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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2013 7:42:13 GMT -5
Sometimes when I look at the boards, I think "What have I done?" I notice with a mix of amusement and disappointment the number of posts on the different forums: - Only 380 posts in the "spiritual friends" board (which was the original purpose of this site)
- 125,000 "general spiritual discussion" posts
- Nearly 8500 "unmoderated discussion" posts (a board started only a few weeks ago and which has become an ego-parading penisfight)
- 4000 posts about "spiritual teachers"
I suppose my original intent of helping people to meet face-to-face with others has been supplanted by technology such as Meetup, so in that respect I shouldn't be surprised. And I was very happy to meet a couple of people at a recent TAT meeting who are members of this site... so perhaps there are a few meetings that have materialized from this place. Maybe it's not so bad.... Is there value here, or are most people just killing time with intellectual cleverness? Are people questioning themselves, or bolstering their opinions on the backs of others? BTW, I'm considering adding the phrases "there is no one to get enlightened," "there is no enlightenment," "you are already enlightened" and "there is nothing to do" to the list of banned words. I suppose this place has become a spiritual friends location in itself. I know I discuss this stuff here more than I do anywhere else in my life. Maybe it's an outlet. In my case, it's closely tied with procrastination and alienation at the workplace. It's an interesting question about whether there's value. Probably the 95%perspiration/BS and 5%inspiration is pretty good. It likely depends on who's reading, so that ratio probably is variable. I mean, if a rock knocking you on the head can set you over the edge, probably some of these words can too, even if they're really obtuse. I'm also curious about how much real self-questioning is going on. Most of the posters here seem pretty set in their ways. At least that's what it seems like. "Bolstering opinions on the backs of others" does happen with great frequency. There's an openness, for the most part, for folks challenging each other. But often what we see is a polarization happen and a lot of bolstering of opinions. This then degrades into sniping and bitterness. Most of that stuff can be skipped over though. In any case, there are some good jokes here and there. And lots of links and such to interesting resources. Some entertaining dramas. And a few insights for those tuned in. On the whole, if you abandoned the whole enterprise, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. But if you go that route, give us some warning so we can make connections. edit: One last thing. Methinks the poetry thread is the saving grace.
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Post by topology on Aug 28, 2013 9:47:57 GMT -5
Sometimes when I look at the boards, I think "What have I done?" I notice with a mix of amusement and disappointment the number of posts on the different forums: - Only 380 posts in the "spiritual friends" board (which was the original purpose of this site)
- 125,000 "general spiritual discussion" posts
- Nearly 8500 "unmoderated discussion" posts (a board started only a few weeks ago and which has become an ego-parading penisfight)
- 4000 posts about "spiritual teachers"
I suppose my original intent of helping people to meet face-to-face with others has been supplanted by technology such as Meetup, so in that respect I shouldn't be surprised. And I was very happy to meet a couple of people at a recent TAT meeting who are members of this site... so perhaps there are a few meetings that have materialized from this place. Maybe it's not so bad.... Is there value here, or are most people just killing time with intellectual cleverness? Are people questioning themselves, or bolstering their opinions on the backs of others? BTW, I'm considering adding the phrases "there is no one to get enlightened," "there is no enlightenment," "you are already enlightened" and "there is nothing to do" to the list of banned words. I suppose this place has become a spiritual friends location in itself. What he said.
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Post by quinn on Aug 28, 2013 9:59:44 GMT -5
Ha! My thought was the opposite - censoring the source of advice. Replace "There is no one to get enlightened" with "Yada yada yada", and "There is nothing to do" with "There really is something to do, but I have no idea what it is". I guess we could just replace all words with 'blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada,' Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense.
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Post by laughter on Aug 28, 2013 11:08:14 GMT -5
I guess we could just replace all words with 'blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada,' Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense. hmmmm ... inviting someone who thinks that they can do something and get enlightened to reconsider that idea isn't relevant to where the question of "what can I do to become an enlightened person?" is coming from? (** muttley snicker **)
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Post by enigma on Aug 28, 2013 11:21:05 GMT -5
I guess we could just replace all words with 'blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada,' Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense. There is no-one to make sweeping statements.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2013 11:22:06 GMT -5
Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense. There is no-one to make sweeping statements. Only Oneness can make sweeping statements?
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Post by enigma on Aug 28, 2013 11:25:55 GMT -5
There is no-one to make sweeping statements. Only Oneness can make sweeping statements? Only God can make sweeping statements, or any other statements.
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Post by topology on Aug 28, 2013 11:27:43 GMT -5
Only Oneness can make sweeping statements? Only God can make sweeping statements, or any other statements. *Starts to covet God's +5 Broom of Statement Making*
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2013 11:27:54 GMT -5
Only Oneness can make sweeping statements? Only God can make sweeping statements, or any other statements. I knew a janitor that made sweeping statements. www.sadtrombone.com/
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Post by enigma on Aug 28, 2013 11:36:00 GMT -5
Only God can make sweeping statements, or any other statements. *Starts to covet God's +5 Broom of Statement Making* God says 'All those who covet will spend infinite eternities in everlasting hell.' **WHOOOoooooosh!**
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Post by quinn on Aug 28, 2013 13:04:16 GMT -5
Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense. hmmmm ... inviting someone who thinks that they can do something and get enlightened to reconsider that idea isn't relevant to where the question of "what can I do to become an enlightened person?" is coming from? (** muttley snicker **) You think that hasn't been considered, ad nauseam? To shut down a path by calling it pathless, or avenues of inquiry by saying nothing-to-be-done, etc. etc. is to invite denial & suppression. Truly, no one knows how enlightenment happens. Is it by meditating? Or losing interest in thoughts? Or digging through underlying beliefs? Or turning attention to the present? Or resting in awareness? Or is it possible that each unique individual has a path that, if paid attention to, will lead them where they need to go. Sweeping statements don't address any of that. And they shut down communication. I've got no problem discussing the boundaries of each of those practices, but I disagree with saying they're pointless.
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Post by quinn on Aug 28, 2013 13:04:43 GMT -5
Nah. Just talking about those sweeping statements that have no relevance to where the questions are coming from. If that makes sense. There is no-one to make sweeping statements. Haha!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2013 13:34:00 GMT -5
I suppose this place has become a spiritual friends location in itself. What he said. Here's a counter-quote calling into question virtual friend locations: ~David Foster Wallace <RIP -- perhaps he could've used more screen time??>I know if I had a like group of face-to-face folks to hang out with, I'd probably participate less here. But so far I haven't found such a group in this little town. Plus, there's something about the virtual enviro that allows for more candor. In the same way folks feel allowed to flip off into road rage with their little bubble of car around them. In some ways it's unfortunate; if articulated and reflected on, it can be useful (that's the theory anyhow).
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Post by quinn on Aug 28, 2013 13:36:38 GMT -5
Here's a counter-quote calling into question virtual friend locations: ~David Foster Wallace <RIP -- perhaps he could've used more screen time??>I know if I had a like group of face-to-face folks to hang out with, I'd probably participate less here. But so far I haven't found such a group in this little town. Plus, there's something about the virtual enviro that allows for more candor. In the same way folks feel allowed to flip off into road rage with their little bubble of car around them. In some ways it's unfortunate; if articulated and reflected on, it can be useful (that's the theory anyhow). What's unfortunate?
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Post by enigma on Aug 28, 2013 13:37:43 GMT -5
There is no-one to make sweeping statements. Haha! Serially, though, I understand your point. Such statements are often used to dismiss an argument or to take the nondual high road and win. All nondual pointers are twisted in every which way by somebody to serve that which they are meat to point away from. Of course, that doesn't mean they aren't valid pointers and they do have their place.
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