TR: That sounds a tad UNscientific of you, endorsing Sam’s statement about the soul. You recognise this phenomenon? Have you stumbled across some empirical evidence for its existence and its operation? Or, are you just endorsing the method of gradual edification? As you probably know, many modern Christians operate in exactly the same way with scripture: having accepted that it is from God and contains clues to God’s character and preferences, we are keen to dig, sift, turn over and shake etc.

MaNiK: True, we do romanticise Buddhism in the West. It just seems so innocuous, doesn’t it? As to being an ideal, I suppose it’s as ideal as anything. I don’t actually buy it, of course, because it is premised on the absence of a God who is a person. But, it does well for a system that is without God. I expect it gets nearer to God than atheism does: it's more open to the unseen.

Sam: Thank you again. However, I am not “oppressed by the teachers of Christianity”, if I can paraphrase what you wrote. The problem with Christianity is not what it lacks: I think it lacks nothing, it has all that Buddhism has plus God and all that that entails. The problem is that it also has contaminants. Personally, I think these exist because for a long time Christianity has been riding high in political power. What do you say about MaNik’s post? Are Buddhists flawed humans after all?

Aqvarivs: We are at cross-purposes. I was not saying everyone needs a personal philosophy, but that everyone needs the Christian faith. It MAY be true that human history would have been less bloody without assertive monotheistic faiths – hard to tell, as the idea is untested – but, if God really exists, the absence of monotheism would be silly. We’d be at peace but would fail to recognise what is most important. We’d be blissfully ignorant.

Pax,

By the way Aqvarivs, my question about your handle was simple curiosity. If it came over as something harsher, that was clumsy and I apologise.

Pax,

goodthief, and everyone should drive a blue Ford, and everyone should live in a white bungalow, and everyone should consume the same foods in the same quantities and on the same days and, everyone should only shop at Coles, and kiss diversity of ideas and personal expression goodbye. Why? Because eventually it will be argued by the religious "Christian" powerful that only they know what is best and must dictate to all, or it's subversion, and slaughter of these evil ones must take place. Now to my ears that sounds exactly like what we religious secularist warn about political Islam. Oppression by any other name is still oppression. There is no "good" oppressive environment in the name of God.
I prefer to know and reflect God by my own light as given to me by my own prayer for understanding and guidance. I am too aware of the fallibility of human nature to place the entirety of my existence in some others hand or sense of right and wrong. Right and wrong may be universal but, are not universally interpreted. Spiritually, I want the right to go my own way and if I error grievously, I wish to be judged on the intent of heart. Certainly not for following suit.
The world may demand from me what obligations it sees as necessary or just in my time but, my soul was never on auction and remains mine inviolate from human greed or political manoeuvring.

Aqvarius

You may be going a tad too far. You mentioned the right to slaughter without AQIS supervision I am asuming. Is that correct? All of us must follow the common law. Most people who come here do so for a better way of life, Yes? Why should that not apply to animals also?

Nobody has stopped Halal Slaughter being carried out. Halal Slaughter people read the Koran. I am concerned you may feel the Australian authorities should step aside. There are many reasons to control and control very strickly all slaughtering plants and might I add we will be looking very very closely at domestic Abattoirs which have sort of taken a back stage to overseas.

People of all walks of life have a responsibilty to be as humane as possibly to animals not just Muslims but all of us.

Some of the demands in the past have been outright cruel.

There is another issue as well in regards to Halal slaughter and Halal accreditation that needs close watchful switched on attention too.

That is who we are dealing with.?

It is my belief Australia requires one national Accreditation for Halal Slaugher and one and one only body in charge of it.

Not 13 in Australia and dozens just buzzing in their orders by elctronic control from who knows where supporting God only knows.

Surely we all saw enough by the AWB enquiry last years and AWB by the way are very big live animal exporters which was kept quite by labour and the Government.

We need to know who we are dealing with. We need to keep our Muslim leaders of Australia as the leaders without challange so we do not get the same inta fighting as you see overseas .

I am also quick to add the Muslim Leaders of this Country were the ONLY ones to reply after we sent out thousands of letter to Churches Church leaders after the cormo express and the 60 Minutes reports concered with animal cruelty.

Our Christian Leaders could learn a bit through them and ought to be ashamed.

My Dear goodthief, I found no malice in your curiosity, and hope my answer was itself free of any such tone that would invite question. I consider myself as spirit having a human experience. I'm assuming it is all as new to me as it is to everyone else, who like myself are just passing through.
I'm willing to answer any question provided my answers don't become in part someones use of ridicule.

Cheers

'TR: That sounds a tad UNscientific of you, endorsing Sam’s statement about the soul.'

I think that you have misunderstood me goodthief. I was commenting on the philosophy of science rather than agreeing with Sam about his thoughts on the 'soul'.

For the record I don't believe that the 'soul' is somehow separate from the brain. At present (until more evidence comes to light) I consider the idea of a free-floating soul to be an unfounded and silly idea