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Monday, July 31
View Article  Western versus Eastern II
by Daniel J. Shepard on Mon 31 Jul 2006 12:00 AM EDT

060722

 

Greg: I hope that you will not consider my emails as challenges.

 

Djs: Ah, but I do consider them as challenges. But do not let that deter you. There is nothing better to expand one’s mind than a good challenge.

 

 

Greg: I like very much your ideas and would like to explore more some of them like the idea you have that servitude to God is an impediment for man.

 

Djs: Looking forward to it.

 

 

Does not man perform a service for God by increasing His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence?

 

Djs: Yes but there is a significant difference between ‘performing a service for…’ and ‘servitude to…’.

 

I would also suggest that that if you are in God then God is one’s very environment and as such how one grows God affects the very environment, God, to which one eventually returns.

 

Greg: Is not then man's very purpose to serve God in this way?

 

Djs: It is not a case of ‘serving’ God but rather a case of performing a service for… This may sound like mincing words but think of it this way: A parent performs a service for a child, mentors the child, protects a child, guides a child but the parent is no more in servitude than are you when you provide a service for God.

 

Greg: I don't know if I'm getting your attention by posting to your blog. So I'll try email. Here is my comment on your reply to my first question.

 

Daniel said:

 

Eastern philosophy basically rejects the concept the physical and thus the concept of ‘a physical universe’, physical existence, existing within consciousness is dismissed as not only impossible to prove but illogical and thus the rejection of panentheism.

 

Symbiotic panentheism recognizes three 1st truths existing simultaneously:

 

The Whole of Consciousness/non-discrete consciousness/God exists.

 

The physical universe exists

 

The individual/discrete entities of consciousness exist

 

Greg said:

 

Sorry to disagree but whereas Buddhism denies reality and also Advaita Vedanta calls differences in the what it calls the one real Whole or Brahman as Illusion, Ramanuja's Visistadvaita Vedanta does indeed recognize the same 1st truths that Symbiotic Panentheism does.

 

Cit = the individual soul or atman

Acit = matter or the universe, jagat

Isvara = the Whole, Brahman or God

 

These three entities and their relationship is what Vedanta is all about.

 

Djs: Interesting

 

Greg: Most westerners have heard only of Advaita Vedanta of Shankara which states that there is only one homogenious entity Brahman which is devoid of any qualities. These apparent 3 categories is brought about by adhyasa or the imposition of of ignorance or illusion on Brahman.

 

Djs: Actually symbiotic panentheism would agree with the above since sp demonstrates the Eastern concept stating: Universes are constantly being created and destroyed and the source material from which the universes are constructed is the void, is nothingness itself.

 

In addition, sp agrees with the theosophical concept regarding the level beyond consciousness being the ‘Unmanifestable’ or as you indirectly imply, ‘the imposition of ignorance or illusion on Brahman’.

 

 

Greg: However Ramanuja posits that the three are indeed real and related in a similar way as the soul is related to the physical mind and body. This is termed as Sarira-Sariri bhava (Sarira means body in Sanskrit).

 

Djs: The above gets complicated but sp also agrees with the above. If you felt the desire we can explore any of the above in detail.

 

 

Greg: Sometimes Ramanuja's philosophy is called Panentheism and some call it qualified non-dualism.

 

Djs: Again the above gets complicated but sp also agrees with the above and again if you felt the desire we can explore any of the above in detail.

 

 

Greg: It is a system of philosophy upon which he grafted Vaisnava religious traditions. However there are other forms of Visnu worship with other philosophical ideas. Madhva espouses theism known as dvaita or dualism which seems to have been influenced by Christianity and is the only Indian religious tradition to speak of eternal hell, etc.

 

Djs: Sp recognizes the concept of eternal hell but not as Western religions sees the concept where one ‘goes to hell’. Sp demonstrates how it is you create your own eternal hell.

 

Greg: And there are still other forms of Vedanta. Ramanuja is the only one who accepts the realtionship of these three reals as being analogous to the relationship between the body, mind and soul.

 

Djs: Very interesting information Greg. If you get a chance, tell me more.

 

 

By the way, I do consider all my e-mails as potential material for my blog unless the sender specifically labels it as ‘personal’. Is that OK with you?

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Sunday, July 30
View Article  RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction Part IV of IV
by Daniel J. Shepard on Sun 30 Jul 2006 12:00 AM EDT

RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction

 

Part IV of IV

...With this in mind, we may find it useful to seek an understanding of where a Causative Force would be, where we are in relation to a Causative Force, and what significance this has for us as individuals and as a species.

 

This step provides the understanding of the religious concept that a Causative Force is truly omnipresent – located everywhere – as panentheism asserts.

 

Religion is the oldest of the three means by which we can understand ourselves, others, our universe, and our Causative Force.

 

Therefore, it is the first place we should look for verification regarding the potential for a universal philosophy. Support needs to be drawn from what religious concepts

imply – not what humans themselves say.

 

Verification must be provided by examining concepts large groups of us believe, hold dear, and consider sacred.

 

Very few people are experts in all fields of religion, science, and philosophy.

 

Recognizing this to be the case, we must seek a source that is neutral, holds credentials, and is written for the general reader.

 

For this, we will utilize the appropriate Eastern and Western Thought – Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion by William L. Reese.

 

End

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Saturday, July 29
View Article  RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction Part III of IV
by Daniel J. Shepard on Sat 29 Jul 2006 12:00 AM EDT

RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction

 

Part III of IV

...Thus, the cycle appears to be continuing.

 

Five hundred years after the emergence of the philosophical approach to understanding the Causative Force, science emerges and brings with it the importance of observation.

 

The 500 year cycles appear to be continuing with great consistency.

 

Interestingly enough, we have now ended the last 500 year cycle and are at the beginning of a new cycle, which leads to the question, what next?

 

There are basically only three means by which we are able to understand ourselves, understand each other, understand our universe, and understand the Causative Force behind our universe.

 

All three are merely means of understanding, gaining insights, and obtaining perceptions of what we are.

 

The three means by which we understand what we are, what our universe is, and what a Causative Force is, are perception through faith or what we call religion; perception through logic or what we call philosophy; and perception through observation or what we call science.

 

To be contined: Part IV of IV: With this in mind, ...
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Friday, July 28
View Article  RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction Part II of IV
by Daniel J. Shepard on Fri 28 Jul 2006 12:00 AM EDT

RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction

 

Part II of IV

...This brings up a major question.

 

Why had the apparent termination of new religious contributions come to an abrupt halt?

 

Maybe it is because we have not developed the answer to the first point concerning why these major religious concepts appeared to be taking on a near global consensus.

 

Or maybe it is because we have, in fact, been developing but in a way we did not associate with religious development.

 

Maybe the development was taking place within other areas that were indirectly supporting religions, but not recognized as doing so.

 

Why was there an abrupt 1,500 year break in religious development?

 

Perhaps we can gain some insight into this question if we look at other developments that took place during these years.

 

Much of the main progress of our species over these years seems to have been in the areas of philosophy and science – areas that appeared to be religiously antagonistic but may, in fact, have been very much religion-friendly.

 

Western philosophical development of religion appears to have begun with St. Anselm in 1033 AD, approximately 500 years after the introduction of Islam into the world. St. Anselm was the archbishop of Canterbury and among the first to argue the concept of God from a purely philosophical point of view or what could be called a purely logical point of view.

 

This introduces logic, for the first time, into the discussion concerning a Causative Force.

 

Thus emerged the significance of logic or philosophy in understanding the Causative Force.

 

Following this 500 year cycle, the emergence of science in its modern form began.

 

Around the 1500’s AD, Nicolaus Copernicus’ De Revolution Orbium Celestium was published.

 

This work is recognized as the onset of modern science and the affirmation of Leonardo da Vinci’s perception of the importance of observation and experimentation in the process of gaining understanding.

 

To be continued: Part III of IV: Thus, the cycle appears to be...
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Thursday, July 27
View Article  RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction Part I of IV
by Daniel J. Shepard on Thu 27 Jul 2006 12:00 AM EDT

RELIGION: What We Believe - Introduction

 

 

Part I of IV

 

On earth over the last 3,500 years, religions have evolved in what appears to be a pattern. Hinduism (1500’s BC), Judaism (1000’s BC), Buddhism (500’s BC), Christianity (0’s BC), and Islam (500’s AD) have emerged and set a tone for societies within which we live.

 

These major religions have accepted the Hindu principles of monotheism and the eternal soul.

 

Each religion after Hinduism has had a basic concept to present to our world. Judaism, by accepting the basic Hindu concepts, bridged the West with the East by providing a conduit by which these concepts were able to filter through to Western religions.

 

Buddhism identified the irrationality of human suffering and offered a solution to this problem. Christianity introduced the warmth of love to our perception of human interactions toward each other.

 

Islam introduced justice, the means of discouraging interference with the journey of others.

 

Two points stand out in this process of global religious emergence.

 

First, no rationality had been put forward that explains the reason for the emergence of each of these basic premises.

 

Second, these religions each popped up at surprisingly consistent 500 year intervals.

 

The emergence of the new major religious contributions to humankind ended with Islam in the 500 AD’s.

 

To be continued: Part I of IV: This brings up a major...
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