Like so many things in life religion can be beneficial or injurious. Wouldn’t it be just as irrational to hold the view that religion is all good? — praxis
it is rather absurd to claim that I reject all such authority. — praxis
However, this access is uncommon and therefore the common folk necessary need to take whatever the Buddha claims about the nature of reality on faith — praxis
If you were practical you’d keep your silly fantasies about fellow posters to yourself and stick to the topics. — praxis
It's just that many of your posts seem to express a hostility towards 'religion' generally and to deprecate 'faith' as a kind of intellectual weakness.
— Wayfarer
I don’t believe that I’ve done that in this topic. — praxis
I'm talking about all religions and all religions depend on faith, specifically and significantly faith in ultimate authority. — praxis
I agree the whole issue of religious authority is vexed, that it is often abused, and that appeals to faith often underwrite ludicrous behaviours and ideologies. But I still don't think that amounts to a reason to reject the whole idea. — Wayfarer
Black Elk of the Dakotas tells us that when the white man arrived in their lands what amazed the tribes most was that they got their religion out of a book and argued about it like lawyers. This was incomprehensible to them. — FrancisRay
If it is not a secret I'd be interested to know where your woodland retreat is. — FrancisRay
It's just that many of your posts seem to express a hostility towards 'religion' generally and to deprecate 'faith' as a kind of intellectual weakness.
— Wayfarer
I don’t believe that I’ve done that in this topic.
— praxis
That seemed to me the implication of this:
I'm talking about all religions and all religions depend on faith, specifically and significantly faith in ultimate authority.
— praxis
I agree the whole issue of religious authority is vexed, that it is often abused, and that appeals to faith often underwrite ludicrous behaviors and ideologies. But I still don't think that amounts to a reason to reject the whole idea. (In other words - I still have faith :-) ) — Wayfarer
If it is instead true that the problem of human suffering arises from the medium of thought itself, then we're looking at a mechanical issue which can be addressed by simple mechanical means. — Hippyhead
they got their religion out of a book and argued about it like lawyers. — FrancisRay
It's the first one I've had here and as a veteran of philosophy forums it seems to me almost miraculously thoughtful and sensible, I'm excited to be talking to such interesting people. — FrancisRay
It’s easy to say that ‘thought is a mechanical process’ but what does it mean? — Wayfarer
But I think that left to our own devices, none of us will come remotely near understanding it in any depth. — Wayfarer
In the Catholic model, the Pope is the sole authority of the one true faith, all power emanates from him. — Wayfarer
The viciousness of the argument between the two stands of Buddhism is frightening and nothing to do with philosophy. — FrancisRay
I always planned to emigrate to the forests of Canada — FrancisRay
It expressly forbids a reliance on authority. — FrancisRay
It is all about becoming our own authority.and about nothing else. An authoritative knowledge of the true nature of Reality is the entire point and purpose of it. — FrancisRay
We may choose to trust the teachings or the teacher, but we'll never understand either properly until we know they are true, and everybody knows this. — FrancisRay
Your assumption that only the Buddha can be relied on as an authority is ridiculous. He must be turning in his grave. It's as silly as the idea that Jesus is the only son of God. — FrancisRay
There is an old saying that when we meet the Buddha on the road we should spit on him. It's a saying that can withstand a lot of thought. — FrancisRay
What I’m arguing with Praxis, is that the kind of deep and instinctive rejection of religious authority that he is expressing, is a very widespread view in modern culture. — Wayfarer
the Pope is the sole authority of the one true faith, all power emanates from him. — Wayfarer
there nevertheless is an hierarchy in the Buddhist sangha ... Buddhism is an early adopter of what would nowadays be called a ‘flat management structure’. — Wayfarer
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