Interview with the Great Spirit

reply to post by PrinceDreamer
Truly mind blowing.

That was really nice!!! Thank you for posting that.

The Great Spirit told me to avoid Conspiricy Site and focus on my 401k. The Easter Bunny said that Netflix was a rip off in comparison to Direct Tv, Buddah said dont step in the bee without shoes, (this was useful), and the Bug Eye Alein that kidnaps me every Friday, asked why I do not accept him as a friend on Facebook. I hope I have helped you all...

reply to post by wavemaker

You need to accept the spiritual side of man before you can understand why there are sufferings in the world. I'm not talking about religions, btw. There is actually an answer to your question but I will let you find it in your own way. Search with an open mind and heart and you will find it.

Thanks wavemaker, but I've probably run across most of the so-called "answers" to the question, of why there is so much suffering in the world, a version of the age-old "Problem of Evil". Unfortunately, I have never been satisfied with any of them. Yes, I understand there are "answers", and obviously most people in the world seem satisfied with the ones they are given, but a few of us remain unimpressed.

Perhaps your answer is different, or special, and I have no doubt that for you it is.

As for a "spiritual side" of man, I accept that there is one, but probably not in the usual "religious" sense. In the sense that there is clearly an "extra-material" dimension to human "instincts" and longing, yes, of course, artists and poets have attested to this over thousands of years. ("Extra" in this case meaning "beyond".)

Anyway, as a small clarification, the more "advanced" treatment of the Problem of Evil doesn't bother with mere evil / suffering of course, most especially when it involves human suffering. There is a dimension beyond the typical (shallow) theodicy, where only "gratuitous" evil / suffering needs to be dealt with.

So far as I know, there have been no breakthroughs from the philosophical / theological quarter thus far. Obviously, I (and the legion of scholarly thinkers on the matter), simply haven't found the "answer" yet, very likely due to our collective failure to maintain an "open mind", as you point out.

Since, as you say, the rest of us will have to find the answer on our own, I suppose I should not look for a reply, since apparently only experience will do in this weighty matter.

Thank you anyway, for your optimistic sentiments, perhaps one day we will all find these enigmatic "answers".

JR

PS: The next time you see the Dalai Lama, perhaps you could ask him to drop by ATS for a few moments. Lots of us continue to languish in ignorance, and I'm certain his thoughts would be most appreciated.

That remined me of one of my favorite books "The Prophet" So much wisdom is so few words there. Will save that. Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you everyone for the stars and flags and on the whole a very positive response I guess I did well for my first post even if I was just relaying a message. But I guess that is all we can do, share our thoughts and reach out to others with a similar vibration to our own

Only together can we change the world