TODAY'S CONSIDERATIONS
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1. [See the offer in gold text
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which includes a detailed discussion of all seven of the steps on the
path as used by Maharaj]
2.
Here, with those who are still driven to talk about "god," the "Son of
god," the "Holy Spirit," "Buddha," "Krishna," etc., etc., etc., the
invitation to them is to view those as verbs, not nouns. See the green text after today's post for the full meaning and implications of that.
3.
A new video ("Number Ten: Awakening Together Satsang, March 2018") has
now been added in the far right column of this page, offering the
opportunity to view a recent 2018 satsang session with Floyd being
interviewed by Regina and Jacqueline of "The Awakening Together Group."
(See the details in the blue text after this post.)
4.
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MAHARAJ AND THE RELIGION VS. SCIENCE DEBATE
"Science will someday advance to the point that it will confirm the validity of all of the non-dual teachings."
--Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
[Continued from yesterday]
This has also been offered in the past:
When presented via the nisarga yoga approach, Advaita / Non-Duality is neither a religion nor a philosophy; instead, it is science.
Again, Maharaj tried a Hindu / non-dual version of the Ultimate Medicine and abandoned its use; he tried a spirituality / non-dual version of the Ultimate Medicine and abandoned its use;
eventually, he settled into a scientific approach to be used when offering a treatment plan for the Ultimate Sickness, specifically, using the sciences of the mind, including the science of psychology and the science of human behavior.
eventually, he settled into a scientific approach to be used when offering a treatment plan for the Ultimate Sickness, specifically, using the sciences of the mind, including the science of psychology and the science of human behavior.
He had also used the science of de-programming all along (which can be used to end ignorant and insane allegiances not only to dualistic belief systems but also to those trapped in cults and cult-like groups including those which are religious, political, economic, or social groups which use belief systems for the purpose of creating and maintaining loyalty and entrapment with a cult).
In what fashion can science be used to bring about freedom from such influence and entrapment?
When some philosophies and almost all religions are put to the test, much of what they teach must be rejected as a result of there being far too much contradictory empirical data.
It is the direct path, nisarga yoga approach which invites questioning but . . .
It is the direct path, nisarga yoga approach which invites questioning but . . .
. . . which accepts factual evidence over religious dogma, scriptures, and the words of any person
and
. . . which allows scientific proofs to take precedence over philosophical theories or ancient myths repeated as real
and
. . . which teaches that—just as there are archetypal, internal messages that are rooted in the totality of all human experience and that have been shown scientifically to have been transmitted genetically over the span of millions of years—so there are inner awarenesses of that which is infinite and permanent as opposed to that which is transient.
If you visit www.floydhenderson.com and read "Advaita Consideration #1," you can find additional information on this subject as well as this excerpt:
Maharaj said that someday his teachings would be explained in terms of the science involved and that would expand the numbers of those with the Understanding of his teachings because those with a scientific (or more concrete than abstract) mindset could know the Absolute. Of course science has never been necessary for the Understanding since all that one need to know is within, but science today does reaffirm the veracity of Maharaj’s words.
Nisarga yoga makes clear that bodies are merely converted plant food; that reproduction is an act of friction rather than an act controlled by divine intervention; and that when dust returns to dust, no re-formation of that same dust as the same person can possibly happen.
Nisarga yoga makes clear that persons programmed by dogma will think in magical ways that prevent them from understanding the mechanics of normal and natural happenings. While they speak of “god’s unexplainable mysteries,” the "realized nisargan" can easily explain via investigation and facts the particulars of natural happenings that are labeled as supernatural happenings by those trapped in learned ignorance.
Nisarga yoga makes clear that there is nothing that is magical as opposed to routine; that there is nothing that is miraculous as opposed to what can be explained via concrete, scientific facts either proved or provable; and that there is nothing that is caused supernaturally as opposed to the natural processes of causation.
Now, the comparisons / contrasts will continue:
20.
Religion requires its followers to exercise faith as opposed to reason.
Philosophy has at times claimed that a combination of religion and philosophy are required for understanding and that in many cases neither alone can offer a complete explanation of truth.
Science (as is the case with Nisarga yoga) advocates the use of questioning and the use of logic and reason and fact over blind faith in the pursuit of truth.
21.
Religion thrives on emotional intoxication.
Philosophy, in some cases, engenders emotional intoxication, but less than religions.
Science (as is the case with Nisarga yoga) discourages emotional intoxication though feelings (different from emotions) are seen as natural.
22.
Religion encourages the use of scriptures to define truth, though their scriptures were usually written thousands of years ago—usually by men…and specifically men who were ignorant and/or superstitious and who were generally repeating tales they had heard that had been circulated by pagans.
Philosophy uses writing of philosophers as a starting point of discussions, yet little considered “supernatural” is assigned to the writers or writings. As Cline noted, “Nietzsche wasn’t born of a virgin, no angels appeared to announce the conception of Sartre, and Hume didn’t make the lame walk again.”
Science refutes the possibility of virginal vs. vaginal births as well as “miracles” (a term applied by those trapped in magical thinking who do not understand true cause).
23.
Religion is ironic at its core, rooted in the self-contradictory concept of “absolute dualities,” trying to define specifically what is good or bad, right or wrong, moral or immoral, ad infinitum.
Philosophy sometimes encourages belief in dualities.
24.
Religion, and its leaders, require that their beliefs be accepted without question.
Philosophy usually encourages questioning.
Science (as is the case with Nisarga yoga) always questions until facts emerge. Only then is there no question.
25.
Religion usually teaches that there is a Timeless Being that is the source of life.
Science (as is the case with Nisarga yoga) shows that there is timeless being or beingness that is the source of consciousness and what is called “life.”
To be continued.
To be continued.
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Here,
with those who are still driven to talk about "god," the "Son of god,"
the "Holy Spirit," "Buddha," "Krishna," etc., etc., etc., the invitation
to them is to view those as verbs, not nouns.
THE EXPLANATION
If
looked at as nouns, they point to illusions and are, therefore, a total
waste of time to even discuss; if looked at as verbs which are
resulting in certain sane but rare behaviors among humanity, then they
are worthy of some attention during the relative existence.
Meaning?
There are members of certain groups who say things such as "My concept
of god in the past was of a weak god, an absentee god, A Santa
Claus-type god, a mean, punishing, vindictive god, etc. Today, I am in
close contact with a loving and caring god whom I worship and praise and
glorify and give thanks to."
The
reply to that usually goes like this: "If you are in contact with a god
that wants to be worshipped and praised and glorified, then you're
dealing with someone like yourself - a narcissist - and hanging out with
narcissists will never bring an end to your narcissism (that narcissism
evidenced by the fact that you think you are "godly").
Next,
in the phrase 'loving and caring god,' any supposed god that truly had
her or his act together would tell you that the totally irrelevant part
of that phrase is 'god' and that the only part that is relevant is the
"loving and caring" part.
"That
is, a non-narcissistic their god / their goddess would say, "I care not
an iota about being worshipped and praised and glorified by you or
anyone else. How arrogant and insecure and needy would I have to be to
want that? Forget the man-made, dreamed up noun 'god' and focus on the
'god as a verb' understanding and then go forth and let loving and
caring be verbs - not adjectives - and let them generate the act of love
and the act of caring and let those actions manifest through you."
Yeshu'a (Jesus) and Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis were spot on:
"No one shall ever see 'the kingdom of heaven.' It is within"
--Yeshu'a (Jesus)
and
"Heaven and earth shall fade away."
--Yeshu'a (Jesus)
and
"Heaven and hell are not geographic places
but are states of mind, nothing more than
concepts dreamed up by men."
--Pope John Paul II
"There is no hell."
--Pope Francis, the current pope
in an interview with journalist Eugenio Scalfari,
a writer used by the Pope to issue off the record
teachings which become a part of the Papal Magisterium.
[That
said, would that the popes who have shown the courage to reject a core
concept of their dogma - namely, "hell" - would find the additional
courage required to question the very existence of their institution in
light of the centuries-long cover-up of their history of raping children
and in light of the mental and emotional and psychological scarring of
billions of their members past and present.
And
that need for courage also applies as questions need to be asked about
why so many other sky cults are still being supported and allowed to
continue to exist as well. When certain types of programming and
conditioning have been shown to blind the masses, they should end. Will
they? Not likely. Why?
Because
what the masses think and say and do is most influenced by the
international crime families which hold sway over the masses as
criminals conduct their planet-wide operations. What are the major
international crime families and which are the most influential and have
the largest memberships?
The
Mafia / La Cosa Nostra; the Catholic Church (with it 1.2 billion
followers) whose Vatican Bank worked for decades with the Mafia while
laundering mob earnings (for a 15% all-profit charge by the Bank);
Protestant and Evangelical Churches (with over 1.2 billion followers)
like the one I was raised in where the youth director molested and
sexually assaulted young girls; big business which has long created
environments in which people have been abused; powerful political bodies
like the U.S. Congress, etc., etc., etc.)
With
all of those crime families, neither the followers nor the leadership
ever voluntarily step down or shut down their criminal activities. Be
they gangs, organized crime families, religions, big business,
politicians, etc., they all want control and they all want power and
they all want money, and nothing internal will interfere with the
driving forces at play.
The
masses must demand that all those in charge must step down and their
groups and institutions must shut down, and there's the real problem
because the continuation of their crimes are enabled not as much by the
people running such crime organizations as they are enabled by the
masses of people who - wanting some perceived "payoff" - remain involved
with them and give them money and support them and aid and abet the
continued existence of those criminal enterprises and thus facilitate
the ability of church criminals and political criminals and other types
of criminals to continue to commit their crimes.]
Here's
the direct link to the VIDEO VERSION
of the "Awakening Together" satsang session with Regina and Jacqueline referenced earlier, 18 MARCH 2018
or
You can click on the picture link which has now been added for video "Number Ten" in the upper right-hand column on this page.
If preferred, here's
the direct link to the AUDIO VERSION
of that session.