Posts by JamesThomas

13

Anyone here have experience in Native American culture/worship?

by Angry_Kangaroo in

since leaving behind jw beliefs, i have been interested in learning other belief systems.

i am really interested in native american beliefs as i have native blood in my background, and i feel more at peace and closer to god when i am in nature.

from what i have read, it is not a set religion with rules and such, but more a cultural/community based faith.

JamesThomas

My grandmother was Blackfoot Indian, and for the last four years I have been residing in a tipi. What I know of Indian beliefs is little, though generally their understanding of the Divine (our ultimate significance) is far, far greater than Christianity. However, all beliefs are abstract concepts weaved by the mind and are not the reality of foundational being at which they may be aimed. So, I suggest getting to the point and leaving all beliefs behind, Indian and otherwise, and discovering what is here when the mind is silent.

Nothing the mind offers is the reality of truth we seek. Our genuine actuality is too close, too immediate, too vast and boundless for the mind to comprehend. However, it can be lived as your own Authentic-being and that of all existence; because that is what it is. It just needs to be seen. You, ultimately, are the truth you seek. All the religious beliefs in the universe can not give you what you truly already are.

alt

j

40

she left me today......

by theinfamousone in

jw
friends

i went out to see my sister and my mom... when i got back she said she was leaving... when i asked why, she said she was weirded out by my lack of trust.... i couldnt trust her,, so i hid things... its not her fault, its not like i was lying or anything, but i mean some shit, i just didnt tell her... i am so used to being called names, lectured and torn apart for being 100% honest, that now, i still am scared to let anyone completely in... now the best thing that ever happened to me is gone... she left and im not sure shes ever coming back... and iom not sure who to blame.. i mean its obviously my fault, but did the borg put a fear of trusting into my heart and soul?

i guess i cant blame anyone but myself... but at this point, im so torn and hurt that im not sure what to do... all i know is that what was finally having the semblance of family to me is now gone... the first time i was able to live with someone and love someone, albeiut with an ingrained sense of distrust, has disappeared, probably never to return..... .

this has broken me, i don't know what i will be doing with myself for the next couple of days... i feel almost dead inside... the infamous one.

JamesThomas

Dear One,

I wish you were here so I could give you a big old hug and some fatherly advise. Can not get my arms around you from here, but I can offer you some counseling.

First, be assured that this too, will pass. Second, you are young and to be honest probably don't have a clue as to who you really are. Not knowing who we are, we misplace a great deal of personal-identity upon the person we are most intimate with; and this is often too heavy a load to bear for our beloved. The relationship is doomed.

I suggest you take this new opportunity of freedom to spend more time alone discovering your inner most senses of life and existence (spending time in nature and meditation is conducive to this). Open and come to genuinely know your being and your relationship with Life and universe, and then, and only then, will you have true integrity and love to offer others. For as long as we do not really know our inner authenticity, we live a lie, and all we have to offer others is counterfeit.

Peace be with you, friend.

j

103

Jehovah's Witnesses turned Christian....Post Here

by R.F. in

i would like those of you former jws turned christian to post here.

specific denominations can be mentioned.

i'd just like to get an idea of how many of you there are.

JamesThomas

In my opinion, this thread supports the existence of the harmful divisive nature of today's Christianity.

As a Christian we generally chisel in our mind an image of "God" which is a definable person or thing distinguishable from all the rest of the universe. The consequence of this being very fixed boundaries as to how to correctly appease my little god, and so then be privy to his tiny circle of "true" friends and worshippers. For me to believe myself "saved" and deserving in the eyes of my deity, there must be those who are undeserving and so damned. This delusional and alienating mindset creates a huge bloody rift between us special chosen ones, and all those lesser ones who deserve some form of punishment or even death.

It is strongly held beliefs like these which -- in our minds -- isolate and separate "me" from all others and the rest of the universe. This blinds us to our true relationship with all existence and opens the way for all suffering and inhumanity towards others and the planet. Generally speaking, Christianity -- as it is practised today -- supports and reinforces this destructive sense of division and detachment. Christianity is not at all about what unites us all, but rather about a very selfish personal salvation which separates me from you. This is perhaps the very opposite of what Jesus attempted to teach.

I could be wrong, but I walk away from reading threads like this one with the feeling that if it were not for the evolved zeitgeist of this time period, many Christians would be gathering into warring tribes; and the blood would be flowing freely.

j

44

hypnosys experience?

by Hermano in

hello everyone, long time lurker, first post.

can you share your experiences with hypnosis?

beyond the yes it worked for me or no it did not work for me, what i am looking for especifically is whether or not it opened you up for demon attacks or demonic activity.

JamesThomas

Thank you for your prayers, Hermano. While you're at it ask them to send a little nooky my way.

I'm not sure I understood you. Are saying that maybe God is both the good and evil?

What I am saying is that perhaps the only limits or boundaries to the Divine is in our heads. Why reduce our Source (call it God, if you like) down to an entity which is living, when it could just as easily be Life itself? Why shrink the Divine (our ultimate significance) down to a fragment or piece of existence, when it could just as easily -- and more importantly -- be the entirety of Existence itself?

Why unquestionably accept an old book (the Bible) that diminishes the Divine to some other time, place or thing? Why not open to the placement of God in the only reality there is: here and now...and the vibrant and intimate consciousness which beholds it all?

I understand this is a major paradigm shift, but why not open to such a shift? Why not step out of archaic tribal beliefs that present our ultimate significance as something absent? Why not bring the Divine into the present? The old way is not working. Perhaps it is time to awaken to what is really here when constricted and limited beliefs in "self" and universe are absent.

j

44

hypnosys experience?

by Hermano in

hello everyone, long time lurker, first post.

can you share your experiences with hypnosis?

beyond the yes it worked for me or no it did not work for me, what i am looking for especifically is whether or not it opened you up for demon attacks or demonic activity.

JamesThomas

Welcome, Hermano.

if there is a God then there can be a devil. If there are angels then there can be demons....

It seems the smaller our idea of "God", the larger the sphere of "evil". But why assume that the Source of an infinite universe is less, and just a mere fragment or character within that universe? Why attribute such endlessly vast wonder to something small? Who are we to do that?

It's 2007, and it may be time to leave narrow tribal beliefs behind.

No offence meant, Hermano. Just speaking my general feelings on the subject. I need to hear it as much as anyone.

j

15

Is it easier for a witness (vs Christian) to stop believing in God?

by Guest with Questions in

i dont have any statistics but am curious if there could be any truth to it; that it might be easier for a witness to stop believing vs a christian.

i dont see this at any of the churches i have attended; people leaving in droves with some totally discarding any belief.. 1 the jw org is the only truth.

you question its authority, then you question god.

JamesThomas

Though there may be some merit in what you have presented, I feel it basically comes down to courage -- rather than belief systems -- when it comes to letting go of our favorite little deities.

There is generally a huge amount of personal identity invested in our religious beliefs. Many people are too afraid -- as it's almost like a death sentence -- to step beyond the "protection" and comfort which our warm delusions and fantasies seem to offer.

j

14

Man has figured out how to burn salt water.

by jaguarbass in

jw
friends

http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=35660&bw.

i bet exon and mobil will buy this information so the public cant have it.

thats what they call capitalism..

JamesThomas

Yes, this is very interesting; a new way to separate out hydrogen from water. It will be interesting to see if they can get the power usage down to make it practical.

Dave, do you frequent OUPower.com? Bob Boyce posts there regularly.

j

31

is atheism better than believing in a god who doesnt care?

by theinfamousone in

so here's a sincere question... and instead of pressing my frustrations and blaming god and bla bla bla... i decided that instead of writing letters to an inactive god, i would ask your opinion!!!!!.

here's the question, looking at the world around you, seeing all the pain and frustration, the death and disease, the war and hypocricy, the starvation and disgust; generally seeing that our world is falling apart... if someone were able to irrevocably prove that there was a god, an intelligent creator is you will, would you want to worship him?

if he was there and created all of this just to watch it all implode, would you be able to respect that?

JamesThomas

Are you suggesting there is a wiser choice than reducing the Source of an INFINITELY glorious universe down to the murderously vile tribal deity found within the pages of the Bible?

Atheism, certainly seems -- by fare -- the most honorable of the two. IMO.

j

8

Belief And Non-Belief-Are They The Same?

by choosing life in

after reading the frequent threads on atheism verses theism, i find that both are very passionate about one thing, their beliefs.

atheists may not believe in god, but they are firm believers in the abscence of a god and evolution.

theists, on the other hand, are just as firm in their belief in a god and usually creation.

JamesThomas

Nice post, cl.

Much of the heat of such arguments is we come to identify with our beliefs as what we are: I am Christian, I am atheist, etc. So it in a way it becomes a psychological life and death thing.

Of course Reality is not dependant on beliefs, it's what IS, no matter what we think. This may be why many wise teachers of truth suggest to be still of all the minds interpritations and just silently be present in this moment of actuality and allow reality to wordlessly share what it will. Unfortunately we have come to believe (there we go again) that the beginning and end of intelligence and wisdom is our mind....even though the entire universe -- including the mind -- came into existence with no help from us.

j

450

Isn't God Awesome?

by Perry in

http://wonderofitall.com/

JamesThomas

H.S.

That was a quote of Perry's to you from farther up the thread. I just placed it in my post as basis for the Dawkins link.

j