How strong is your belief?

[sangam]

dear sacred
thanks for the detailed explanation. there is something else that creeps on my mind. yes, i agree with most of what you say. however, is there any need of belief or faith in carrying out those actions. is it essential for the good values and ideals to be sanctified before they are followed by one as guiding principals of ones life. is not, by virtue of being a social and co-operative species in general, humans should share each others burden and help each other in times of need. does one need to have a strong belief in god to lead a honest life.

another thing that occurs to me is the method of categorising beliefs as valid or invalid. delusions are defined as fixed, false, firmly held beliefs out of keeping with the individuals socio-cultural background and unaltered by evidence to the contrary. look closely at this definition. we classify beliefs as delusions on rather flimsy grounds. conversly, we classify beliefs as not being delusional on equally flimsy grounds. was the belief of a common man in the times of newton that the earth was flat a delusion? not as per this definition, only because it was in keeping with the sociocultural backgroung. and was not newtons beliefs classified as madness. without hindsight, it would indeed be a difficult proposition to choose which side of the divide to stand on. or would it be? would not most of us join ranks with the common man and lock newton up as they did. a schizophrenic claiming that the secret services are after him sees evidence of it in each eye-contact he makes and in every incident that occurs around him. trapped by our senses, we bow to their dictates.

now for the belief in god. do we jump to conclusions and construe messages and meanings where none exhist? is it appropriate for someone who has not seen god i.e. not self realized to claim on his exhistance? would it not be more honest to refrain from beleiving in in god till we have reached the state of realisation, instead to work diligently to improve our understanding of ourselves and the world around us by introspection, observation, meditation etc. afterall, is that not the path advised by people who have reached that state. does it require belief to walk the path of truth and honesty. is that not supposed to be the right thing to do anyway.can a non-believer not have the qualities that have been mentioned in the preceeding discussions.

[Sacredstar]

Sangam

Originally Posted by sangam

dear sacred
thanks for the detailed explanation. there is something else that creeps on my mind. yes, i agree with most of what you say. however, is there any need of belief or faith in carrying out those actions. is it essential for the good values and ideals to be sanctified before they are followed by one as guiding principals of ones life. is not, by virtue of being a social and co-operative species in general, humans should share each others burden and help each other in times of need. does one need to have a strong belief in god to lead a honest life.

another thing that occurs to me is the method of categorising beliefs as valid or invalid. delusions are defined as fixed, false, firmly held beliefs out of keeping with the individuals socio-cultural background and unaltered by evidence to the contrary. look closely at this definition. we classify beliefs as delusions on rather flimsy grounds. conversly, we classify beliefs as not being delusional on equally flimsy grounds. was the belief of a common man in the times of newton that the earth was flat a delusion? not as per this definition, only because it was in keeping with the sociocultural backgroung. and was not newtons beliefs classified as madness. without hindsight, it would indeed be a difficult proposition to choose which side of the divide to stand on. or would it be? would not most of us join ranks with the common man and lock newton up as they did. a schizophrenic claiming that the secret services are after him sees evidence of it in each eye-contact he makes and in every incident that occurs around him. trapped by our senses, we bow to their dictates.

now for the belief in god. do we jump to conclusions and construe messages and meanings where none exhist? is it appropriate for someone who has not seen god i.e. not self realized to claim on his exhistance? would it not be more honest to refrain from beleiving in in god till we have reached the state of realisation, instead to work diligently to improve our understanding of ourselves and the world around us by introspection, observation, meditation etc. afterall, is that not the path advised by people who have reached that state. does it require belief to walk the path of truth and honesty. is that not supposed to be the right thing to do anyway.can a non-believer not have the qualities that have been mentioned in the preceeding discussions.

I hope I have managed to respond to all of our questions but if not please ask more.

No belief in GOD is required to live a beautiful, sacred, pure and ethical life, Buddhism is perfect example of this. Nor is it necessary to have any beliefs at all.

Nothing to me is invalid for everything as a reason for being and as such can be honoured accordingly.

Well often beliefs are illusions, as we change, grow and evolve so do beliefs.
The more we know ourselves the more the illusions internally and externally fall away, (friends with it sometimes) until one gets to the point of where one's vision is sheer with clarity and one realises wholeness and reason for being.

Once one as had mystical experiences there is no doubt.

It is through self realisation that one can find GOD, when you know the self you know GOD and the universe.

Integrity, peace, healing and love helps one to find the happiness within.

Sounds to me like you are on track and know.

Gnosis

Blessings in abundance

Kim xx