More Ron Bashing

[Bgood]

Hey thx for sharing your views Rev Jerry, perhaps I should revisit your link and reevaluate the debunking evidence, esp. on 9/11, although it is such a tedious and "unenlightening" process.

There are two things that Normal Bob smith said that really have stuck with me:

enlightenment sounds like the removal of burdons to me. How can adding on superstitious beliefs be "enlightening"? A skeptical atheist/agnostic sounds like what enlightenment should be. Instead of adding on falsehoods to a persons life, they honestly say "I dont know" and are enlightened from having to make up more lies to support the lies they already hold.

This is interesting what Normal Bob has said. There is alot of truth in this paragraph, except for the slightly distorted understanding of what true enlightenment really is. Enlightenment IS the removal of burdens, as mentioned above, but primarily within the mind such as irrational fears, anxiety, etc. Adding on superstitous beliefs is NOT enlightening. Enlightenment aims at removing delusions and falsehoods of all kinds, specifically when dealing with inner thoughts about one's self. A skeptic/atheist/agnostic actually IS to a great extent what enlightenment should be as Bob also mentions. I do consider myself an atheist within my belief of buddhism. Critical research and personal investigation is always highly encouraged by the Buddha, even necessary. The "I don't know" mind-set is also an essential element in finding the truth in Zen and all of buddhism. With buddhism though these truths are more focused within one's own mental mechanics and thought processes rather than external things which are always ready to change and/or pass away. So my beliefs on Ron Paul and some conspiracy theories are subject to change one way or the other as time goes by. But I know that these things are simply judgements, not absolute truth by any means. I even have had doubts about aspects of buddhism, but as time passes and I gain more experience and closer acquaintance with it's extensive philosophy, my perceptions of it change and I frequently grow and see it in a new light or from a whole new angle. In other words, many AHA or Eureka moments occur as one delves deeper into the buddhadharma (teachings) which is highly encouraging and reaffirming of what was previously misapprehended by the student. Buddhism is a very flexible and adaptable religion at it's very core. It is not meant to be rigidly followed in any kind of mindless or mechanical way. The Dalai Lama himself is noted for saying that Buddhism is more of a science than a religion. I'm sure this sounds 'blasphemous' to some scientific minds, but the buddhist methods of meditation and "positive thinking" techniques for psychological healing actually ARE supported with evermore affirmative scientific data and research. Buddhism embraces science, and also states that if science ever disproves one of it's tenets of belief, then that belief is extinguished and not taught anymore. And BTW, the great majority of Buddhists don't believe in any God or gods. All the buddhas throughout time were human beings. Perhaps they are attributed with 'godlike qualities' such as boundless wisdom , compassion and symbolisms of other worldly illumination and auras, but nonetheless, they ate, slept and died just as we all do today. Buddhism just tries to bring out the most spiritual potential within us to try and make the world a more loving place. Any "supernatural" ideas in it are essentially not that important in the actual practice of the dharma. Rebirth/Reincarnation are only theories to imaginatively speculate on, not blindly believe as unquestionable reality or definite truth. In Buddhism, nothing is definite.