1 - Man is a marvelous curiosity … he thinks he is the Creator's pet … he even believes the Creator loves him; has a passion for him; sits up nights to admire him; yes and watch over him and keep him out of trouble. He prays to him and thinks He listens. Isn't it a quaint idea.
2 - Man has been here 32,000 years. That it took a hundred million years to prepare the world for him is proof that that is what it was done for. I suppose it is. I dunno. If the Eiffel tower were now representing the world's age, the skin of paint on the pinnacle-knob at its summit would represent man's share of that age; & anybody would perceive that that skin was what the tower was built for. I reckon they would. I dunno.
3 - There has been only one Christian. They caught him and crucified him -- early.
4 - What God lacks is convictions -- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something -- not try to be everything
5 - Satan hasn't a single salaried helper; the Opposition employ a million
6 - Blasphemy? No, it is not blasphemy. If God is as vast as that, he is above blasphemy; if He is as little as that, He is beneath it.
7 - It now seems plain to me that that theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one ... the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals.
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Consider 'The Consolation of Philosophy' by Boethius (used in movie '24-Hour Party People). He says...
"It's my belief that history is a wheel. 'Inconstancy is my very essence,' says the wheel. Rise up on my spokes if you like, but don't complain when you're cast back down into the depths. Good times pass away, but then so do the bad. Mutability is our tragedy, but it's also our hope. The worst of times, like the best, are always passing away".
To summarise... We are all on a wheel of fortune and the good times like the bad are always receding. So if things are going well for you - enjoy it, make the most of it, don't take it for granted. If things are not so hot - don't worry because it's already getting better.
This is a great idea. I think Satre and the existentialists fall short of this. They don't realise that life is a wheel and that human pain is part of the process. Of course, there is the bigger question of what purpose does it serve man - that life should be this way. However, that is part of the mystery of living.
This is embodied in a new site we've just lauched:
http://www.Ubops.com
Go to it. It will change your life.
Possessed of every virtue, and endued with great wisdom, it
behoveth thee to bear with patience, both happiness and misery.
They that are wise enjoy or suffer the same of whatever enjoyable or sufferable.
Indeed, ordinary persons, affecting comforts that satisfy the low and the mean, desire an equable state of dullness, without excitement of any kind.
They, however, that are superior, desire either the acutest of human suffering or the highest of all enjoyments that is given to man.
The wise always delight in extremes. They find no pleasure betwixt; they regard the extreme to be happiness, while that which lies between is regarded by them as misery.
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Quotes from the Ganguli Mahabarata.
This cyclical nature of the material world is an established form of Eastern philosophy, at odds with the duality that western philosophy loves so much.
Eastern philosophy doesn't simply embrace "the mystery of living;" it answers the why of "what purpose does [the cycle] serve man."
We become strong and fearless when we understand the nature of our mutable condition in this world, but there is a spiritual world beyond the temporary nature of the material one. And that is indeed the mystery aluded to.
Yes, Poxinfinte - I agree. I am currently living a second life in SecondLife.com and becoming enlightened as to how this first life we live may be working. My life is an avatar. My soul is playing the game. However, there is still a veil between our real first life and the world beyond. In order for the game to be realistic, my knowledge of what exists beyond this first life (we call reality) is suspended. This is so I can truly play the game, get hurt, do good things, do bad things, explore, feel and learn.
However, pain is pain. And even though this life may be an illusion I find it very difficult to rise above the human pain we inflict on each other. I recognise that some very wise people can do this. But for me, its probably not in this life! Maybe this life is about understanding its a game or an illusion.
Or... is this reasoning a trick of the mind, to stop us all from going mad? What if there is nothing beyond the veil? This maybe part of the rules of the game - that this could be a real possibility.
If you come to SecondLife.com, search me out. My name there is Pacino Hercules. My hooker friend (Sugar Seville) and I are building Utopia (just purchased an island) and we are looking for like minded souls to join us. Jules - get in there, you'll love it!
got another mate whose bugging me to get into secondlife. I've created a username (Jeova sanctus unus something) and have just got to download the software.
Bit scared that I might become a bit obsessed with something that just seems like an elablorate 'Civilisation' type computer game...
Ya, the computer game analogy is very powerful, in particular for reincarnation. I've rarely passed a level without dying a few times.
Some friends then question why we don't remember enough to start from a higher position in knowledge, not just physically. Why is the game of life fresh every time- although the argument would be the family you are born into, and your chances of education are dependent on how well you did in a previous life.
I wonder if that concept couldn't be adapted to the game... and when you make a mistake you take birth in a new avatar and are forced to learn new things.
The argument as to why the veil exists is very simple. Without the veil we cannot make a true choice! We would know the answer, this knowledge would mean we only had one choice, and that would deprive us of our free will.
So the veil exists to allow us to enjoy the game completely in our own ignorance, which is what we wanted, and so it was granted to us. It doesn't work any other way.
In the game of life, however, we are of limited capacity, to enjoy, possess, heal with love, and control, and we share that limited capacity with many others and so create conflict and trauma for ourselves and others.
Thanks for the invite to a very interesting game, but I'm busy in the real world trying to execute the same thing :) Although after studying utopian endeavours I'm not interested in them... I'm more interested in idealistic balance that incorporates and restricts the necessary "bad" in society and the individual.
it was Mark Twain by the way
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