The word holiness did give me pause. I think it might have been used to avoid the use of other terms like "swami," "shaman," "priest," "imam," "rabbi," etc, etc.
I think holiness implies both "wholeness" and implication in the sacred. To the extent that none of us are "whole," none of us are holy; to the extent that we are all touched by the divine, each of us is holy.
I've dealt in concepts all my life and will probably have to do so until the end. Like all human inventions, language did not come without costs. I need to remind self that concepts are poor representations of the realities they are supposed to point to. "Emptiness" and "silence" are words which only dimly say what they mean.
"dangerous"? If so, you seem to be avoiding the pitfalls. I think the via negativa works very well for you, and anyway you've probably got a firmer grounding in positive theology than most people.
Huston Smith used the word dangerous to describe apopathic theology in an introduction to The Cloud of Unknowing. He did not explain, but the author of COU would have agreed and he tried to restrict his readership to one person, probably another monk for whom he served as spiritual director. I'm sure there must be people who find in emptiness and silence, a hell rather than a heaven.
I am probably the worst possible judge of my own spiritual state. But knowledge about something should not count as knowledge of it.
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I think holiness implies both "wholeness" and implication in the sacred. To the extent that none of us are "whole," none of us are holy; to the extent that we are all touched by the divine, each of us is holy.
I've dealt in concepts all my life and will probably have to do so until the end. Like all human inventions, language did not come without costs. I need to remind self that concepts are poor representations of the realities they are supposed to point to. "Emptiness" and "silence" are words which only dimly say what they mean.
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I am probably the worst possible judge of my own spiritual state. But knowledge about something should not count as knowledge of it.
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Thank you for your comment.
btw, i like your profile
and your choice of friends.
I also consider myself
somewhat of an egalitarian
May i add you to my friends list?
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