The quest for enlightenment.

[ANDY-J]

An excessive adherence to any form of religious dogma will prevent an individual from attaining a true knowledge of God.I advocate a rejection of all conventional religious doctrines and the rejection of materialist values.Only by adopting an ascetic lifestyle and engaging in meditation can a person hope to truly know God and develop the degree of spiritual insight required to achieve nirvana.

[TheMinister]

How excessive. Your "only way" to nirvana Andy-J, is really a reformation on traditional religious dogmatism, because your foundation is excessively dogmatic. Your theory is insistant on a system of religous practice that adheres to an ONLY WAY TO NIRVANA OR SALVATION...; that's the main ingredient in dogmatism. Jesus too was dogmatic, and I happen to agree with His ONLY WAY, no offense bro. Jesus taught to keep oneself from execessive wordly baggage and extreme luxeries as a type of pilgrimage or fasting for close fellowship with the Father, and identification with the life-style of the Son. In this, your sentiments are certainlly sound biblically. Keep the search, it's nice talking to you again Andy-J. God bless you. TheMinister.

Do you read the bible? You can find much help from the Christian Research Institute about the teachings of Jesus on this topic; just click on:

http://www.equip.org

Tell me what you think.

[ANDY-J]

Minister.
I have respect for the teachings of Jesus.I am a regular reader of the new testament which I accept is a means of spiritual guidance.What I object to in christianity is the willingness of certain christians to accept the literal interpretation of certain biblical tracts.Surely you accept that much of what Jesus wrote was figurative and can only be understood by those possessing some spiritual insight.Is any rational human being expected to accept the veracity of certain miraculous events alluded to in the bible.The world was not created in six days,mankind did not evolve from Adam and Eve and while historical accounts confirm that there was a great flood Noah and his family were not the only survivors.I can never regard such things as anything but fantasy and while I have the greatest respect for christians I find it nothing short of incredible that in this day and age people are willing to accept that the miracles alluded to in the bible actually occured.

[TheMinister]

What historical accounts?

[ANDY-J]

The story of a great flood is not unique to christianity.Cultures as far apart as Australia,the Americas and Greece believed in the occurence of a catastrophe which destroyed much of civilisation and it is probable that they all reflect the same world-wide event.The Mesopotamian epic of Gilgamesh is in close agreement with the biblical account of the flood which occured around 4000 BC.Until the beginning of this century however there had been no satisfactory proof that this was anything more than tradition.However British and American archaeologists excavating a site at Ur in Iraq discovered a ten foot layer of clay in which were embedded the remains of marine crustaceans.This is conclusive proof of a massive catastrophic inundation. Below this layer was extensive evidence of human habitation and above it there was evidence of an entirely new culture and technology which had emerged shortly after the waters had subsided.

The Bible as history: Werner Keller.(Oxford,1991).

[TheMinister]

Andy-J,

Make no mistake about it, when science appraises the ancient of days, their conclusions are often conjecture. On many occasions, scientists have to interpret data and arrive at a "plausible explanation", not an infallible conclusion, hence, science's explanation of things must be accepted by faith. There are well-respected scientists who disagree with each other all the time on how to argue from "silence". Men with masters degrees and PhD's strenuously disagree over dating methods and what exactly the data says. It is a very different and infantile discipline where evidence demands a philosophical call, as oppose to asserting scientific proof. You obviously have faith in their philosophy; I have many questions for their answers.

Andy-J, go to Morocco, open board, and read my post Logic and Knowing the Creator, and jump in if you want, I suspect you could have something prudent to contribute. Peace.