Does God exist?

[gunter]

Darwin? The bastard may have made some decent comments on natural selection but he also grounded racism is science. He took himself a bit too seriously, think I.

[Rintendo]

How did Darwin embed racism in science? I had not noticed it in Origins of the Species. Do you mean to say that skin coloring or skills are an adaption of your environment?

[egg]

I'm with Darwin.

Well, if you're with science (so, am I. At least with its process) you're still at a loss for what was at the beginning.

But isnt everyone. ?

Nah, I've got it figured out.

The you was meant as the "big" us. All of us.

[egg]

Not the people who are convinced. They're convinced.

I'm convinced.

And here we go again....

How would you know that your God is point A and not another point down the line from "the beginning"?

[gunter]

I had not noticed it in Origins of the Species.

Not Darwin per se but the inheritors of Darwinism. I should have made that distinction. Sorry.

[egg]

The dualism is categorical- and therefore false. In other words it's an artifact of consciousness. Where does it begin? Certainly with the original human perception of I and Not I. Even the Cartesian principle falls pray to this initial category. 'I think so I am.' The essential dualism is expressed in the 'I' and the 'think' and is further compounded in the 'I' and the 'am.' That's apparent in the English and the French expressions of his premise but less so in the Latin. Cogito is one word as is Sum- which I have always felt was his reason for using the Latin proposition, Cogito ergo Sum. Nonetheless it is still tautological and assumes an essential dualism. No way around it- except perhaps by an appeal to meditation. That was the Buddha's solution.

I've been thinking about this (The Buddha Solution). Buddha was not interested in the quest for God but in a solution to human misery. His path seems to have, indeed, lead him on a path to rise above or eradicate the ego, and therefore, dualism (the nature of the human mind to categorize). We, of course, cannot be certain whether or not that has lead him any closer to God (or, if there is a God. Or, if there is a God, that the Buddha's process and its culmination lead him to HIM). However, Nirvana does seem to smack of "I am that I am".

[Rintendo]

How would you know that your God is point A and not another point down the line from "the beginning"?

My personal experience convinced me. Again, my truth, doesn't have to be nor should it be anyone elses. I'm not starting a religion or religious philosophy. I'm just happy with mine and it made me a kinder person for it. If I'm wrong...oh well.

However, it did meet up with what Buddha did describe and Jesus...so if I'm wrong so are those dudes and, again, I'm fine with that.

By way of explanation...I went up several levels, each cooler than the last. The last one was nothingness that was somethingness that was joyful.

[egg]

Whatever gets anyone going, it's all good.

I just find myself thinking of that Star Trek movie where Spock's long lost brother (Cybok?) takes over the enterprise to go to the planet at the center of the galaxy believing he was contacted by God to do so. Only to find, it wasn't God who contacted him at all.

[Rintendo]

That's fiction, like you know Mr Spock doesn't really exist, right?

[egg]

Hahahahahaha!!!! All of a sudden you don't understand analogy by Sci-Fi? All right.
A lot of people would say God, Mohammed, Jesus, The Buddha and Moses are fiction, too.

Anyway, it was an illustration of my point, is all.

[Rintendo]

I was just playing with you.

I think Mr Spock is real.

[egg]

Live long and prosper.

[Chorlton]

Live Long and eat Spotted Dick

[gunter]

Live Long and eat Spotted Dick

...or be one.

[egg]

I don't think you can eat that stuff every day and live long.... blagh.