I just went and took a closer look at your picture. I sit corrected. You are hilarious and cute, too! I can only imagine your belly-button to be as cute as you are on the outside. Big Winks and Smiles! It's always great to see you!! :) :)
Like you, I hold the power to make decisions. At the moment those decisions are made, good or bad, they tend to have actions follow. I agree about free will. I am so glad I have it and live in a country where, even if an illusion, do make a difference. I like your thought Bob Harris and thank you for answering. :) :)
I totally believe it is an illusion. At least our take on it is. We have no free will. But, we need to act as if we do. It matters. We need to both detach, and not let the outcome matter, while we act with integrity and love towards all and harm to none. That is the game. Life is an illusion, a game and we are all playing with our lives to, hopefully realize some day that there is no birth, there is no death. It is all illusion. The more we act in accordance with our highest self, the closer we will get to seeing what Christ Consciousness really means. (or not)
That is a wonderful way to see this adventure on Earth.
For me, your answer entices another old question, "what is real?" We have 5 physical senses that allow us to interact with the Earth and the environment we create. BUT, just because we can't see it, smell it, hear it, touch or taste it doesn't mean it isn't there. Maybe it is all an illusion and if it is, I'm very glad you are in mine. :) :)! Thank you BERNIE MAKES GOD SMILE AGAIN for being in my illusion and being my friend. :) :)
This post was edited by Merlin at February 19, 2020 9:23 AM MST
It all comes down to a word in Aramaic regarding Abraham being ordered to kill his son. The word is Kimshal (sic), it means either thou shall or thou mayest. I prefer the Thou mayest interpretation implying man has free will.
If it is Thou shall then we are all sinners and destined for a hot place with bad coffee - Tim Hortons or IHOP anyone? I did not think so
The Abraham story is Don's favorite when he is questioning God and his reasoning. I'm with you in having free will. I would rather a cup of Joe I make at home with good company and a pretty sunrise. Thanks Archerchef. :) :)
If there is predestination ... meaning our lives were not our own to control ... then any punishment for how we lived our lives would be unfair if directed at anyone other than the being that controlled our destiny.
Since I don't believe in any deity, I must accept that my choices are my own. I may be influenced by my environment, but the choice is ultimately mine.
There is something to be said for living in the now. This is one way to take responsibility for your own losses and celebrate your wins throughout life. I do believe there are entities out there much smarter and wiser than me and I feel they guide me in times of need. I think they are there to celebrate the triumphs and there to help in despair. How we get there is entirely up to us but as fate would have it, all our human bodies do die and go stay at Earth. I agree with you on that note. As always, it a pleasure to hear your point of view, Walt. Thank you. :) :)
Predestination is a word that we think has a simple definition---it's more of a concept that we have some insight into, but probably don't fully understand.
I present the following just for another view:
Catholicism teaches the doctrine of predestination, while rejecting the classical Calvinist view known as "double predestination". This means that while it is held that those whom God has elected to eternal life will infallibly attain it, and are therefore said to be predestined to salvation by God, those who perish are not predestined to damnation.
According to the Catholic Church, God predestines no one to go to hell, for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end."
Catholicism has been generally discouraging to human attempts to guess or predict the Divine Will.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. It seems religion has a big secret and is using the power of fear to keep it hidden. Our free will allows us to believe what they say and live our fate or fear our fate because of our free will. How confusing this has become. Thanks Tom! You're awesome! :) :)
Am I to understand that being a student of history and neuroscience dictates who you are and tells you this is a meaningless question? If this question insulted your intelligence, I'm sorry. I don't ask questions very often and this is one of the reasons. I'll keep my ridiculous questions out of your way. I'm sorry I bothered you and took up your time.
I want you two to be friends. Salty comes across as an analytical scientist sometimes, but Salty is really a soft teddy bear. Please trust me on this one. Once Salty gets a bead on your nature, I think Salty will be eating a seed from your hand.
Thanks BMGSA. You are a true friend. I appreciate you very much. As confident as I am in many aspects, even after all these years, I am still hesitant when asking questions. I would totally get her post if it were a light-hearted question but I thought it was valid. This question has crossed most of our minds at one point in our lives; hence, why I felt it safe to ask. Apparently, I guessed incorrectly. Salty's poignet response does hurt. Thank you for your vote of confidence. I'll try to make my "one question a year," a better one, next year. :(.
By "meaningless" I didn't mean it was a dumb or trivial question. By "meaningless" I meant those terms (as most people apply them) are not a useful way to frame the world.
I perhaps should have made that more explicit so my response sounded less condescending.
Your choices of studies are admirable. There are many lessons that lead to new ideas from studying the past. A rational person does not like to make the same mistake twice. Finding new avenues to make sure we don't is a necessity. In my opinion, the human mind is still the most unexplored territory in the world. If you are finding new folds in how both sides connect and how it works as a whole... or anything that opens new doors for science and human emotion, I am in awe.
I strive to encompass all that presents itself to me and beyond. I am interested in the physical but more the emotional and how the ties connect and what connects them.
On a very, under your intellect sort of simile.. Like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.
Thank you for showing you are able to show both sides of your post. It means a lot to me. My avatar is about magic and that has nothing to do with logic. It does represent a little in all of us as your thought pattern represents a side in all of us. Thank you again for apology. I appreciate it, immensely. I do love your bird and you and I Do play well, together.
This post was edited by Merlin at February 21, 2020 4:37 PM MST
As I see this was not directed toward me I still would like to respond. Your observation is exactly what I was asking. I was asking this group of friends because I value and respect their thoughts on the topic. I may not have worded it correctly. In fact, I'm sure I used the word "but" when I needed to use the word "and." Here nor there, it was the content of the question and the responses from people whom I consider online friends that was important to me and possibly to other mutual friends we all share. That was my intent in promoting this question. Thank you tom jackson. If ever I am in a crunch, may I hire you as my lawyer? I mean that in the kindest of ways and not that I need one now but that you see things in a third light. I should not have attempted to ask a question that opened a debate. "It's above my entrance card." Big Smiles. Thank you.
This post was edited by Merlin at February 21, 2020 3:58 PM MST
Also, I have tutored students in middle school up through graduate level. My special talent is zeroing in on the things that people don't so much miss as perhaps do not realize are happening.
What you explained is exactly what I thought the question was intended for and to produce.
And I'm always willing to throw an extra log on your fire for those who prefer a tad more light or heat.
Merlin 