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Should we bring back "witch burning"?

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Liberals: Should we bring back "witch burning" so you can quash conservative viewpoints?
Works for me. 33%  33%  [ 14 ]
No, I'm a Liberal with self-control. 67%  67%  [ 28 ]
Total votes : 42

monty
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29 May 2008, 9:00 am

A keystone of Buddhist practice is getting away from words, symbols, and the 'chattering monkey mind'. For this, there is meditation and direct perception, as in the flower sermon.

oscuria wrote:
In my opinion, it would be considered foolish to take the path completely alone. It must be under the guidance of a bona fide religious guide; this is to ensure that one doesn't become confused. It is very easy to misinterpret scripture and practice, especially if you haven't any previous experience.



I look at spiritual fitness like physical fitness. If you want to be a competitive athlete, you would benefit from having a coach. But for most people, simply walking regularly and taking part in whatever activities they enjoy is enough. The idea that everyone should be spiritual or physical superstars doesn't make sense to me.

In countries like Thailand, most men traditionally became monks for a few years - it was more like college than the western idea of priesthood. Usually, basic education was included (reading, writing, etc) along with a spiritual framework, meditation practices etc. After a few years, most men left the monastery and went back to their farms or family businesses. A few stay on to be permanent monks or teachers.

The noble truths and the eight-fold path are all relatively simple to understand (maybe not always simple to practice). Meditation is as simple to practice as walking. The Buddhist community is there to help if it is needed.



oscuria
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29 May 2008, 10:26 am

monty wrote:
The noble truths and the eight-fold path are all relatively simple to understand (maybe not always simple to practice). Meditation is as simple to practice as walking. The Buddhist community is there to help if it is needed.


I actually had in mind the Upanishads. The novice without supervision (either from a religious leader or studying the background of the texts by books from learned men) would not find these texts to be relatively simple. There is so much hidden in the language. The Upanishads are meant to be taught so one can understand them thoroughly.

Meditation is one important aspect, but without guidance you are meditating on nothing.

However, it religion is different to different people. Some work better meditating on the name, some imagining Him or committing works for Him, others like me work best through empiricism.


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monty
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29 May 2008, 10:42 am

For studying the Upanishads, a guru or pandit is in order. Either in person, or as a commentary. The Vedas and Upanishads can be esoteric compared to basic Buddhism. I like David Frawley's books, finding them to be very understandable. He has one called "The Principal Upanishads: The Essential Philosophical Foundation of Hinduism" - I haven't read it, but it is available very inexpensively from various online sources.



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30 May 2008, 1:24 pm

skafather84 wrote:
oscuria wrote:
Awesomelyglorious wrote:
Yes, please direct us to this ideological lynching so that way we can understand and analyze this better.


A member or two want me dead.

:help:


your prayers for martyrdom are just as perverted and disgusting as those from muslims or any other religion.


Perhaps not the kind of martyrdom you have in mind, ska. Matyrs sacrifice for what they believe in, but not while wearing bomb-vests. The matryr was originally a lovely, peaceful ideal.



monty
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30 May 2008, 1:31 pm

slowmutant wrote:

Perhaps not the kind of martyrdom you have in mind, ska. Matyrs sacrifice for what they believe in, but not while wearing bomb-vests. The matryr was originally a lovely, peaceful ideal.


Maybe a long time ago. During WWII, the US was singing the glory of their fighter and bomber pilots in songs like "Martyrs of the Air" by Kenneth Barnum.



slowmutant
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30 May 2008, 1:48 pm

Farther back than that, I think. Before manned flight, before the combustion engine. From antiquity. Does martyrdom necessarily entail violence?



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30 May 2008, 2:59 pm

Though I am no liberal, I've found that a little logic is more than enough to deal with some conservative (as well as liberal) arguments I find irrational or wrong. Burnings aren't necessary.


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monty
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30 May 2008, 3:03 pm

slowmutant wrote:
Farther back than that, I think. Before manned flight, before the combustion engine. From antiquity. Does martyrdom necessarily entail violence?


Yes, there must be violence from the martyrer. Not necessary from the martyree (aka martyr).



skafather84
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30 May 2008, 4:08 pm

slowmutant wrote:
skafather84 wrote:
oscuria wrote:
Awesomelyglorious wrote:
Yes, please direct us to this ideological lynching so that way we can understand and analyze this better.


A member or two want me dead.

:help:


your prayers for martyrdom are just as perverted and disgusting as those from muslims or any other religion.


Perhaps not the kind of martyrdom you have in mind, ska. Matyrs sacrifice for what they believe in, but not while wearing bomb-vests. The matryr was originally a lovely, peaceful ideal.



nah, you're wrong. that wasn't the kind of martrydom i had in mind. thanks for playing, though. i was more trying to illustrate the want of persecution or to die in the name of your god is perverted no matter what the religion is or what the circumstances are.



slowmutant
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30 May 2008, 4:22 pm

Is there anything beyond yourself you'd be willing to die for, ska? Do you have that kind of courage and depth of character? That kind of commitment?



skafather84
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30 May 2008, 4:44 pm

slowmutant wrote:
Is there anything beyond yourself you'd be willing to die for, ska? Do you have that kind of courage and depth of character? That kind of commitment?



now you're just baiting. courage? depth of character? dying takes none of these and there is nothing glorious about dying...ever.



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30 May 2008, 5:43 pm

slowmutant wrote:
Is there anything beyond yourself you'd be willing to die for, ska? Do you have that kind of courage and depth of character? That kind of commitment?


I probably don't. It's easy to die, though. It's harder to go on living.


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oscuria
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30 May 2008, 11:02 pm

skafather84 wrote:
nah, you're wrong. that wasn't the kind of martrydom i had in mind. thanks for playing, though. i was more trying to illustrate the want of persecution or to die in the name of your god is perverted no matter what the religion is or what the circumstances are.


Because people are willing to kill believers some are willing to die for their believes and would face their consequences full of dignity and honor--the status of a martyr.


There is no want of persecution, that is stupid and shows you are trying to simplify martyrdom, such a person who provokes is a fool. A believer wants to believe, not to be persecuted.


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skafather84
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30 May 2008, 11:42 pm

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=5bjBAez9cm4[/youtube]



MsTriste
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31 May 2008, 12:44 am

skafather84 wrote:
a solid majority of his poll questions are loaded questions. honestly can't recall any but still have the thought in the back of my head that there had to have been one or two.


My God, Ragtime and Skafather, I've been gone from here a year or so and I come back and find you two still haven't stopped sniping at each other. At one point it was so comical I believe I told you both to go get a room.



skafather84
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31 May 2008, 1:10 am

aylissa wrote:
skafather84 wrote:
a solid majority of his poll questions are loaded questions. honestly can't recall any but still have the thought in the back of my head that there had to have been one or two.


My God, Ragtime and Skafather, I've been gone from here a year or so and I come back and find you two still haven't stopped sniping at each other. At one point it was so comical I believe I told you both to go get a room.



the more things change, the more they stay the same.