Posts by poppers

so i had to share a few passages from an essay that i just read, published in 1784 by immanuel kant, in response to the question "what is enlightenment?

" also, what would your own response be to the question?

the website for the full essay is here.

What is enlightenment? Depends on who you ask, but I will give my answer. Enlightenment has nothing to do with beliefs or ideas; it has nothing to do with "doing" anything, including accumulating knowledge, prayer, supplication, following rules, observing rituals, practicing meditation, yoga, pranayama, or purifying one's body, mind, or senses.

In short, it is the discovery of what one really is - what one is prior to the arising of any IDEA of "self". It is the uncovering of what one really is when the mind/ego has abated and it is realized that there isn't actually a definitive "me", only a temporary appearance of "me" which comes and goes, and which had until then been believed in as "me".

It is the discovery that one is no longer bound by the emotions which flow through the human mechanism. It is the realization that all arises out of "oneness" and that You ARE that in which all arises. This doesn't necessitate any special knowledge or practicing any sort of "procedure" to get "there". It is the discovery of unconditional freedom and love, and that that freedom and love is one's very nature, and that that nature is available right here in this very moment.

There are no words to adequately express it, no words which will "give" it to another, and no words to lead one there because it is beyond words. At best it can be pointed to with words, but too often the words and the teachers become the focus. In even shorter terms, enlightenment is one's natural state prior to the conditioning of the mind, the arising of the ego, and the resulting "skewing" of what is seen, heard, felt and touched.

poppers

30

JW Children, Holidays, and Memories

by somebodylovesme in

my husband and i were walking through the store today and we passed a display of valentines -- you know, the kind that school kids buy and exchange in the classroom.

i paused and glanced them over, remembering how much i used to love holidays at school.

(husband is an inactive/faded jw; i was never one.

poppers

SLM - great! Let us know how it turns out.

30

JW Children, Holidays, and Memories

by somebodylovesme in

my husband and i were walking through the store today and we passed a display of valentines -- you know, the kind that school kids buy and exchange in the classroom.

i paused and glanced them over, remembering how much i used to love holidays at school.

(husband is an inactive/faded jw; i was never one.

poppers

somebodylovesme - what a sad thing to be denied the simple pleasure of being acknowledged by another human being in an innocent display of friendship. Why don't you buy a bunch of those kiddie valentines and make up for all of those deprived years of your husband's childhood days? Sign them with lots of different names and writing styles and so forth - use your imagination; I bet you could think of lots of things to do with them.

25

What does the word "Apostate" mean to you now?

by JH in

jw
friends

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how would you define the word apostate, now that you aren't in sync with the watchtower anymore?

poppers

The value of a word like "apostate" permits the one using it against another from actually seeing the labelled one as someone who has inherent worth, dignity, and divinity. It permits people to put others in a box as though they are a totally known entity - looking beyond what's in the box takes too much effort, too much compassion, too much honesty. No need to actually think and evaluate for oneself because "apostate" says it all. How very sad.

28

The Narrow Road

by AGuest in

jw
friends

to the household of god that is israel, and all those who go with... may you all have peace!.

i know that it has been some time since i posted last; working full-time and attending law school full-time sort of commands a great deal of... well, time... and as a result i have been a bit remiss in serving god's household, at least as far as sharing with you all here what i have received in the manner that i did previously.

thankfully, jah is not as "exacting" as many have made him out to be (as demonstrated by the life, love and compassion of his son, my lord, jaheshua mischajah), and so i have had the loving freedom to live my life, which i have done with much joy!

poppers

JamesThomas - good to see ya, friend!

poppers

7

Belief Systems

by joelbear in

jw
friends

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i believe strongly in discovering your own belief system, not simply adopting a belief system that a group or organization proposes to you or tries to sell you on.. god is personal.

i simply don't buy into this god wants us to be in groups thing.. groups inevitably create hierarchy, hierarchy is bad.. find god, be spiritual, it fills you with a feeling that makes you want to share goodness with others.

poppers

Even if you have a "personalized" belief systen which has been created by you, you have put yourself within a closed system. To posit that "god is personal" automatically limits what the word g-o-d points to. Are you absolutely certain that this is true, or is this just your particular belief? What can be gained by dropping all belief systems, especially beliefs about "god" and about who you think you are in relation to "god"?

If you are truly courageous, see what lies beyond the mind which would entertain any belief, see what exists prior to the arising of beliefs of any sort including your ideas of "you", and what exists after all beliefs fade away.

61

I'm sick of Atlanta, where should I move?

by joelbear in

jw
friends

i've lived here 17 years.

i can't believe i have stayed put that long.. moultrie 2 years.

ft. walton beach 2 years.

poppers

Santa Cruz, California. Fantastic area for creative people; got the ocean, redwood trees, close to San Francisco and the mountains are just hours away. Beautiful scenery abounds, very spiritually attuned population. Wish I were there again after 25 years back in Wisconsin.