My point exactly...

Playground push around!

ld like to say I believe in God and pray.I've seen it work in my life.I
have never baptisted or talked religion to my children because I feel
they should choose what their spiritual belief is.I dont go to church
though i was a practicing cathloic at one time.
If someone chooses to not believe,thats great but it can be done without
ridicule.

My beliefs as an atiest.

I BELIEVE:

that that some people find wholeness in having a faith that includes
God.

that those who believe in a God have the right to extend the good nature
of their beliefs to others.

that those who believe in a God, do so on a personal level and can not
and should not ever try to convert or criticize others for their
beliefs.

that every person, no matter thier belief has a responsibility to the
eco system of this planet and a great responsibilty to the society of
humans in every land.

that when I die, I cease to exist.

that whatever one's philosophy towards life is, that it deserves
credence, for at least one person values it.

Euthanasia should be the right of every person, when it is known that
thier body will fail miserably and end any quality of life.

athiesim is not a state of mind, it is an accepted philosophy
of a limited existance. This does not give any athiest the right to
murder, destroy the earth, litter space or knowingly, viciously hurt any
living species.

as an athiest, I acknowledge that there are things in the universe, that
I can never know.

This is not all I belive, but a good start.

Ok Boys take it outside! Kick each others azz and the winner decides the
religion of the universe once and for all.

Mike, don't walk away mad, your thread has not failed. There are
several here who have tried to adhere to the topic. I even tried to
make amends for belushi. I'd like to think he was just looking to join
in but before he could be asked the question, "so what does an athiest
believe", he got caught in a tangled discussion away from the topic.
So I posted some of my beliefs as an athiest.

I hope others will continue as I finding new areas of religions to be
explored.

Thanks for the attempt,Mike and to all those who posted sincerely.

I don't have any one religion, or belief...

I cannot be boxed, or neatly labeled...

I am of earth, space, time, and history.
I am connected to all life in DNA, spirit, energy...

It is difficult to give any description that anyone could understand, or
would believe... yet, it is, and wether one believes, or has faith in
what I believe (which is constantly changing in some areas, and not in
others...)

While a lot of what I have experienced throughout life seems mystical,
or nuts... I do believe it brain based in some ways. I think much of
this is still not proven (admittedly so by scientists...), and my not be
in my lifetime, or another generation. I also believe most of it is
natural, and all of us have the abilities, though some more than others,
and genetics play a part, as well... as does astrology.

I have recordings of residual energy, as well as intelligent
communications with spirits... And, yes, I do it scientifically,
discounting, and exploring all natural causes...

I have heard, and been contacted by them, as has my daughter. We both
have had physical experiences. Some just unexplainable.
Mostly just the way we live with it...

Have found negative energy feeds more... and the more we put into it,
the more happens... so the is cause and effect.

Unless folks have honestly witnessed or experienced it, there will
always be the "circling the head, so your crazy, huh?" people, lol.

I believe we have many lives. And, are bound by lessons to return. Each
time hopefully the choices will be better... and yes, we do have free
will, and choice.
All things are connected through energy. The infamous "ripple" effect is
proven, and very true with all things.

We all have a path. Some of us can deviate from this at will, but
ultimately must meet our goals to enter a higher energy.

Once we are learned... we still have choices. We can choose to come
visit, or not. We become pure energy, and can learn to manipulate matter
though spiritual energy... I don't know, yet how this is done. And, it
could very well be we may never know. If we did, then there will
inevitably be cheaters... for we all in our perfection have intentional
wills. And, there are dark souls whom choose what they do...

Will follow this later... mind is scrambling, LOL!

as an aside...

I also would like to see more tolerance, and less pompass crap regarding
how one posts, and how they come across in different ways.

I see this all over the net. People whom are challenged, or others whom
think the way they do or don't do things is the all of it...

My belief is like the willow... it bends. Sturdy as the age old oak is,
once matured it is stiff, and unbending, yes?

for the willow...

Tao...The Way...also known as Dao...a brief explanation, and not in my
words..

Taoism
Return to Balance

Taoism is not a religion, nor a philosophy. It is a "Way" of life. It is
a River. The Tao is the natural order of things. It is a force that
flows through every living and sentient object, as well as through the
entire universe. When the Tao is in balance it is possible to find
perfect happiness.

The primary religious figures in Taoism are Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, two
scholars who dedicated their lives to balancing their inner spirits.

The most common graphic representation of Taoist theology is the
circular Yin Yang figure. It represents the balance of opposites in the
universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is
outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray. The Yin and
Yang are a model that the faithful follow, an aid that allows each
person to contemplate the state of his or her lives.

More a mode of living than an actual theology, Taoism asks that each
person focuses on the world around him or her in order to understand the
inner harmonies of the universe. It is a kind of religious system
heavily focused on meditation and contemplation. The Tao surrounds
everyone and one must listen to find enlightenment.

But the original source of Taoism is said to be the ancient I Ching, The
Book Of Changes.

Likewise, one of the better-known phrases from the Tao Te Ching is, "I
am good to the man who is good to me, likewise, I am also good to the
bad man."
Much of the essence of Tao is in the art of wu wei, action through
inaction. This does not mean, "sit on your ass and wait for everything
to fall into your lap."

What it really means is a practice of minimal action, particularly
violent action. It is the practice of going against the stream not by
struggling against it and thrashing about, but by standing still and
letting the stream do all the work.

Thus the sage knows that relative to the river, he still moves against
the current. To the outside world the sage appears to take no action -
but in fact he takes action long before others ever foresee the need for
action. Thinking well about one's actions before making them is another
aspect of the Tao.

Likewise, the Taoist is not precisely a pacifist. He will take military
action when he has not seen far enough ahead to prevent the need for
violence in the first place. When violence is needed, the Taoist leader
will fight until he has achieved his goal, and then stop, saddened at
the need for bloodshed and with resolve to foresee better into the
future.

How does Tao relate to me?

I have felt the natural order of 'things' since a child, as explained in
earlier posts..it feels right for me, it sits well..in every darkness,
the is a touch of light, and in every lightness there is a touch of
dark....as with the Yin Yang symbol...cause and effect..dark and
light...perfect balance.

This world I walk in, in it's natural state has balance, all relate to
all in perfect harmony...and for me, to spend my life through careful
consideration of my actions...long before I take them...to step very
lightly, and carefully, ever mindful of where I place my metaphorical
feet..

Tao works for me, as a philosophy...not a label...

I do not worship, I do not preach, I do not recruit, nor witness to a
faith...I just do...and if someone chooses to look for themselves, I
offer an opportunity to find out for themselves what the Way is, and how
it may 'fit' for them, but only by recommending they go look, research,
read, experience for themselves, my Way is not their Way..

I am not 'locked' into a faith, but is more like a 'jacket' that I
choose to wear..from time to time, along with many others in my
wardrobe..

is that what I am? or, part of my view? Tao?

Intersting stuff!
I had mentioned to Alex I understood some of the eastern philosophies...

Thing is...

although I adhere to nothing but All... I take into consideration all
faiths and beliefs. So, it isn't that I discard any one in particular as
a whole...

I only learned of Reiki(sp) a few years ago when someone said that was
probably the healing I'd been doing my whole life with my hands...

I can retain if I read about them all the time. I have lost the ability
to retain, or remember much of what I know...

That make sense?lol

Yet, I think maybe that's just i. We must forget in order to accept
enlightenment?

oop, heh.
and, for my muppet

Although minimising the bigger picture of different religions, faiths,
non-faiths, philosophies, ideals...(sheesh.. there's a lot of ways of
describing this religion stuff).

In essence, stripped back to the 'foundations' of each....'cause no
harm' sticks out for me...in everyone of them..even most anti-religious
philosophies...

it feels that it is the human condition, the ego, that adds the
connotations, twists and interpretations..

I use Tao as a term, for how I move through this lifetime, only because
it gives others a recognisable term they can label me with..

But like a gardener picking dinner..I take my basket and fill it with a
pinch of this, a handful of that, dig a little from here, a little from
there, walk to the fence and pick a few wild growing pieces...no order,
no confinement..

I find it fascinating that know learned knowledge of these types of
beliefs have found thier way into my own...

Also, in the process of becoming light and dark... I find there is no
title, or label, or neat grouped area for them.

Feeling and hearing nature sing, and the exchange of energy and
thought...

Knowing so many dimensions exist right beside us... melded in our now
fabric... just blows the mind sometimes.

Hearing a child sing, or speak in recording...listening to men and women
voices on evps... hearing another voice next to mine...
Having the blankets pulled on the beds while trying to sleep.

Healing animals, and people through the heat in my hands... build up of
electrical discharges...

all this and more!

just something, eh?

Hi Jess, Thanks for passing on so much of "Your Way". There is a great
deal we could all learn in the more passive lifestyle belief systems. I
find it agreeable in so many ways.

Hi to you too ET. I think you have your own "way", as you pointed out,
it does not hinge on any one particular religion or structured belief
system. It also good to have the free spirit among us. I think in the
70's you would have been a hippie girl.
They were fabulous people, like you, willing to share, to extend a hand
and open to any and all who were open enough to share too.

hiya!

One thing about us aquarian... we really are freedom lovers, yet offer,
not force, an idea, or challenge...

Yeah, my son says "hippie" too. Dunno, maybe...

And, like all things, I flee from that title, too, LOL!

that's the thing of it. The nothingness, and All of it. There is no name
to speak, no rationalizing, or even touching it.

And, this I honestly scares the hell out of most all people. In our free
fall to grasp meaning along the pathways of Being, we need something to
hold, feel, and find a balance.

And, nature being the giver and taker of life and death, is right there,
always.
The power, the subtleties, the ever present It. Right there with us...

Man, to put words to it, LOL!

1) The whole point of my original statement was to point out that
Atheism was indeed a valid philosophy before I was rudely interrupted.

2) I am also an aquarian, and I cannot think of anything more
constricting than a boundary that should not be pushed.

3) I have been invited to partake in The Dao when it is next available,
something I actually look forward to.

Religion will always be a thorny point.

My apologies to Mike for being distracted from what is actually a
interesting topic

oh oh oh oh oh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


sigh....Jess...please...before you go and make these statements....oh oh
oh !


please maybe you should verify your remarks first. you know i adore you!
and i don't want to contradict you..... but i have to because you are
simply wrong.


Taoism is a religion and yes has priests and dogma and levels of heaven,
with gate keepers and if you don't remember their names you won't get
in!! and they are in Chinese!!! so if you speak french ...you better
practice your pronunciation!...lol

and they have rituals and ceremonies and did i say DOGMA!!!!!


do your homework girl....Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu were 2 men that wrote
their ideas, their inspirational prose about what Tao meant to them.

Lao Tzu was a census taker ...LaoTzu wrote the Tao Te Ching which is
not anything to do with the Taoist religion...any more than one
gospel according to Paul is representative of the whole Christian
religion.

Taoism is a very structured religion and i know this because once upon a
time a long time ago i was a practicing Taoist.


so before people write about religion and what is what .... i suggest
they get the facts correct.


ok, i bow and wish you all adieu!

and still, I have no name, LMAO!

although, General Tao's chicken is awesome!



All in all I am under the impression that everyone contains the
knowledge and wisdom from the get go... lost in translation, later on.

The mission is to Be, and be among all things without the label, book,
box, or which ever container suites...

It's human to want to grasp at these things, and make meaning be titles
and names, yes?

And, then... there's the big "What If?"