These Eyes

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1

You'd argue with a brick wall if you could.

Brick walls don't worship gods.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Dear AfterInfinty,

Hi again, we seem to keep running into each other. Not bad at all.

In my opinion, such gestures are more sincere if you're not aiding them to score brownie points. Which is exactly how you make it sound. "If you love God, you should..."

No. Love your neighbor no matter what. Forgiven them their trespasses and hope that they forgive yours.

It seems that you take a very good argument and push it past the point it makes any sense.

"Love your neighbor no matter what." I don't think you can make an argument, under your rules, for WHY we should show such love. As you say, you're hoping that they will forgive yours, that's hoping for a good behavior from your neighbor, or what you seem to call "Brownie points."

What is your reason? To benefit others, to benefit yourself? If loving aligns you with the Cosmic truth of right being, what's the difference between that and aligning yourself with God. Don't you feel good by loving? That's benefitting yourself.

It seems that in addition to cutting off the rotten branch of selfishness, you're cutting off the branch you're sitting on.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952

"Love your neighbor no matter what." I don't think you can make an argument, under your rules, for WHY we should show such love. As you say, you're hoping that they will forgive yours, that's hoping for a good behavior from your neighbor, or what you seem to call "Brownie points."

You say I take a good point and push it beyond making any sense, but then in order to explain such a review, you continue to prove my point.

There should be no WHY, because in order for there to be a WHY, then we have to have a REASON, which implies a MOTIVATION, which says we're not doing it purely out of kindness but out of expectation. If we don't expect anything in return, then we really don't need a WHY, do we?

What is your reason? To benefit others, to benefit yourself? If loving aligns you with the Cosmic truth of right being, what's the difference between that and aligning yourself with God. Don't you feel good by loving? That's benefitting yourself.

So you do it to make yourself feel good, not because it's a good thing to do. So if it made you feel gross or uncomfortable or unequal, you wouldn't do those nice things? That's my point. That's not love, that's politics. I do something nice for you because it makes me feel good about myself. If it doesn't make me feel good about myself, then don't expect me to do it.

It seems that in addition to cutting off the rotten branch of selfishness, you're cutting off the branch you're sitting on.

Who says I'm cutting anything? I'm tracing every branch back to the tree and the roots from which it grows.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


"You still have failed to prove they don't."

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Dear AfterInfinity,

We seem to be missing each other.

There should be no WHY, because in order for there to be a WHY, then we have to have a REASON, which implies a MOTIVATION, which says we're not doing it purely out of kindness but out of expectation. If we don't expect anything in return, then we really don't need a WHY, do we?

My question is why does AfterInfinity love? Do you love for a reason, or do you love for no reason at all? Is it simply an unreasoned act which could just of easily been hate or indifference? Is human behavior random, or is there some reason we choose to love?

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1

"You still have failed to prove they don't."

Can a rock think or feel?

reply to post by charles1952

My question is why does AfterInfinity love? Do you love for a reason, or do you love for no reason at all? Is it simply an unreasoned act which could just of easily been hate or indifference? Is human behavior random, or is there some reason we choose to love?

I don't love because of what is done for me. I love because of what can be appreciated, of what I can appreciate. Not because it benefits me, but because it makes the world a better place to be in. That's why I love.

But this isn't about me. I have explained that in most cases, I find it hard to believe that people are kind just to be kind. They want something in return, or else being nice isn't worthwhile. Why? Because they don't always feel nice. Because sometimes they are in a bad mood or in a bad place or around bad people and they feel like being negative and it takes extra energy to hide how they really feel and be pleasant. Human beings are emotional, which means positive emotions only take up a fraction of their spectrum of awareness. As a result, in order to be truly Christian, they have to suppress a significant portion of what they really feel or think.

But why would they do that? Just because they want to be nice? Bullcrap. I don't believe it for a second. The human species isn't just naturally nice. It's digging for brownie points so that a relative few decades of holding its tongue are repaid with an eternity of paradise. If there was no eternity, there would be no reason to be nice. You die and that's the end. It's open season from birth until death, and game over.

See what I'm saying?

reply to post by AfterInfinity


God is the rock, but the rock is not God.

reply to post by backcase


That in no way answered my post and you damn well know it. If you're not going to respect my efforts in your thread, then don't bother replying. I am asking you to take me as seriously as I have taken you so far.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


I am respecting you,
I unveiled an aspect of God.

Everything is emanated by God, but everything does not emanate God.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Soooo...loving others doesn't make you feel good?

What DOES make you feel good?

Do you eat simply and only because it is necessary? Or do you enjoy what you eat and sometimes eat even more than what's necessary?

reply to post by eleven44

Soooo...loving others doesn't make you feel good?

What DOES make you feel good?

What they are makes me feel good about the world, not just myself. That's why I love them.

Do you eat simply and only because it is necessary? Or do you enjoy what you eat and sometimes eat even more than what's necessary?

Same reason as above.

reply to post by backcase


Also, just because loving others makes you feel good does not immediately mean that that is the ONLY reason you do it. Nor does it even mean it is a or the reason. Its just a side effect. And, I suppose evolutionarily speaking, it's a good one.
For starters; what's inherently wrong with liking to feel good?
Evolutionarily speaking, the only reason we have sex is to reproduce to perpetuate the existence of our species. But sex also feels good (great.) That's meant to assure we will survive as a species, yes?
So...if loving one another also makes us feel good...and we all like to feel good...then we should, theoretically, all get along to make sure we continue to reproduce and thrive.
So, again, why do you seem to make judgements against those that get pleasure from helping others?

I think you just like arguing anyone who believes in God.
But, so you know, just because there is A version of God that you do not believe in, does not mean that that is THE only way of thinking about God. (Muchless the way I think about God.)

reply to post by backcase

These Eyes

You mean these eyes?


mindfulperceptron.blogspot.ro...

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Dear AfterInfinity,

Thank you for your honest and dignified response. I believe we have found, at root, our common ground.

I love because of what can be appreciated, of what I can appreciate. Not because it benefits me, but because it makes the world a better place to be in. That's why I love.

Your reason for loving is to benefit others and to create a better world for others to live in? Me, too. So do all God's chillun.

I admit that I have other reasons as well, but I can live with that as a start.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by eleven44


was this post supposed to be towards me?

I would just like to say that I enjoy the company of others when they are in peaceful spirits. And to cause peace in others purifies their spirits.

It's almost like a super power to be so peaceful as to cause peace sometimes, but I would have no peace if not for God, so I try to spread peace and honor God.

Brownie points?

What's wrong with giving someone a brownie because you want to see them smile?

reply to post by piequal3because14


I mean the use of our senses for the betterment of spirits.

peace

Maybe off topic then again maybe not......

Link
www.youtube.com...

regardless enjoy a great song with a story.

Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by charles1952

Your reason for loving is to benefit others and to create a better world for others to live in? Me, too. So do all God's chillun.

I'm not convinced, for various reasons. Namely, many of "God's chillun" do not seem to be in it for others. Since part of saving yourself is saving others, how many would be so bent on spreading the word if the doctrine of Christianity were solely individualized? You do your thing, others do theirs. Helping them has no bearing on how you are received in the afterlife. How would that affect the Christian movement?

Anyone can say, "Oh, it wouldn't." But actions have always spoken louder than words, and I feel that the actions of the mass Christian movement belie such sentiments. There's other aspects as well, but I won't address those as they would distract from the point being made here.

reply to post by backcase


Nope, that post was most definitely meant for AfterInfinity.