is the consummation of human refinement. Or perhaps best of all, God is Love.

Perhaps you may consider my answer here "poetic", but it's the best I can do, Elizabeth.

That's fine. I think I get the idea from this.

I could also subscribe to the old notion that God is our 'Heavenly Father'.

That's the poetic theme that I needed more clarification on to understand where you were coming from. Some who personify God do mean a literal being with supernatural powers.

Nevertheless your answer gave me more information than just not a literal being. What I mean by God is also not a literal being, but when I say God I mean literally Everything. I'm not here to argue what God is - your definition is what you mean by God, my definition is what I mean by God. Sometimes the Christian Bible does seem to divide God into a duality and refer to God as the "good" parts, so especially in the context of this thread, your definition is probably the easiest to work with... so long as we know that you mean something different than the Totality or the Infinite when you say God.

[cousinbasil]

Nevertheless your answer gave me more information than just not a literal being. What I mean by God is also not a literal being, but when I say God I mean literally Everything. I'm not here to argue what God is - your definition is what you mean by God, my definition is what I mean by God

Does "literally Everything" include Bob's notion of God?

[Bob Michael]

What I mean by God is also not a literal being, but when I say God I mean literally Everything. I'm not here to argue what God is - your definition is what you mean by God, my definition is what I mean by God. Sometimes the Christian Bible does seem to divide God into a duality and refer to God as the "good" parts, so especially in the context of this thread, your definition is probably the easiest to work with... so long as we know that you mean something different than the Totality or the Infinite when you say God.

That "God is Love" probably has the deepest meaning of them all to me. For years I pondered on, questioned, observed, and investigated into this "but for the grace of God" concept or notion. Just what is this grace of God? Why does it come to some of us but not all of us? Actually it comes to only a relatively few people. What is the difference between those few who it comes to and the many who it doesn't? And while it came to me, I certainly didn't seek it (at least not consciously) or feel that I necessarily merited it. Often I felt some of the people around me deserved it far more than I did, yet somehow it passed them by. Which often brought a sorrow to my heart and sometimes caused me to step out of my relationship with God.

Eventually I came to see the "grace of God" as being the "grace of love". And that this grace of love was simply the foundation of love (which is also a foundation of keen sensitivity and perceptiveness) that my parents and some other family members firmly planted in me as a child. Which as time went on was considerably, though not completely or permanently, torn out of me by the world, its people, and their ways. Though at midlife, as a result of hitting the depths of despair over the absolute emptyness and meaninglessness of life as I was living it (which was really quite 'normally'), a full and total surrender took place in me at which time that long-dormant foundation or seed of love burst forth again in a way that was dynamically revolutionary. And this was the beginning of much change in my life and the rebuilding of that foundation of love which continues to this day. The rebuilding of that foundation of love being one and the same thing as developing a harmonious and vibrantly-living relationship with myself, my fellows, and GOD.

[David Quinn]

Does this "love" depend on God being conscious?

-

[David Quinn]

Nevertheless your answer gave me more information than just not a literal being. What I mean by God is also not a literal being, but when I say God I mean literally Everything. I'm not here to argue what God is - your definition is what you mean by God, my definition is what I mean by God

Does "literally Everything" include Bob's notion of God?

It includes everything, even illusions.

-

[Bob Michael]

Does this "love" depend on God being conscious?

Love depends on whether one in possession of a finely-formed and highly-sensitive organism. And then rigorously and painstakingly fine-tuning that organism. Then whether God is conscious or not is of no importance. One needs only to love and there'll always be right-action. God or no god.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

Does "literally Everything" include Bob's notion of God?

Yes cb, Bob's notion of God is also part of God, the Infinite.

For years I pondered on, questioned, observed, and investigated into this "but for the grace of God" concept or notion. Just what is this grace of God? Why does it come to some of us but not all of us? Actually it comes to only a relatively few people.

I'm not following how "god is Love" follows from this. Also, does this mean that if something bad happens to a good person, do you think that means that it's simply because there was not enough love in their heart?

With my concept of God, the grace of God is when all of the causes for things to work out well are in place. God is simply not always graceful.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

But He only feeds them until they become food themselves. A young bird that is distracted at the wrong moment or slower than a predator could be killed just as a young driver distracted at the wrong moment or unable to get out of the way of an accident could be killed or hurt, possibly for life. The young driver might have been a stellar student, community volunteer, beloved spouse and parent, and have done nothing to "deserve" this - perhaps the driver of the other vehicle was high on drugs and running from police after killing his girlfriend. One might think that the second driver deserved something awful to happen to him. If both are killed it is called tragic. If the first driver is killed or paralyzed and the second is uninjured, humans with their sense of justice may be furious at the unfairness of it all. If only the second driver is killed or injured, it is said that by the grace of God the first driver was fine.

The high driver is more likely do do harm to himself and others, so it might be said that a driving high is not the will of God - that will being in the future. This kind of will comes from those who can pass judgment on what is preferable. If only the good driver is killed, that is called the will of God - that will being in the past. Here, it is obvious that causality is the only reason the tragedy occurred. If God is narrowed down to a universal love, it takes a lot more unverifiable what-if's and maybes to to construct a story to protect the "love" definition of God. I'd rather do more observing and reasoning than constructing.

as time went on was considerably, though not completely or permanently, torn out of me by the world, its people, and their ways. Though at midlife, as a result of hitting the depths of despair over the absolute emptyness and meaninglessness of life as I was living it (which was really quite 'normally'), a full and total surrender took place in me at which time that long-dormant foundation or seed of love burst forth again in a way that was dynamically revolutionary.

Interesting. People do react differently to harsh circumstances. Some become hardened or vengeful, some have quite the opposite reaction.

And this was the beginning of much change in my life and the rebuilding of that foundation of love which continues to this day. The rebuilding of that foundation of love being one and the same thing as developing a harmonious and vibrantly-living relationship with myself, my fellows, and GOD.

I understand firsthand how enticing it can be to love love and how good it feels to immerse one's self in and exude universal love. Just because for me that became my undoing does not mean that it would be nearly so harmful to someone who is more worldly wise. Though it may be harder to keep one's eyes open when one is within love. Ever heard the saying "love is blind?"

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

One needs only to love and there'll always be right-action.

Oh my. Do I need to dig up links about how domestic violence only occurs because there is still love there at least on the part of one of the parties involved? When love merely dies for both, the couple just leave each other alone. I'm not willing to consider shooting one's spouse to be "right-action."

Then there's how love promotes codependency...

[Bob Michael]

Then there's how love promotes codependency...

There's divine or spiritual love which manifests from a pure heart or conscience, and there's worldly or mundane love which manifests from an impure heart or a fragmented conscience.

[Bob Michael]

Ever heard the saying "love is blind?"

Yes, and I've suffered much in my life from the blindness of (my) love. Love without wisdom can be downright fatal. Not only to the body but also to one's human spirit.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

Then there's how love promotes codependency...

There's divine or spiritual love which manifests from a pure heart or conscience, and there's worldly or mundane love which manifests from an impure heart or a fragmented conscience.

One can have the purest heart and have the highest of intentions - these are easier to self-assess, but it's too easy for a person to think that they are wise enough when they are not. Especially if one encounters a con artist - which is actually more likely when you exude love, because they look for that as the sign of an easier mark.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

I've suffered much in my life from the blindness of (my) love.

There is much to be said for the elimination of suffering.

Love without wisdom can be downright fatal. Not only to the body but also to one's human spirit.

Very true.

[Bob Michael]

One can have the purest heart and have the highest of intentions - these are easier to self-assess, but it's too easy for a person to think that they are wise enough when they are not. Especially if one encounters a con artist - which is actually more likely when you exude love, because they look for that as the sign of an easier mark.

I understand and agree here. But even if a good woman doesn't encounter a con artist, chances are next to nil that she'll encounter a man who can genuinely love. They're virtually non-existent in these last days.

[m4tt_666]

most likely stems from a mismatched relation of competent brain function and physical beauty.

[Bob Michael]

most likely stems from a mismatched relation of competent brain function and physical beauty.

With "competent brain function" there springs forth from a woman (or a man) an inner beauty and radiance that far surpasses even the best of 'physical beauty'.

[Blair]

Yur' fucked in the head Bob Slob.

End of days indeed...

[Bob Michael]

Yur' fucked in the head Bob Slob.

End of days indeed...

It's about time, no?