Why does it sound like self-delusion to you, HC? What part of what i said sounds like self-delusion? And didn’t I say above that we must examine the questions again…and again… for me, that IS questioning the questions…and also the beliefs.
Of course I would agree with that. Some questions come from our erroneous beliefs and others from not having enough knowledge or information to ask the right questions. For instance, when someone futily prays for something for a very long time and then questions - why, why god didn’t you answer my prayers? - then it is time to ask the question WHY - not only, why wasn’t the prayer answered but why even ask a god that question?
For instance, sometimes people pray that an illness or a particular disorder be taken away and when it is not, they question a god. That’s natural, we’re all human. They need more “real” information and knowledge - they need to realize/to become aware that prayer is not magical and that a particular illness or disorder will probably never go away - they need to learn that what may be prayed for is the inner strength and the courage to embrace the disease, but at the same time to struggle with it, to fight it. They need to learn the distinction between the nature of some disease and the nature of prayer.
So, perhaps the next question would be: What’s going on here that I am not seeing or understanding? For me, that would be a far more constructive question because it allows for more openess of mind and for a dissolution or a suspension of our erroneous beliefs. That takes kind of a leap of faith (as in the courage to be and to act) or a stepping out onto that shaky limb where we’re not coccooned by our comfortable biases and beliefs.
He/she is? Well, I didn’t perceive that but it really doesn’t matter because I choose to respond to his/her post.
After all, this is a good thread and the truth about it needs to come out. Light needs to be shed on it. We can never ever get to the bottom of it but we can keep trying, yes?
I like the footprints which you leave as you walk on, little reptile. They have become so much a part of you. It is like you are breathing and pausing through your feet.
Aside from that, if we do not allow ourselves the suffering for our own growth - to allow is to suffer - not for its own sake, we shall never ever ever get to the end of it - the suffering that is. Perhaps suffering is a human lighthouse.
Not in the slightest? Maybe you are looking for a flame war?
No. There are many questions that are meaningless.
let me ask you; “When did you stop beating your wife?”
Or how about “Why me?”, which is the absurd basis of the entire thread.
You might just as well ask; 'Why do bad people suffer?", OR “why do good people have pleasure?”
The fact is that nature doles out its woes and jollies to all and sundry and does not discriminate. Indeed how could it?
The bottom line is that it is a stupid question.
Ask yourself this;" Why do evil people have so much fun; OR “why do good people also have so much fun?”
The fact is that there is no direct relationship between suffering and goodness, nor could there be.
Well, I for one, am not so sure that it is stupid question. Sure, to an intelligent and rational human being it may appear to be stupid but at the same time, it IS a human question, perhaps a tragic one, that is asked when people come to realize that there really are not any acceptable answers, any answers that would satisfy them emotionally and mentally, espec ially if they choose not to examine their lives.
Oh, that’s an easy one. It’s because the good brain chemistry fights and struggles against the bad brain chemistry and voila, the good chemistry/chemicals win out ~ for a time. We do at times have to give ourselves permission to have fun even though it may seem irrational and terrible in view of the pain which occurs in this universe.
I agree with you insofar as “real” goodness as an ideal goes. But as far as those who are trying to be good, or believe that they have to be “good” ~ that kind of goodness ~ trying to conform to society’s tenets, religious beliefs that have worn thin but which they are afraid to let go of for fear of burning in hell or the wrath of god, parents’ ideas or ideals of how one’s life ought to be, staying in a miserable marriage for the sake of the children (which might actually be hurting the children) etcetera…all of these things ARE in direct relationship with suffering. When we try to conform or be as others think we SHOULD be that can lead to both mental and physical suffering sooner or later. Anything which we do that takes away our inner freedom and personal autonomy can make us suffer.
So, that is one answer to why “good” people suffer. Very often it is out of a lack of self-awareness. Aside from that, I would suppose that some 'good" people feel that if they did not suffer they would not be such good people in light of how humanity suffers. We tend to make ourselves into victims and martyrs in order to feel good in a sense not realizing how it affects us physiologically.
Read 1st Genesis, and all the answers is there. There’s nothing but death and destruction, vengance, genocide, and total extermination.
Besides there’s blatant posetive discrimination of his favored people.
State the obvious if you will, but take a look at the foundation of Israel, the oppression and disenfranchisement of the Palestinians, and the ghetto states of the occupied territory.
The average Israeli might not be too keen to follow the good book to the letter, but they are quite happy turning a blind eye to their atrocities.
I don’t think there is much difference.
By contrast Islam and Christianity are not racist: anyone can join up - even racists.
Where do you get your data on the "average Israeli? You seem to be conflating Judaism with Israel. Even what you’re claiming about Israel is oversimplified. According to Wikipedia: "Arab citizens of Israel comprise 20.6% of the country’s total population."To construe the Israel-Palestinian conflict about race is to misunderstand it. It’s primarily a territorial conflict. Racial identity is there with a host of other factors. If it were purely a matter of racism, Israel would expel it’s Arab citizens. Although Jews don’t proselytize like evangelicals plenty non-jews convert to it.
THe phrase “average” clearly contains a speculation, that would not disclude the Arab population of Israel, who might also be in denial about the atrocities. Clearly something is not being acknowledged here!
Please quantify “plenty” in your retort. Where do you get your data?
According to Immigration Administration statistics, 437 Christians converted in 2003, 884 in 2004, 733 in 2005, 457 in 2006 and 273 in 2007 119 in 2008 in the USA alone. I concede that is probably not many when compared to Christianity. [A decreasing number during the years for which I found data.] But it is evidence against your characterization of Judaism as an essentially racist religion.
Thanks. But in a country of, what, 750 million. I did not count these numbers as" plenty."
I would a imagine many of them are pre-marraige conversions to appease Jewish parents, rather then conversions by conviction.
Judaism is still basically racist as it offers and limits right and privileges to the Jewish people.
The fact that in the modern day some sects have abandoned the watch word “The only jew is a born jew” doe not excuse it of this critique.
post.