Hi Dave,
Yah..it starts to get freezing here.... As for the korean girls, i will be engaged in 2 more days with a korean girl ..hehe...
To be honest Dave, i really haven't got a way of life that is coherent and consistent. Maybe it's just in my nature, always want to try out 'different ways of living' and 'looking at the world'. You can tell from those 3 philo that i am embracing rite now - they are in conflict with each other. I am just using them from time to time depending on my mood and the situation which I am in...So far i found I am more comfortable like this compared to when i was devoted christian -i joined the watchman nee and witness lee group before i realize that they maybe a 'cult' and move to reformed theology . Now i don't have to think hard to find answers and try to rationalize events happening in my life and people around me and try to force it so that it fits the christian world view -basically by not becoming christian, I have more courage to say " i don't know".
I am interested with Buddhism coz i think it's the only salvation possible (in this world of sufferring, constant achievement, grasping and clinging - borrowing schopenhauer phrase "die with a sword in hand'). Buddhism helps me drive away negative emotions: angry, ambition, hatred, greed, etc...Yes, i also found the attractiveness of Buddhism in its simplicity and non-judgmental views. I found it sometimes offensive that christians say people who do no believe in jesus will go to hell.
What do you think of Buddhism concept of the meaning of life is in the living, the here and now..People like Osho, krishnamurthi say that life consists of small little
things like study, work, marriage, drinking teas..and all these are meaningful in itself.and there is no need to go and speculate beyond this world and look for meaning in higher beings and after life. (like Russell puts it: that the deepest motivation for faith in God is of fear of the unknown). I am interested to know your thoughts on the eastern-philosophy of 'here and now'.
Regarding the verifiability, hmm, i think that's only appropriate for scientific hypothesis, isn't it?
For me, as long as i can find an argument for theism that is still irrefutable (meaning not necessarily demonstrates that Goes exist, only if the argument has not been shown to consist of logical fallacy (like ontological), I am very inclined to accept the fact that God exist (but it is still long way from accepting that God is Triune etc). I found that kalam cosmological argument is pretty compelling, still need to look deeper.
Oh ya, I also gave some thought about how Dr. Tong said that God is the Axiom that made the discussion regarding his existence possible and How we know that logic is not man-made. At first I really thought that this is very close to the kind of argument i was looking for. But after some thought, i think it's quite inadequate. I think that Logic IS the axiom and we know that it IS valid - as how we know that existence exists (it's self-evident, an axiom). But Why is it valid? The fact that we can not answer the 'why' doesn't justify us to invent a being called God that is necessary to made logic valid? Please tell me your thoughts on this...
As for objectivism, i think i just like it because it provides me with a framework how to live a life in 'this world': achievements, creating values, self-esteem, purpose, rationality. But i still dunno much about it and i don't think it's such a great philo since i think Ayn Rand is not that famous...Personally, like Pascal, i also think that heart has its own reason, but if we accept this (and everyone in the word does, i am afraid that humanity will not have a objective criterion of deciding between truth and falsity - it will be based on feelings (emotions and intuitions). This subjectivity may lead to all sort of dangers and evils..
Yes Dave, you are welcomed to user 'General Wiranto' as my nick and include
our conversation in the blog.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Wiranto,
Lemme congratulate you on finding a soulmate... Hey I truly enjoyed what you wrote here... lotsa food for thots, and I'd take some time to chew heheh...
glad that we can put down our defences and work out some of the experiments with life, faith, spirituality etc.
Firstly, though, lemme say that i find myself nodding in agreement with a lot of the observations you made abt Christianity in some of its expressions...
that there seems to be a certain smugness that we monopolise the truth, that we can be otherworldly in such a way that the here-and-now lacks significance in itself, that we had easy answers for deep questions... all nicely packaged and sealed, leaving no room for mysteries... but when it comes to an infinite God (if He exists) surely "I dunno" seems like a good place to start!
To recognise our own limitations may be humility and the beginning of wisdom? But that is not a quality highly valued in certain circles within the church.
These are indeed some serious bugs that need to be fixed!! hahah... so I'm happy to find another spiritual seeker who seems to have pointed out some of the flaws that I truly feel need to be fixed... saying it as an 'insider' of course heheh...
You wrote:
"Regarding the verifiability, hmm, i think that's only appropriate for scientific hypothesis, isn't it?"
Exactly, (not that I buy Kant's noumena-phenomena separation)! So I'm quite surprised when you mentioned something abt Buddhism being verifiable... heheh...
May the joys of marriage open up new vistas for spiritual experiments!
Yah..it starts to get freezing here.... As for the korean girls, i will be engaged in 2 more days with a korean girl ..hehe...
To be honest Dave, i really haven't got a way of life that is coherent and consistent. Maybe it's just in my nature, always want to try out 'different ways of living' and 'looking at the world'. You can tell from those 3 philo that i am embracing rite now - they are in conflict with each other. I am just using them from time to time depending on my mood and the situation which I am in...So far i found I am more comfortable like this compared to when i was devoted christian -i joined the watchman nee and witness lee group before i realize that they maybe a 'cult' and move to reformed theology . Now i don't have to think hard to find answers and try to rationalize events happening in my life and people around me and try to force it so that it fits the christian world view -basically by not becoming christian, I have more courage to say " i don't know".
I am interested with Buddhism coz i think it's the only salvation possible (in this world of sufferring, constant achievement, grasping and clinging - borrowing schopenhauer phrase "die with a sword in hand'). Buddhism helps me drive away negative emotions: angry, ambition, hatred, greed, etc...Yes, i also found the attractiveness of Buddhism in its simplicity and non-judgmental views. I found it sometimes offensive that christians say people who do no believe in jesus will go to hell.
What do you think of Buddhism concept of the meaning of life is in the living, the here and now..People like Osho, krishnamurthi say that life consists of small little
things like study, work, marriage, drinking teas..and all these are meaningful in itself.and there is no need to go and speculate beyond this world and look for meaning in higher beings and after life. (like Russell puts it: that the deepest motivation for faith in God is of fear of the unknown). I am interested to know your thoughts on the eastern-philosophy of 'here and now'.
Regarding the verifiability, hmm, i think that's only appropriate for scientific hypothesis, isn't it?
For me, as long as i can find an argument for theism that is still irrefutable (meaning not necessarily demonstrates that Goes exist, only if the argument has not been shown to consist of logical fallacy (like ontological), I am very inclined to accept the fact that God exist (but it is still long way from accepting that God is Triune etc). I found that kalam cosmological argument is pretty compelling, still need to look deeper.
Oh ya, I also gave some thought about how Dr. Tong said that God is the Axiom that made the discussion regarding his existence possible and How we know that logic is not man-made. At first I really thought that this is very close to the kind of argument i was looking for. But after some thought, i think it's quite inadequate. I think that Logic IS the axiom and we know that it IS valid - as how we know that existence exists (it's self-evident, an axiom). But Why is it valid? The fact that we can not answer the 'why' doesn't justify us to invent a being called God that is necessary to made logic valid? Please tell me your thoughts on this...
As for objectivism, i think i just like it because it provides me with a framework how to live a life in 'this world': achievements, creating values, self-esteem, purpose, rationality. But i still dunno much about it and i don't think it's such a great philo since i think Ayn Rand is not that famous...Personally, like Pascal, i also think that heart has its own reason, but if we accept this (and everyone in the word does, i am afraid that humanity will not have a objective criterion of deciding between truth and falsity - it will be based on feelings (emotions and intuitions). This subjectivity may lead to all sort of dangers and evils..
Yes Dave, you are welcomed to user 'General Wiranto' as my nick and include
our conversation in the blog.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Wiranto,
Lemme congratulate you on finding a soulmate... Hey I truly enjoyed what you wrote here... lotsa food for thots, and I'd take some time to chew heheh...
glad that we can put down our defences and work out some of the experiments with life, faith, spirituality etc.
Firstly, though, lemme say that i find myself nodding in agreement with a lot of the observations you made abt Christianity in some of its expressions...
that there seems to be a certain smugness that we monopolise the truth, that we can be otherworldly in such a way that the here-and-now lacks significance in itself, that we had easy answers for deep questions... all nicely packaged and sealed, leaving no room for mysteries... but when it comes to an infinite God (if He exists) surely "I dunno" seems like a good place to start!
To recognise our own limitations may be humility and the beginning of wisdom? But that is not a quality highly valued in certain circles within the church.
These are indeed some serious bugs that need to be fixed!! hahah... so I'm happy to find another spiritual seeker who seems to have pointed out some of the flaws that I truly feel need to be fixed... saying it as an 'insider' of course heheh...
You wrote:
"Regarding the verifiability, hmm, i think that's only appropriate for scientific hypothesis, isn't it?"
Exactly, (not that I buy Kant's noumena-phenomena separation)! So I'm quite surprised when you mentioned something abt Buddhism being verifiable... heheh...
May the joys of marriage open up new vistas for spiritual experiments!
Comments
http://hedonese1.blogspot.com/2005/01/having-tea-in-heaven.html
As of me, I may create more doubts in them and cause such percentage to increase!
Ha ha!
to know that we're all in this journey together, and
in finding Him, I hope we will be more fulfilled.
Tough questions will come your way but I know that I,
or we should not expect answers to all our questions,
as you have rightly said, it's a journey we all take.
The answer, I trust will come to each of us, someday.
Patience is definitely not my virtue, so, this is
probably what I need to pray for, for patience and
guidance during this period of time as we go thru the
course...
You have been a commendable facilitor, as you have
clearly pointed out from the very start, so keep up
the good work!
It's my pleasure to walk with you....
There is a joy in the journey,
There's a Light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And Freedom for those who obey (Michael Card)