It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by Masonic Light
Yes, about 6,000 years ago, right after the universe was created, when they still rode dinosaurs to church.
Originally posted by In nothing we trust
Don't be absurd. Only a moron believes that the earth is only 6,000 years old.
Originally posted by Hobbes
Originally posted by In nothing we trust
Don't be absurd. Only a moron believes that the earth is only 6,000 years old.
Are you attacking other posters again? Geez, have some civility, man...
Originally posted by In nothing we trust
Masonic light believes that the earth is only 6,000 years old?
[edit on 12-9-2006 by In nothing we trust]
Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Masonic Light, you and I are usually on the same side; however, if you honestly believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old then you are deeply mistaken. The earth is at least 4 billion years old and that is by moderate estimates.
Originally posted by yin_yang
Regardless. The outspoken ignorant, still outnumber those that actually are willing to hear the truth. I've been around here long enough to see hundreds of guys like this pop up. It never ends. SO much more time can be spent doing more productive things than trying to train these parrots to speak for the other side.
Originally posted by In nothing we trust
Originally posted by Masonic Light
Yes, about 6,000 years ago, right after the universe was created, when they still rode dinosaurs to church.
Don't be absurd. Only a moron believes that the earth is only 6,000 years old.
Now there is evidence that civilzation is perhaps not much older than 6,000 years old. Civilization is probably more like 10,000 years old. The earth itself is billions of years old. I think it may be a bit arrogant to believe that this is the first time that civilzation has been attempted upon this planet.
Originally posted by interestedalways
How affective you all are. We have gone from exploring the creation of Cain to debating the origin of life on Earth, and the intellegence of the original poster of something that may effect opinion of Masonry. I myself have wondered why the Tubal Cain pen that looks like a golf club is a symbol for Masonic brothers to recognize each other.
Why do Masons hold an interest in Cain or Tubal Cain? Who is he to you besides a smith of some kind?
[edit on 12-9-2006 by interestedalways]
Originally posted by interestedalways
What does that mean Speaker of Truth? I am going to the renaissance festival this weekend, maybe I will see you there. Do you look like your Avatar?
Originally posted by interestedalways
Tamahu, according to the gnostic teachings we shouldn't have sex? Is that for women to since we aren't spilling any seeds?
The Mind is the great Slayer of the Real.
Let the Disciple slay the Slayer. - "THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE" - H.P. Blavatsky
www.lamayeshe.com...
...The highest vehicle is known as the Tantric vehicle which comprises not only techniques for heightening your own realization of emptiness or mind of enlightenment, but also certain technique for penetrating the vital points of the body. By using the body's physical elements, we can expedite the process of realization, eliminating ignorance and its imprints. This is the main feature of the tantric vehicle...
...A text called the Sacred Words of Manjushri, composed by the Indian master Buddhajnana, mentions that because of the physical structure of our bodies and the elements that we possess as human beings inhabiting this planet, even on an ordinary level, there are certain occasions when we experience the subtle level of clear light, naturally. These occur during sleep, yawning, fainting and sexual climax.
This shows that we have within ourselves a certain potential which we can explore further. And among these four states, the best opportunity for further development is during the sexual intercourse.
Although I am using this ordinary term, sexual climax, it does not imply the ordinary sexual act. The reference here is to the experience of entering into union with a consort of the opposite sex, by means of which the elements at the crown are melted, and through the power of meditation the process is also reversed.
A prerequisite of such a practise is that you should be able to protect yourself from the fault of seminal emission. According to the explanation of the Kalachakra Tantra in particular, such emission is said to be very damaging to your practice. Therefore, because you should not experience emission even in dreams, the tantras describe different techniques for overcoming this fault.
This contrasts with the Vinaya explanation, which sets out the code of discipline for Buddhist monks, in which exception is made for emission in dreams, because it is beyond your control, whereas in tantra it is considered an offence. The experience of melting the mind of enlightement is brought about by ordinary afflicted desire, so the practitioner must be able to generate it.
The point is that due to the force of desire, you are able to melt the elements within your body. Consequently, when you experience the nonconceptual state, you should be able to direct your attention to meditation on emptiness. So, when you experience a nonconceptual state as a result of the elements melting within your body, if you are able to generate that understanding into a realization of emptiness, you will have achieved the feat of transforming a disturbing emotion, desire, into the wisdom realizing emptiness.
When you are able to employ this nonconceptual blissful mind in realizing emptiness, the result is a powerful wisdom that serves as an antidote to counteract and eliminate diusturbing emotions. Therefore, it is a case of wisdom derived from disturbing emotions counteracting and eliminating them, just as insects born from wood consume it.
This is the significance of the Buddha's assuming the form of a meditational deity, the principal deity of the mandala, and entering into union with the consort when he taught the tantric path. Therefore, in the course of their practice, practitioners generate themselves on an imaginary level into such deities in union with a consort.
Another unique and profound feature of tantra concerns the process for attaining the twofold body of the Buddha, the form body and the truth body. According to the sutra system, the practitioner works to attain the form and the truth bodies of a Buddha as a result of cultivating the altruistic aspiration for enlightenment. However, the body of the Buddha does not come about without causes and conditions and these causes and conditions must be commensurate their effects. That is to say, cause and effect should have similar aspects.
The sutra systems speak of the causes of the Buddha's form body in terms of an unique mental body attained by highly evolved Bodhisattvas, which, serving as the substantial cause of the Buddha's body, eventually becomes the form body of the Buddha. This is also mentioned in the writings of the low vehicle. Although they do not describe a complete method for actualizing the omniscient state, they do speak of certain types of practices which are geared towards achieving the major and minor marks of the Buddha.
Highest Yoga Tantra, on the other hand, outlines the unique causes and methods for actualizing both the truth body and the form body of a Buddha...
Originally posted by interestedalways
Tamahu, I was being a bit naive about the sex thing, but I really don't want to have to stop to become enlightened.
Originally posted by Masonic Light
[Tubal Cain] was an articifer in brass and iron. His occupation as a craftsman has memorialized him in Freemasonry.