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christians (pg. 28)
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| eRRaTiK |
| quote: | Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
A MIND MUST LOSE ITS ATTACHMENT |
to everything. Only then can we be completely free of suffering.
...
If you don't have attachments, naturally you're liberated ... In ancient times, there was an old cultivator who asked for instructions from a monk,
"Great Monk, let me ask you, how can I attain liberation?" The Great monk said, "Who tied you up?" This old cultivator answered, "Nobody tied me up." The monk said, "Then why do you seek liberation?"
(Hsuan Hua, tr., Flower Adornment Sutra, "Pure Conduct," chap. 11.) (source) |
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| Frenchie |
| Where is clubamericaaaa? |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Moral Hazard
I do indeed believe that the theory of evolution is largely correct (I say largely because there is a high probability that at least some of the assumptions made are erred, I presume this will be corrected as greater fosil records are collected and studied). To me, the creation myth found in Genisis (which is nearly identical to a great number of creation myths written much earlier from other cultures in the fertile cresent) is a very good allegory for evolution.
As to where humans received a soul, I certainly could not say for sure... such knowledge is outside of our capacity. If I had to posture my own believe... I would say that all living things have a soul: I believe that the christian concept of heaven is actually flawed... I believe the "house of the lord" is a metaphor for a communion with God. My belief is not that our soul lives on with God but becomes part of God. If prior to the big bang there was only "the singularity" which must have created itself then one must presume (if one has faith) that the singularity was created not only by God but out of God, as God would have been the only energy in existance prior to the singularity. Since everything that exists as matter is an evolution of that singularity then all matter is part of God and to God it will return. I believe that life exists to enrich God.
As you can see from my answer above, despite practicing the Roman Catholic faith my beliefs are not entirely congruant with it. [b]This is because I veiw most religions as being based on God revealing itself to humans in various ways that best fit with the circumstance of the peoples to whom it was revealing itself (ie. God put it into a context the people could understand). To me, the various religious families are variations on the same theme... stylistic differences, nothing more. I chose to practice as a Roman Catholic not because I believe other faiths are wrong, rather, I practice as I do because I prefer that style of worship and manner of living.
BTW, if you were looking for a strict RC based answer.... I believe the church's position is that humans would have been endowed with a soul with the evolution of Homo Sapian. The theological support for this would be based in Genisis' reference to "non-human" but human like creatures living in the wilderness beyond the garden. These "non-humans" were not the childeren of God as the humans were thus from an RC interpretation they would not have a soul. The existance of human like "non-humans" could easily be a reference to Pre-Sapian Homo species. Now, I cannot say whether the church would consider Homo Sapian Sapian or Homo Sapian Archeic to be the first endowed with a soul.
I thank you for the very interesting question.... this is why I love these sort of debates. |
and i thank you for your very interesting response!
i'd always viewed evolution as largely complementary to religion (who is to say how god's plan was meant to play out) but the other day it occured to me that if man did indeed come from monkey, i found it problematic to explain how we "evolved" a soul. i really like your take on the situation. mostly because it makes sense! a theist that's consistent and makes sense. you're a very special creature! jokes! :p
if i believed in god, i would think your explanation(s) are pretty good :) |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by infinity HiGH
They act as if they're "enlightened" because they believe in the theory of the Evolution while others do not. |
yeah, much like we believe in the theory of gravity :rolleyes:
statements like this really do highlight the wanton ignorance of some theists. |
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| Clovis |
| Moral makes alot of sense on all points. He's obviously put alot of thought into all of it, and it's really refreshing to see that. |
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| SuspicionVandit |
gravity doesn't exist
it's a consequence of the warping of space |
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| Psy-T |
| quote: | Originally posted by SuspicionVandit
gravity doesn't exist
it's a consequence of the warping of space |
the thing which doesn't exist is a consequence of something? lol. |
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| lex400sc |
| quote: | Originally posted by R!CH
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seriously people.... read this book. |
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| Fledz |
| quote: | Originally posted by SuspicionVandit
gravity doesn't exist
it's a consequence of the warping of space |
Hehe. The funny thing is it's true :wtf: |
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| inconspicuous |
| quote: | Originally posted by Clovis
And I've never seen atheists vocalizing their opinions pretty much anywhere in the media. Then again I rarely watch TV, but I do read alot of periodicals. |
| quote: | Originally posted by RJT
See now there's another problem with this whole thing - Atheists seem to prefer the realm of academia for debate, whereas the kinds of freaky conservative Christians we're discussing seem to prefer Fox News.
Even when the two do cross paths, they rarely seem to understand one another. |
First, they do vocalize their opinions in the media...a lot. Almost everything the ACLU does now that relates to religion (and most of what they do relates to religion) is rooted in, at the very least, the defense of atheist beliefs.
Second, you have to consider that atheism is seen as being very liberal stance, with regards to politics. Regardless of what you'd like to think, over 90% of the members of the media vote for democrats, and nobody is devoid of bias. You'll see a lot more crazy 'Christians' than you will delusional atheists on tv or in the media, due to that fact alone. |
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| inconspicuous |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
yeah, much like we believe in the theory of gravity :rolleyes:
statements like this really do highlight the wanton ignorance of some theists. |
he still has a point. |
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| eRRaTiK |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fledz
Hehe. The funny thing is it's true :wtf: |
also true... sunrise and sunset doesn't exist. |
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