Are atheists lost sons ?

The chemistry set you referred to can be used to demonstrate facts to believers and non-believers alike.
Can you give us a demo ?
yes - but a comprehension of what was involved requires an element of applied theory

If you show a red fluid turn into a blue fluid, I can still cross my arms and say "what a load of BS" for whatever explanation you offer
:eek:
 
yes - but a comprehension of what was involved requires an element of applied theory

If you show a red fluid turn into a blue fluid, I can still cross my arms and say "what a load of BS" for whatever explanation you offer
:eek:

But at least you get to see a change of colour, whatever your reaction. All that is being asked of you is that you do something equivalent without insisting on pre-conditions. Seems fair to me.
 
LG

the source of all sources, that consciousness upon which all other consciousness is contingent etc etc

OK.

“Originally Posted by Myles
And you know this because...... ?


LG
"practice
what else?"

As in trancendental meditation?
 
Do theists, or at least Christians, consider atheists to be 'lost sons' ?
Do they want them to return ?

Isn't there a bible verse about not wasting time on those that don't want to be bothered? I know there is. My dad always quoted it to the awesomely hot mormon guys who came to the house.
 
But at least you get to see a change of colour, whatever your reaction. All that is being asked of you is that you do something equivalent without insisting on pre-conditions. Seems fair to me.
given that it is impossible to indicate anything that is existing separate from god and his potencies, its not clear exactly what you are after
 
given that it is impossible to indicate anything that is existing separate from god and his potencies, its not clear exactly what you are after

That's what I was after. An honesty admission that you believe you know something you cannot explain. It's most convenient that anything that exists " seperately from God and his potencies" cannot be indicated. That means you can make any claims you wish without having to back them up as the rest of us would have to do.

Let's call it a day.
 
That's what I was after. An honesty admission that you believe you know something you cannot explain. It's most convenient that anything that exists " seperately from God and his potencies" cannot be indicated. That means you can make any claims you wish without having to back them up as the rest of us would have to do.

Let's call it a day.
actually if you could indicate something that was separate from god, you would have a good argument against god's existence ...
:shrug:
 
Isn't there a bible verse about not wasting time on those that don't want to be bothered? I know there is. My dad always quoted it to the awesomely hot mormon guys who came to the house.

Hmm I don't know. Could come in handy though :D
If you recall which verse, please tell me ? ;)
 
actually if you could indicate something that was separate from god, you would have a good argument against god's existence ...
2 things:
1. In this argument you are merely stating that "God = Existence / all that exists" - i.e. you're using another word instead of a perfectly good one we already have ("existence").

2. You're also claiming the existence of this God (despite it being a tautology) is valid because we can't prove something "doesn't exist" - i.e. trying to prove something exists that is not part of... existence.


Further, if you claim it is not possible to identify something that is "separate from god" - how do you claim to identify God when you "experience" him? To identify something there must surely be a unique identifier that separates it from everything else? And if this God IS EVERYTHING, this surely is not possible.

All you can claim is that you experience something, and that your teachings have told you that since everything is God, you must therefore be experiencing God.
Otherwise - what is this unique identifier that distinguishes your "experience" of God from merely anything else?
 
2 things:
1. In this argument you are merely stating that "God = Existence / all that exists" - i.e. you're using another word instead of a perfectly good one we already have ("existence").
not really
actually I am stating that god is the cause of all causes

2. You're also claiming the existence of this God (despite it being a tautology) is valid because we can't prove something "doesn't exist" - i.e. trying to prove something exists that is not part of... existence.
not really
actually I am simply responding to myles request for an indication of god's existence - being the cause of all causes encompasses everything

Further, if you claim it is not possible to identify something that is "separate from god" - how do you claim to identify God when you "experience" him? To identify something there must surely be a unique identifier that separates it from everything else? And if this God IS EVERYTHING, this surely is not possible.
not exactly
BG 7.12 Know that all states of being—be they of goodness, passion or ignorance—are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything, but I am independent. I am not under the modes of material nature, for they, on the contrary, are within Me.

All you can claim is that you experience something, and that your teachings have told you that since everything is God, you must therefore be experiencing God.
Otherwise - what is this unique identifier that distinguishes your "experience" of God from merely anything else?
its kind of like asking what distinguishes the president from being an american, since he is also an american
 
More like meditation in samadhi?
samadhi is more like a level of successful performance than practice

BG 6.20-23: In the stage of perfection called trance, or samādhi, one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

A concise summary of the process would be something like

BG 4.10: Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me — and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

or

BG 6.47: And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me — he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

or

BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
 
LG,

Thanks for that explanation. :)

I know its off topic, but are you experienced in this type of meditation? Have you achieved: "Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me"?
 
LG,

Thanks for that explanation. :)

I know its off topic, but are you experienced in this type of meditation? Have you achieved: "Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me"?
basically there is a gradation (IOW the degree that one has issues of material attachment, anger and fear is the degree that one has obstacles on the path of self realization)

However, certainly I have positively experienced a degree of freedom to the above and purification by knowledge of god .... and perhaps even a degree of transcendental love for him too
 
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