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Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » "Know thyself." A scary undertaking?

"Know thyself." A scary undertaking?

Posted - April 8, 2017

Responses


  • 6477
    Yes, very scary... but very worthwhile too.. and once you start, you will never stop... it's a journey and we learn more and more about ourselves and others every day.
      April 8, 2017 12:36 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    definitely
      April 8, 2017 12:57 PM MDT
    1

  • 745
    Yes, and also quite humanly narcissistic. 
      April 8, 2017 1:35 PM MDT
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  • How I it narcissistic?
      April 8, 2017 9:06 PM MDT
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  • It can be a bit of a shock the first time you get a clear look at yourself but once you break through and get to know you, you'll find you're pretty much your kind of person. That ain't so bad.
      April 8, 2017 1:55 PM MDT
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  • What if what one find is bad?
      April 8, 2017 9:04 PM MDT
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  • 5808
    not Scary at all
    A Delightful, Happy, Magical journey This post was edited by Baba at April 8, 2017 5:32 PM MDT
      April 8, 2017 5:19 PM MDT
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  • One might find very bad things.
      April 8, 2017 9:05 PM MDT
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  • 5808
         nah, it's all in your mind
    this fear you have created.
    Know thy Real Self
    because your nature is that of love.
    Nothing to fear there.
         Your mind is full of doubts and fear.
    that is not who you are,
        your little self, your Ego is not who you are.
    If you hold onto the illusion, you will be deluded.
    If you let all of that go
    the illusion will disappear
    and who you really are will fill your heart with joy.
         The thought world is not reality.
    When your ego disappears Reality presents itself.



      April 9, 2017 8:32 AM MDT
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  • Wow. Holding on to illusion for sure.
      April 9, 2017 9:47 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    Nope

    All men by nature desire to know.  (Aristotle---Metaphysics; Book 1, Part 1)
      April 8, 2017 5:24 PM MDT
    3

  • This does not mean the journey won't be frightening.
      April 8, 2017 9:02 PM MDT
    1

  • 7280
    Evil exists primarily as a lack in a good.  Truth exists and is the proper object of study.

    Since I believe that, it was always a wondrous journey filled with anticipation.

    Lots of work, but never frightening.
      April 9, 2017 1:37 PM MDT
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  • I think you misunderstand my post.  I meaning that it can be frightening to look deep inside one's self and find things one does not wish to acknowledge are there.
      April 9, 2017 9:12 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    No.  I am a human being;  God created us and saw that it was good. If I am coming to see what he created in me, why should I have ever feared what I might find?  I never did.
      April 10, 2017 11:31 AM MDT
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  • I would question the creationist perspective.  Were one to allow it for discussion, one can easily see what may have been created good can become very corrupt and evil.  History is replete with endless examples.
      April 10, 2017 12:04 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Fine---question it.

    In the meantime it has certainly worked for me.

    If you're aware of something that better fits reality and which has proven more efficacious in your life, by all means share your experience.
      April 10, 2017 12:06 PM MDT
    1

  • In general I remain interested but natural to the question of how the world came into being.  I see no compelling reason to accept a divine, rather than a natural explanation.  Your second statement is quite true.  The divine, creationist perspective works.  It can provide answers.  But it does not follow that these answers are true. Each position, creationist or naturalist are unprovable positons and each are as religious people often say, "a leap of faith."
      April 10, 2017 12:42 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Either we were created by a God or we weren't.

    Our opinions as to whether or not we were have no effect on whether or not we actually were.

    CS Lewis commented that good differs not only from evil, but also from every other good.

    If you miss the train, it's a long walk to where you could have been.
      April 10, 2017 5:43 PM MDT
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  • The second sentence is true for both positions, It does nothing to resolve the question.

    The last sentence is specious.  There may well be no train going anywhere,  Or the train may have a station master other than the one a believer believes in.
      April 10, 2017 5:49 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Specious is not applicable to that sentence.

    Aristotle said that the mind is a machine for coming to conclusions.

    If we were created by God, there are certain meaningful actions to be taken.

    If we weren't, there are perhaps even more meaningful actions to be taken since total justice for us is no longer assured.

    Change (again Aristotle) is a law of our being.  We move from potency to act. If you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards.
      April 10, 2017 5:58 PM MDT
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  •   April 10, 2017 5:30 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    A little scary, a little enlightening and a lot satisfying to know why you do what you do and either love yourself the way you are or embark upon a change. 
      April 8, 2017 5:31 PM MDT
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  • Yes Whistle6, in fact SO scary that the great religious traditions say that you should not undertake the journey of self-knowledge until such time as you truly feel you have no other choice.

    And in that regard, one expression of that inconsolable yearning for self-knowledge, for reality, can be deep intractable depression...that nothing else will do...
    Again to just say that avoiding self-harm is the absolute first priority, but when all else is equal then depression can be precious...first-hand experience, here.
      April 8, 2017 5:55 PM MDT
    2