Republci of virtue 7/09

A brief thought on God PDF Print
Posted by admin
Thursday, 02 July 2009 08:53

We continue to argue over this and that term; whether to ban the use of this or that word denoting and connoting spirituality. This can be a futile engagement. We will be trapped in the prison-house of language and truth is embedded in the particularity of language; in the "Babeli-ism" of the tower human beings are incarcerated in.

A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE
Azly Rahman
http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

Fundamentally religion is a complex topic; understanding "what-where-how-why-and what next" of "God" is even more complex exercise in reasoning and feeling -- a daunting psychological undertaking that can be taxing on the amateur human mind not trained in philosophy. Hence instead of engaging in controversies surrounding this or that term that has evolved from time immemorial (from the time of the earliest civilizations of the Indus Valley and the Fertile crescent',) we ought to look at this idea from a phenomenological perspective. But what does this mean? What is a phenomena and how does one engage in a phenomenological analysis the most sacred of all topics?

How might the "Creator" be looked at from the historical, cultural, ideological, psychological, anthropological, or even scientific perspective before we engage in a "phenomenological" dialogue of this concept.

We continue to argue over this and that term; whether to ban the use of this or that word denoting and connoting spirituality. This can be a futile engagement. We will be trapped in the prison-house of language and truth is embedded in the particularity of language; in the "Babeli-ism" of the tower human beings are incarcerated in.

Language mirrors reality. Language imitates reality. Language defines reality. Language alters reality. Language imprisons reality. Language is reality.

These are the cages humanity build albeit language opens doors. This is the paradox of language; almost as if humanity is cursed for its ability to evolve as a language-producing specie.

Even more complex is the idea of the Creator and the multidimensional aspects of the subconcepts this has produced. We cannot know the Ultimate Truth until our veil is lifted so that we may see Ultimate Reality. But then again, again and again, as in any circular argument we engage in, "reality" is subjective -- as subjective as the reality of the extreme yogis or the sadhus on the streets of Calcutta or the victims of Bernie Madoffs on Wall Street. "Seeing" Ultimate Reality itself is a difficult concept for the human mind to grasp; again, almost paradoxical and absurd a notion -- how can the created define the Creator?

If Ultimate Reality is so bright, permanent, transparent, and boundless, how can the human self so dark, transitional, opaque, and bounded, conceive such a reality? It is like to story of the famous ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes who is famous for carrying a lantern in broad daylight searching for something missing right in front of him -- the ultimate paradox. Diogenes is also said to have counseled Alexander of Macedonia who was found sitting in a river bank, looking solemn. When asked by the philosopher what is happening, the world conqueror said "I do not know what to conquer anymore". Diogenes replied, "Conquer yourself". Recall too Socrates' famous maxim "Know Thyself".

I suppose the statements above are meaningless; as soon as we transform thoughts into language, we create realities that are confined to our own experience with the language we use to define, deconstruct, or even destroy our reality.

I suppose too that we ought to begin reading philosophy to truly appreciate the nature of dialogue on matters such as God, the Universe and everything, and that especially our Malaysian universities become oases of philosophical debates rather than institutions dominated by political forces who are interested in transforming human beings yet into another huge cog in the wheel of Capital. Flourish we must in this world of increasing skepticism.

OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
While the opinion in the article is mine,
the comments are yours;
present them rationally and ethically.
AND -- SET ALL I.S.A. DETAINEES FREE]


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written by Badaksumbu, July 02, 2009 09:26:45
That would be their preoccupied objetive from now onwards till acheived-that would be strategy, for any weak mind soon will be trapped, and back to square one again.
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written by cheemengwong, July 02, 2009 09:42:34
A man too tired and lazy to think accepts the huge tree in front of his house as god and all else becomes....??? That is the truth of the matter. It does not matter what religion one embraces, but what thoughts one searches or don't after embracing a religion.

Without searching further but relying on a book or a idol image of a god is a dangerous thing.
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written by cheemengwong, July 02, 2009 09:51:21
God told me this today...

"God is for every man, but each man has to think for himself"

The problem now is 1 million men don't think but let the thinking to one person call "Tuaki" and tuaki will come out with all sort of ideas contrary to God's and led the 1 million unthinking men to perish.

najis/shit is everywhere and so is tuaki.
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written by 98PercentPrimate, July 02, 2009 09:57:53
God is a necessity in this phase of humanity evolution. But God is only necessary as a psychological ‘security blanket’ that most humans need to soothe the subliminal anxieties arising from the inherent primordial fear of mortality.

The fact is, there are no convincing proofs that God exists. Since this non-existent thingy had brought forth so much problems and violence since humanity emerged, it is definitely worthwhile for humanity to wean off the concept of God philosophically and rationally.

Btw, the majority of famous philosophers do not believe God exists. Humanity must develop the potential of its higher brain and dilute more its chimp-genes.
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written by Saint, July 02, 2009 14:00:13
Some religions created God first and tried to explain metaphysics, while others studied metaphysics and tried to put "God" into it. The former needs faith to continue, while the later needs trust to survive. The Abraham and Vedic religion created God first, while Jainism, Buddhism and the Siva religions created metaphysics first. Hinduism is a "mixture" of both. Atheist refuse to put "God" into metaphysics. Very simple, but the people of "the faith" cause all the problems, for their invention of God is very specially for their group only. The rest are all wrong.
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written by jstom98, July 02, 2009 16:25:56
The current issue is plain and simple : Do the followers of one religion have the right to poke their nose into the affairs of another ?
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written by Sabahfan, July 02, 2009 21:34:40
ny solution is to get rid of all religion....

start off by rounding up all the religious leaders and question them when the real gods ordained them to be their representative on earth.

As i know it for the last 40 years, most of the religious leaders are self appointed and self =ordained... ha ha ha ha
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written by Panca Indera, July 03, 2009 05:41:58
To those who are Unbelievers and Disbelievers
Read!
Quran, chpt.The Ants(27)

65. Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected."

66. Nay, they have no knowledge of the Hereafter. Nay, they are in doubt about it. Nay, they are blind about it.

67. And those who disbelieve say: "When we have become dust, we and our fathers, shall we really be brought forth (again)?

68. "Indeed we were promised this, we and our forefathers before, Verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients."

69. Say to them (O Muhammad ) "Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals (those who denied Allah's Messengers and disobeyed Allah)."

70. And grieve you not for them, nor be straitened (in distress) because of what they plot.

71. And they (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) say: "When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if you are truthful?"

72. Say: "Perhaps that which you wish to hasten on, may be close behind you.

73. "Verily, your Lord is full of Grace for mankind, yet most of them do not give thanks."

74. And verily, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal.

75. And there is nothing hidden in the heaven and the earth, but is in a Clear Book . smilies/cool.gif
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written by Pakyeh, July 03, 2009 10:02:41
I detest monopoly of God and the hereafter by Christians.The corruption of the One God of Jesus was done by the Roman Emperor Constantine and the Nicean Creed for political reasons.The salvation through Jesus/God dieing on the cross is a blaspheme in the invincibility of God and a fraud on the concept of sin.

Read more "The concept of sin", Yo Christians!God did not come out of a vagina,"Christian dogmas debunked.",History of One God" at...

http://warongpakyeh.********.com
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written by cheemengwong, July 03, 2009 11:16:44
GOD DID NOT COME OUT OF A VAGINA...pakyeh.

We did and ever since trying to get in again using our fingers, hands, legs, mouth and most of all our penis.

Come on lah... GOD's ways are not our ways and we can never fathom it out. Don't even try....
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written by C360, July 03, 2009 15:56:29
Truth lies in our HEARTS notwithstanding your dna neither your beliefs and value systems you were brought up with.

If you dont have it ... you dont have it. No amount of intellectual discourse nor religious certification is going to give you truth ...

Even the animals can recognise humans that have and those that do not...
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written by Steven Ong, July 04, 2009 23:05:42
Azly Rahman, from what you are saying, you sound just like an Islamic philosopher. You said you do not understand and yet think you are right - so you just submit yourself to your religion. Because you think this is right and the best, you obeyed and prevent others who joined from leaving. If you love your son, would you force him to stay home because you think the outside world is very corrupted and dangerous? Is this what you called - love? Is the love of God is to kill for God? Are they misguided or are they true believers? What did your scriptures say? I am just asking - not fitna. Many will be glad if one could explain clearly to all questions about any controvercies. Maybe the national TVs should have a question and answer programe on this? But then its sooooooooooooooo SENSITIVE. How silly I am.
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written by Howie ng, July 05, 2009 09:44:33
After evolving from stone age to this modern age of information shouldn't we humankind consider ourselves spiritually mature enough to live in peace on this "One Earth". There is no need for religion if what it brings is war and hatred among us. Any God would want their children to love one another. I think more than praises and doing thing in His name. We don't have to love others in the name of God because we already inherited from Him. Make Him proud of us by abandoning all religions as a proof that we have grown up and we do not need religion to perform as children of God. What would be considered as spiritually immature is the promise of heaven to do the right thing.
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written by Caretaker_y, July 06, 2009 21:43:10
It is the small-mindedness of sinful man & their limited thinking that have caused them to think that only they can called God the Creator this name or that name only.

When in your heart you are sincere, truthful & believing and you only know the God by the name you know Him as you had been brought up & call Him as you know & were told, God will respond.

Get out from your limited mind & remember that God is not limited only to your religion but He is ever to be called upon by anyone & everyone who humbly comes to him. In fact, God seeks after His creation first & not we after him first.

"I am come that you may have life and have it abundantly" John 10:10
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