Is truth worth it?

I grew up on a ranch in Southern Arizona where everyone was Christian of one sort or another. There were a few Jews in town, but no Muslims, or Hindus, or Buddhists, or even followers of the Peyote Cult. Sourthern Arizona is heavy with Catholics, Mormons, and Baptists, but the Methodists and a few other Christian groups managed to fill-out a congregation. The public schools when I was growing up began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a pray for the good of our country, our parents and teachers ... no discussion, no dissent allowed. At that time you read what books the local librarian chose to stock, what the local editor decided to publish, and what news came over the radio at the end of the day. Guess what point of view predominated?

I was devote, attended church regularly and said my prayers at least four times a day. I donated a tenth or more of whatever pocket change I had (in those days a .25 cent weekly allowance was doing pretty good), to the church for relief of the poor and support of missionaries. I went to Sunday School and read religious books. I kept asking questions about religion that my elders didn't want to hear, much less answer. When I was maybe 13 or 14 I stumbled across a bowlderized fragment of the Vedas. Oh ho! This is something different. From that time on it was clear that there were other alternatives to Christianity, and I've made an effort to shop around and compare.

My Grandmother said, "you can be any religion you wish, and we will love you no less. You can be a Catholic or even a Seventh Day Adventist, just so long as its Christian". I'm afraid I was a disappointment to her and to those who predicted that I'd end up a preacher somewhere. I've been a Buddhist now for nearly fifty years and don't expect to change my religious view between now and the time I die. In the early years being Buddhist was much harder than it is now. Its been years since anyone condemned me to hell for following a pagan religion. Back in the beginning, there weren't many Buddhists in this country that I ever met. Most who called themselves Buddhist, weren't really ... they were in rebellion against the old folks without changing their fundamental world view. Now there are more of us. There are Buddhist priests here in Albuquerque, and a few years ago we hosted a traveling band of Tibetan monks.

Be courageous. I can confidently predict that you will not be burnt at the stake, or stoned to death for daring to discover your own religious path.

Hmmmmm... an interesting story.

Some of the beliefs of Buddhism compared to Christianity are slightly more unbelievable. I hardly believe some of those of Christianity, so how can I believe those of Buddhism?

Buddhism is rich in allegory, and there is a wide range of beliefs within Buddhism. There are a number of threads here on the Religion forum at A2K, where Buddhism has been discussed at length. Check them out, and if you have question (as I'm sure you will) just ask. JLNobody from down in Texas is a good source, though we both are Zen Buddhists and our remarks regarding Theravada or Tantric Buddhism is more bookish than direct experience.

Buddhism is designed to assist those who would free themselves from the suffering that naturally attends sentient life. It is a path that intended to lead to individual realization of the Ultimate Realty, and there have been many who attest to its success when followed sincerely. This is a religion of meditation and action on the part of each individual, not upon mere faith in doctrine as spoken from any pulpit.

Thanks Asherman, I'll do some research. I do actually have a book on Buddhism, it's called "From the Holy Mountain" by William Dalrymple. I havn't read it yet. Have you read it? If so can you comment on it?

Its not a book that I've read.

Many pivotal historical events are indeed random, meteorological events, geological events, the geography of the lands, the associated flora and fauna, the availability of food, the amount and type of disease, whether a potently historical figure dies prior to having the influence they might have, the list is immense.

The premise of causally is more a function of man's need to rationalize events. To say that "everything is connected" is not to say that for all intents and purposes the events in question are not random, as everything is in some sense connected.

By your argument, and as per my prior example, you could start with 100 identical parallel worlds and in 100,000 years of man's history (if each world was left to develop independently) events in each world would unfold the same . That logic is simply untenable, all the theories of science and the observations of nature deny such congruency.

Random:
Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective
Without a governing design, method, or purpose

Oh m'god, Chumly you are right! I guess I'll just have to burn all my writings and send back my degrees. LOL

Hi Asherman you naughty boy,

OK, within the context of my posts, and as per my prior example of the two identical parallel worlds, and the subsequent example of the 100 identical parallel worlds, would you be kind enough to show me how you would confirm your view.

This theory of parallel worlds, it depends on whether or not people have free will.

And (ignoring free will for the time being) although we say things have a certain chance of happening, this is only because we don't to the variables affecting the possible event and/or we can't tell exactly how these variables will affect the outcome. So really, everything happens depending on its surroundings, and chance is non-existent.

We say when we roll a die, there is a 1/6 chance of rolling a six, but really it depends on how we roll it, the surface we roll it on, the condition of the die, the air currents etc

I didn't much care for Sophomoric philosophical argument when I was kid, and I still would rather not. Implications of some Quantum Theory ideas are that there are an infinite number of possibles, and that all of them equally exist in infinite variety. As a theoretical matter that may well be the case. My math is isn't nearly good enough to fully understand all the implications of these theories, much less discuss the matter intelligently. BTW, from my limited understanding it seems that Quantum Theory and Buddhism are not antithetical.

I thought we were talking about human events, not the frontiers of theoretical science, or science fiction. We can not know what might have been, we only know imperfectly what was, and is. Would the world be different if Hitler had never lived? Perhaps, but Hitler was the product of many trends that might be traced back for thousands of years. Does that excuse Hitler's behavior? No, it does not. Each of us has a range of choice, and being human we can transcend the rote, mechanical working out of the larger pattern. Do we have Free Will? I very much think so, and to believe otherwise would be to abandon all hope of breaking out of a pattern that is typified by suffering. I'm not sure what exactly progress is, but it is something that we strive for.

Hmmmmm...

Hi Asherman,

One of my great loves is Science Fiction and it will show. And yes we are talking about "human events, not the frontiers of theoretical science, or science fiction".

My examples of the parallel worlds was prefaced on "human events" as per potential randomness in historical events, it is why I emphasized how random natural events shape man made events as well as referred to the potential randomness of the man made events in and of themselves.

Always a pleasure chatting with you, however my text is not exhibiting great immaturity and lack of judgment i.e. sophomoric, and further you should note that I never defer to "my writings" and "my degrees" as you have done.

Argument From Authority: Asherman wrote "I'll just have to burn all my writings and send back my degrees. LOL"

Argumentum ad Hominem: Asherman wrote "Sophomoric philosophical argument"

Sophomoric ... that about sums it up

The Appeal to Ridicule is a fallacy in which ridicule or mockery is substituted for evidence in an "argument."

O.K., you didn't sleep through the philosophy classes related to classical syllogisms.

I stand by my view that "it's always a pleasure chatting with you" and will add I am sure you have much to offer.
Cheers,
Chum

Asherman,

Since I don't have pm privileges - please don't put "the Abrahamic faiths" into one group. They are three different beliefs and you should respect this.