Re: MD James, Pirsig, Mysticism

From: PhaedrusWolf@aol.com
Date: Thu Nov 25 2004 - 15:13:56 GMT

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    In a message dated 11/25/04 12:38:01 AM Eastern Standard Time,
    DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org writes:

    And this is what the churches are NOT doing. To the extent that they prevent
    or forestall genuinely religious experience in their believers, I think they
    are evil.

    Hi dmb,
     
    I think you just said a mouthful. :o)
     
    This 'Genuine religious experience' would be mysticism stated in another
    term as spirituality.
     
     
    "And what is written well and what is written badly...need we ask Lysias or
    any other poet or orator who ever wrote or will write either a political or
    other work, in meter or out of meter, poet or prose writer, to teach us this?"
     
    What is good, Phædrus, and what is not good...need we ask anyone to tell us
    these things?
    And you go to church, and you look toward man to teach you 'These things'.
    Somewhere, Pirsig said that we should not just follow blindly, but we
    shouldn't dismiss blindly these religions. He used the term 'Dust off' to see if it
    offered any good to society; and society is what we are. There are religions
    that do not follow the Baptist, Methodist, Catholic ways of teaching -- still
     even these other religions may not teach the pristine Christianity as it was
     originally known. It may have been lost in translation.
    When you speak of the church, you are speaking of the people in the church
    led by the pastor/priest who learned their truths from a long list of
    developing theologies; possibly without any experience of spirituality of their own.
    When in a discussion of my religious beliefs, I say I look inside. By looking
     inside, I mean I am looking toward my soul. The question is "How do you
    know?" How can I know that my soul gives me the right answers? Could it be the
    devil, this evil, that is speaking to me as opposed to God? My answer could
    come from ZMM "What is good, Phædrus, and what is not good...need we ask anyone
    to tell us these things?" Do I need, or should I accept man's answers to
    these questions, or should I seek God's?
    Maybe the 'Dusting off' that needs be done is on the Bible, as opposed to
    accepting others doing your due diligence.
    I don't remember who said it, but " . . . most men live their lives in quiet
    despair." As opposed to speaking your truths quietly, and expecting
    consideration of your truths as you see them, you are beaten down; told "No!" as a
    toddler is told "No!" until you no longer care to speak your truths. You then
    go on to conform to the beliefs of others, or separate yourself from others and
     the Mythos of the day. Luckily, the Mythos of the day does not include shock
     treatments for those who do not follow the current Mythos as their own
    Logos.
    Seem to me 'Peer pressure' lives on into adulthood.
    It would not only be in the field of religion -- spirituality or mysticism --
     but in all fields that the ability to 'Think' would be the guide to your
    answers. Thinking independently and critically of the church cannot be accepted
    from the Victorian principles that lead to the 'Appearance' of Christian
    principles as opposed to the 'Spirituality' of Christian principles.
    We are all in search of our church. By accepting and considering the thought
    from all religions we may find it.
    The fact that Sam is here leads me to believe he is searching for his church
    as well. You might say the same of anyone who has joined in on our little
    forum.
    I could write more, and get into the mysticism, expanding your focus, you
    speak of, and I feel it would be good to do so, but I have already gotten long
    on this one -- maybe another thread.
    Thanks for all your thoughts. I feel I am learning much here.
    Chin

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