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Goodbye Jesus

The universe may be conscious.


midniterider

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Just now, florduh said:

 

And they are just as important to the equation as Judas was to Jesus in the Bible story.

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Goodbye Jesus
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46 minutes ago, Margee said:

Could it be so simple (as this video below says)  that every living creature on this earth has some form of consciousness....even to the insects who run mostly on instinct?? Is 'instinct' a form of being conscious to the ant or the frog or the bee? Most living things build their version of houses, protect their loved ones, give birth the same way, we all eat, drink, pee and poop?  (even the insects)  Maybe, we evolved our brains for survival and somehow humans eventually seemed to invent language as a form of communicating ideas? Our 'grunts' turned into enough words to form a whole dictionary. It is pretty smart.

 

I think so. Right down to the sub atomic where there's energy and information exchange (as waves or whatever) and a primitive sense of awareness of the existence of other particles in space. There's giving and receiving of energy and information way down scale. Scale up and it flows right into what you're saying here. 

 

Going back to the TED talk and the next video discussion, I think the christian is basically a guy who has an informing right hemisphere experience. But not understanding that head on, he interprets the experience in what ever way he's been socially conditioned to interpret a religious or spiritual favoring mindset. For someone like this, it's a struggle to ever see the materialist's mindset because the materialist may be promoting a much more left dominant way of thinking which doesn't account for the right hemisphere experience as much or at all. So the christian will reject it. And they'll reject it on the basis of feeling that there's something more to reality than what the materialist is seeing. Atheism will remain unconvincing. 

 

But there's a good amount of confusion involved in the christians rejection. 

 

 

 

 

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14 minutes ago, florduh said:

 

And they are just as important to the equation as Judas was to Jesus in the Bible story.

 

Maybe Thomas as well. 

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21 hours ago, Joshpantera said:

 

So here's what I'm thinking, the issue between spiritual minded people and non-spiritual minded is probably this simple. The mix of right and left hemisphere input or experience must be different for different people. When I came across the pantheistic philosophy, interconnection, oneness underlying diversity, it came at me like a common sense understanding that clicked immediately upon exposure. I didn't know why. It's foreign to western thinking, and yet it clicked. It didn't make a god believer out of me, but it changed my perspective. When I finally got around to close focusing on consciousness, and awareness as primitive to complex, that clicked to. I tend to think now that our hard core materialists are simply participants in a left dominant experience of reality. And it could be next to impossible to see any other way, considering. 

 

This opens a lot of questions. 

 

 

 

Yeah and that's okay. Everybody has a different way of perceiving the world around them.

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On 5/23/2018 at 7:18 AM, florduh said:

Randi still has a million dollars waiting for someone to step up. 😁 We're still waiting for someone to exceed chance in influencing dice rolls in the lab. Still waiting for someone who ostensibly moves small object with their mind to not be debunked. 

 

Randi strikes me as somewhat disingenuous. He's arrogant to the point that I don't think he would be willing to pay the money even if he lost and it seems a lot of people who might otherwise claim that prize are well aware of this fact. This has been discussed at length on many alternate spirituality forums. People who have said they looked into it and read the contract and it's really just set up to make a fool of them.

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On 5/23/2018 at 12:58 PM, midniterider said:

 

Maybe someone could use their mind to flip a 1 to a 0 on a hard drive. Bits are pretty small. Brain synapses are pretty tiny as well. Yet both of these things could have a powerful effect in the macro world.

 

You know this isn't really a "metaphysical issue" but we DO know scientifically there is a mind/body connection. It's been tested over and over. We also know that when people REALLY believe in their ability to do something that enhances their performance of whatever that thing is. It doesn't mean someone who "believes" they can win a gold medal without working for it can do that, but there is pretty strong evidence that what we believe directly and strongly affects our lived experience of reality. Again, not "metaphysical" but it is the idea that how you think about life directly affects your experience of life.

 

This is clearly observable with optimists and pessimists. I used to think optimists were morons until I started observing their life results. Because they are so positive about things they keep trying where the pessimist would give up. As a result the person who truly believes in their own capabilities and continually works to improve them is more likely to see positive results in their lives than someone who makes a half-hearted attempt once and never tries again because they dont' believe they can.

 

And I know it might become unpopular the way I want to use the word "magic" in multiple circumstances most others would not since for some people it's gotta be "Harry Potter" magic, but the principle behind magic is directing subtle energies through your will to receive a specific outcome. And I would argue that these super optimistic people are not only "doing the work", they are putting in an extreme amount of mental energy toward their desired outcome.

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On 5/26/2018 at 5:01 PM, Joshpantera said:

 

So do you think there's a connection between the round about idea of a conscious universe and the practice of magic? If magic were possible I would think that it would somehow have to trace back to issues of consciousness, as opposed to ordering literal supernatural entities to carry out some order or request. The person doing a ritual, for instance, is focusing on something. The sacrificing of animals and other fluff seems more a tool for a type of mental focus and direction that anything else. And the focused mind is then the bigger issue in an act of magical practice, from this view, instead of spooky supernatural forces. 

 

I say this because I have an Aunt near Cassadega who runs with the mystics and fortune tellers over there. She's a witch, basically. And a guy that I surf with got caught up into Santeria for while. So I've spent some time focusing on what I thought they were doing. It's easy to just dismiss the whole thing outright. But for the sake of argument, and in the event that the Randi style skeptics are actually wrong, then where does that leave us? 

 

I think the consciousness explanation ought to be at least kept on the back burner as a way of trying to logically explain things like magic and any mystical acts, in the event that these acts are shown to be really happening. 

 

I definitely lean toward this type of thinking (though I know you weren't addressing me).

 

Also a way to interpret things like divination... one can look at the future and "fate" as a series of possibilities. Often when we are trying to make choices in life, we are too close to the issue at hand to see all the possible paths we could go down to solve a problem. Bringing in a tool like tarot or runes is a way to push your mind into a new interpretive model and a new story. Then when you look at it from this different angle you may see ways of viewing it that you didn't before. I don't necessarily think these things really "tell the future". I think they are a psychological tool to open you up to all your possibilities. Like a mystical brainstorming session.

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On 5/27/2018 at 1:39 PM, Joshpantera said:

Yes, magical does not automatically equal the supernatural. It’s good to know that most of these magicians realize that. They wouldn’t be proving gods or anything like that, by proving magic.

 

I get what you’re saying about natural talent. If consciousness is primary - as the formal theory suggests - then it’s also natural. And the ability to use your sub conscious mind to affect a greater web of primary universal consciousness interconnecting everything, would then be a natural type of talent. 

 

If paranormal issues were to have cross over validity, then psychic and other abilities, if true, would represent other areas of natural talents in the same way, I’d assume. 

 

Also, even if one believes in gods, that doesn't mean that is the "same thing" as magic. I believe in my ancestral gods as part of a larger group soul that I'm a part of like an extended family. But I sure as shit am not trying to "use them" to get stuff done. They aren't my minions.

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21 hours ago, Joshpantera said:

 

I think so. Right down to the sub atomic where there's energy and information exchange (as waves or whatever) and a primitive sense of awareness of the existence of other particles in space. There's giving and receiving of energy and information way down scale. Scale up and it flows right into what you're saying here. 

 

Going back to the TED talk and the next video discussion, I think the christian is basically a guy who has an informing right hemisphere experience. But not understanding that head on, he interprets the experience in what ever way he's been socially conditioned to interpret a religious or spiritual favoring mindset. For someone like this, it's a struggle to ever see the materialist's mindset because the materialist may be promoting a much more left dominant way of thinking which doesn't account for the right hemisphere experience as much or at all. So the christian will reject it. And they'll reject it on the basis of feeling that there's something more to reality than what the materialist is seeing. Atheism will remain unconvincing. 

 

But there's a good amount of confusion involved in the christians rejection. 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got this weird idea that non-human consciousness may reincarnate with a "continuity of consciousness" which might explain "instinct" and why each generation doesn't have to learn as much as we do. I think we may lose a lot more "memory" for whatever reason. Maybe due to soul growth issues, maybe due to limits of the brain and the other shit we need to put in there besides a thousand previous lifetimes or whatever.

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3 hours ago, VerbosityCat said:

 

Randi strikes me as somewhat disingenuous. He's arrogant to the point that I don't think he would be willing to pay the money even if he lost and it seems a lot of people who might otherwise claim that prize are well aware of this fact. This has been discussed at length on many alternate spirituality forums. People who have said they looked into it and read the contract and it's really just set up to make a fool of them.

 

I read that the Randi challenge is no longer. He's doing something else with the money. I've also read that while it was running, Randi would decline to accept applications from people he felt could actually pass the test. So, to use the words of others, Randi's been debunked.

 

What may be more interesting though is why some people on an ex-Christian website who are always harping on peer reviewed scientific evidence and studies and such would even bring up the James Randi Challenge circus act.

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3 hours ago, VerbosityCat said:

 

You know this isn't really a "metaphysical issue" but we DO know scientifically there is a mind/body connection. It's been tested over and over. We also know that when people REALLY believe in their ability to do something that enhances their performance of whatever that thing is. It doesn't mean someone who "believes" they can win a gold medal without working for it can do that, but there is pretty strong evidence that what we believe directly and strongly affects our lived experience of reality. Again, not "metaphysical" but it is the idea that how you think about life directly affects your experience of life.

 

This is clearly observable with optimists and pessimists. I used to think optimists were morons until I started observing their life results. Because they are so positive about things they keep trying where the pessimist would give up. As a result the person who truly believes in their own capabilities and continually works to improve them is more likely to see positive results in their lives than someone who makes a half-hearted attempt once and never tries again because they dont' believe they can.

 

And I know it might become unpopular the way I want to use the word "magic" in multiple circumstances most others would not since for some people it's gotta be "Harry Potter" magic, but the principle behind magic is directing subtle energies through your will to receive a specific outcome. And I would argue that these super optimistic people are not only "doing the work", they are putting in an extreme amount of mental energy toward their desired outcome.

 

Great post!

 

If someone says "That's impossible", then it will be impossible. And it will never manifest.

If someone says, "That is manifesting, right now!", then something is going to happen.

 

I cast a sigil a while back and what I wanted did not come to pass ( I hear cheering from some people here. lol)

Then a short while later something totally unexpected, yet highly related to my spell's intent occurred to my benefit.

 

So, yes, I probably need to put in more mental work than I do to get  better results.

 

Regarding the extreme amount of mental energy , I saw a video of a woman casting sigils. She said, "Now I cast this spell 7 days in a row..."

I'm thinking hmmm, I only do mine once. lol. duhhhhhh. Need to get off my lazy ass and start casting! lol

 

 

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19 hours ago, midniterider said:

 

I read that the Randi challenge is no longer. He's doing something else with the money. I've also read that while it was running, Randi would decline to accept applications from people he felt could actually pass the test. So, to use the words of others, Randi's been debunked.

 

What may be more interesting though is why some people on an ex-Christian website who are always harping on peer reviewed scientific evidence and studies and such would even bring up the James Randi Challenge circus act.

 

Good point. I guess we all have our pet superstitions.

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19 hours ago, midniterider said:

 

Great post!

 

If someone says "That's impossible", then it will be impossible. And it will never manifest.

If someone says, "That is manifesting, right now!", then something is going to happen.

 

I cast a sigil a while back and what I wanted did not come to pass ( I hear cheering from some people here. lol)

Then a short while later something totally unexpected, yet highly related to my spell's intent occurred to my benefit.

 

So, yes, I probably need to put in more mental work than I do to get  better results.

 

Regarding the extreme amount of mental energy , I saw a video of a woman casting sigils. She said, "Now I cast this spell 7 days in a row..."

I'm thinking hmmm, I only do mine once. lol. duhhhhhh. Need to get off my lazy ass and start casting! lol

 

 

 

And synchronicity also occurs more when you are open to it. I also have a theory about atheists. They don't believe in ANY woo. (I realize SOME people who don't believe in gods still have "woo" but I'm talking the scientific materialist atheist type) I think without realizing it, their strong disbelief or desire not to have any shit like that filter into their reality causes them to erect a sort of barrier that keeps any "woo" shit out. But then on the flip side if you look at highly superstitious fearful people of any religious persuasion they seem to have all these horrifying "creepy stories". They're manifesting that shit. They could learn something from the atheists.

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“Follow your bliss and doors will open where there were no doors before.” 
 Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

 

Could that be because of mind leading the way, and paving out a path out in front of you? I've questioned that a lot over the years. Because I've taken this advice, and life has unfolded according to the prescription. And continues to unfold that way. Even when things are bad, there's been a door right around the corner which has led to better circumstances. How much of that could be my own mind paving the way out ahead of me? 

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On 10/19/2018 at 3:45 PM, VerbosityCat said:

 

And synchronicity also occurs more when you are open to it. I also have a theory about atheists. They don't believe in ANY woo. (I realize SOME people who don't believe in gods still have "woo" but I'm talking the scientific materialist atheist type) I think without realizing it, their strong disbelief or desire not to have any shit like that filter into their reality causes them to erect a sort of barrier that keeps any "woo" shit out. But then on the flip side if you look at highly superstitious fearful people of any religious persuasion they seem to have all these horrifying "creepy stories". They're manifesting that shit. They could learn something from the atheists.

 

That's true. My Mom was probably the main atheist type influence in my life. She didn't believe in ghosts or any woo. She taught me that that stuff was bullshit, and hey I never saw a ghost. lol. Meanwhile my first wife was telling me about some weird haunting stuff once and I'm thinking, "Bullshit". lol.

 

So, yes, an atheist is like a walking talking banishment ritual. :) 

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16 hours ago, midniterider said:

 

So, yes, an atheist is like a walking talking banishment ritual. :) 

 

This is so true. LOL

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21 hours ago, midniterider said:

 

That's true. My Mom was probably the main atheist type influence in my life. She didn't believe in ghosts or any woo. She taught me that that stuff was bullshit, and hey I never saw a ghost. lol. Meanwhile my first wife was telling me about some weird haunting stuff once and I'm thinking, "Bullshit". lol.

 

So, yes, an atheist is like a walking talking banishment ritual. :) 

 

You consider yourself to be an agnostic atheist, as well as Mage don't you? 

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3 hours ago, Joshpantera said:

 

You consider yourself to be an agnostic atheist, as well as Mage don't you? 

 

I like agnostic because I can waffle a bit. Atheist sounds too final and has a bunch of connotations that I find hard to separate from the "lack of belief in gods" definition. You're probably accurate though. There's no named supernatural personality I pray to or believe in (most of the time). I'm a 5  on the Dawkins scale out of 7.

 

But I am fascinated and do have a fairly high level of belief/acceptance of an impersonal and immaterial power ... like a universal consciousness. Not that I practice a belief system like that as a regular regimen in my life. I hold in high esteem Zen, Advaita, non-dual awareness and teachings to that effect. If I AM THAT, then there's nobody to pray to. Nobody, period. lol.

 

I have a mid level of belief/acceptance of other woo like magic, ESP, distant mental influencing, a low level of belief in some other woo, and a 'that's bullshit' level of belief in others.

 

Mage? Sure. A lazy mage. lol.

 

I don't really choose many labels ... maybe because then I feel like I'm owned by that label and have to live up that label. I kind of felt like that when I got into the meat of Dawkins' God Delusion book...thinking to myself, "If this is what atheism means, umm, pass." Then again, I'm sure there are atheists here who probably think Dawkins' version of atheism is lunacy. :) 

 

TL/DR - Agnostic Atheist Mage - 70% in agreement with that. :)

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On 10/22/2018 at 2:34 AM, midniterider said:

I like agnostic because I can waffle a bit. Atheist sounds too final and has a bunch of connotations that I find hard to separate from the "lack of belief in gods" definition. You're probably accurate though. There's no named supernatural personality I pray to or believe in (most of the time). I'm a 5  on the Dawkins scale out of 7.

 

I think I'm a 6. 

 

 

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