what to do next

by moanzy 44 Replies latest members private

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  poppers

  "The problem is that there just is no definitive answer to anything."

  This realization can lead to a profound truth; congratulations for seeing this. Most people look for answers "out there" amidst the plethora of religious dogmas and philosophies. Perhaps the answer you seek is elsewhere, as JamesThomas suggests.

  "How do I go on with my life without this need to KNOW?"

  Another stunning realization! Yes, the "need to KNOW" is the driving force for those who are seeking answers. Understand this: Every "need to know" and the compulsion to fulfill that need is what keeps the answer from being discovered. Sounds paradoxical, doesn't it, yet it's true.

  There is something so basic, so simple, so pure, yet so obvious that it gets overlooked by most people, and that is this: What you seek is what you are in REALITY. What you are seeking through religion and philosophies is the basis of your very existence in this very moment. You are peering out of it with every glance you take, and that is consciousness itself. With every sensation, thought, and feeling that registers upon who you take yourself to be, consciousness/You is drinking it all in in silent stillness.

  May I be so bold as to suggest to you to discover the nature of consciousness, and in doing so you will not only discover the truth of what you really are, you will discover how life goes on without the need to know. I echo JamesThomas's suggestion of reading The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. He has a way of leading you back to re-discover to the truth of what you really are that is simple yet life-changing.
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  moanzy

  Thanks everyone for your replys. couldn't get on JWD yesturday so just got your info today.

  SickofLies- I haven't checked out those sites yet, but assume they are on Evolution. It's not that I don't agree or even believe in evolution. I tend to believe that an intelligent creator may have used evolution in causing things to exist.

  I just can't believe at this time that there is no intelligent force out there. We are intelligent beings yet we as humans in all the things we can accomplish and create, cannot create another living human using just the ingredients our bodies are made of. The best we can come up with is a clone. That is not the same. There is more to the human anyway. We reason and we are creative which is unique to any living thing on our planet.

  I will be sure to check out your info with an open mind. Thanks.

  Also I don't think there is a big conspircy to mislead people through science. However, I do feel differently about religion in that regard. I absolutely don't trust religion.

  The issue I have with science is it still has so much to find out and cannot answer the questions of the mind and it doesn't have the technology that is effective enough to dispel phenomena of every kind. This is why I don't put all faith in science, but use it only as a tool. Otherwise I find science becomes just as guilty as religion. Unless something has ALL the answers it should not be viewed as the ONLY explanation. Religion claims this and I find science is bent on debunking everything unless it is scientifically proven by some experiment and in a controlled environment. My experiences in life cannot be explained by a scientific experiement and it is definately not a controlled environment.

  Not to cut down science or anything, I look at the facts, but take much of it with a grain of salt, particularly when it tries to explain our lives. Indisputable facts I will credit science with and much that we have learned about our world, space, etc. There is much that we owe gratitude to science, I just don't think it is THE answer to everything.

  I don't know if there is ONE TRUE religion. I wonder if this is meant to be an individual road that each of us must travel at our own pace with our own experiences. If that's the case then there wouldn't be one true religion, but science wouldn't necessarily be the right choice either.

  Hopefully you can see where I'm coming from and perhaps you might have some wisdom to pass on to me. The most I've done on evolution was the DarwinianTheory.

  Moanzy
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  moanzy

  MsMcDucket- I think I'm good about guilt even though I really hate the religion I grew up in (working on that). But yes I'm not exactly sure what to call myself either. I don't have a concrete set of beliefs in which to live my life around. ----Other than Though shalt not kill----including husband(ha!), don't steel, treat all equal etc.

  Moanzy
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  Balsam

  I have no religious preference anymore. If I felt I had to be with some group I would join the Unitarian Universalist, they pretty much cover everything, science, evolution, spirituality of all kinds, wiccan, christian, Buddahist, Hindu, everything is good.

  Basically I don't do any research anymore, because science seens to have the only real sensible direction and that is not spiritual. But if I ever need something I'll go to the UU's. Nice folks.

  Balsam
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  moanzy

  James Thomas- That's exactly it!!! I am seeking the "actual living truth". Nothing seems to ease what I feel inside. I thought it would eventually subside, but it hasn't. I don't feel content to just be me and live my life. I sometimes get confused about when it comes to this because I have no experience just being myself and thinking my own thoughts.

  My life was owned by my mom and religion. I don't have a well developed sense of self, but I have the knowledge. Part of the problem is integrating this knowledge in everyday life. I'll explain some of it in my reply to Poppers. Also some of my experiences make absolutely no sense.( I'm past blaming my parents and people around me though.)

  Anyway if you don't mind would you enlarge on the Actual Living Truth. I do have the book "The Power of Now" and it's been ages since I read it. I may have to dig it out again.

  Moanzy
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  moanzy

  Poppers--

  you said---what you seek is what you are in reality. What you are seeking through religion and philosophies is the basis of your very existence in this very moment. You are peering out of it with every glance you take and that is consciousness itself.( In some ways this makes sense, but still can't understand how this relates to our purpose in life)

  Are you saying that we are simply here to experience?

  It seems that we all categorize our experiences as either good or bad. Apparently we must strive to experience without judging the experience, but I don't know a single human that does do that. If all we do is experience life with no judgement then we would have harmony in ourselves, but it is painfully difficult to be around people. Aside from being a hermit I don't understand how to achieve harmony and still live in this world. In other words how do I integrate the knowlege I have now gained from research into my everyday life.

  I'm thinking that this may be part of what's happening. I am looking for that "actual living truth" that JamesThomas talks about, yet have not indentified it. At the same time I have not found a way to create a satisfying life with what I've learned so far.

  Hopefully it all makes sense to you guys. Looking forward to hearing from you

  Moanzy
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  RunningMan

  Very interesting observations.
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  Scully

  (((( Moanzy ))))

  I think I have a pretty good idea of what you are describing. Been there, done that.

  We get so wrapped up as JWs thinking that there has to be one, ultimate, be-all-and-end-all "thing" to believe in, that we end up like a puppy chasing its tail. The search is exhausting and elusive, like trying to chase a butterfly. It can make you crazy if you aren't careful.

  What worked for me was easier said than done - it involved realizing that if there is such a thing as a supreme being, he/she/it would be so much more than I could possibly imagine, and that all this being would require of me would be to be the best "me" I can be. In doing so, I'd be happy with who I am, I would be showing my children by example how to live a good, moral and ethical life, and I would be helping people by being a good citizen.

  When all was said and done, it occurred to me that I didn't have to find some deity to worship, or a path of higher consciousness to follow, or knock on other peoples' doors with a message, or become a missionary who saved starving children in Africa. All I needed to do was be me. That was something I never did as a JW - with all the crap about Putting On The New Personality™, all I was was a robot or a JW clone of a June Cleaver wannabe. And honestly, I wasn't happy as a JW. I had no clue what it meant to be happy, until I was honest with myself about who I was, what I wanted out of life, and started living in harmony with my own personal ethics and values. And I didn't need some "GOD" or "Organization" or "religion" to do all the thinking for me.

  I reckon you have it in you to give this a try yourself, if you're so inclined.

  Luv ya!
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  RunningMan

  
  
  Very interesting observations.
  

  
  

  Some people have an ingrown need to feel connected to spirituality of some sort. Others, like myself, have found atheism to be totally fulfilling and liberating. It all depends on what you need.

  
  OK, what in the living hell is going on here? My post keeps getting eaten.
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  RunningMan

  Very interesting observations.
  
  Some people have an ingrown need to feel connected to spirituality of some sort. Others, like myself, have found atheism to be totally fulfilling and liberating. It all depends on what you need.
  
  Here’s an illustration that I have used with my son to help him find the meaning of life:
  
  Imagine that you are wandering through the desert. You’re parched. Your tongue is swollen and sticking to your mouth. Your skin is cracked. Then you step over a dune and see a shaded water cooler filled with cold pure water. What could make you happier than that?
  
  So, the secret to happiness in life is water.
  
  Well, not quite. You see, if I run to the kitchen and get you a glass of water right now, it wouldn’t make you happy. Why? It’s not the water that makes you happy, it’s the need. In the desert, water makes you happy because you need it. People are happy when they are in the process of filling a relevant need.
  
  A fellow named Maslow ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs ) drew a pyramid, outlining human needs. He drew it for the purpose of motivation, but I use it for all sorts of things. At the base is basic physical needs (like water). Filling those needs makes you happy, but once they are filled, they are no longer relevant. You move to the next level, which is security – you need to know that those physical needs are not threatened. Next, is social needs, followed by self esteem, followed by fulfilment (ie. Being all that you can be).
  
  Generally speaking, if a person is not happy, it is because they are trying to fill the wrong need. Typically, people are concerned with money or status, when they really should be fulfilling themselves. In most cases, you should be looking up on the chart, rather than down.
  
  So, where am I going with all of this? Well, the damned Watchtower Society always used to quote a scripture that said, “Happy are those who are conscious of their spiritual need.” Although this is a poor translation that is actually talking about something totally different, they inadvertently hit on something very profound.
  
  We all need to find out what our spiritual need is. In my case, I find all that I can connect with the universe through completely secular means. That may not be the same for you. You may find that your need to connect requires something more mystical or spiritual. You may also find that a religion of some sort helps you fill a social need.
  
  Now, as far as your search for absolute truth is concerned, all you have to do is ask. I happen to know what it is. But, you may actually be looking for truth that’s a little more personal. Whatever it is, keep looking, and specifically, look higher on the chart.
  
  And never forget the immortal words of Brian: “Blessed are the cheesemakers”, but of course, he was actually referring to all makers of dairy products.