What if I made up my own Religion?

[greenberg]

There is no eternal suffering.

??

How do you know that?

If the Universe were ruled by an evil god, there could be eternal suffering.

 

[Jan Ardena]

The point of eternal hell is that it is extreme suffering, the worst there can be.

My worst case scenario is about my idea of extreme suffering - which for me is a combination of physical and psychological suffering.

And like I said earlier, my religion would have to be such that it would provide me at least some peace of mind even in face of extreme suffering.

I hope this explains it.

I take it then, peace of mind means accepting happiness and suffering on an equal basis?

Jan.

 

[greenberg]

I take it then, peace of mind means accepting happiness and suffering on an equal basis?

That depends on what you mean by "happiness".
Whenever I use the word "happiness", I mean the sort of happiness that is not subject to aging, illness and death. Not the cheerfulness and the uppity feelings that come and go.

 

[Jan Ardena]

greenberg,


Personally, I think "evil" means that the person who is "evil" is inherently unwilling to distinguish between good and bad, and the person is unable to do anything about this unwillingness.

Why would such a person choose "evil" over good under those conditions?
I think statements such as; "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", is a perfect mechanism to distinguish between good and evil.

p3. do you think God judges every man personally? If yes, why?

I don't know

But what do you think.

But the Christian concept of individual judgment strikes me as very loaded,

It sounds like it is an opinion (albeit powerfull) rather than a religious injuction.

p5. my understanding is that Adam was created pure before his downfall.

If he was pure, then how could he have fallen?

He was created pure, without a blemish, but he eventually gave in to his nature/

If God has created the Universe and everything in it, this means that God has also created every choice that a person makes, every action a person performs. It's like humans are puppets, God pulls the strings, and in the end burns them if he so pleases, but says that it's their fault that they were burned.

If we stay with the Adam scenario we can understand that this is not the case. Adam had a choice, and he executed that option. The moment he did then he became a puppet of nature. Hence his arrival into samsara. His actions decided his fate.

Jan.

 

[Jan Ardena]

That depends on what you mean by "happiness".
Whenever I use the word "happiness", I mean the sort of happiness that is not subject to aging, illness and death. Not the cheerfulness and the uppity feelings that come and go.

Whatever we percieve as happiness.
I imagine once we reach that stage of equanimity, we must be truly
happy.

Jan.

 

[sowhatifit'sdark]

??

How do you know that?

If the Universe were ruled by an evil god, there could be eternal suffering.

What can I say?
I don't believe it is ruled by an evil God. Though I certainly have thought that at times.

 

[greenberg]

you act like you're twelve.

You have graduated in manipulation and patronizing.