title says it all, im just curious how people can look into ancient text and find their purpose in life?
I don’t think very many people actually find their life purpose in the literature. The literature allows them introspection so they can make their own decision.
especially since most of these books go by life thousands of years ago.
This is the problem with the majority of religious people…not being able to see this fact, that is. There are a lot of people, however, who do understand that many of the things in ancient religious text are the byproduct of the culture those thoughts were cultivated in. I personally always keep that in mind, and I feel it helps me weed out what is important to take out of the text.
most of you also cherry pick the books you live by also, but why only live by some words and not the others? if these people made this book and you completely take their word without any of their proof, doesnt it defeat the purpose when you reject on fallacy but accept another? how do you go about judging what is morally right in the books you live by, when you base your morals on said book?
I do tend to cherry pick. I am guilty but find nothing wrong with it. Also, I will never reject other philosophies. I will ALWAYS find the common thread between religions. Like I said above, religions are cultivated in many different cultures. Humans all have a decent natural instinct for the “good and just” and it is those commonalities that I focus on.
I look at religion like martial arts and cooking.
Who is the best Iron Chef? Chef Marimoto…seamlessly blending traditional Japanese cuisine with Western flavor and flare.
Who was the best martial artist? Bruce Lee’s philosophies will always make him the greatest martial artist of all time. He knew that there is a lot of traditional mumbo jumbo that you have to disregard to find the true power in the technique. Kicks from tae kwon do! Punches from boxing! Stick fighting from Escrima! Bruce trained with masters of all martial arts, picking up valuable technique as he went.
also, has anyone ever taken into account, when someone believe they spoke to "god" or some other "higher being", do you ever wonder if this person may have been schizophrenic? possibly even on drugs, or maybe just dreaming? how do you live by the words of something that has no proof, and ignore something that shows evidence of proof like science?
Here’s my theory. Let’s use the old Jewish account of Moses for an example. He spoke to God, right?
Sometimes I feel like God speaks to me, and all of us, through instinct and intuition. Moses lived around 970 bc according to scholars. That’s a long ass time ago! Let’s be real. Mankind is stupid so how stupid do you think we were then? People could not even read inside their head as of a thousand years ago.
So Moses was a Jewish nomad. Sure to make plenty of contact with neighboring cultures and picking up useful things along the way. Greek historian Herodotous, just about 300 years after Moses, noted the Assyrian nomads throwing cannabis bushes on hot stones and inhaling the vapors.
Moses spoke to God through a burning bush. But literally? Most people believe that. Not me. I believe he inhaled the vapors of a burning bush, gained deep introspection life, took that as a sign from God (who’s to say its not?), and claimed that he personally spoke to God.
I don’t believe in the stories of the bible, but I do believe in Jesus.
I don’t necessarily believe that Jesus was a magical healer and direct decendant of God. I think he figured out some things, like a shaman. And the Jewish people of the time were so amazed with his ability to wrap up ankles and heal the blind, (Cannabis=glaucaoma meds?) that they called him God.
I definitely believe the dude was alive. And he treated people awesome. He hung out with thugs and whores but he never judged them and they changed just by hanging with the guy.
I know you don’t want to hear about faith. Most people can easily say they just have faith in the dude. I can too, BUT I have a reason for it. I see in my daily life how treating people like I want to be treated makes people glow and smile.
I believe that all of us have God juice in us. We just gotta tap into it and just start by being cool!
