Think for yourself.
I believe some people are too stupid to understand what think for yourself means.
…hell, maybe people are too stupid to understand what “Do for Yourself” means, who knows…
either way, it seems really sad to me
people are running around trying to tell others how to think when they can not even think for themselves - check!
how can one even know themselves? given this state of affairs
As far as i can tell, the mormon / LDS point of view on this subject is:
God is the living source of all positive energy.
Anything good in the world came from God,
but everything bad in the world is on the side of the adversary / satan.
I don’t need my God to be all powerful.
I just need some extra support sometimes.
Theological greediness is when people want
the absolute perfect best ultimate god stuff.
But they don’t even need that much God.
That’s right. But as a former theist. I experienced that the hunger for blessings from God is never satisfied. There should be a point where people say, “Thank you, God, I have enough.” But because blessings equate to power, people will just want more and more. As much as human nature is at “fault” for this. The society and times we live in pound us with the notion that more is best. Is it possible that we can stop wanting?
I let go sometimes to re focus myself on my self / existence,
instead of focusing on isolated aspects of things.
Dan,
Very insightful. I think that is a good mindset, it takes strength to drown out the “white noise” of life.
Going the opposite direction, decentering from the self/existence can be a helpful way of coping as well.
I agree, I’m beginning to see the power that desire holds over us.
Yes, when you attain a level that is truly divine with respect to what you were used to. This satisfies.
Daily disciplined work as offering, release the concentration from its ping pong match -
To be satisfied spiritually, it is required to understand that the Earth is not a place to escape, but to explore. It is extremely deep and all of it is divinity. There is more divinity in the Earth than any race of men could possibly skim the surface of. But individual can get very nice paths into the deep light.
All is light, you know, Literally, contained light. There is no end to it, and it is closer than anything to all your thoughts.
Whatever work is given to this light out of adoration is returned in ways too sweet to commit to words.
I do not think so.
When we stop desiring what keeps us wanting life, we go to wanting death.
I have seen that in the old who complain when waking to just another day in bead or a chair, and not much of anything else.
The older I get, the more the pill to end such a waste of a life, becomes more desirable.
Regards
DL
Then it would seem as though it is better to want. It may be a drive that is crucial not only to our motivation. But also to our survival.
I can eradicate my lust from my spirit, but I refuse to do so… because it makes me sharp when I’m building a new plan for existence.
I don’t act out my lust. But that pent up lust that’s not fulfilled (by my own choice) makes me extremely motivated to fulfill it.
The sacrifice I make is laughable to me. I have forever to enjoy myself once this is done.
Indeed.
Regards
DL
encode_decode
Hello encode decode,
It is very nice to be speaking to you again. 
You almost sound like you have someone in mind with the above.
Perhaps not necessarily. Some were never taught to think for themselves. Is that stupid? Reading the right kind of books is good for that. Also, teaching our children when they are young is helpful.
Is there a difference between ignorance (never having learned something) and stupidity? Perhaps I have chiseled away too much there. Humans are complicated. Nothing is really ever so black or white.
Some know how to but are too lazy to try. It takes so much time and effort. Some are afraid to.
.
lol You seem to be kind of down on humanity. I cannot fault you for that.
Those are the puppeteers, the manipulators, the despots. They are also the ones who are afraid of losing control.
[/quote]
By looking inward, by listening to one’s thoughts and those of others, observing, by an honest and humble evaluation of one’s self, et cetera…
Hello 
At the moment, I am just enjoying the simple activity of playing with my food before I eat it.
Your response made me smile, so thanks for that. It did more than that though - it was an exchange and that is something I truly appreciate
I will read it again and see what I can pick out for a further exchange.
encode_decode
Aloha,
That sounds like a good zen moment to me, especially for someone who lives in his head as much as you do - still - having observed your signature. The thought may even occur in those moments that God is indeed good…or the Universe…depending on one’s perspective.
“Precisely the least, the softest, lightest, a lizard’s rustling, a breath, a flash, a moment - a little makes the way of the best happiness.”
I’m glad of that. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall to have observed it.
I myself might/would compare a good exchange to Ambrosia.
“The aspects of things that are most important to us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.”
Mira! 
Enjoy!
A while ago,
i had a direct perception of peace.
I realized that the peace of god
surrounds all physical matter and creation.
Like a transparent cloud surrounding objects.
about 1.5 feet thick.
It’s free and infinite and there for everybody.
Despite this, we can still suffer greatly,
usually because of a mental contraption.
One of my new friends did a test with me.
He sensed my bilocation.
I emanated calmness and peace,
as far as he was able to feel.
This was an encouraging test for me.
Depends what it is that you love. If you love evil, then that is not good. That’s arguably bad/evil.
Both love and and hate are provided that they can be rightfully satisfied. If you love x, but you see x suffer, and you can’t help x in anything, then you’d have been better off not loving x. Also, if x was evil, then again, you’d have been better off not loving x. If anything, you’d have been better off hating x. That way, you could have drawn some satisfaction from seeing him suffer.
Love of good, is good.
Hatred of good, is evil.
Love of evil, is evil.
Hatred of evil, is good.
If your love of God (the true good, the only Good) is sincere enough, you would feel no grief or fear. God ensures a perfect existence (meaning everyone gets what they truly deserve, regardless of how things appear at any given particular point in time). So what’s there to grieve or fear over? You do not sacrifice pure reason for the appearance of things, the latter conforms to the former. The latter must be interpreted in line with the former. For proof of God or a perfect existence, consider the following link:
philosophyneedsgods.com/2021/05 … ue-cogito/
If you think you can conquer evil by loving it (and I am not saying that you are saying this, just that I interpret it as a consequence of your approach with regards to love), then that is contradictory. If there are evil things/habits/traits about you, you do not love or embrace those things (unless of course you are evil). You do your best to sacrifice them for good. For example, if you are stingy, you sacrifice this in the name of generosity.
Evil should always be sacrificed for good (never the other way round), but some go too far and act oppressively as a result (some republicans come to mind). On the other end of the spectrum, some are too suppressive or lazy regarding good (they do not strive against evil with enough passion. They’re too “forgiving”.). Just as evil should be sacrificed for good, good should be salvaged and valued to the last atom’s weight. This entails forgiveness and generosity being potent. If x harms you and then asks for forgiveness, I think he should be forgiven if you have no clear reason to think him insincere in his apology to you. I’m not sure how we would be justified in seeking forgiveness for our sins, if we were unwilling to be forgiving. Also, how could we expect God to provide for us effectively, when we are tightfisted or stingy with regards to generosity yielding opportunities?
All you have to do is think about the pleasurable exclusive access problem to realize existence isn’t good yet. Also, everyone in existence is having their consent violated in some form, some worse than others.
So no, existence is not good yet. Just shades of better or worse.
The goal of existence is to make it good for everyone.
In the mean time, our struggles are to make it better, preferably using the technique of disempowering abusers. As like taking away a license for someone who’s hazardous on the road. This can involve prison or other methods. General welfare is important.
What if it’s the case that some deserve to be on the receiving end of pleasure whilst others don’t? Consider the attribute of generosity. Should you be generous towards someone who does not appreciate generosity at all? Should you be generous towards someone who’s idea of reciprocating this is to harm/rape you? Should you not then harm them? Should you not deprive them of pleasure in proportion to what they deserve?
Suppose you choose/consent to harming or insulting others. If you are then harmed/insulted, is that a case of you having your consent violated, or is that just a case of you being treated in a consistent manner with regards to your consent/choice? Look again, x has consented to insulting others. From the perspective of y, x is the other, and x has consented to insulting others. When x is insulted, is that x’s consent being violated, or is that x’s consent or standard being upheld/reciprocated?
Yes, I agree that there are shades of better and worse, and good and evil, but nobody’s consent is being violated in the way that I have put it above. No person who would not harm (and does not want to be harmed) has been harmed (again this is a matter of pure reason dictating that Existence is Perfect).
The goal is to be maximally in awe of existing and existence. This entails evil being sacrificed for good on all fronts. I try and work on my bad traits such that they are replaced with good ones. This is a case of evil being sacrificed for good. But this is not just an individual thing. When you force x to do community service, you are somewhat balancing the scales. The most extreme end of all of this is when you see potent evil potently suffer nightmare upon nightmare (Hell). Domination, pain, and pleasure, is sometimes perverted or evil, but in one context, it’s Perfection/Good.
We have to sacrifice evil for good, without being evil towards good in the process. We have to embrace/nourish/nurture good, without embracing/nurturing/nourishing evil in the process. If we’re too harsh, then we will suffer a loss of good. If we’re too lenient, then we will suffer a loss of good.
CR,
You are not a deep thinker. I understand that’s an ad hom.
There are two root problems with existence:
1.) the pleasurable exclusive access problem
1a.). Having the best time of your life while stomping on someone else’s heart (this includes all sex and marriage)
2.) the negative zero sum problem. (For one winner there is one or more losers.
I guarantee as we’re speaking right now that you are a psychopath, just like the demon you worship as god.
You do not exhibit a conscience in life or on these boards.
I’ll tell you how to test your gods…
Make this wish, and no other wish… sell your soul, and for no other bargain :
“We all live our desired experiences at nobodies expense”
If it doesn’t come true, it’s a false god.
It doesn’t come true. And now you know the truth… we all made this together. Gods will try to confuse you because they can’t grant the wish.
*end rant