Religion & Vanity

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
reply to post by BlueMule

 

So do people who know things that smug know-it-all skeptics don't.

Well, if one was to be more honest, claim they know things is all they can ever do. It's quite easy to make claims one cannot back up. I guess the path of least resistance appeals to the spiritually weak.

Well, I guess you would know. Avoiding the trials and tribulations of swimming in the collective unconscious is what your brand of smug skepticism is all about. It's the defense mechanism of weak cowards.

reply to post by BlueMule

Well, I guess you would know. Avoiding the trials and tribulations of swimming in the collective unconscious is what your brand of smug skepticism is all about. It's the defense mechanism of weak cowards.

If one was to be more honest, we'd say you are the skeptic, as one who is skeptical of all evidence to the contrary of your claims. I am only skeptical of the validity of what you claim but cannot persuade towards or prove. Surely, someone who advocates Psi-abilities has the ability to form a proper argument. But, that would be too difficult wouldn't it.

However, your vanity won't allow you to admit this. Fair enough.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope



There's honesty here. Vanity is natural. I fully agree. Showmanship, selling oneself, and pride are what we do. Humility is usurped with every vanity.

LM, I have some very profound thoughts on the subject of Vanity but the very wise modest side of my personality tells me to mind my own business.

reply to post by olaru12

LM, I have some very profound thoughts on the subject of Vanity but the very wise modest side of my personality tells me to mind my own business.

I would love to hear them. Break rank for a time and share your business. Vanity is one of my favourite topics.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
If one was to be more honest, we'd say you are the skeptic,

How many is one?

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
reply to post by BlueMule

 

Well, I guess you would know. Avoiding the trials and tribulations of swimming in the collective unconscious is what your brand of smug skepticism is all about. It's the defense mechanism of weak cowards.

If one was to be more honest, we'd say you are the skeptic, as one who is skeptical of all evidence to the contrary of your claims. I am only skeptical of the validity of what you claim but cannot persuade towards or prove. Surely, someone who advocates Psi-abilities has the ability to form a proper argument. But, that would be too difficult wouldn't it.

However, your vanity won't allow you to admit this. Fair enough.

Ah, I was wondering when you would start muttering a skeptic mantra of defense against evil. I must be getting under your skin. Sorry about that. Don't be afraid! You're right, there is no evidence and there are no proper arguments. You already know everything worth knowing. Take a deep breath.

reply to post by BlueMule

Ah, I was wondering when you would start muttering a skeptic mantra of defense against evil. I must be getting under your skin. Sorry about that. Don't be afraid!

It takes a lot to get under my skin. Your claws are quite incapable. But imagine what you will, as you are prone to do.

You're right, there is no evidence and there are no proper arguments. You already know everything worth knowing. Take a deep breath.

Proselytizing is an honest show of vanity. You prove me right with every word.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

Les, Star and Flag for this one!!!! Spot on.

When I first got all my Mystical experiences from the Christian path, I would look at others and label them as sleep-walking unenlightened zombies.......but with Love........

Vanity in religion is one THE MOST subtle traps that there is along with the Ego itself.

IN many cases, like in Christianity, the whole point is ego death and Spiritual/Mystical rebirth (hence the term born again). However what happens in most instances, majority of the time, is that the old ego is replaced with a "holier-than-though-I'm-Right-and-Everyone-else-is-wrong" Religious type Ego.

The end result should be Love, Oneness, Nonjudgment, Transcendence....that's the correct ending......

Sadly that mostly not what happens. Especially you can see this with many Christian Posters here on ATS.

What do I have to say then? Well my last words before I ever die, will always be: "I've figured out the blueprints to experience God directly. They are in my signature. See for yourself if it is true or not." And that's it!!!!

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
reply to post by BlueMule

 

Ah, I was wondering when you would start muttering a skeptic mantra of defense against evil. I must be getting under your skin. Sorry about that. Don't be afraid!

It takes a lot to get under my skin. Your claws are quite incapable. But imagine what you will, as you are prone to do.

Wow, what a tough guy you are! And smart too. How do you manage to stay so humble, when it's so obvious that you know everything worth knowing?

Proselytizing is an honest show of vanity. You prove me right with every word.

Oh no! I've been defeated by the claim of a smug skeptic! Whatever will I do? I know, I'll convert to your belief system. Thanks for setting me straight with your proselytizing. You've really opened my eyes.

So now that I'm a smug know-it-all pseudo-skeptic, where are the secret meetings?

reply to post by dominicus

Les, Star and Flag for high!!!! This one is spot on.

When I first got all my Mystical experiences from the Christian path, I would look at others and label them as sleep-walking unenlightened zombies.......but with Love........

Vanity in religion is one THE MOST subtle traps that there is along with the Ego itself.

IN many cases, like in Christianity, the whole point is ego death and Spiritual/Mystical rebirth (hence the term born again). However what happens in most instances, majority of the time, is that the old ego is replaced with a "holier-than-though-I'm-Right-and-Everyone-else-is-wrong" Religious type Ego.

The end result should be Love, Oneness, Nonjudgment, Transcendence....that's the correct ending......

Sadly that mostly not what happens. Especially you can see this with many Christian Posters here on ATS.

What do I have to say then? Well my last words before I ever die, will always be: "I've figured out the blueprints to experience God directly. They are in my signature. See for yourself if it is true or not." And that's it!!!!

I hope you don't point to your signature in your last words dominicus. I hope you thank yourself.

Although we agree somewhat, I would say vanity is not a trap, but merely something we do. It is a word that describes an instance of ourselves. It is survival. There can be nothing evil about what is. At least conceptually, we are vain when we are vain. This appears to be true. All forms of display, conceit, and self-promotion are entirely natural occurrences.

Should we accept that?

And if so, can we transform or sublimate our vanity into a higher power by utilizing it instead of hiding from and discouraging it?

reply to post by BlueMule

Wow, what a tough guy you are! And smart too. How do you manage to stay so humble, when it's so obvious that you know everything worth knowing?

Oh no! I've been defeated by the claim of a smug skeptic! Whatever will I do? I know, I'll convert to your belief system. Thanks for setting me straight with your proselytizing. You've really opened my eyes.

So now that I'm a smug know-it-all pseudo-skeptic, where are the secret meetings?

We can match wits all day—obviously it's fun or we wouldn't be doing it—but if digging yourself a hole is all you're capable of, please spare me.

Keep puffing yourself up like a peacock. You're wearing your vanity here for all to see. This is exactly what I'm talking about.

We cannot practice the religion of silence, because we always think we're right, failing to realize that it is our vanity, our need to justify our beliefs to ourselves, our conceit, our arrogance, that is forcing us to do so.

I think we can step back, realize this, and simply shut up. This seems rational. And then we say, "Hey, we each cannot know for sure, we each have different beliefs, and that's all there is to it". Our vanities appeased in the process.

Does anyone agree that "The Religion of Silence—whereby one never speaks of what he cannot know and keeps his convictions to himself" would be a promising religious method if put in practice?

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

It always makes me laugh when I read your opening posts.

And the laughter continues on.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

reply to post by Itisnowagain

Case closed.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope


I think you see what you want to see... both in terms of other people and in terms of the evidence that your defense mechanisms filter out.

But hey its cool... it is indeed fun playing wit games with smug pseudo-skeptics who think they already know everything worth knowing.

That's pretty much all you can do with them, since they go running home to their ivory tower when they get scared. You can hear them muttering their mantra as they run. "No evidence! No evidence! No proper arguments!"

It's the same situation with your counterparts... the religious fundamentalists. It's amazing how similar you are to them. The only difference is they go running home with a slightly different mantra. "No heresy! No heresy! No proper exegesis!" Smug pseudo-skeptics and vain fundamentalists are two sides of the same shallow, myopic coin.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
Alas, the perfect audience! They wish to have the chance to appear spiritual in front of others, to appear spiritual to themselves—pure vain spirituality

You know this reminds me of faith healers and the people who follow them.

I once recall Oral Roberts saying that God needed to collect 7 million dollars or God was going to bring him back home.

Now God is an extortionist. He's the neighborhood bully who threatens to beat you up for your lunch money.

Can't help but think that if there is a devil faith healers and people who teach others that God is engages in financial extortion that they have already signed up with the devil.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
Does anyone agree that "The Religion of Silence—whereby one never speaks of what he cannot know and keeps his convictions to himself" would be a promising religious method if put in practice?

One consequence of this may be that the humble would cease speaking altogether of spiritual matters, and the vain would have the conversation to themselves.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

It is a word that describes an instance of ourselves. It is survival.

Sometimes vanity destroys your chances of survival. In that case, it's not beneficial.

There can be nothing evil about what is.

Vanity can lead to perversions of the greatest kind, rape, murder, plunder for profit, molest, etc etc

At least conceptually, we are vain when we are vain. This appears to be true. All forms of display, conceit, and self-promotion are entirely natural occurrences.

Look at newborns up to 3 years old ..... clean/blank slates ....somewhere down the line a "program" is inserted into the mind where it takes shape. That program is there for most after 2-6 years old, until the day the body dies ...after the body dies you again become the original blank slate..... The "program" is a lie, bullsnip, illusion, unnatural and the world's been tricked into illusion.

And if so, can we transform or sublimate our vanity into a higher power by utilizing it instead of hiding from and discouraging it?

Yes, utilize Vanity to do whatever it takes at whatever cost to find out what the Absolute Truth is, to find out who you really are prior to the "program" that was forced upon you......when you find the original you, then vanity, "the program", and all illusion falls away, freeing you into something there are just no words for, but is the Truth