I'm working on a doctorate thesis at the moment though am still very early in the preparation stages; I am in the fields of Philosophy, Religion and Psychology.
Basically I just wanted some input first to try and analyze how others would perceive my thesis and on how they might try to comprehend and interpret the generalized idea behind it.
My theory is that all religions are truly based under one main "being" or essence of life. The separations that we perceive come into place under the distortions of principles and ethics weaved into each religion as well the differences in the socio-cultural development of nations and groups. A certain degree of truth is weaved throughout each religion, though ultimately all are one.
unearth the meanings of the original transcripts to relieve them from the manipulation they have undergone through the different perspectives accumulated by certain people who have actually written the holy books.
This has been known to happen, and in such cases, the altered religion may now appear to share common ground with the missionary's religion that it did not contain prior to the missionary's involvement. So I think it would be important to your thesis to establish that any similarities in religious beliefs did not occur through such interference.
Why would the influence of missionaries be excluded from a consideration of the similarities of various religions?
Are Taoism and Buddhism any less similar because missionaries from both traditions influenced one another? Isn't there something to be said about the ease with which missionaries are accepted into communities with different faiths?
Taoism and Buddhism were so easily compatible that they merged into new traditions, like Zen. That two distinct faiths can merge so harmoniously, I think, would be evidence of their similarity.
….what I meant to try to say was that threads of truth run throughout all religions and that ultimately these threads form a repeating pattern therefore creating a premise that can be upheld as a ultimate truth.
Presuming then that we ultimately all live under one same truth (that bas been bonded throughout the universe, throughout the history of man and animals alike.
"Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think." - Dale Carnegie
Um hum, I think I was quoting off of someone else when he said that the religions meshed together. I know Siddhartha was Hindu, I have read his story many times over; I think it's a very inspiring story. I am confused about one thing though...as far as the spirit of 'Tao' the Tao goes the one ruler over everything (that exists as nothing because it has no ego), oh how I do love Taoism, its complexities which are framed as simplicities. Which?I suppose really in turn are simplicities. Sorry about that, back to the question, do you believe that Taoism anywhere along the line played a role in the forming of Buddhism? Possibly the oral tradition or such.
As what you are proposing is not a feature of 'personal experience', from whence comes your 'expertise' on your, for all intents and purposes, idle speculation? Are you going to quote the writings and words of those who claim such experiential knowledge? Fiddle with them and come to some unexperienced and unsupportable hypothesis? You can do no experimentation, no testing, everything will be anecdotal and any data will be interpreted differently by different people, different Perspectives, and you are, somehow, going to bring home the 'philosopher's stone'?? Are you Indiana Jones from the Indy School of Higher Adventure?
If you actually can 'see' this 'Truth', if 'Truth" can be seen, if this is the universe in which you live, you'd be running an ashram rather than buying a tin 'degree'.
I can't possible see how you would be given the OK to base a doctoral thesis on these unsupportable idle tail-chasing speculations. Are they trying to humiliate you?
Your professors aught be euthanised.
Ahhh, the ivy covered walls of academe... how the weed doth grow!
But i digress, why not write on something of which you have some 'experience'? This subject smacks of Perspective and you, according to you, ain't got none. And this has been okayed? I'm stunned. With what institution are you associated?
That is your presumption, I suppose, another idle speculation, and again, not your experience. No one does a 'doctoral thesis' based on "presuming"! That sentence itself will require a half dozen major works just to 'support/prove' all the essential implications and assertions!
From whence will come your expertise on this matter, also, of which you have no experience? What arrogance makes you think that you will bring this Fire from Olympus? IF there is a "Fire" (which you cannot demonstrate) and IF there is an "Olympus" (ditto) and IF you are "The One".
(Are we on Candid Camera? Glances around...)
(please don't stalk me, I'm only the messenger!)
Wait, inspiration that can be worthy of doctoral level work! The examination of your 'thesis' while under the influence of LSD! Mescaline! Magic mushrooms! All medically, scientifically documented and journalled. Then, perhaps, you might find some actual 'experience' and 'authority' from which to earn a doctorate!
And this;
..is ridiculous. The word "solely" makes it absurd. And it sure as hell does depend upon "who you are", and when observed. He sounds like capitalist materialist pig (history) who hasn't a clue as to what 'happiness' is, or from whence!
Just my opinion...
Wait, inspiration that can be worthy of doctoral level work! The examination of your 'thesis' while under the influence of LSD! Mescaline! Magic mushrooms! All medically, scientifically documented and journalled. Then, perhaps, you might find some actual 'experience' and 'authority' from which to earn a doctorate!
And this;
..is ridiculous. The word "solely" makes it absurd. And it sure as hell does depend upon "who you are", and when observed. He sounds like capitalist materialist pig (history) who hasn't a clue as to what 'happiness' is, or from whence!
My theory is that all religions are truly based under one main "being" or essence of life.
There are a lot of people in Africa who observe indigenous religions, mostly animist, and I'm not sure their own philosophy would corroborate your idea. I mean if your assertion is one about ALL religions, then you need a way to exclude dissent from this assertion, because even a single exception would kill the "all".
And you should probably approach this with an open mind, i.e. willingness to accept the possibility that your theory is not universally correct.
