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Belated Intro
Within a very short time of coming across the Theosophical Society I started paying member dues. If you knew me at the time, this would have been very suprising because I do not like labels and I don't like to attach myself to or subscribe to any specific school of thought. But I can tell you easily why I did it. Besides the wealth of information the TS held and which resonated with more truth than most any other collection I had come across, there was one defining reason. The motto..
The is no Religion higher than Truth
This was my selling point and I bought in almost immediately. It talks of Truth as something higher than can be grasped. It is the only destination to which we can have a fullfilling path.
As for me, which I believe this board is suppose to be about... (not 'me', but my introduction), I can give a semi-short history.
I am from Indiana originally. I was raised Christian, though it was not shoved down our throat. I was always one to question, and I brought up all the annoying questions in Sunday school and such, but over all I was satisfied with my religion.
When I joined the AirForce, I personally became more religious. And I also questioned more, until the inevitable came to pass and I started to question my religion and myself. I felt very guilty and bad for awhile. But in the end I decided something...
...I was made this was, to question, and therefore I shall...
and...
...the Truth shall remain the Truth no matter what I think...
So I allowed myself to question my religion and myself, knowing that if I stepped outside of them, and they were the whole truth,.. I would see that and eventually return to them. But I never did. I however did not entirely dismiss them. I know there was a truth to the feeling I got in church, and as many things I'd heard in sermons which did not ring true, there where some things that did.
I decided that the greatest gift church had to give was a sense of community and belonging, and that is very important and what many people crave and get from it. I also decided that all religions have a piece of the truth but none own it entirely.
And so, I neatly tied up my loose strings to the past and proceeded forward unhindered.
As much as such practise is chastised by some, I am one of those who studies many religions and ideas and pull out pieces that feel right to me and thereby have a collage 'faith'. It works for me. At the same time, I try to keep in mind that "All I know is that I don't Know"... as to always allowing me to question and learn, for if you already think you know you cannot learn.
Before the TS, the only other specific turning point in my spirituality came from Yahoo Chat Rooms,... back when they were truly cool and open. When members could make their own rooms and such. I made a few friends from people I'd talked with in there a few times. I was full of questions and soaking up everything. I was invited to an e-mail Circle we called the COL, Circle of Light (I know this name has been used many times in many places). It started out fairly small, 7 or so people I think. One may start a topic and send to all, and those who cared to replied and the e-mails continued until a topic was talked out. This was before forumns or before they were used much.. like 94' I think. What I gained more than anything in this group was my voice. Encouraged by others, I went from asking, asking, asking... to stating what I believed. It was very empowering and it gave me trust in my own inner voice. A prize that I cannot be over-thankful for, because we are our own greatest teacher as well as our own greatest obstacle.
After a wonderful round with some wonderful people,... and a few meltdowns as all such groups have... the COL grew to almost 75 people. The emails were overwhelming and it lost it's intimacy and charm it started with. Most of the original members, including myself eventually said our goodbyes and continued on our paths elsewise.
I've lost touch with most all of them, but they are never forgotten.
At that time I had a fire in me which raged, it was an awesome, and terribly beautiful thing. I grew unimaginably then. My fire since has quieted. I'd hoped it was temporary, but I think I just moved into a new phase and a different kind of growth.
I now have a family and responsibilities which keep me from raging as I did. No, the raging slowed on it's own, and a family and it's importance filled the void. I still ask the big questions, and love the deep topics, and someday... I may rage again.
The is no Religion higher than Truth
This was my selling point and I bought in almost immediately. It talks of Truth as something higher than can be grasped. It is the only destination to which we can have a fullfilling path.
As for me, which I believe this board is suppose to be about... (not 'me', but my introduction), I can give a semi-short history.
I am from Indiana originally. I was raised Christian, though it was not shoved down our throat. I was always one to question, and I brought up all the annoying questions in Sunday school and such, but over all I was satisfied with my religion.
When I joined the AirForce, I personally became more religious. And I also questioned more, until the inevitable came to pass and I started to question my religion and myself. I felt very guilty and bad for awhile. But in the end I decided something...
...I was made this was, to question, and therefore I shall...
and...
...the Truth shall remain the Truth no matter what I think...
So I allowed myself to question my religion and myself, knowing that if I stepped outside of them, and they were the whole truth,.. I would see that and eventually return to them. But I never did. I however did not entirely dismiss them. I know there was a truth to the feeling I got in church, and as many things I'd heard in sermons which did not ring true, there where some things that did.
I decided that the greatest gift church had to give was a sense of community and belonging, and that is very important and what many people crave and get from it. I also decided that all religions have a piece of the truth but none own it entirely.
And so, I neatly tied up my loose strings to the past and proceeded forward unhindered.
As much as such practise is chastised by some, I am one of those who studies many religions and ideas and pull out pieces that feel right to me and thereby have a collage 'faith'. It works for me. At the same time, I try to keep in mind that "All I know is that I don't Know"... as to always allowing me to question and learn, for if you already think you know you cannot learn.
Before the TS, the only other specific turning point in my spirituality came from Yahoo Chat Rooms,... back when they were truly cool and open. When members could make their own rooms and such. I made a few friends from people I'd talked with in there a few times. I was full of questions and soaking up everything. I was invited to an e-mail Circle we called the COL, Circle of Light (I know this name has been used many times in many places). It started out fairly small, 7 or so people I think. One may start a topic and send to all, and those who cared to replied and the e-mails continued until a topic was talked out. This was before forumns or before they were used much.. like 94' I think. What I gained more than anything in this group was my voice. Encouraged by others, I went from asking, asking, asking... to stating what I believed. It was very empowering and it gave me trust in my own inner voice. A prize that I cannot be over-thankful for, because we are our own greatest teacher as well as our own greatest obstacle.
After a wonderful round with some wonderful people,... and a few meltdowns as all such groups have... the COL grew to almost 75 people. The emails were overwhelming and it lost it's intimacy and charm it started with. Most of the original members, including myself eventually said our goodbyes and continued on our paths elsewise.
I've lost touch with most all of them, but they are never forgotten.
At that time I had a fire in me which raged, it was an awesome, and terribly beautiful thing. I grew unimaginably then. My fire since has quieted. I'd hoped it was temporary, but I think I just moved into a new phase and a different kind of growth.
I now have a family and responsibilities which keep me from raging as I did. No, the raging slowed on it's own, and a family and it's importance filled the void. I still ask the big questions, and love the deep topics, and someday... I may rage again.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack Donaldson on -
Thanks Scott. I finally watched the Dan Dennett video on our consciousness, and being relatively brief, the one thing that caught my mind is the claim he makes that we can only focus on a small area a little larger than our thumb print. It makes me think of the old saying, "I don't believe anything I hear, and only half of what I see". I suppose I should belief even less than half of what I see. grinning. I'm glad your here.
J
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Permalink Reply by Nabil Naser on -
Hey
I like the new you
It seems like rage against rage
That is a good picture
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Permalink Reply by Mark Newbold on -
Rage on Brother rage on...
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