Pantheistic Monism
I don’t think I will ever truly understand the idea of karma. The view of easterners who follow such religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism baffles me. I know in Christian Theism There are know absolutes, There is a God, He is transcendent, and the "omni" all knowing, all-powerful and so on. These comforts me knowing that there are absolutes, that there is someone over me this make God tangible in a sense. Not that I can see Him, but that I don’t have to look for him in a tree or a rock.
I agree with the eastern ideas in a way. But I believe they take the idea to an extreme. If thinking causes war, don’t think. Maybe it’s just my western mind here but thinking involves more than causing war. I think about what I will eat, I think about what I will say. If one were to cease thinking they would become a burden on their society. Drug users are a perfect example.
I find that eastern pantheistic monism will leave you still searching for more, it doesn’t really answer any questions, just puts a happy Buddha face on them. The idea of self-denial is common to both Christian theism and Eastern pantheistic monism in a way; we both believe that we should put ourselves aside. In the Christians view, this is so we can live like Christ. In the Buddhists view it is to make your karma better, and seems to involve pain and deprivation of basic human needs.
So Pantheistic Monism doesn’t answer anything really, it is just another way we look for the answer when we refuse to see the only one. People made a response to an idea that wasn’t working any more. Just like that "ism" came as a response for anther "ism". There is nothing to compare in my mind, these two ideas are too different to have any real similarities. True they have common sounding ideas, but there are no common grounds, no common beliefs.
It makes us feel good when we can have a good feeling inside us. And the illustration of Star Wars is a great way to describe Pantheistic monism, the " force" is there to be used, for good or evil, it doesn’t matter. In pantheistic monism there is no great calling to become a better person. Good or evil, it’s really up to what you feel like that day. Ethics in pantheistic monism I think really depends on what you want them to be that day. If you want good karma or bad karma there is no punishment for an ill choice. You always have your next lifetime to make up for your bad choices. So sin really does not exist to a Buddhist or Hindu I think, because there is no final end, no final choice. It can just be what you want it to be.So to end, all can find salvation, if they believe in Christ, that he is our savior. Theism has absolutes, an end, a beginning and a time for retribution, a time for a final decision. Myself, I am relived in the knowledge that there is an end, and that I have made my choice on which side of the line I will stand.
I agree with the eastern ideas in a way. But I believe they take the idea to an extreme. If thinking causes war, don’t think. Maybe it’s just my western mind here but thinking involves more than causing war. I think about what I will eat, I think about what I will say. If one were to cease thinking they would become a burden on their society. Drug users are a perfect example.
I find that eastern pantheistic monism will leave you still searching for more, it doesn’t really answer any questions, just puts a happy Buddha face on them. The idea of self-denial is common to both Christian theism and Eastern pantheistic monism in a way; we both believe that we should put ourselves aside. In the Christians view, this is so we can live like Christ. In the Buddhists view it is to make your karma better, and seems to involve pain and deprivation of basic human needs.
So Pantheistic Monism doesn’t answer anything really, it is just another way we look for the answer when we refuse to see the only one. People made a response to an idea that wasn’t working any more. Just like that "ism" came as a response for anther "ism". There is nothing to compare in my mind, these two ideas are too different to have any real similarities. True they have common sounding ideas, but there are no common grounds, no common beliefs.
It makes us feel good when we can have a good feeling inside us. And the illustration of Star Wars is a great way to describe Pantheistic monism, the " force" is there to be used, for good or evil, it doesn’t matter. In pantheistic monism there is no great calling to become a better person. Good or evil, it’s really up to what you feel like that day. Ethics in pantheistic monism I think really depends on what you want them to be that day. If you want good karma or bad karma there is no punishment for an ill choice. You always have your next lifetime to make up for your bad choices. So sin really does not exist to a Buddhist or Hindu I think, because there is no final end, no final choice. It can just be what you want it to be.So to end, all can find salvation, if they believe in Christ, that he is our savior. Theism has absolutes, an end, a beginning and a time for retribution, a time for a final decision. Myself, I am relived in the knowledge that there is an end, and that I have made my choice on which side of the line I will stand.
posted by Austininva at 9:17 AM
1 Comments:
how did your blueberry muffins turn out?
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