romansh 52 Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 (edited) Paul ... This is the sort of thing I am trying to drive at: "A Chinese Farmer Story" ~ Alan Watts - YouTube Has Christianity been beneficial? ... Maybe! Edited February 17 by romansh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaulS 113 Posted February 17 Author Share Posted February 17 39 minutes ago, romansh said: Paul ... This is the sort of thing I am trying to drive at: "A Chinese Farmer Story" ~ Alan Watts - YouTube Has Christianity been beneficial? ... Maybe! I've always loved that story and take a lot from it in regards to a philosophy about how to consider what happens in one's life, but even the farmer still takes action in his life - he farms. Presumably he views farming as beneficial in some regard or another, or why else farm? Why not sit around meditating, or hunting, or working in a factory? So similarly, I was asking how others view Christianity - having some benefit or not? For what it's worth - I agree with you - maybe it has been beneficial, maybe it hasn't. But I think more accurately it's a case of perhaps sometimes it is beneficial, and at other times, no. But I still take your point - even in those times, whether such is beneficial or not, is still a 'maybe'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
romansh 52 Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 16 hours ago, PaulS said: ... the farmer still takes action in his life - he farms. But the point he is not judging it. 16 hours ago, PaulS said: Presumably he views farming as beneficial in some regard or another, or why else farm? That's his dharma. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaulS 113 Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 7 hours ago, romansh said: But the point he is not judging it. Maybe. Or maybe he's living his judgement of it. 7 hours ago, romansh said: That's his dharma. Maybe, but maybe he's not aligned with his dharma, and instead is farming! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Hunt 4 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 Wish I'd spent my life doing something useful like farming... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
romansh 52 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 19 hours ago, PaulS said: Maybe, but maybe he's not aligned with his dharma, and instead is farming! That's his dharma too ... but perhaps a not very happy one. ... I really recommend Joseph Campbell's Pathways to Bliss and Myths of Light. 1 hour ago, John Hunt said: Wish I'd spent my life doing something useful like farming... That I understand ... my dharma was to be a chemist, I was lucky I enjoyed it. Was it useful? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
romansh 52 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 I have posted this before On 7/23/2014 at 7:02 AM, romansh said: Campbell discussing dharma ... You perform your duty to support the universe. The universe is alive. The Sun performs its duty, the Moon performs its duty, the mice perform their duty and cats perform theirs, the brahmins perform theirs, the sudras theirs, and by this - everyone performing his duty - the universe is held in form. By following your dharma you hold the universe in form. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kellerman 6 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 3 hours ago, John Hunt said: Wish I'd spent my life doing something useful like farming... I lived on a farm as a kid, you couldn't pay me enough to go back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Hunt 4 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 19 hours ago, Kellerman said: I lived on a farm as a kid, you couldn't pay me enough to go back. Point taken, I'll stick to the gardening....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
murmsk 26 Posted Monday at 03:36 PM Share Posted Monday at 03:36 PM Religion whether it be Christianity or any other tradition is simply a tool for humans to strive for a better world . Simple as that! steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
romansh 52 Posted Monday at 04:53 PM Share Posted Monday at 04:53 PM 1 hour ago, murmsk said: humans to strive for a better world And here's the mistake. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
murmsk 26 Posted Monday at 09:51 PM Share Posted Monday at 09:51 PM Romansh, Please explain the mistake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
romansh 52 Posted Tuesday at 06:09 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 06:09 PM 20 hours ago, murmsk said: Romansh, Please explain the mistake Could the world be other than what it is? The universe is unfolding and our actions are part of that unfolding. This is all part of the free will debate. And a quote by Joseph Campbell:You yourself are participating in evil, or you are not alive. Whatever you do is evil to someone. This is one of the ironies of creation. I'm not suggesting Campbell believed in evil, but that seeing the world through the lens of good and evil (better and worse) is where the mistake is made. Genesis 3:22 gives us a clue to this point of view, if we are inclined that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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