I really do not know if it just me but One Under God completely loses me, perhaps I am not on the same planet as OUG, what are we trying to prove I ask, that we are a writer different, come to the point please so that everyone can understand, and not something that I cringe at and do not read as exhaustion sets in long before I have started reading the article, just by looking at it.

Ojnab..<<..what are we trying to prove I ask,>>

THATS ONLY BY IMPLICATION..answerable.
i have my reasonings..and you have yours/BUT WHAT THE HEY..LETS HAVE A GO ANYHOW

PETER..CLEARLY Experienced,..'The awful funeral'..
AND IT SEEM I NEVER GET INVITED TO ANY..YOU..i couldnt hazard to guesS..[But clearly..the one you would enjoy..is one that assures you..'dead means dead'..when thats far from being the way that IT IS

we dO MUCH WRONG..IN THE DEATH RITES..and i have POSTED TO THOSE THINGS AGAIN AND AGAIN..to endlessly TRY SAYING THE SAME THINGS//the same way..clearly didnt worK..last time..so why present that info yet again

WHAT INDEED ARE YOU..<<..trying to prove..i ask that we are a writer different,>.

SUre the point is taken..you life has attracted thyne SPIRITS
AND MINE LIFE STYLE HAS ATTracted unto me..mine own..the banjo..has attracted that of your revered anbcestor..yet you get difficult..when HE speaksd through us[WHY DOES THAT INDICATE some spirit/avoidance..[ir banbjo of the patterson..IS YOURS/UNLESS HE AINT DEAD..Then your his]..i can see why your feared of that..BUT cannot understand

<<..come to the point please so that everyone can understand>>

challasnge SPECIFIC INFO
THESE GENERALISATIONS REGARDING TOPIC wandering aqre them selves EVEN FURTHER OFF TOPIC..

<<>..and not something that I cringe at..and do not read as exhaustion sets in long..before I have started reading the article, just by looking at it.>>

YES IDEAS THAT CHALLENGE OUR Misconceptions..allow the demons to suck us dry..a consolation..IS IT TIRES THEM OUT MORE THan you/

you can only ignore..the reality..for one life time..
then the truth reveals the ABSURDITY...ADD INFINITUM*..once your not really dead..then YOU NEED FIND WHAT YOU REALLY ARE

I Would post links to goNE WEST..or THE MANY OTHER AFTER LIFE TEXTS
BUT fear it would be a wasted effort..
http://www.divinetruth.com/PDF/People/Other/Jane%20Sherwood%20-%20Post%20Mortem%20Journal.pdf
http://www.ghostcircle.com/ebooks/JSM_Ward%20-%20Gone_West.pdf

Dear George,

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I prefer “godless Christian” to Dawkins’ “cultural Christian” because it is more to the point. It seems to me that all Christians, whether they believe or “have faith” in God or not, are “culturally” Christian.

Also, you will recall that I wrote:

“As for the possibility of the mind being transported beyond reality, this is what is generally known as imagination, a faculty shared by most, if not all, individuals and which does not usually require deep, prolonged meditation or mysticism in order to be activated”.

However, I do not see imagination and mysticism , as you do: “ two very different activities of the human brain”. I see imagination as “an activity of the brain” and mysticism as the objectif and/or the result of which meditation and imagination are the means.

I agree with your definition of imagination but not with your definition of mysticism . The Online Oxford Dictionary provides the following definition of mysticism:

- Belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender (Note: in this context “contemplation” means “meditation”): e.g., “St Theresa’s writings were part of the tradition of Christian mysticism”

- Vague or ill-defined religious or spiritual belief, especially as associated with a belief in the occult: e.g., “There is a hint of New Age mysticism in the show’s title”

A more detailed and comprehensive etymological analysis throws some light on the interaction and cross-fertilisation of the two.

In addition to your definition of IMAGINATION:

The Free Cambridge Online Dictionary adds this:

something that you think exists or is true, although in fact it is not real or true, e.g.:

- Was she paying him a lot of attention or was it just my imagination?

- Is it my imagination or is David behaving strangely at the moment?

The French Littré adds this:

- Belief, opinion which one has by imagination. It is pure imagination


(Continued ...)

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(Continued ...)

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The Online Etymology Dictionary indicates (for imagination):

"faculty of the mind which forms and manipulates images," mid-14c., ymaginacion, from Old French imaginacion "concept, mental picture; hallucination," from Latin imaginationem (nominative imaginatio) "imagination, a fancy,"Latin imaginationem (nominative imaginatio) "imagination, a fancy,"

The entry in the Online Etymology Dictionary for fancy is:

early 14c., "illusory appearance," from Old French fantaisie (14c.) "vision, imagination," from Latin phantasia, from Greek phantasia "appearance, image, perception, imagination," from phantazesthai "picture to oneself," from phantos "visible," from phainesthai "appear," in late Greek "to imagine, have visions," related to phaos, phos "light," phainein "to show, to bring to light" (see phantasm). Sense of "whimsical notion, illusion" is pre-1400, followed by that of "imagination," which is first attested 1530s. Sense of "day-dream based on desires" is from 1926.

In addition to the Online Oxford Dictionary definition of MYSTICISM:

The Free Cambridge Online Dictionary indicates:

- the belief that there is hidden meaning in life or that each human being can unite with God

The French Littré indicates:

- Religious or philosophical belief, which admits secret communication between mankind and the Divine.

The Online Etymology Dictionary indicates:

Mysticism derives from mystic. The entry for mystic is as follows:
mystic (adj.) :

- late 14c., "spiritually allegorical, pertaining to mysteries of faith," from Old French mistique "mysterious, full of mystery" (14c.), or directly from Latin mysticus "mystical, mystic, of secret rites" (source also of Italian mistico, Spanish mistico), from Greek mystikos "secret, mystic, connected with the mysteries," from mystes "one who has been initiated" (see mystery (n.1)). Meaning "pertaining to occult practices or ancient religions" first recorded 1610s.

mystic (n.) :

- "exponent of mystical theology," 1670s, from mystic (adj.). In Middle English, the noun meant "symbolic meaning, interpretation" (early 14c.).

According to The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition (2005), mysticism is defined as follows:

- In religion, the attempt by an individual to achieve a personal union with God or with some other divine being or principle. Mystics generally practice daily meditation.

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Dear Foxy,

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I inadvertently attributed the coining of the terms “sociology” and “altruism” to Émile Durkheim (1858-1917) when, in fact, I had in mind Auguste Comte (1798-1857) who died the year before Durkeim was born. Both were French. Comte was the precursor of Durkeim.
Please forgive my confusion.

I grow old … I grow old …
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

(T.S. Eliot)

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Dear Ojnab,
 
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You wrote:

“I really do not know if it just me but One Under God completely loses me …”

I think it is true to say that we all have difficulty understanding One Under God, Ojnab, but if you are willing to give it a go, I think you will find that the effort is well worth while.

If you have the patience to get down on your knees and sift through all the rock, soil and sand you will occasionally come across some very precious gold nuggets.

I, personally, find it quite rewarding.

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