I think that your post asks some important questions about the nature of human beings reflecting on understanding it all. In particular, 'What hangs o...
I am sure that if I had not been surrounded by so many people who come from religious backgrounds I would not have thought about the issue of God like...
Your own development of ideas, including pantheism, is interesting in the sense that it goes beyond the shallow aspects of atheism. Both theism and at...
When you speak of Zeus and Shiva, they are images of what greater reality may exist. From my reading of Jung I came to see the Judaeo- Christian pictu...
The issue of guilt is central to Christianity, especially with the idea of original sin. I definitely struggled with guilt at times, but I am not sure...
I can remember thinking some time just over a year ago when I was using the forum, why are there so many threads looking at the existence of God. I wa...
Religious beliefs can be used in all kinds of ways, especially politically. That realisation was a motivating factor which I found important for quest...
I definitely began with the perspective that God is 'truth'. I came from a Catholic background but with an open mindedness to other forms of Christian...
I just wish to add that I am raising the debate over some analysis of the debate between theism and atheism. However, I do see it in the context of th...
I stayed out fairly late last night and wasn't lost. A friend who was trying to call me last night was extremely cross with me with me though and I ha...
Actually, I will admit that I go into dark dungeon states of mind at times. I try to be proactive and try and find my way out before the dungeon gets ...
The idea of not being one's true self may be the exaggerations of conformity. However, it is true that there are various sides to oneself which can be...
The use of the word self may vary. It may be that there is no actual entity which can be spoken of, as the Buddhists argue. However, the idea of being...
Yes, the issue may be who one is objectively or as one thinks one is or as others perceive one to be. It reminds me of a model which I remember being ...
I suppose when I speak of the potential defeat about authenticity it is not really the principle of authenticity but the underlying goals which have n...
Some may argue that the authentic self is an impossibility but that is probably an exaggeration of the situation. People may not always be seeking aut...
I probably do too much navel gazing and it can be hard to spend too much time thinking or acting spontaneously. In the first place, when I left school...
Doing what one enjoys doing is definitely a sign of being on an authentic path. I remember a couple of jobs which I did briefly which I loathed, tryin...
It is a challenge to throw aside all the ideas of oneself relating to others' opinions. Even if one seeks to do it, I wonder to what extent it is poss...
I am fairly impressed by the Buddhist idea of anatta, or no self, and Buddhist philosophy of mind in general. I have just begun reading a book called ...
I hadn't read Giddens until I came across the book in a charity shop a few months ago. I found it worth reading and, a little later, I came across Lai...
My own interpretation of how Schopenhauer comes to see the will as the 'thing in itself' is through the idea of it being an imminent reality in mind/b...
It may be that the issue of authenticity is related to Jungian individuation more than any other approach. It does seem that some people go down this ...
It is possible that thinking that suffering has meaning may set up a wrong mindset, one leading to the expectation and acceptance of struggle. It was ...
Perhaps, the notions of God and the devil serve as guiding ideas about the heights and the depths of the possibilities for becoming, and individuation...
It is a good question whether it is one's lesser self or not which is seeking ways of coping. It make involve reasoning but also deeper, less consciou...
There is the issue of egoism versus altruism and how this relates to human nature. Getting the balance between one's own needs and other beings, movin...
Dependency or independence is a conflict. As a teenager I used to be extremely close to my parents and trying to please them. I was an only child and ...
It may be that there is no 'true' self and it is a mythic concept. The problem may be more where people have developed such a fragmentary or fragile s...
It is interesting to hear how loss of belief in God made you less egocentric. I am sure it can go in many different ways. Belief in God can lead to so...
I haven't read Weber but I learned a little about Calvinism in history. One aspect which I do think comes into play is the context of values related t...
The idea of heteronomy is interesting because as the opposite of autonomy it is worth thinking about the forces which impact on human beings and choic...
I am not necessarily referring to the 'best' self because that may be about the ego ideal, almost with a moralistic overtones. However, it may be abou...
I agree that the self IS in relationships and it can be hard to stand back from it and, here, may a lot of blindspots. It is not as if everyone analys...
RD Laing spoke of the idea of the true and false self, but I believe that the actual idea was developed by the psychoanalyst, Donald Winnicott. Howeve...
The effects of family and community are profound. For example, gay and transgender people may sometimes try to deny this side to their lives out of pr...
Yes, I am not sure how helpful the term ego, and I guess this may depend on how ego and egoism is defined. It also, may vary at different stages in te...
It is true that social and material circumstances affect what potential there is. Also, it may vary at different stages of life. In particular, there ...
It is difficult to know to what extent the ego is or isn't involved in finding oneself. It may depend on the criteria used, and values of what matters...
I wonder about karma a fair amount because I often feel that I get some forms of instant karma. Of course, I realise that I may be overinterpreting. H...
Have you read 'Cosmic Consciousness', by Bucke I would recommend it, and it looks at lives of those who achieved exceptional consciousness, including ...
What on earth did you do to nearly get expelled from school? I was never really in trouble except for minor things, like talking in class when I shoul...
You got suspended! That sounds serious, but I am glad you are back. I used to get detention at school at times, mainly for not doing my homework in th...
That is interesting. I have never read any writing by Liebniz. The concept 'of the fundamental reality underlying our own existence' is interesting be...
Where is @"Agent Smith"? I haven't seen anything written by him in the last couple of days. I know that he shapeshifted from being @"TheMadFool" in th...
I remember several months ago we were discussing Aldous Huxley, and his book, 'The Perennial Wisdom'. He is an interesting example of someone who paid...
I definitely recall your thread on mysticism and how you have more of a 'meat and potatoes' approach and question tbe idea of the 'hidden'. I am not s...
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