Change Method Of Thinking

[Guest Unity]

The biggest obstacle to our individual progress is our slave like devotion to precedent, and the way to overcome this long established habit of complying with other people's beliefs is to change our method of thinking. To do this we need a willingness to consider the possibility that the beliefs we are following may not reflect the whole truth. Many beliefs construct an experience of the universe that is narrow and not totally true because they are usually created in an environment of fear. This limits our personal life because it blocks our direct experience and replaces what we experience directly with opinions, positions, judgments and prejudice. The knowledge to change the nature of our reality and ourselves can bring us either success or failure, but it can also enable us to do something towards restraining the uncivilized instincts in society. If we fail we can try again, it is better than doing nothing because we will succeed in life despite the dogma and institutions trying to block our natural understanding of life. When a person changes, the world changes so both change or neither changes because what a person does or does not do has an impact on the world and makes a difference. Regaining our naturalness and genius will bring meaningful change to the world and our minds so Truth can be experienced.

Christian Mysticism

[Skankboy]

This ad brought to you by the American Christian Mystics Society...

[Thurisaz]

...we need a willingness to consider the possibility that the beliefs we are following may not reflect the whole truth...

 

Now guess why most of us are here.

[Fweethawt]

...we need a willingness to consider the possibility that the beliefs we are following may not reflect the whole truth...

Now guess why most of us are here.

Hah! You caught that, too!

 

[Guest Unity]

I thought we are here to exchange ideas. I hear some complaining, but bring up an idea and let us discuss it.

 

This limits our personal life because it blocks our direct experience and replaces what we experience directly with opinions, positions, judgments and prejudice.

 

I read some opinions of my post, but what ideas do you want to discuss?

 

It is an ad, translation you are going to go to hell. You are a false prophet. You are doing the work of the devil. Christians do that when they can't discuss the ideas.

 

When a person changes, the world changes so both change or neither changes because what a person does or does not do has an impact on the world and makes a difference."

 

Here is a statement we can discuss. Everything is changing even the period at the end of this sentence is changing. I feel we all have an impact on the world if we are active or passive. Change your consciousness and the collective consciousness is changed. This change is best done when one is passive, but I am sure people have done this in an active way.

 

Change happens as one develops.

[Astreja]

Here is a statement we can discuss. Everything is changing even the period at the end of this sentence is changing. I feel we all have an impact on the world if we are active or passive. Change your consciousness and the collective consciousness is changed. This change is best done when one is passive, but I am sure people have done this in an active way.

This feels backwards to me. If you are passive you are not contributing to the change process, but rather being changed *by* it. I prefer the active approach, myself.

[Guest Unity]

Sometimes, I am sitting on the side of the road watching people go by, watching their actions and reactions. In a passive state my consciousness is impacted and change occurs, this can happen when I am active on the road too, but usually I am reacting and not witnessing as much so my change is not as affected unless the pain or joy is so intense it impacts my consciousness.

 

You are correct in the passive state one is changed by it. Good perception.

[Thurisaz]

I read some opinions of my post, but what ideas do you want to discuss?

 

How about "christianity is all a myth, there's exactly no evidence that he ever existed, but a mountain of hints at him being an invention of the church"?

[Crunk Bishop]

but if everything is changing, we never cross the same river twice... then why not move beyond an old beatup religion like Christianity... like most of us have done.

 

rather than "accepting" or "discovering" truth, don't we have the capability to manufacture our own truths?

 

shouldn't we always strive to move forward, rather than looking backward?

 

 

furthermore, doesn't "mysticism" just make Christianity one religion on board with the many? What do Christian mystics have that say, Sufis or Kabbalists don't? The shedding of organized religion in favor of "knowledge" or "mysticism" is Gnosticism. In mysticism, "truths" become universalized through experience and the "particular" power of religion is vanquished. "Christ" becomes a master symbol for transformation... but wouldn't alot of other symbols accomplish the same thing?

 

I don't think "mysticism" makes any compelling argument for itself, much less the "truth" of any particular religious world view.

[roman]

Sometimes, I am sitting on the side of the road watching people go by, watching their actions and reactions. In a passive state my consciousness is impacted and change occurs, this can happen when I am active on the road too, but usually I am reacting and not witnessing as much so my change is not as affected unless the pain or joy is so intense it impacts my consciousness.

 

You are correct in the passive state one is changed by it. Good perception.

So, are you a State Trooper or something?

[Gaura]

I'm going to be kinder than some of the others here. Please remember that for many of the people here, anything smacking of any sort of Christianity hurts like that lake of fire us heretics are supposed to wind up in.

 

I think the direction that you're taking your Christianity in is generally good. I'd rather have a good chat with a good Christian mystic than with 20 of the all-too-common fundamentalists.

 

Anymore I consider myself a Pagan mystic-- I deconverted from the Church, became Wiccan and have been slowly evolving into a more eclectic and mystic approach since.

 

Here's where we may or may not diverge. From a quick (it is late) look at your site it does look like you are still mired in the "one God" theology. While I do agree with you that Deity is ultimately a whole, I would challenge you to recognize that there are many different aspects and sides to all of that, just like facets in a gemstone.

 

A Druid that I know once said the rather profound statement that mystics tend to understand each other better than they understand the adherents of their own faith. I truly hope this is true of you-- a mystic's vision can only get ever wider and more understanding.

 

I'll end this with a little truism that resembles what you said--

 

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.

 

Lidia