Soul

[zonemind]

When I was 17 I was asked by a female companion what I wanted to be when I grew up. At the time I was living on my own, working as a ranch hand in the American West. I answered that I wanted to be “an author and an educator”. My relationship with my female companion did not progress thereafter. Nor did I see progress in my career as either a writer

Comments

[notthebuddha]

The solipsistic quality inherent to a belief in personal divine revelation does not encourage social unity.

I'm not sure this is the case for all revelations. People with Christian faith are supposed to want to do good works that benefit others, even if they are not required for salvation, and Buddhist faith includes both reincarnation and compassion for others beyond economic advantage.

[zonemind]

Hmm. I clearly need to refine my expression. I was trying to avoid using the term "gnosis" and in the process subvert/redirect Christopher Hitchens' assertion that "[a] religious fanatic is a schismatic by definition" (obviously a fallacious assertion by any normative standard of "definition"). I was, however, already displeased with the very sentence that you quoted. It suggests I am more hostile to the mystical or transcendent personal experience than I actually am. (Social harmony is not, after all, an absolute good

[notthebuddha]

Surely. I'm not sure I can understand everything you are saying, but that's not always a bad thing. And more importantly, now you indeed have something to say.

Data sources

[notthebuddha]

Good to see you are maintaining your interest in these things, Mont