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William Routhier's avatar

Thanks. I mean, this is a way I view it that works for me. I still think belief in a god floating in the sky who answers your personal needs is bad thinking, and that makes for a groove in the mind that's not good. In seeing it as having duality, or multiple aspects, though, I can see a determined mind bundled up in that bad thinking, and so there's an energy to it that probes reality for answers. If that makes sense to you. I have to say that for years I couldn't listen to those songs without thinking of black and white fundamentalism, which is what they are on the surface.

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Margo MacLellan's avatar

Thank you for this insight. I was one of the befuddled ones at the time, and to this day I struggle to feel comfortable with those albums. I’m going to try again now.

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Micki Colbeck's avatar

Interesting. I was unaware of the Christian Bob. I like your spin on what happened- the facts are wrong, but the belief is real.

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William Routhier's avatar

Yeah, there's a quote from Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda, "Prayer is an act in which we give expression to the pressing and powerful wishes in the depths of our being and yearn for their fulfillment." I think that's a great quote as far as prayer. The content of the yearning is the thing, not who or what it's directed at.

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Micki Colbeck's avatar

That's strong. So, by wishin' and prayin' we get through tough times. It's not like anybody is listening, but maybe that's not important.

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William Routhier's avatar

I think that's the falseness that we've been taught with Theism, that we're asking someone a favor, or help. Whereas, if it's a determined intention, "I will do this no matter what" kind of thing, or, "I'll weather this," then its coming from ourselves.

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Micki Colbeck's avatar

Doesn't that kind of thinking make us eternal children begging from the eternal father?

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William Routhier's avatar

To clarify what I mean (and I'm not sure it's exactly right) is you could have somebody praying to God or Jesus and on the surface it's this asking/begging but at heart the person has a determined mind going on. So the main 'prayer' is the determined mind. And a determined mind works to affect things.

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Micki Colbeck's avatar

So by praying, one helps things happen?

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William Routhier's avatar

Yeah, exactly, if someone's asking it to be given. Begging does nothing. If you're determined and the wish is more like, 'This has got to happen' combined with your effort, it's different, it's coming out of yourself. That's how I see it anyway. Some things are unchangeable, too, gotta recognize that.

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