reply to post by mistermonculous
Im sorry for coming off as arrogant, or mean. I dont try to come off that way.
I clearly need to do better job selecting my words. Do i come off as a know-it-all??
Im a naturally sarcastic person. My dad is very sarcastic, my sister very sarcastic. My Dads side of the family just deals with things through
sarcasm.
I have this urge in me to mock and deride things which i find to be evil, wrong, or stupid.
Overall, my heart is in the right place. I want to do good, and i do agree that our purpose here is as you marginally suggested, to exercize our free
will to correct that which God made defected, but i do have a very bad habit of getting arrogant while i speak
I guess i feel a little too proud
of myself? I dont know. But i do know this response occurs way too often for me not to learn something from it.
Give me some pointers on how i could relate my beliefs without eliciting this response, because i think you have good sense.
(and for all I know you are)
Youre the first person to admit that.
Its pure chance, luck, or providence, whatever you want to call it, that i have been led to a deeper study and interest in Judaism. I already have an
interest in spirituality in general, and i dont follow any religion in particular, but Judaism to me is so balanced and wholesome. I think God - in
the real and total sense - gave the Torah to the Jews to keep mankind in check. The Jews arent "better", they just happen to be one element amongst
mankind who is here to keep us from destroying ourselves; or from creating a world the likes of which Hindus have been subjected to; classicism. Gross
exploitation of the masses; acting as 'nature' does, the higher classes devouring and preying on the lower classes.
Dont think the world could be anything different, in a real sense, without Gods laws to keep us from encroaching on that which is not ours.
This is why "land" is so often emphasized in the Torah. It symbolizes property; ones own world within the world. That which is his own, and which he
can impart to his child after he dies.
Memory is another thing emphasized. When we come into this world we remember why were here; to build a world of holiness, of goodness and charity, in
which God - the essence of reality - may enter this world and rest - Shekinah, with his creation....
I think this is the highest way to live. To be reasonable, and just beings. This is what Ish Ra El means. To defeat your lower, animalistic and unjust
side, to transmute the essence of the dark side, and have it SERVE - bestow a whole new name ie; relationship, between man and reality.
Thus, God makes himself known through the reason - logos. This is "God walking through the garden". To hide from him, is to lead to banishment from
the garden. To a fallen world.
