Heathens missing out?

[Khandro]

As historically, so much great art is predicated on a strong feeling for God, do heathens feel at a loss not to be able to fully encompass some of humankind's greatest creations?

[jomifl]

You've been to Kentucky Khandro? wow!

[jackthehat]

People attempting to appear enigmatical on discussion forums are rather like the monkey climbing the tree........

[jomifl]

Steady on LG, you are making yourself far too clear :-)

[Khandro]

jomifl; Yes that was in Thailand, he got special dispensation to leave the monastery (see above) to visit some Buddhists and met this tragic death, Why do you post that, do you find it amusing?

[sandyRoe]

And they say God doesn't have a sense of humour. To puts such words into a chaps mouth then arrange his electrocution must surely reveal the blackest of black humour.

[jomifl]

Jack :-)

[sandyRoe]

It's the juxtaposition of his words and the way he went to judgement that's amusing.

[jomifl]

Khandro, I find it ironic that had he followed his metaphor (if it was a metaphor) in a literal way he might have lived longer. Perhaps metaphors should be used more judiciously.

[naomi24]

Khandro, // Well just keep on Googling, better still, do some reading,- you may have to do some of the work yourself if you want answers.//

Here we go again. Your argument flounders and so you attack the messenger. Par for the course. If what you’re recommending I read now is anything like the last thing you recommended I read, wasting my time further won’t add anything to my education.

[jomifl]

Khandro, would you care to summarize what Thomas Merton did for mankind that warrants your mentioning him. I can see that he led a varied life and certainly succeeded in indulging his sense of the metaphysical. (Would that I had enough spare cash to indulge myself in a similar manner).
What did it all amount to though?

[sandyRoe]

I was just thinking about famous last words and electrocution. If you were being strapped into 'Old Smokey' you'd have time, but maybe not the presence of mind, to say something memorable.

[Khandro]

jomifl; You don't really expect me to write a man's biography here do you?
when I mentioned 'Kentucky' I didn't mean the state where I once worked - nothing special in that - I referred to Gethsemane Monastery there, where I witnessed how tough that life is; - not for the weak in mind or spirit.
If you really want to know more there are books by him and on him.

[jomifl]

Khandro, I would no more expect you to precis the man's life story than you would expect me to explain something that you are well capable of reading up yourself. My question was, Why? what did he do that was so special? He may have given himself a hard life and struggled to come to terms with the world and society, but that was his problem not mine. What insights did he have that have been overlooked by most of the world?
Just a few lines of summary will suffice, If it can't be said in a few words then it probably can't be said at all.

[Khandro]

jomifl; OK, the first thing that springs to mind is that he always searched and advocated others to look and ask; what is it that people have in common with one another, rather that what is that separates them.
Risking the accusation of 'pomposity' and issuing forth 'pearls of wisdom', I would say that if this attitude was more universally adopted, there would be less bloodshed and persecution in the world about us. N'est ce pas ?

[LazyGun]

Khandro's Schooldays.

Chapter 1

Khandro looked out over the AB R&S classroom and sighed.It was all very discouraging. He had spent hours crafting his lessons, bon mots and homilies carefully designed to be just cryptic enough to encourage enquiry and spark the spirit of learning in the most obdurate and intellectually challenged of his pupils, to challenge them and help them grow - and what did they do? They ignored him, or challenged his pearls of wisdom! Plebs!

Not all of them, true, but that clique of atheists and rationalists, sat at the back of class, talking amongst themselves, were the most galling.


When he gently pointed out to them the spiritual significance of 20:45- so significant that even his dog recognised it, standing to attention every time the big hand pointed at 9, or how some individuals throughout history with a talent for writing believed that there was more to life than a purely naturalistic worldview- they rejected his encouragements.

Despite his best efforts to impart to them the wisdom of the ages - that any old rubbish should be accepted as true, especially if it didn't have any evidence, and that all beliefs and faiths were all equally valid and should all be afforded the utmost respect ,certainly in comparison with those barbarians who had no faith - he could not get his message through.

Instead, they jeered derisively, offered a two-fingered salute and exclaimed "so what, arty-farty?", and "show me the evidence, buddha boy!" His sensitive soul recoiled at the constant derision. They had Jeered! Derisively!At Him! How very dare they?!! Its not even as if his belly was that round!!

They tittered and laughed- oh, how they laughed - when he pointed out that with that sort of attitude they could never appreciate art or the wonders of the natural world as well as he could; In vain did he point out that their sensory armorium was pitiful in comparison to his own majestic organs.

How was it his class had been so infected with such corrupted values as critical thinking, or rationality, or science? How had it come to this?

Was he being too lenient? too lax with discipline? After all, it could not possibly be that his ideas might be wrongheaded.Nothing could challenge these beliefs, his faith was fixed in the bedrock of certainty.


Perhaps a dose of the cane might be in order.....?

[Khandro]

LG; Your poor sad man.

[jomifl]

Thanks Khandro, I can't disagree with that but then that has been my view for many years. Of course differences are what our brains have evolved to look for, similarities are not so obvious. The progress of humanity is going to be determined by our ability to put emotions and instincts on one side and give our intellects room to operate... something that religion has failed to do.

[jomifl]

LG, my previous post referred to Khandro's post at 15:41 not to his response to your gentle ribbing :-)