Tue 26 Jun
2007
HAT TIP TO THAT FUNKY BUDDHA
Still reading Dawkins’ The God Delusion. I’m taking it slow, because there is a ton of stuff that is going on right now. I came across this quote in the book attributed to Sam Harris who writes in his book, The End of Faith:
We have names for people who have many beliefs for which there is no rational justification. When their beliefs are extremely common we call them ‘religious’; otherwise, they are likely to be called ‘mad’, ‘psychotic’ or ‘delusional’ . . . Clearly there is sanity in numbers. And yet, it is merely an accident of history that it is considered normal in our society to believe that the Creator of the universe can hear your thoughts, while it is demonstrative of mental illness to believe that he is communicating with you by having the rain tap in Morse code on your bedroom window. And so, while religious people are not generally mad, their core beliefs absolutely are.
Reading that gave me a chuckle.
I saw a quick show on the Buddha today. It aired on Omni, around 7.30ish. I was doing work at the time, but I caught the gist of it. Several Monks were asked if Buddha was/is a God. For some reason all of them started out with the response, “well it all depends on what you mean by God.”
Hmm, these Monks had me confused. Buddha himself has said that he was/is no God, only that he was/is a being that has become fully “Awakened.” I would think the answer to this question would be rather simple since Buddha recognized he was no creator. So, why the qualification of what one means by saying God?
Buddha
Did these Monks feel that saying otherwise would mean the Buddha might not be held in same quality as Jesus, or any other religious deity? Why? I hope this wasn’t the case because the fact is many of Buddha’s teachings are duplicated (stolen?) in today’s most dominant religions. He’d be the O.G. for providing the template of a model life.
I have a fair measure of appreciation for Buddhism and that’s saying a lot because I know far less of it than I do of any religion or philosophy. I admire the teachings, the studying of “a way” to enlightenment, and the trials that lead one to “a way” of living a truth … THE truth. But perhaps the most insightful (and logical) thought is that the path to your awakening may take you down roads I will never travel in the path that I follow for my awakening (that is if one has understood enough to be awakened at all).
Hmm, your path may not be the same as my path. See, now if we lived 5000 miles from each other, spoke different languages, laughed at different joys, cried at different sorrows … isn’t it heartening to know that despite our paths being different, I do not damn you, nor you, I. We show compassion for each other with an understanding that our paths, though different, will one day lead us to our “Awakened” state.
The very place where you and I are no longer you and I … instead you and I become we.
That’s cool, isn’t it?
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THINKING
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Spending will make you happier, but not in the way you think. Interesting read over at Secular Philosophy.
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Chrisopher Hitchens nails it yet again with this piece for Slate Magazine. After reading the piece, I’m inclined to agree with a lot of it.
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When flying 35,000 feet above land, I stare down at the natural landscape and marvel at it ... and every time I fly over a city, town, etc. ... I can’t help but to think ... so this is what cancer looks like.
I know, it’s harsh, but have a look, cities and towns just don’t blend very well with the natural landscape.
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According to this read over at Dailytech, the XBOX360 has a 33% failure rate! Like what?? Like how much? Like one in every three units will have hardware failure! I love my box ... and I’m touching wood it stays in with the other 66%.
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Old news for some of you out there, but “Demon Days” by Gorillaz ... not bad eh? Not bad at all. Nice tunes on that list.
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Yes it’s true .. i know Gorn and I also know ShoeGirl. Personally, I think he could have gone a lot more than 30 days.
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A 16 year old girl proclaimed she is an atheist. The reporter asked her why and she promptly replied, “I was born that way.”
Interesting ... she’s right, you know.
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CURRENTLY
Kingdom Of Heaven: The story of Balian’s quest for redemption and his battles against those who seek power in it’s name. This is an excellent movie whose message is perhaps more important today than it was then.
Dawkins tackles it all in his no holds barred approach to whether God exists. The stance? The probability of it? Very unlikely.
"Hopes and Fears” and “Under The Iron Sea” by Keane get constant play from my iTunes. Find out why their music is so good. After all they were the band that inspired Coldplay.
As Marcus Fenix, you fight a war against the immense Locust Horde, which not only out powers but outnumbers you, your squad, and the entire force of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. Time to pull out the stops in a game that delivers the next-generation in tactical combat systems in Gears of War.