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Thursday, November 30
View Article  What significance does ancient philosophy have to offer other life forms in the universe? Part I of II
by Daniel J. Shepard on Thu 30 Nov 2006 12:00 AM EST

What significance does ancient philosophy have to offer other life forms in the universe?

 

 

Part I of II

 

Religion: life, ‘…universe was alive’

 

Science : substance, ‘… the universe was made of a single substance’

 

Philosophy: abstraction, ‘…numbers were the realities of the universe’

 

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Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility…

 

This is not a concept for just ourselves as individuals, nor for us as a species.

 

It is a concept involving all life forms within our universe.

 

A definition of life is nothing other than a simple statement providing the rational foundation for behavior.

 

It does not say what the behavior should be; it provides the rationale for the behavior society sets in place.

 

Religion provides the guidelines for behavior based upon faith.

 

But this guideline for behavior needs a base upon which it can rest.

 

If religions give the reason and emphasize one behavior over another simply,

 

‘Because we said so’ or ‘Because the Causative Force said so’ or ‘Because if you don’t you will go to hell and if you do you will go to heaven,’ then they are setting the base of their argument upon a foundation of sand.

 

To be continued: Part II of II: The foundation has no solid substance to it because...
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Wednesday, November 29
View Article  What significance does Buddhism have to offer us as individuals? Part II of II
by Daniel J. Shepard on Wed 29 Nov 2006 12:00 AM EST

What significance does Buddhism have to offer us as individuals?

 

Part II of II

...You expand upon your awareness as you journey.

 

The type of awareness you take with you when you exit life is dependent upon your own actions but it also is dependent upon the actions of others.

 

The process of addressing the elimination of suffering is really nothing other than taking actions during your journey which are intended to improve upon journeys, both in life and what is to follow life, yours as well as others.

 

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The journey through life obtains an expanded significance if it goes beyond our limited time span as humans.

 

This is where the concept of panentheism attains its importance for it reinforces the concept that the essence of the individual is the soul and it is the soul which is tied to eternity.

 

Buddhism existed long before we began to analyze the term panentheism.

 

Therefore, panentheism reinforces Buddhism in this respect.

 

Buddhism then attains its significance in its understanding of the concept of our present state of having an attachment to the eternal.

 

As such, your awareness and experiences in your present life form moves with you into your next life form.

 

This in turn provides the understanding of the need to reduce the suffering you undergo in this life form so as to be able to reduce your exposure to suffering in eternity.

 

End

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Tuesday, November 28
View Article  What significance does Buddhism have to offer us as individuals? Part I of II
by Daniel J. Shepard on Tue 28 Nov 2006 12:00 AM EST

What significance does Buddhism have to offer us as individuals?

 

 

Part I of II

 

Addressing the elimination of suffering would do nothing less than improve the environment within which we as individuals journey.

 

•

 

We as individuals travel, journey through life.

 

Buddhism implies that life is not “the” beginning of an end; rather life is a journey we take, an episode within our existence in eternity.

 

If you have a soul, as all major religions say, and if that soul is tied to eternity as the major religions also profess, then the time span of one day through one hundred years is but one part of your existence.

 

It must, however, have some significance or you would not be here.

 

Taking the journey through life, whether voluntarily or because you are forced to do so, still has the same outcome.

 

The outcome is the result of taking the journey.

 

If we all work consciously to eliminate suffering, we make the journey for each individual much more pleasant and enjoyable.

 

To be continued: Part II of II: You expand upon your awareness as...
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Monday, November 27
View Article  How do the concepts of Hinduism reinforce the concept of panentheism? Part II of I(
by Daniel J. Shepard on Mon 27 Nov 2006 12:00 AM EST

How do the concepts of Hinduism reinforce the concept of panentheism?

 

Part II of II

 

...This in turn provides the beginnings of our understanding why we do have significance for being alive and it is tied directly to the Causative Force Herself – not to other humans.

 

•

 

Judaism has provided monotheism, the soul, and eternal existence the time needed to take root in the West.

 

The idea is now well established in the West as well as the East.

 

The idea is now global.

 

And why was this so important?

 

We had to have a greater understanding of the source of our essence, our soul, before we could begin to relate to other souls, other humans.

 

We had to have an understanding of the commonality of our origin before we could accept the equality of all humans.

 

Learning to look beyond the physical aspects of the body was not to be an easy task.

 

If looking beyond the insignificant physical variations of color, sexuality, gender, intelligence, race, religions was to be a task almost beyond our capacities, then what of our encounters with other life forms in the heavens?

 

Judaism was very significant indeed in terms of expanding our perceptions of ourselves to the point where it could include all life forms throughout the universe.

 

End

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Sunday, November 26
View Article  How do the concepts of Hinduism reinforce the concept of panentheism? Part I of II
by Daniel J. Shepard on Sun 26 Nov 2006 12:00 AM EST

How do the concepts of Hinduism reinforce the concept of panentheism?

 

 

Part I of II

 

It does not; what is really taking place is that panentheism reinforces Judaism.

 

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Panentheism is not a religion and never could be.

 

It reinforces the idea of a Causative Force existing.

 

It does not imply the Causative Force is “concerned” with humankind nor, on the other hand, that the Causative Force is not concerned with humankind.

 

It has no customs, traditions, principles, dogmas, leaders, institutions or guidelines to offer people and it never will for it merely states the logic regarding the size of the Causative Force.

 

It defines a logical size for the Hindu, Judaic, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, atheistic, pantheistic, New Age “God.”

 

And just what is that size?

 

Panentheism expands the size of the Causative Force to that of true omnipresence.

Panentheism says that the Causative Force is so big, the only place for the universe to be is within the Causative Force Herself.

 

To be continued: Part II of II: This in turn provides...
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