The Logical Spiritualist

Why Did God Die?

2013-08-01T21:08:00.001-04:00

Hello Readers, it has been way too long... Life has be a laundry list of busyness for while. I had a great topic come to mind and want to write about it! So here we go... Enjoy!

Why did God die when life on other planets became

accepted by the majority? Let me give you a foreword... I am talking about monotheist religions specifically and with a Buddhist perspective. I was part of Judeo-Christendom for 23 years, as I have said that too many times in my blog. So I have a really good understanding of both and in-between religions of said belief. I am not sure if my conversion to Buddhism 4 years ago as my core beliefs that have me seeing the possibility of life out there among the stars. Do I think there is intelligent life on other planets? Of course, there is too high of probability of it and I totally didn’t rule it out in those 23 years either.

Since the monotheist religions formed there hadn’t been thought of what was outside of Earth. Once modern

astronomy, started less than 1,000 years ago, the thought probably started popping into people’s heads then, at least a little. However, it was not until the 19th century until other worldly people possibility became common place mention by many, constantly increasing through the years. Now there is the Ancient Astronaut theory. Is that true? I cannot say yes or no. We have seen some interesting stuff that can point to it, going back millennia, and it is thought provoking stuff... I just need a little more proof. Like fossils or aircraft that is definitely not ours dating way back, or something very significant.

Anyway, I noticed something that happening especially while growing up, monotheistics would not believe in aliens because God created life here, no where else, or something to that affect anyway. I never saw why life on other planets was a cancellation of God, more specifically a Creator God. The prophets of the Bible left out a lot to the imagination... like dinosaurs... not to be mention a ton of other details of Earthly existence. Why not leave out our brothers and sisters across the universe? The universe is so massive, and increasingly getting bigger, the elements of life landed to Earth and created the conditions of intelligent life’s beginning, why couldn’t it have happened somewhere else? Would seem like He or She wasted space, and a lot of it, if not.

Interestingly enough the thought in extraterrestrial life has now became a belief of the majority of the public, the Pope said there was a possibility of life on other planets, and so on. The Drake Equation points to them not being too far away. I just do not understand why religion rejected the idea so much so very. There are UFOs in famous Christian paintings, so really it is not ridiculous that there is intelligent somewhere. Now is they have been here? Who knows and it will be a very long time before that question could ever be answered. At least that is my thought.

In my own opinion, as a Buddhist, I think there are a lot

more people caught in the Samsara than just the beings on the planes on this planet that we as Buddhists know are here. Maybe the sightings of UFOs are just those of higher planes dropping in to say “hi”? Whatever may be the truth regarding intelligent life outside of Earth, or weird sightings of something, make no impact on my religious practice or beliefs.

Om Mani Pamde Hum

Be kind to one another,

MEH, The Logical Spiritualist

Never Stop...

2013-03-31T14:09:00.001-04:00

Hello Readers... It has been way too long. Life has been hectic, which is why you have not heard from me in many months. I hope to be posting a bit more frequently but we will see how that goes. I hope you enjoy...

So today is Easter... You know what that means to me? Nothing. Why? It has nothing to

do with me in any way shape or form. How many of you go yo Easter Dinner just because that is what you do? How many of you say “Thank God”, even though you have not held a Bible in years? What I am getting at is how much of your spirituality is just routine from your family’s traditions, none of which are your own? Why not search for answers that you what to find? Are you worried about what family members will have to say? If you are then you may have more problems than you think....

I was stuck for so long in what ever my family practiced is what I was. After 2+ decades I changed that paradigm. Now I am in constant pursuit of answers, and will never stop looking and evolving in some way shape or form. I am a Buddhist with a twist these days, and have been for several years now. I am trying to detach myself from labels as much as I possibly can, which is a huge switch from the past. I also have Jainism, Witchcraft, Chakra, and other influences that are all rolled up into things I believe. One thing I have said for years is there is no one single religion that is 100% correct, 90% would be a long shot in my opinion. So we have to look for what makes us the best person, helps us, helps others, and causes no harm to others. This is at a minimum. If you are reaching this goal you are doing great, I think. If your practice/faith makes you happy too, then you are definitely in great standing. It can be a Christian Faith too, it just didn’t work for me.

I am not in a frame of mind to write anything lengthy, but felt I needed to write something since it has been a long, actually I think the longest, gap in between posts. This I suppose is just an Easter reminder to always keep looking for your spiritually questions to be answered. Never stop until you are satisfied. If you are never satisfied, never stop. Never stop...

-MEH (Former automachi)

The Logical Spiritualist

East Bye West, Finally...

2012-09-29T14:32:00.001-04:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! It has been a very long time since I lost wrote... It has seemed if when I did have an idea to write about I couldn’t get it out for some reason, but lately it has been just that I am so freaking busy with good ideas... I think the writers block is finally gone... I guess this will be the answer... Namaste!

I really like the title of this post because I am speaking of so many things with so little words. East Bye West, Finally interesting title right? East Bye West means to me that my Western view of religion I can say finally is gone, It was due to Eastern religion that this happened, but I still have unique views in religion that I do not think anyone else does, as well as other meanings it [that part of the post title] has to me. I still study Western Religious Thought and have a subjective view with all of it, but have found my own beliefs. The Western View of religion is so ingrained in many U.S. born citizens, because our parents were raised us this way, that it is really hard to lose it even when you know true reality, what is really occurring all arounds us and in the other Realms (at least to a certain extent). For example, I am finally saying thank goodness instead of thank God. That was a hard habit to break, and I still slip sometimes. I believe I have been traversing the Samsara for millions of years but also think I am really going to jump when this existence ends if I continue my path as I have for the last 2+ years. I was once. Some may think this is crazy, but I believe it to be true. When I asked YHVH for a sign I never saw enlightenment being that sign... Think about that...

Now lets get back to what I was originally talking about, that being the reason I like this tile so much. I think I have explained the first part well enough and went off topic well enough [lol]. Now to the last word, finally... This also holds multiple meaning for me. I am so glad that my religious thought process has finally changed, that I know true reality, that I found the philosophy/religion that I was always searching for so desperately, and that I found the Teacher(s)... the Buddhas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmakaya], as well as other meanings. It has seemed like a long transition and really it hasn’t been considering the situation. I broke a 23 year view that I will always be surrounded by in less than 3 years so I think that is pretty good. It is a less usual transition than vice versa really. Mostly what I had always heard [given this info comes during my 23 year Judeo-Christian period. I have not researched this since my “enlightenment” 2+ years ago.] that people that were born with Eastern religion being ingrained in them transitioning to Western Religion was way more frequent than what happened to me. However, you have to find the religion that is best for you, as I have mentioned on this blog so may times before. The bottom line it is what makes you the best person you can be and that others benefit from it as well.

No matter what religion you are I think ascension is possible. My father was not a Buddhist, and I know he was either reincarnated as a Human or higher even though he was not a Buddhist and knew nothing about it. He is definitely not a Poodle, lol. I believe this because of his generosity and his care for people. He may have not have been perfect, but there are no humans that are, however, people benefited from what he did and he went through so much suffering in stride, in hindsight, it is only logical that he ascended to another realm, or at a minimum came back as a Human and will endure a lot less suffering than he did when he was my father.

My mother was a white witch in her very young years then converted to Christianity and embodied the values of Christ which is a good thing no mater how you look at it, for decades. Then over a decade ago she converted to Messianic Judaism, which I think was a step back because the personal benefit and the numbers of people that were made better by her religious belief were decreased dramtic. She was a great Christian, too pushy but that was the only religious practice flaw during that time period. I wish she would see that. Her search for truth derailed what is most important, which is helping others in one way, shape, or form. Though, I still think ascension will happen because I think her Karmic merit is very high even now.

Well, I think that was a really good post and I hope that you walkaway with something that creates some type of good constructive thought. Believing in something that is bigger than you.

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist, the first...

Self-Titled

2012-05-25T22:43:00.001-04:00

Hello Readers, I hope you are all well. It has been the longest amount of time since I started this Blog in between posts, I think... Well, that being said we will just get on with it. Enjoy!

It seems lately that I have had severe writers block given the time gap. Actually, maybe it has been because I had nothing to talk about regarding this Blog’s topic, per se. Whatever it may have been I do have something to say now, sort of... If you say Atheists do not know anything about religion you would be dead wrong as I have pointed out that out previously, Google it. They statistically know the most about your religion than you do... Another unique and related fact is one that I have also mentioned before, typically the higher educated you are the less likely you are to practice a Faith. I find that stat very interesting... but I digress, let me get to the thing I want to say versus things I constantly repeat...

I have recently been to being a complete Atheist in my mind, but to many I am already, but I am in a unique situation as my closets beliefs are Eastern and God(s) are less, or not at all, important, or a factor in religious practice for many. I do believe in Gods (devas) in the higher levels of the Samsara, however, there is not 1 deity that has making everything happen for the past 14 billion years. As what I and many others refer to it as is a belief in 1 and only “Creator God.” If there is and he/she allows suffering like there is in this plain that I would not have good feelings about that deity and you are suppose to blindly follow him and be willing to die or kill for that? You are crazy if you feel that way. If we are like him why the suffering monotheists? The proof truly is in the pudding and we have a very clean container in that regard (facts), at least that is how I feel.

Sorry about the above rant, I try to always look at it subjectively but I am proof of a fact no one can deny, I am not perfect. Okay, back to looking at things with a subjective perspective...

I feel torn in my belief structure at the moment. Actually to the point of coming up with my own Faith, which is actually the root reason for this Blog in the very beginning but the manifesto never came forth... or maybe it did and I did not catch it... we will never know... and who cares? However, that is what is happening. I believe in that religious truth is an equation and the all religions out there in some ways answers some of the equation, some a lot more than others, but none are truly are the solution to the equation and I am not sure if we will ever find one... and only time will tell... Who knows I might burn in Hell or be on a high plain after this life. Will I even know? I do not know... and I do not think I need to in order to believe it or it to be true, or of it being possible to be fact, as many of the things you believe may be too, until disproven by science. I am a good person so logically I should go to a better place, as in my word there is a big ladder to climb (Samsara), that is how I look at it.

Sorry this post was so short and for the lack of substance... it really sucked, in my opinion, but was a decent attempt to break my writers block. Hopefully I will find that spark again and write a post that will be thought provoking... again time will tell...

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Est. 1981

BTW... No disrespect to anyone’s Faith, seriously...

The Unnecessary Wrath of Organized Religion

2012-03-14T00:11:00.001-04:00

Hello readers and welcome back! It has been some time due to various reason. One, life has been busy, and two, work has been just as much so and then some... That consumes a lot of time... Also depleting my ability to write. I have been searching for weeks for a blog post idea that I knew would not be terrible and would help Readers want to find there path, whatever it may be. Here is an attempt... Enjoy...

What has been the bane of man’s own exist since we became civilized? Who has the most control, and some people’s desire to have as much as possible no matter the loss... More people have died since we became civilized which was a long time ago, not in the grand scheme of things, but in human history anyway, because of religion than any disease humankind has ever had combined. That statistic should alarm you. It should make it you think differently, at least a little. Religion has been used as thee most effective method of control. <My readers know I do not reject any belief, only parts scientifically disprove, or mean any disrespect, I just point out a perspective> Think about it. The Crusades, the Inquisition, The Salem Witch Trials, and so many other means of causing countless legions of people to died by so many terrible tortuous ways... For what you may ask, or just an idea! That makes me sick to my stomach. I will give the followers of Abraham credit though, it has gotten better through the many centuries (millenniums even) overall, but there are still millions upon millions of “crazies”, just no mass murderers, well with those kind of numbers anyway. The Pagan and Abrahamic religions where the means of most of that death became common place for so so long. Now granted there were many others [Faiths] resulting in death for conversion, or whatever, they just do not have the numbers as the previous ones mentioned. This is fact, I am sorry, but it is, research it. Now I am not just pointing out these terrible things to rip on either or any part of any sects of either [Faiths] of the above mentioned, as I believe there are many paths to God(s)/Bliss/Whatever, what I am trying to do is drill down to is a deeper point, this is just what I passed while I dug that is noteworthy... I think religions are only a variable in an equation. The more significant variable being organization, which causes an unwanted solution to said equation. This author, and many others, think that all the death could have been avoided if it were not for organized religion. Religion is a great thing but when it is highly organized there is so much potential of something terrible to happening. History is an extensive record of this for millenniums...

The more organizational structure that a religion has typically have perverted their holy book(s) the most, and required rituals that are not mentioned. They only serve one purpose but that could be replaced with something secular and that is giving to the needy and helping out in general, which we already have instances of (i.e. Salvation Army, Goodwill, and more). However, there is one religion that I can say their structure and organization have done them well and everyone they have helped. They being The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They do more to help the needy than any religious organization per capita, that I do admire, which proves its possible, and many more Faiths need to figure out how they do it and apply it to their own. They also have another statistic that is unique, another thing other Faiths should find out how its done is their followers staying devoted to the practice of their Faith after going far in college (gaining Masters Degrees and Ph.Ds) and in are in complex career fields. In nearly every Faith the more educated a person gets the less they practice their Faith, or they stop practicing at all. This is something all other Faiths should figure out as it would hep retain their numbers. Sorry got distracted... The door knocking stuff isn’t bad when you say you converted to Eastern Thought after 23 years in a Faith that was Bible bound. They usually are really nice and then they are on their way. Is that their secret? It does not appear to work for Jehovah’s Witnesses but whatever...

Anyway, Sorry what John Smith created, by however so, got me side tracked, that should have made you think if you were not already aware, but I digress, you and you alone must walk your path as You see fit. No matter how many forks may be in the road just keep on going. You must chose what you think is right and you alone. Do not let anyone sway you know matter who or what they are. There is no wrong choice if the Faith does not hurt you or anyone else and does the opposite helping yourself and others to the fullest extent then, and only then, you have succeeded in finding Your path... I think it would surprise you how many truly do not have succeeded in this due to some type of pressure and/or influence. I think I finally did though, it certainly made a dramatic improvement in my thinking in the least anyway. Even now subscribing to my current idea of my Logical Spiritualism (Mahayana Buddhism (no specific school), Taoism, and some personal “homegrown” beliefs) I practice alone. I have no Sangha, I think with today’s technology I do not think it is needed. Walls are not required, and for the best affect tear down any walls that may exist if you already has one. Chose how you want to practice your Faith as well, just choose what you know is best. You can assemble but when you create a hierarchy within a Faith it usually leaves a bad taste in a given person’s mouth at some point during their devotion. I respect the Dali Lama and think he is truly a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, and could very well have shared different parts of the mindstream that has now dated back 14 generations... It is totally possible, the current Dali Lama H.H. Tenzin Gyatso is a great man, and a great author for more people than those just in the Buddhist Sangha. There is some organization there but not much, the structure is not rigid causing it to waiver from what their religion is all about like so many others do...

There I went again one a rant, that is what happens apparently when you really want to blog but have struggle so much lately with a topic to write on...

Keeping you thinking, I hope anyway, since 2010, personally since 1981, ;-)

Find your own way,

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Pray The Gay Away

2012-02-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back. I have had writer’s block the last few weeks... I have wrote several paragraphs on several occasions... but truthfully I have been so worn down and torn down I just could not write. I am searching for a topic as I am writing this preface. So lets see how this goes... Enjoy!

One topic I have never hit on in this blog is homosexuality, actually I have never brought it up in verbal or in written communication, ever. This is the first time I have ever brought it up without it already coming into conversation prior from someone else. I am 100% sure about that now that I have given it heavy thought, wow that is crazy. As many of you know, if you have read any other posts, I followed Judeo-Christianity Faiths for 23 years (first 13 years as a Spirit-Filled Christian, then the last 10 years as a Spirit-Filled Messianic Jew (as a gentile)) so you may be able to guess about how I felt about homosexuality then. I hated it... I hated them (the people themselves) too... I looked at them as demon possessed people who could be “set free”. With all the prejudices that these Faiths gave me I think this was probably was the prejudice in particular that had the most hate behind it. I would call them very inappropriate names behind their back in company of people with equal Faiths and all would laugh, it was always socially acceptable. This should not be acceptable in today’s times. Yes, nearly all religions, big and small, looks poorly at homosexuality in ever way possible but most scriptures from all major religions are at least 1000 to 1200 years ago... Yes, there are Faiths that are not that old (e.g. LDS, The Bahá'í Faith, etc.) that I still respect but just follow my reasoning... A millennium ago these base scriptures were written at the latest (thinking of Mohammed as the latest, obviously there were some prior by other Faith patriarchs) and that kind lifestyle was not understood like today and was hidden yet and was probably just as common then, especially given ancient Roman/Greek literature, it was just hidden then... Only until recently has being gay became socially acceptable, and there is still a significant amount of population that does not think it is acceptable. It is probably a 50/50 split in the U.S. The LGBT Community has worked very very hard to get what they have with a change of a lot of people’s perspectives amongst other huge strides for their community.

In hindsight, I cringe at that the way I used to view gay people, however, with my “enlightenment” in the end of 2010 my perspective changed, greatly. Just as I now accept everyone’s religion no matter how strange it may be to me I too now respect the gay community. I look at everyone as an equal, regardless of anything, and they should have equal rights in their countries. In the past I voted for bills making it illegal for gay people to wed in my state in the past, that will change as well (Another bill has not came up since late 2010 but there will be). I truly do not think it is a choice, demon, whatever, or all of the above. I truly think they are born that way. I have read studies that point to that is how some are just wired essentially. I knew a gay person in the past and they did not want to be but they were, and still are, or at least a decade ago when I heard about him last.

For those of you that think you can “Pray the Gay Away” are incorrect, in my opinion, and you are entitled to your own, but I will say I saw many people pray out the gay for 23 years and it never went away, hidden at best in one case in 23 years. You can pray for brain rewiring but I think you would have better luck convincing me that that we do not have a moon or that I am a picture frame. I met one person within the now infamous 23 years that said he was no longer gay that I mentioned briefly above. I think he convinced himself he was straight because if it walks, talks, and still acts like a penguin it is highly unlikely he has became a eagle due to prayer. Seriously though, I think he did it because he cared for a woman who was very religious, and his future father in-law, a pastor, who “Prayed The Gay Away”, married his daughter to this gay man who had submitted to their wants ignoring his apparently, though it did take several years of prayer before he said he was not gay anymore. They have children too, which he uses as proof if you talk to him about it but if you would met him in the street you would have to convince anyone that this man was straight, even with the children I was not fooled. At this time in my life I wanted to believe him, as he would proof that it was a demon, but I have watched his eyes, not sure why but I did, and they were always glued to guys and in no manner I have ever a straight man do for any reason. The man needs to be himself and not live a lie for any reason. He is an African-American too and within that community their is still a huge gay stigma based on what I have seen and read so that could be yet another factor that caused him to live a lie. I just know I have to be myself a straight, crazy, religious, software engineer in test, who loves to blog about my religious path since shortly after my “Enlightenment.”

Some advice coming from a straight male in my 30s to religious parents. If you have a son or daughter that comes out to you be accepting no matter whatever your personal beliefs are, religiously or otherwise. If you push them away or dare to go to the “Pray The Gay Away” route your child will do 1 of 2 things, 999,999 out of 1,000,000 times, 1, they will resent you and your relationship will cease to exist at all or will be extremely strained at the very best, or 2, they will do something stupid and everyone will lose them, ending in tragedy. So make your choice wisely because it is important, to a lot of people not just you.

Just a reminder. My favorite quote that I conjured up, “Stay open-minded it gives you room to move around.”

Oh, and be tolerant to others because others are tolerant to you.

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Perspectives, Perspectives, Perspectives...

2012-02-04T14:22:00.000-05:00

Preface 1: Hello Readers and welcome back! We are approaching the 1,000 mark for views on my Blog so that tells me that people really care for what I have to say... or that they really disagree but I have had no one say anything negative so I will assume all is well... I hope that that is not that latter. I thought I would make use of sitting in a hospital recliner and try to put my time to good use.

Preface Part 2: Half of this was written in said recliner and the other was written at home after a hernia surgery that had a very bad outcome for a former step-father in-law, who really helped raise my wife in some very important years of his life... Even though he has the craziest beliefs anyone of us have ever hear, seriously I have indirectly pointed aspects of his belief system, two words, David Icke, yeah that crazy... Poor guy was self-induced his own brain brainwashing... well anyway no one deserves a bad reaction that feels like a heart attack... He is now at home recovering though so that is good. Enjoy!

As someone may think he just want to see numbers on his Blog increase and this The Logical Spiritualist ”crap” is just a means of doing so, by reading the above preface 1. For those loyal Readers you know that is not true. This is a way of expressing my perspective(s) on spirituality/religion and how I feel about any topic that sparks interest in me for any reason, from any religion. I mean no disrespect by giving my perspective towards any Faith, and I respect all Faiths since this Blog started, truthfully it has been about 6 months longer than that really... Feel free to believe anything you want as long as it does not hurt yourself or others. Better yet, believe anything that makes you a better person and that benefits anyone around you more and more everyday. That is what I subscribe to and always will. If my spiritual beliefs are not benefiting me or anyone else anymore I will have to mix up the routine, however, since my “enlightenment” in late 2010, it has always benefited me and more people around me than ever before following The Buddha.

That is how this Blog started, from the event mentioned above, how just like when The Buddha was Enlighten... I see the world for what it truly is... AND in no means am I saying I reached Buddhahood but I am pretty certain if I follow the Dharma the way I see fit, for myself, I will be a heck of a lot higher on the Samsara than I am now on my next rebirth. Again, this is my belief, you can disagree and say Buddhism is crap, that is your opinion, but do suggest “doing your homework” before making such statement or you will look even more ignorant by doing so. Just like I would if I did not if I did not do my homework when I point flaws out in Faiths that make me reject them. Now... Just because I reject them does not mean you should necessarily.

Most people who are avid about their faith, I am speaking more to Abrahamic Faith at this point, whichever it may be, would like you to think there is only one way and it’s theirs, but I find that to be incorrect and have 23 years of my life that is living proof. YOU pick what religion works for you!... I know that is a bold statement but a faith I followed for 23 years did me less good than one of 1.5 years so you do the math... Select one that you think is right and run with it and if turns out that the religion you picked is not working after you have been following it long enough to know then convert to something else. There are many many paths to God(s), Nirvana, Bohdi, whatever, my friends and Readers... You just have to find YOUR path, whatever it may be, and stay open-minded and tolerant to all other beings. I see no wrong there.

For those of you who believe in a “Creator God”, is the only reason you do things is because you want to get yourself to heaven or so your God will be proud of you helping someone? If so why? I think it is universal good morale, or intuition, embedded in any good that what your doing is good. For example do you go feed the homeless are you doing that to appease your God or because you care for other enough to help those who need it? If it is not the latter you are a sinner... Being selfish is a sin... Do you feel really good about it? Like way too good about it? Like you are better than others or even have a little pride? I think you just chalked up some more sins... See where I am going with this? You should be selfless... just as Moses, Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed... There are many others to that have been truly selfless I just mentioned the bigger names. Their actions in their scriptures speak louder than the words they stated were said by whomever. At least in this author’s opinion. That is what is relevant people. You need to love thy brother just because they need you too. Without question, without reason, you just should help others when the opportunity is there and it does no harm to you in any way. Plus you need to help yourself along with it. Being spiritually healthy by which every religion works for you is essential, at the level that works for you too, and then your good.

Friends think hard about what I have mentioned... What would the people in you hold n the highest regard do? Just think about it... Here is something that someone said that I hold in the highest of regard:

"Don't blindly believe what I say. Don't believe me because others convince you of my words. Don't believe anything you see, read, or hear from others, whether of authority, religious teachers or texts. Don't rely on logic alone, nor speculation. Don't infer or be deceived by appearances."

"Do not give up your authority and follow blindly the will of others. This way will lead to only delusion."

"Find out for yourself what is truth, what is real. Discover that there are virtuous things and there are non-virtuous things. Once you have discovered for yourself give up the bad and embrace the good."

-The Buddha

My Teacher I think said it best above. Everyday I understand more and more why I am a Buddhist and wear a crystal mala everyday (Swarovski crystal actually, 108 ct. with amber crystal separators and a tassel, it was a gift from my wife, I love it), I actually have 3 others 108s. One Sandalwood with a double unique “tassel”, another which is one bone (actually plastic made to look like bone) with a tassel, and finally a Hematite with Tiger’s Eye (Yellow) separators with a snake-knot and I actually have a Dharma Wheel counter on that one. I never used the counter for what they are for, which is for keeping count of Mantra recitations. I keep it folded just passed one bead to remind me I could be a cause of suffering in someone’s life and to do everything I could not to be. It helped me find my way when I was just starting to learn to walk in my new faith.

Do want YOU need to do and not want others try to influence you too. If it requires influence in the first place... well my friend it just is not what you may need... The quicker you learn that the better for you and everyone around you... and that’s a big win no matter how you look at it.

Just make sure you do your due diligence before following a Faith, and really think it through... it is your live(s) we are talking about here. Make YOUR right decision.

Keeping those gears in the brain turning since 1981,

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Sorry For Spoiling The Ending But...

2012-01-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I hope you all have been well, I know I haven’t been, but that is another topic. This is an impulse write so hopefully it will be decent and at least make you think, even if it is about how much you disagree with me. Enjoy!

Science has brought us many things but one thing it has not is closer spirituality, well I might be the exception and others like me but we are few in number... That is abundantly apparent. With nearly ever Faith with a somewhat dated timeline of creation science has disproved at least as far as the creation myths ever happened like canon said they did. I am sorry to those who did not like the previous statement but we have proof... do you?... There are few [religions] science not has proved all, or most of, whatever your holy scriptures said happen at the time of creation... The Big Bang is no longer a theory it is proven, and a great TV show, and we we can tell because the universe is still expanded and by calculating the expansion rate and then going backwards... or something to that effect. That is why we know the universe’s age is 13.75 ± 0.11 billion years old. I am sorry that most people follow Faiths that only date humans at 6,000 - 10,000 years old and that we know that homo sapiens have been around 200,000 years, and again we have proof of this. At a minimum you have to realize that these scriptures are metaphoric in nature, if not your a fool.

However, ladies, gents, and germs that does not discount the rest of your religious scriptures and beliefs, you just cannot take your religions creation myth literally that’s all. Oh, better yet stop stop playing “guess when the world is going to end” game, Your End of Days garbage and I do not care what Faith you are, you could believe in aliens, it really makes no difference to me. That crap really annoys me... The most likely way the human species will die out will be due to 1 of 3 factors or a combination of more than 1 of the 3. 1, we blow ourselves or each other up, 2 by some type of space phenomenon (i.e. a meteor), and/or 3 some type of huge natural disaster (i.e. Yellowstone blowing it’s top). There will be no divine intervention we will just go extinct just like so many species before us. Sorry kids to spoil the ending but that’s how I see it and anybody with a decent amount of logic floating around in their heads. I hate the following phrase “end of days” implying an Armageddon in a spiritual sense, meaning a WWIII is totally plausible but there will be nothing supernatural on the battlefield. Sorry I just don’t feel it and neither do a lot of people who exercise logical thought. I feel things I know are going to come to pass... you know intuition, everyone has it... and my friends I was fool in a Faith where for most of the time I was told when we all were going to go. First it was by the rapture, then Y2K, then this, that, or another. Sorry for the rant but seriously?... Karma will catch up to false prophets...

Some Readers may think I am constantly bashing the Abrahamic Faiths and that is not my intention at all. It is to help give you a larger perspective and hope that you stay open-minded to the possibility that not everyone else is wrong at least about something that has to do with human life. The above rant wasn’t directed directly at sects within the just mention Faiths, I mean all that have a timeline to creation and/or have something apocalyptic that followers are always trying to put a date on. Just stop... think positive... The Pope said he believes in aliens... If you do not believe me look it up.

You know one thing that did always bother me about Christianity specifically? I was always told that if you did not know and follow Jesus you would burn in a fiery lake. So I would ask what if some people didn’t know about him or have the Bible as a child. The answer I got was “there is a church on nearly every corner.” Even as a child that did not sit well with me. What happened to the Mayans then, just because missionaries did not make them in time they have to burn for eternity? What about all the people before him or could have never known his message? I have never got a fitting answer to this question, especially “we just aren’t meant to know everything”. That is the answer you get when the person answering the question has no freaking clue what the answer even could be. It is because it does not fit in the paradigm that you are placing that Faith in. “I do not know” is a much better reply, that is acceptable and most within the Faith have accepted that you have to take some of the Bible metaphorically. There are still some that do not even within the U.S. and other Christian heavy countries and to be frank... that scares the hell out of me.

Anyway back on track, if I was every on one... take what science has proved and you can believe whatever else you want about everything else. It is not proven it is always up for debate. In some situations even with proof things are still up for debate... hint hint.

I hope I got you thinking and remember. I respect all Faiths and do not mean any disrespect. If you are better yourself and other through it you are good in my book.

Keeping you thinking since 1981...

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

The God Gene, Going Against The Grain, And Being In The East

2012-01-29T13:03:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I was posting like crazy there for awhile but realized that I was lacking passion for the posts, and lacking thought inducing content which I strive for in every post. I think this is because I was thinking for a topic instead of a topic searching for me... wait, well close enough. Enjoy!

I was reading the other day about something, I cannot remember title or original subject, but it had to do with our brains already being predisposed in believing in a higher power (i.e. God(s)) through genetics even before we are born. This has been referenced as the God Gene (specifically VMAT2) by it’s founder geneticist Dean Hamer, who has also done groundbreaking work in the areas of biotechnology and AIDS prevention, as well as his research on the genetics of human behavior including sexual orientation and spirituality. He has also wrote numerous books, but the one that is relevant here is The God Gene: How Faith Is Hardwired into our Genes published in 2004.

Obviously Dean’s work regarding this has came under great scrutiny by well... nearly everyone because of this or that depending on who the criticizer is. This gene has been studied thoroughly and according to his hypothesis (which now in 2012 there is much more proof of this being more than just a hypothesis) produces the sensations associated, by some, with mystic experiences, including the presence of God or others, or more specifically spirituality as a state of mind. I am not going to go any deeper into the science behind it but you are more than welcome to check out Wikipedia’s entry about the God Gene , which is where some of this info came from, that and their references.

Hamer mention’s in his book mentioned above that “Just because spirituality is partly genetic doesn't mean it is hardwired” and that is hard to disagree with completely or there would be no Atheists, as well as other religions that do not really focus on a “Creator God”. I am living proof that the above quote is truly absolute, . It took me 23 years (76.667% of my life) to realize that a belief in a “Creator God” was making me toxic, I was doing no good to myself or anyone else following down a path with blind faith and coincidences (or at least not what I thought it was). A “Creator God” is irrelevant to the sole purpose that religion provides, well the only important one in this author’s eyes, that being you should be strive to have all aspects of loving-compassion towards yourself and all others, regardless. Yes, there are special scenarios that would make this difficult, but exclude anything that may be harmful to you (e.g. it might not be a good idea to give a homeless person a place to stay without previously knowing them because they might kill you in your sleep), which is why the above statement says yourself and others... If you are just doing good deeds just because you are scared to go to a “bad place” in the afterlife, or next life depending on the reader’s perspective, then do not do it at all because that is the worst possible reason to try and embody pure loving-compassion. Do it because that is just what we are supposed to do... help others without question... without a reason that is selfish...

I thought it was purely Western Society and upbringing that was the primary reason for not being able to shake “Western” religious thought even though I was going and believing in Eastern and had been for nearly a year and still was trying to shake same of those core ideals off. Even now some of the Western thought has not went away even though my idea of Logical Spiritualism has Buddhism at it’s core. However, this is why I am a Logical Spiritualist, I pick and choose from whatever religion or religious idea to form what is most logical for me and provides the most benefit to myself and others... and would recommend everyone do the same, and who knows yo may already be where you need to be, but that likelihood is low, or at lest appears to be.

Anyway, I do think there is something to the God Gene as everyone in my family was religious, except for my Dad and that was only to a certain extent, he was just not nuts over it and had a broad ideal on sin, per se, and my mother is one of thee most religious people you will find who follows The Bible. So genetically that would be passed down me correct, especially since everyone else in my large family was Christian. Yeah, I think is was more than just upbringing and breaking habitual thought with something that seems a little foreign. I think it is plausible that was the reason I could not let go of some of the Western ideas until long after changing direction to Eastern Thought. In the future I know that question will be possibly answered with an answer that has undoubtably truth behind it...

Keep the gears rotating since 1981...

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Bad Habits, Active Meditation, & A Quote

2012-01-23T00:42:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I have been trying to write more and more but finding a topic to really work with at this frequency is not easy so when a thought hits you must jump... and this is me taking said leap... Enjoy!

One attribute that I always have had is getting vengeance.... Yeah, not such a good attribute but I get irate when I am, or a loved one, is wronged and will plot something against the antagonist that will hit him/her ten times over, even if it takes years to execute... I know that sounds crazy but I was one that made sure everyone that needed to get theirs got theirs... In hindsight it seems like I was getting to them before Karma could, and that was not good... As you may have imagined I have paid for it in a variety of ways, but ultimately think I have paid for all my mistakes I have made in the entire existence of my mindstream (what non Buddhists might consider a soul, but with reincarnation, click the link for more Wiki's definition of the Mindstream), which is what led to my “Enlightenment” back in the end of 2010... I am not sure why I think that but do so for some reason. Getting back to the topic at hand, sorry for the digression, when you have had this quality for a long time it is hard to break like any bad habit. It has helped me to think of Karma when I get the feeling of plotting to do something bad to someone because of something they did to me or someone else... I have always believed in Karma, I just called it “You Reap What You Sow” for 23 years instead of its proper name, Karma... It is still hard for me to not get the immediate satisfaction of revenge though, but that is what Buddhism is all about... continuous improvement... It has helped but I still find the need to want to beat Karma to it but do not anymore... so I think I have extinguished a bad attribute...

One thing I am constantly working on is controlling all emotions, thought processes, and really generally anything that comes from the mind. The mind is thee most powerful thing in the universe(s) in my opinion. You can overcome anger, sadness, any negative emotion or thought and replace it with compassion, rightfulness, any positive emotion or thought. It comes with a lot of practice, technique, and various other factors... You really can do anything you put your mind to... One thing that has helped me be able to get closer to this ultimate goal and that is taking whatever happens in any situation and giving it some thought before making any action whatsoever (speech or otherwise). It gives you a little more time to decide the proper way to react to something. To not “jump the gun”. Meditation helps with this. Also keep in mind for those of you that are very busy that active meditation is just as effective and you do not have to be a Buddhist to do it and it be effective. Google “Active Mediation while doing other things” and you will find ways to train your mind to reduce your own personal suffering (I mean suffering in the Buddhist sense as known as Dukkha Wiki's definition of Dukkha) while going through your normal day. Not only does this reduce suffering but it makes you a better person overall from any perspective.

99.999% of my meditation after taking Buddhism as my Foundation Faith (See Blog post called “A Foundation Faith?... The First Building Block of Complex Religious Perspective...”) has been active meditation. I actually did non-active meditation before subscribing to a theology/religion/idea that highlights the importance of meditating... I know, weird huh?... You might have thought it to the other way around before that but that is how it worked out... Funny how some things just happen or work out a certain way. Any type of meditation is good, even done generally (no religious influence, per se). You can dig deeper in with traditional meditation techniques instead of active meditation but you will still benefit in ways that are amazing just through active meditation alone. There is even ways to meditate to find out what you were and even what plane of the samsara you were on (Past Life Meditation Website).

Reflection and redirection of thoughts and actions through analysis done in meditation helps you be a better person in every way and encourage you all to take a look into A Link To a Site Dedicated to Meditation Analysis.

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” - The Buddha

Keeping the mind moving since 1981

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Forgotten Knowledge that Remains So and Always Will… Knowingly...

2012-01-22T03:46:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I actually half finish another post last night but after thinking about it I was not going to continue it. I have to finish it within the same session or it just turns into crap... so here we go, brand new topic and hopefully a better piece the the previous would have been... Enjoy!

Most that will be reading this know that there has been shows on various cable networks that highlight a “forgotten knowledge”. Knowledge that the Egyptians, for example, had but the knowledge seemed to disappear until we exited the Dark Age. That is the majority of time civilization has existed... That is crazy when you think about it in such terms... We still do not know how The Pyramids were built for sure. That example highlights exactly what I am talking about. The theories of how they were built goes from just a mass of people to aliens being involved in such manner... The sad thing is you really cannot rule anything out because we do not know how they were built given the age. Could it have been done by the blunt force with huge amounts of manpower?... Maybe, wow... Nonetheless they were still ahead of their times by thousands of years... Then all civilizations go to hell for thousands of years... what gives?... I think we did lose something and it definitely was knowledge... but will we ever find it again... maybe?... but even if we do I doubt we will know it. Making it truly forgotten knowledge...

Maybe we were visited by something “other worldly”, but I doubt they are from another planet though. I think it would have been like a dimensional divide of the samsara. The definition of dimension here including a “different” plane... a higher or maybe lower than our own. Weird view huh? You have something better? If so by all means let me know... Until we have solid proof of some type all theories remain just that... theories... So known should be dismissed, only pondered I suppose...

I do know one thing, I want to see one! I have met several people who have said they have seen then once or even many times, but all of their “word” is subject to scrutiny due to other “inconsistencies”. But really I want to see a freaking UFO up close and personal... I really want to just to be able to make a better guess, if nothing else, of what they really are, and to at least be able to prove they are not “visitors” from afar. What I am really getting at is that I think this is a piece of the forgotten knowledge. Given some of the hieroglyphics in Egypt I think they knew more than we did about whatever they are. I know that is p in the air but I also know we have proof of some type of phenomenon up in the air too...

So of the forgotten knowledge is the complete picture of where we (human beings) came from. We have never found a true missing link and that opens even more speculation from where we came from too. However, that is an entire different topic that is huge and for this post should just be a footnote...

One thing that annoys me to no end is the people that think they know, or have found, the forgotten truth... because it is completely illogical and more often than not idiotic... Aliens did not drop us off, sorry it did not happen. The Anunnaku were what the ancient Sumerian saw as gods, they were not aliens. What were they I do not know but they were not aliens from a very distant planet... There are know reptilian super-races that rule the world and all the money on the planet either. AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY THE ILLUMINATI IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS!!! It was a secret fraternity that has been gone since 1800 at the latest... However, there is something that should raise an eyebrow and that is the closest thing you will ever have to an modern Illuminati. That being 3 different entities. 1st the Trilateral Commission, 2nd the Bilderberg Group, 3rd the Council on Foreign Relations. The combination of these 3 groups have really guided most of the world since the 80s, and even earlier. Even I believe this because there has been proof, the surge in gas prices is just one example. Look the 3 up and use your best judgment of what you read but these 3 groups make me very nervous as an citizen of any country as they seem to have a world wide reach. The combination of power and influence these 3 groups reach far and is scary but their is no one world order being brought forth any time soon. I am not ruling that possibility (one world order/government) from happening I just only see it in a somewhat peaceful in the end that does not bring forth what the Book of Revelation. In my view, when Christianity spread to become the largest it was fulfilled (I mean no disrespect, just my view). The horror the Saint John spoke of was what came with Nero and corrupt Popes and what wars were to come (WW I, WW II, etc.) in the future [where Armageddon was supposed to take place there has been more bloodshed there than anywhere else on the planet to date] and the Bible is the most published and read book in the world and has been for over 1000+ year. What the Saint saw has already come to pass and still is but past the point where most, if not all, Christian think we are. Again just my opinion and respect yours.

So... at the end of the day will the forgotten knowledge always remain unknown? Yes, but we will find out more answers to great questions that may make up what the forgotten knowledge was, with us not even knowing it. One day we will know it all... and think that will be the most beautiful day for all of humanity and science... However, we can always wish to be fully “Enlightened” (not necessarily from a Buddhist perspective either, at least directly).

Hoping that the forgotten knowledge will be remembered since 1981.

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Keeping the mind winding virally since the beginning of 2010...

Not Stuck Anymore... And Have One Checked Off The List

2012-01-18T01:34:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back... I have been struck with the need to write despite not feeling well, furnace fiasco, and being exhausted... Well lets get into it... I hope it makes you think and you enjoy it... Oh, I wanted to clarify my writing style on this Blog... There is always a small preface of sorts that is italicized (you are reading it write now) and that it is written to be read in a conversation tone which is why I use unorthodox punctuation that some would say are incorrect, and they are incorrect from a purely grammar perspective but I do not care. Enjoy!

In my last post I bragged up Jesus from my Logical Spiritualist perspective and mentioned that I believed that Jesus and Avalokiteśvara were one of the same... and still think he embodies him to a degree but I have been doing some research, specifically going through red letter Bibles (The words recited by Jesus according to the author of that Gospel are in red) and did not see what could point him in the way that I see him, but there is a huge gap in the Bible concerning Jesus’s life. It starts with when he was born and very shortly thereafter then picks his life back up when his ministry started around 30... There is a lot of speculation out there why this is. If he was known to be the Son of God prior to his birth why wasn’t his life followed throughout in some manner instead of only getting a small fraction of his life in scripture? There is some Apocrypha that mentions some of his later childhood but was thrown out of canon because of what it said... I think if there any literature of some type during his life in between the beginning and a few years before his crucifixion the Church Fathers discarded all of it if it hurt their plans in anyway... Not to mention that we know that none of the Bible was actually written by Jesus so we have a big chance of misinterpretation or accidental corruption of the scriptures via the author of that specific Gospel, just like in a lot of areas of the Good Book.

I know some may be thinking well you follow Buddhism, it was even a longer gap before written canon was developed there... and you would be right, but you Buddhism is much more complex and there is so much more, not to mention the structure of the religion (philosophy) is completely different and is an invalid comparison, but I think Islam would be a far better, comparison but they were trained all their lives to memorize the entire work as it was passed down, and many did, and this is a practice today for some still and was how it was translated until it was put to “paper”. The Buddha taught... The prophets of all Abrahamic Faiths preached... Like I said it is unique, in many ways, more so than the Abrahamic Faiths.

So I do not see me diving back into reading Jesus’s possible words in the New Testament anymore anytime relatively soon, and will view Jesus as the current Dali Lama does and I do not see it going much farther than that now since I did my research. However, I still have the interest to dive into other religious practices other than just my Foundation Faith to better myself and to better those around me...

This is what the Dali Lama mentioned not to long ago about Jesus during an interview. “To sum up all that we’ve discussed, I feel there is tremendous convergence and a potential for mutual enrichment through dialogue between the Buddhist and Christian traditions, especially in the areas of ethics and spiritual practice, such as the practices of compassion, love, meditation, and the enhancement of tolerance. And I feel that this dialogue could go very far and reach a deep level of understanding. But when it comes to a philosophical or metaphysical dialogue I feel that we must part company. The entire Buddhist worldview is based on a philosophical standpoint in which the central thought is the principle of interdependence, how all things and events come into being purely as a result of interactions between causes and conditions. Within that philosophical worldview it is almost impossible to have any room for an atemporal, eternal, absolute truth. Nor is it possible to accommodate the concept of a divine Creation. Similarly, for a Christian whose entire metaphysical worldview is based on a belief in the Creation and a divine Creator, the idea that all things and events arise out of mere interaction between causes and conditions has no place within that worldview. So in the realm of metaphysics it becomes problematic at a certain point, and the two traditions must diverge (81-82 Christian Research Institute).”

So what of religions will I look into to possibly incorporate into Logical Spiritualism that coincides with what is already currently in there (Buddhism)? Taoism, Jainism, maybe a little Confucianism, Shinto, and of course Hinduism. I do believe that the root of truth in this universe is in Eastern Thought/Religion.

One possible religion that could have been combined into my Logical Spiritualism is now checked off the list, that being Christianity... Who knows, in the end Logical Spiritualism might just be a form of Mahayana Buddhism... Only time will tell...

Keep thinking about positivity and know that Karma exists, no matter what you want to call it (e.g. you reap what you sow, it always comes back in the end, etc.) and live your life accordingly...

Keeping you thinking since 1981...

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

Stuck in Between a Wheel and a Cross...

2012-01-15T23:04:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I am one tired guy, 3.5 hours sleep in the last 36 or more, and been working a lot. That and I have had a lot on my mind lately, constantly racing... plus having insomnia does not help... Anyway, this post in just one thing that has been weighing very heavy on me lately, hoping this post helps me figure out something... Enjoy!

I have posted before that I have had issues with dropping the Western mindset (God fearing Protestantism). Well I have been studying The Buddha’s teachings and Mahayana Thought for nearly a year and a half but still come back to certain parts of the Faith I followed for 23 years (Christian mostly, with Messianic Judaism for the last years, which is really a form of Christianity but they want to be recognized within Jewish religious sects, but Jews lay no claim of affiliation, and neither to the Christians). The unique thing is it has nothing to do with God... but has everything to do with Jesus... That my friends is the only aspect of the mindset I do see that will be shakable, and that has not already been removed from my religious beliefs, per se, and the thought of his importance makes elimination impossible... and there are numerous reasons why...

No man in history has made an impact to all of humanity like him, he has done things that no one else has, so many things and I am not even really thinking of the miracles he did in the Book, but his impact on Global Society from his inception for over 2000 years. This nation was essentially founded on him, and undoubtedly was on his Father in the Book as well. Nearly a 3rd of the people on this planet think of him as their person savior... No one else can lay claim to that... Now Buddha is my teacher... but I can still learn from Jesus, and so one else can too... emulating either at any capacity is a good thing. I do not think Jesus was the son of “God”, per se, but if you want to want more on my thoughts about YHVH or Yahweh check my last Blog post. I think the Buddhist Cosmology to be accurate, just my opinion. So obviously I have some things to work out as far as how I go forward in the grey areas of my new belief system... my logical spirituality.

That is what Logical Spiritualism is, taking on any form of some religion or theology, it can be stuff handpicked by yourself from various religions or whatever homegrown beliefs you may have, it is what you use to create/maintain your moral and core values, ultimately resulting in bettering yourself in all ways and creating benefit to everyone around you... and that my friends has been what I have been doing since I was “enlightened” in later 2010, looking for my Truth. However, I am changing some of my belief structure up. My logical spiritualism will be something like a homegrown strand of Buddhist Christianity and yes this does already exist, but mine will be a little different given my own homegrown beliefs... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Christianity it is an interesting article, and will link you up with other things, like others that practice forms of this...

I think Jesus was thee greatest Bodhisattva of Compassion. Jesus I think is Avalokiteśvara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokiteśvara), they are one of the same. I know both Buddhists and Christians would both freak out a bit about that statement, more so the Christians, but Buddhists would at least debate it, before shooting it down, as long they are Mahayana. There have been different interpretations within the Abrahamic Faiths but all regard him as a great person (Jesus), with varying importance given the religion and sect of the religion.

So I have some molding to do with my belief structure, and practice really, that I know must be done... The reason I cannot get Jesus out of my head I truly think is from what I mentioned above and not that the “brainwashing” (no disrespect intended but I do not know what else to call it from my perspective). Having Western Thought engrained heavily into me for 23 years.

H.H. The Dali Lama is thought to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteśvara, along with other current living beings as well, which fits well with the Christian view of Jesus being able to be everywhere at the same time (He is part of the Godhead which is “one” so that cannot be disputed, it is in Christian Canon as so (The Bible)) and being in the hearts of all living humans... So does that all mean that we have a little but of Avalokiteśvara in us? Maybe? I think we may...

One thing that is now certain. I have to retract my statement of likelihood of myself picking up a Bible again... because obviously I need to again, more specifically just the New Testament and Jesus’s life only, mostly Red Letters, and other sources of his life within Apocrypha. Regardless, I know it is good for me and others to do so and how that changes my belief structure I do not know, but I do know one thing, Buddhism is my Foundation Faith, but I do have other beliefs, obviously...

The days ahead will be interesting and I will inform what I hope to be masses one day of how my (The Founder of the idea of being a Logical Spiritualist) journey goes.

Until next time,

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. - The Buddha

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

My Interesting Perspective on Jesus The Brother of James

2012-01-12T23:57:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! It has seemed to be a long week but it almost is at an end for most. I have to work over the weekend, but you have to do what you have to. I hope that this turns out well and gets/keeps you thinking... Enjoy. Oh, and if you do not have an open mind stop reading now... seriously...

I saw a very interesting viral video today called I Hate Religion But Love Jesus || Spoken Word (Link). What he said held a lot of truth of what a lot of Christians, at least the true believers, feel after being in the faith in the last 3 or so decades, or at least I know I did. Try to emulate the Jesus you find in the New Testament (or Covenant), not miracle performing, but holding true loving-compassion towards all, which I would classify him as a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva is anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Bodhicitta is the intention to achieve omniscient Buddhahood as fast as possible, so that one may benefit infinite sentient beings. Bodhicitta also means the aim to, on the one hand, bring happiness to all sentient beings, and on the other, to relieve them of suffering. Honestly I think Jesus reached Buddhahood in his next rebirth which I am sure he reached a high plane within the samsara after his life on Earth. (I can go over the entire resurrection process mentioned in the New Testament through Buddhism, but I am not going to, at least not yet) What do I think happen after that (after the “resurrection”, remember I mean no disrespect, and have respect for all Faiths, this is just my view)? I think he has been traversing all of time and space that make up every mindstream in the Samsara as a Bodhisattva comparable only to Avalokiteśvara or Maitreya. How he delivers it I think differs greatly than most Bodhisattvas (through Buddhism) but does bring in the core values that make a good person. Personally I think YHVH (God of Abraham) does exist in a high plane, possibly highly than that of Brahman, but is not quite the “Creator God” that billions think he is... Then again he may be rebirthed into the Human plane every time because of his deep love (attachment to the Human Condition) for us. Who knows? Only time can answer such a perplexing question, hence all the different perspectives (religions).

Once you go through some type of “Enlightenment” like I did in mid 2010 your perspective on everything changes dramatically and you essentially become a new person. I like what this has given me. I could actually see all that was wrong in the world, finally embraced Karma as absolute fact, Finally broke through my denial of reincarnation, and realized that you control what you believe and not burn in a place called Hell forever and ever and who cares what you might believe as long as it affects yourself and others in a very positive way. Buddhism works for me, it has made me a better person but does that mean that you should convert? I’ll answer it for you... the answer is NO. You need to choose, yes I said YOU CHOOSE, what religion will make you the best person you can be for yourself and the rest of the world... I was not a very good Christian, it actually made me a toxic, intolerant, blind, foolish, however, that does not happen to everyone. It work’s for some and those affects that I had they do not get and good for them. Plus it did instill in me good core values that I always upheld and was a decent person, most of the time... but their was huge room for improvement...

Follow this line of logic, can science disprove part of the Bible? Yes, is the answer and do not argue. The first Human Being was not created 6,000 years ago, women did not create sin, ill will, same difference, has always been around and the pain of childbirth has always been around too, not by the result about passing a pomegranate to Adam to eat and see the word without “blinders” on. The Neanderthals disappeared 26,000 years ago, and there are other countless things that science can disprove that the Bible states. Not enough? Evolution is not real so “God” did not create every single animal that ever roamed the planet. Evolution is scientific fact, it is proof, one thing the Bible does not have much of as far as physicality goes... Now, if you look at the Bible metaphorically where it makes sense and literal where it makes sense than I would say that would be the most logical way to interpret the Bible, which it is an interpretation in and of itself. The writers of the Good Book interpreted what they heard/saw/whatever... therefore it is interpretation and it is a fact that interpretations can be misinterpreted, we see it all in people reciting events once they hit paper, even in ancient times, and I think some things in the Bible were. However, if you look at it in a metaphorical and literal way that I mentioned above the book can be very positive for you and you can be a very good person, I just find the thought of God to be irrelevant to the equation. Our purpose in life as I see it is be loving-compassion and be the best you can be to yourself and others as well as doing as much as you can for others in any helpful manner you deem appropriate for the situation.

Before I wrap this post I want to point out something that I found to be extremely interesting. When I first turned to Buddhism I thought Jesus was a Bodhisattva instantly it made so much sense given what I mentioned above and then I read that the current H.H. The Dali Lama thinks the same thing. This is the link to the site (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallels_between_Gautama_Buddha_and_Jesus It is a section named Parallels between Gautama Buddha and Jesus and it is really compelling when approaching it with an open mind.

The were both great men placed on Earth with a purpose. I think that is something that can be universally agreed upon. Whom will always be until the need for Maitreya appears which I think will be some time from now.

Well until next time my friends, take care, and I hope good things come your way.

Keeping the mind moving since 1981

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

The Spark Part 2... Ending in Poetry

2012-01-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I hope the new year is going well for ll and that everyone is keeping their resolutions... ;-) Just make them resolutions, because in my experience those work better than New Years resolutions. You have to be motivated no matter what right? Enjoy!

This is actually the first time I have written a Part 2 to any of my former Blog posts for any reason, however, The Spark seems to have changed that... I want to point out that all of us... all human beings... have The Spark. It is only rare that it gets ignited and is their t shine ever so bright to those around them and possibly the world. How does it get ignited? I have pondered this question and come up with one underlying trait. Motivation to do what they see as right and do everything they can to make everything “right”... Agreed? Now I know most are thing yeah, thank Captain Obvious but you have to keep breaking it down.

Where does this motivation come from? There are numerous correct answers to this question. It various by those who answer it. What did MLK Jr.’s motivation come from? Equal rights for African-Americans, so motivated that he was willing to die to get progress, which unfortunately he did, however, that is the degree of motivation you need to ignite The Spark... We can look at the opposite spectrum to the savior of billions proclaim by his believers, Jesus... Some would argue that it was divine and it may be, but wither way it was a form of motivation. He was motivated to die on the cross for your sins... His beliefs drove him to do so... and Christianity has done a lot of good, but also bad, but regardless he did do good and there is proof of his existence...

Whatever our cares our we need to draw the kind of motivation that these great people in history and/or spirituality had, and we will see great things happen. Meditate on that thought, it is very powerful.

Keep on your path

Regardless of any wrath

Only you will know what is truth

Nothingness with physical proof

Follow the path that is right for you

Trust that there is more than one for you

There are so many paths to Gods

None of which will hear applaud

Maybe the Atheists are the ones that are right

However my thoughts will not go down without a fight

So I go with understanding Karma and what The Buddha taught

Finding the real truth and reality I eagerly sought

My path I chose to take because it is what is right for me

The path you should take is right for thee, but not necessarily right for me...

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist, and yes I wrote that poem... and think I still have a knack for it...

Keep thinking...

The Spark

2012-01-05T22:45:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! I am not sure what is possessing me to write so frequently but I am for whatever reason and taking advantage of it. Hopefully it makes you think... about something... Enjoy!

The Spark? What does that mean? It can mean a lot of things but for the nature of this Blog post it is just something you see in a person that makes you know that they are different... that they are breaking a mold... Gandhi had The Spark, Jesus had The Spark, Moses had The Spark, many prophets of many faiths, if not all faiths, have had The Spark. The Spark is what makes you a leader of nations, alive or post-humus, in spirituality or just for the Greater Good.

There is something to consider about The Spark, some have it greater than others but that is not to discredit the one who may have a more “minor” Spark. Martin Luther King Jr. had The Spark, he was a great man... Rosa Parks had The Spark... John Smith had the Spark. Gandhi in the previous paragraph is another example, and the purpose of this paragraph. The Spark can be big or small and can bring many things, many great things... but for the purpose of this Blog post I am referencing religious figures with the “greater” Spark, no disrespect of any kind intended.

Lets analyze these prophets... what is the most common denominator... I personally think that there is a combination of things that make up said denominator, their personalities, their charisma, their charm, their whatever... that is what it (The Spark) is made of and does not come along all that often. The last big prophet that I consider as a prophet (prophet as defined by me (everyone is entitled to their own and I respect your right to), one who brings truth to a lot of people, not necessarily truths that I believe) was Mohammed given his timeline, 700ish CE (I cannot remember exactly), prior to that Jesus, then prior to that Eastern Prophets like The Great Teacher Buddha, and predecessors to him, the line goes back nearly 10,000 years of some type of prophets within humanity. Bringing new truths with each, until the truth was discovered nearly 2500 years ago, but that is my opinion, Christianity changed the planet for the good and bad depending on time frame and topic... but has had a huge impact of humanity then followed by Mohammed. I have named 2 people that half the nearly half the world (3 billion) people believe in wholeheartedly as their saviors at this very minute.

The world today is a lot different then when Islam was rising... when Christianity took hold in Europe and the Middle East... and when Buddhism was the religion of the Indian empire nearly 2000 years ago... and so on... The jump in technology, social engaging, revolution, one voice really making a true difference...

Time has taught us one thing... Hist does and always will repeat itself... Agreed? So with that in mind.... When will The Spark come once more... Who will have the next great impact on society on their own... Will it be you? Will it be me? Will it be us, together? I guess only time will tell... Just as it always has and always will...

I hope it is soon, being one who walks a path of the Dharma, sort of, you are probably thinking why does he care he sides with Buddha?, as that is true I still look at all spirituality as a whole, per se... it is hard to describe. Those who subscribe to Eastern Thought know what I mean. I really could dig seeing an outpouring of goodness unleashed on the world from The Spark. Unfortunately, I could see the Christians seeing him as the Anti-Christ, wouldn’t that be a twist... but you never know, but know what they say...

Keeping you thinking since early 2010...

sukhi - attanam pariharami

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist, who would not mind having The Spark, just saying ;-)

Deja Vu, Rebirth, and Christ and Samsara on the Side...

2012-01-03T23:30:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back. I am enjoying writing more frequently... which is good but this one is just because I really want to write... so this piece could be a real piece, I guess we will see... Enjoy!

Reincarnation is a topic that a lot of people try to stay away from in the West, at least in my experience... likely due to the predominance of Christianity in the U.S. As I have mentioned numerous times in my Blog I studied and practiced Judeo-Christian for 23 years, until I was “enlighten” in late 2010, however, I always have believed in reincarnation... i lied every time I was asked the question under the Faith but I always believed in this “idea”. Even in that Faith I could not shake that reincarnation is real and now being a Buddhist I can answer the question wholeheartedly... Déjà vu is a unique feeling that some people attribute to a phenomenon in the brain, but I truly think it is more than that, especially those who get it very frequently... like I do. That feeling used to send a chill down my spine, but... not anymore. I actually like the feeling because it just reasserts my belief in this idea.
Let’s state reincarnation does not exist and we look through the eye of a Christian (Some form of Protestant). They make mention of animals in heaven as well as humans, angels, the Godhead, etc. Are the dinosaurs tramping around near the Mercy Seat in heaven? I doubt it. Or every animal being up “there”? Not to mention all the lives of good “hominids” throughout time? Wouldn't Heaven have a serious over population problem, I am sure Hell would have the same problem as there is more bad than good using the Bible as a guide as to what defines the truly good <true, but with sarcasm>, but it is Hell right, so I guess overcrowding is a fitting torment added to all the other things that the Bible actually mentions about Hell itself? It just does not sit well with me. Think about all those separate entities just floating around praising an deity forever and on the flip side a bunch more entities in torment forever... When you sum it up like that if it does not make you have questions your blind... Oh, and highest cause of death for centuries was this religion... The Pope was a Don for hundreds of years with the Church being the Commission bleeding corruption and sin itself. In one lifetime it is highly unlikely you will make it to pure happiness or pure torment... no matter what you want to call them...
Got a little off base there... sorry even those who have had a small enlightenment still has a lifetime left for improvement... I wish I would have been following the Dharma for now for nearly 25 years instead of 23 years on the Judeo-Christian path and 1.5 years following the Dharma... Hindsight is always 20/20 though. Now I would not cast all my learning of Judeo-Christianity (11 years Charismatic Christian and 12 years Messianic Judaism with gentile blood) because I did learn a lot of good things from the Bible. I truly believe that if you follow Christianity properly, as you see fit, and are good to yourself and others you will go to a better place, likely not the heaven you had expected but you will never know that, or at least not for some time on the plane. The stories in the Bible bring a lot of good things and can make great people, unfortunately most stay very close minded and OVER ANALYZE. Within various times of my following of this Faith I thought the Bible was meant to be taken literally, metaphorically, hypothetically, somewhere in-between, misinterpretation of events timelines, and other items. Now being a Buddhist I look at the book metaphorically for the most part except for the New Covenant dealing with Jesus prior to his sacrifice that I do believe happened under the conditions of which he thought he did. I think that MAN was a great one and had spectacular power(s) but I do not think he was the son of a “Creator God”, as I do not believe in one all powerful entity ruling this universe, or any other for that matter, that can do anything at anytime and has created everything that “is”. Some of us have already been gods ourselves in previous lives in different planes of the Samsara (Google it). Bottom line, Yeshua (Jesus) was a great guy all the way around... period.
I think my want and need to write has passed for now... I have always used this Blog as my primary outlet for creativity, ironically it just happens to be about religion... go figure... but sometimes it is hard to come up with something that makes sense and is worth reading at times... I will be digging more into Buddhist Scriptures in the coming weeks and will probably do other topic digging as well... and if an impulse post would happen to happen. So new stuff to come... that is not all over the place like this one turned out to be... He is a fact, and 2 quotes until next time.
Some Buddhist views on Jesus including Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama regard Jesus as a bodhisattva who dedicated his life to the welfare of human beings. It was recorded in 101 Zen Stories that the 14th century Zen master Gasan Jōseki, on hearing some of the sayings of Jesus in the Gospels, remarked that he was "an enlightened man", and "not far from Buddhahood".
Always challenge your Teacher - The Buddha
abyapajjha hontu (Pali),
Always keep your mind open... it gives you room to move around
-automachi
The Logical Spiritualist

See you in 2013?...

2012-01-02T22:43:00.000-05:00

Hello Reader, and welcome back. Happy 2012...

The year most have pointed to at the last one we are going to have due to some type of doom is here! Quick hide! I doubt we will see the end of our species this year but I do think something will happen other than just astronomical event being lined up to the center of our galaxy (The Milky Way galaxy). Surprising not because of Mayan calendar directly, more the Web Bot Project given that I am in the IT industry, now that is creepy (look it up). There could be something unique that happens when there is a perfect alignment of the Solar System and the Super Massive Black Hole at the center of our universe, past times there where some type of phenomenon that happened... Like around the last time when Neanderthals had seemed to have disappeared and then we came along. So what will happen this year? Will 2013 not come? I doubt it... I think we will see a 2013 but I do think it will be a little more than just a standard yearly transition, like we just saw for the 2011 switch to 2012. What are we going to see? I have no clue, but in my gut I know something will happen... something...

I am going to sound like an evangelist of a religion I no longer subscribe to but look at current events we see in the news and the differences in society and such... Things are changing, some for the good, however, there was loss at the same time though. I am referring to the civil revolutions in countries with oppressive governments... Our troops (U.S.) are coming home from Iraq, they should all be on their way home now, I believe. The war is another topic away from spirituality, and relevance, but I am glad they are coming home as I think we did everything we could without occupying for even longer, like decades, which cannot be done. Anyway, life is different these days and it seems to be changing so much faster with each passing day. Change is the only constant anymore... Hopefully the world starts a path of good and we will finally break down certain walls and work as an entire world on huge issues like clean water, famine, etc... I think I am being optimistic but I know what we could do this as a people but we don’t care enough too. A more realistic way things will go is that there will be continued protest until we get a President that actually produces good, fast results... Yet, another topic.

Here’s what I predict will happen this year. Crazy campaigning on both Democrat and Republic camps, that will fill most of the media, including a big degree on social media as well. There will be other media stories too... there will be unfortunate tragedies more than last year like usually, tallying more each year. Likely via massive traumas of some type, tsunamis, earthquakes all that, probably a little worse than. There will be some advancement in technology of some sort. Crazy times before election and maybe some tension due to the December “Prophecy” of 2012 occurring, maybe, and I think Obama will get voted out, which is good, I think, but everyone is entitled to their own opinions. The GOP will then be able to pass better laws, maybe, but that again is a different topic, for a different place. Then all eyes after the election will be looking towards 12/21/2012 to see what will happen when the Mayan Calendar “expires”... That will be an interesting time frame from early November to 12/21/2012 because I look for there to be a lack of other issues (just how I see it) so there may be rioting at most in some of the biggest cities of the world depending on how Occupy and other movements that will be raging by November of next year and how the outcome of the election goes. Wow we have really got political here, I digress, there will still be Christmas shopping, actually, I look for spending for the Christmas season in 2012 to be the highest in 15 or more years, I just have this feeling... Then 12/21/2012 will go by and Christmas will come and go then 2013 will be here shortly thereafter. Yep, that’s what I see. I could be wrong though... maybe we will get hit with a solar flare knocking out communication and causing widespread terror and damage and it will be like Mad Max style stuff... or even a Solar Mass Ejection leveling most of the planet, there was a recent movie that this was in but it must have been crappy because I do not remember the name... We just never know do we? Did the dinosaurs have any idea that they were going to be wiped out when they were, I doubt it... They thought what is that in the sky and that was the last thought for many... then the ash cloud from the volcano that erupted that was massive and the meteor strike shortly thereafter killing most living organisms on the planet, allowing us to come into being after millions of years...

I just do not see this year being any different than any other Summer Olympics year, leap year, a very unusually astrology event, an election year, a lot of social unrest with more protesting being done in some time, I think it will be a year like 2010 was or maybe even better, or it could be like the last leap year when another recession slapped us in the face... Who really knows what is going to happen? No one, big shots will roll the dice and react like normal, poorly...

So... I guess what I am trying to say is that 2012 will probably suck for some and not others, or everything could change for the good!... Or the Earth could pop like a pimple, Time will be our only judge... So let’s not make 2012 suck huh? We can revisit this topic in 2013... seriously most of us will still be here.... ;-)

Aham avero homi

-automachi

The Logical Spiritualist

There is No Grey in Good...

2011-12-29T23:29:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! Life is so busy isn’t it? I know it has been for me... I took a 2 week stay-cation and am already nearing the end of it already. The last 2 days I actually was able to relax a bit, even reflect. I hope I get a few more days like these within the last 5 days of vacation...

This has been the first Christmas where I was no longer part of the Judeo-Christian faith and without the mental baggage that comes with that. That took longer to get rid of than other things that come with going through some type of “enlightenment” in your religious thinking. I might not be a Christian anymore but I do hold Yeshua (Jesus in his native tongue (Hebrew)) in high regard. He has the most followers out of any religion... ever. Most Christians seem to be actually paying attention to “The Good Book” realizing his birthday was really in the Fall, most likely in late October, not on 12/25/0000, unlike what I have noticed in past years upon reflection. His birth year being anywhere from 2 BC and 7 CE..., but I digress, that is a entirely different topic and direction. I think the majority of Americans (even the devout Christians) just looked at it for what it really is... a time for family getting together and spending time together... Yes, there is commercialism and it gets worse every year, but that will always remain, even in a Recession or otherwise, but it seemed like the gifts were just a bonus to an already great moment this year...

2 years ago I would have been thinking “what a pagan holiday” due to the holiday placement (12/25) given that I was subscribing to the Messianic Judaism faith (which they do not celebrate his birth, per se, they just know it is somewhere around the Festival of Sukkoth, as most devotees already know). That is just a morsel of stupidity that specific religion can cause. Either you are a Christian or Jew, period. There can be some grey but there is a requirement for the largest parallels of these faiths to remain parallel. Anyway, there are a lot of ancient pagan holidays or pagan holy days that are on or are around 12/25 on the Gregorian Calendar (which is what the majority of the world uses), and a lot of the Messianic Jews point this out as a pagan holiday due to them coinciding with each other. When I was “enlightened” (Keep in mind I am a Buddhist and no I do not mean I have reached Buddhahood or anything like that I am speaking in a completely secular tone) back in middle to late 2010 I started to “lose” this pagan idea, actually completely discarding it, but now it is completely gone and it feels so much better to view Christmas how it should be... a good gathering of loving family members that truly care about one another... instead of this pagan holiday that the Romans created after Christianity was made the Roman empire’s Official Religion with Emperor Constantine on the throne (which is inaccurate, just coincidental).

Keep in mind this thread is not to make people look down on Messianic Jews (both of Jewish and Gentile bloodlines (who actually are the majority in this 70 year or so long movement)). It was what I heard at the local congregation and from its leaders (I am using that term loosely as I think he is a highway to a lower plane, and Karma will make sure they gets theirs) when I attended there with my mother. That is another topic too... the fact that they have brainwashed my mother by twisting the information she has mentioned to them to make her see their way. She was a powerful Christian woman before that and I have seen that Messianic Congregation tear people away from real truth from their good Christian selfs because they were looking for a deeper truth... I have a distaste for them, and I know Karma will give them what they deserve. What I cannot believe is why they cannot figure out why neither the Jews or Christian will claim the movement... hhhmmmm... I wonder why???

Both Judaism and Christianity are both good religions if applied CORRECTLY, which they usually aren’t but more and more are finally starting to realize you just need to be good to yourself and others, and that is enough, and if it isn’t and Buddhism is a false religion and either 2 are right I guess I will burn. However, I will gladly burn if being a good person to yourself and others is not enough because I will not serve a hypocrite. They is NO grey in good.

Throughout my Blog since its inception you have noticed me slam Christianity and the other 2 Abrahamic faiths hypocrisies but always holding the people practicing the faiths correctly in high regard. Know why? Let me tell you... I have noticed one thing specifically that I really do not like within the Abrahamic faiths. That being that the main institutions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity since their inception is about one thing... absolute control of everything you, and the world, does. How long did the Pope rule Europe and most of the world??? Yeah, that is what I thought... Anyway, people who apply the religion correctly are good people as the holy scriptures state you must hold yourself responsible for all actions and that there are consequences, creating high moral values... This holds true no matter what faith you subscribe to (at least for the larger ones)...

I respect all major Prophets that came from the “God” (I used quotes around God because I am a Buddhist and do not believe in a “Creator God”) of Abraham. I do not want anyone thinking I am disrespecting your faith because I am not... I hold your religion in as high regard as I do my own, and who knows we may both be right? My best friend(s) are Christians, so that should tell you something. I guess time will tell who is correct... What if we are both wrong?... That would make a whole lot pointless wouldn’t it?... for those who worry about caring. If you are acting as you should be in order to be a good person you should have no worries correct? Yeah, that is what I thought.

So I hope I got your brain churning productively in some way. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it, Happy Kwanza to those who celebrate it, and a Happy Gregorian New Year to all!!!!

Santi,

-automachi

Thee Logical Spiritualist

Got Rapture?... Me Neither

2011-11-12T21:33:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers and welcome back... I am using Pages 09 for my processor before post for the first time... and I am excited about it... yeah... This is one of those impulsive post topics, but some of those are the best... I hope you enjoy as much reading it as I will writing it... This ended up being a 2 day post because I fell asleep writing it early this morning... 3 AM maybe... I never read what I write again after the final proof which I did accomplish last night so we will see if this even gets to the Blog...

One of the first teachings as a Christian back at the age of... well... a few seconds around my birth. Really, I was “Spirit Filled” at the age of 5, and was a fond moment until I realized Truth, I cannot explain that in any other way. Anyway, back to the early Christian teaching I received. This involved the idea of The Rapture... This event right before the world turns to 7 years of bad luck (peace for 3.5 and hell on earth the last 3.5, see the last book of the Christian Bible for more info (Reevaluation))... Tribulation... yeah that thing. Where all the good Christian get beamed to Heaven and well... there you are in Eternal Bliss, forever. As an early Christian... probably until I was 10-12 years old I thought this to be a fact. There are hundreds of millions of people that believe this event is going to take place still, to this day.

My view on The Rapture were changed even before I found Truth while I was a “Spirit Filled Judeo-Christian”. I took it as a misleading and exploited verse(s) in The Bible that Protestant Preachers learned would keep their followers, make them do their bidding of sorts, and hopefully get more follows... This went on for hundreds of years people!!! Google it... This was, and is, a great form of control and tool for manipulation. I think it was in my late teens, maybe I was even 20 when that fact become known to me, personally... I think the fact that there were so many failed prophecies popping up, like Y2K, that ended up being a 4 month project for a lot of people in my business field (IT) and that was it? This generation will not pass? You Diehard Christians know what I am referring to... I was made to think the world was going to end the year I was going to graduate High School, Y2K (2000)... How crappy would have that been??? Yeah, I know right??? No you don’t! Not unless you lived it. I lived my life up until I was 18 years old thinking that due to being influenced by a family member, one I had to listen to until that very age at least to a degree... I took it as Gospel... Now it is 2011 and I got 3 degrees finishing with an MBA in Project Management in 2008... However, it still took me until about a year ago to officially walk away from a faith I held especially dear for 23 years... Why because of the Truth I mention all over this Blog and post. This Truth that I got that seemed like a wake up.

Now lets back up a second, the family member I mentioned above was just following what The Bible said to do, spread it teaching and raise children according. All she was doing was following her Faith. I cannot fault her for that but now I would think the Truth would be showing itself to her in some manner. I hate that she lacks religious tolerance and is extremely close minded, it really killed our relationship and put some real dings into besides that even. In hindsight... it saddens me

Anyway, I hope that Christians will accept The Rapture is not going to happen in any way, no matter what perspective you have on it... pretribultation, midtribultation, etc... Take it from the Catholics and Orthodox for once it is not going to happen Christians. I really do not think it will, but you can believe anything you want, I want you to, it is your right. Seriously...

I was planning on writing more on this topic but after the paragraph before the previous has killed my desire to write at the moment... Just promise that you will do two things for yourselves... Make sure you are following the Faith that is right for you, not anyone else, and that you challenge your teachers if you feel the need to, no matter if you are a Buddhist or a Muslim...

This is now the second day of writing this post... as mentioned in the Reader Preface (italicized part at the start)...

I think this is one of the few post that I have saved and after I have revisited it will still see the light of day.

Don't be a follower, be a leader that challenges his teacher, no matter who they might be.

-automachi

A Jewel in The Backyard

2011-10-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers and welcome back! Did that sound enthusiastic? Be careful answering that because people will think you are crazy... This is an impulse post so hopefully it will be a good one. Enjoy!

You know I can say now I am a truly open-minded person, and even though I have a belief structure that is unique to some to say the least, I still think that there is wisdom in things that are ancient. True... superstitions can live for very long... well really until science can prove it wrong right? However, some things are just right or seem right. This line of thinking made me go to a place called The Mountaintop. It is a store that offers spiritual aids (Books, statues (of all kinds of faiths), all types of items) to everyone and does not tell you that you beliefs are garbage and that they understanding of the spiritual aspect in our universe. Plus they hold events all the time in things that I did not know existed… and some things that I did... We need more places like this in this country. I am shocked that it is in Clayton, OH of all places.

I only stumbled upon them because I was looking for local bookstore to possibly get a good book on GWT (Google it, that's ironic, wanna find out why? Google it, seriously) and realized that the likelihood of finding one around me was going to be impossible so I found a decent one I could rip from the net for free, well sort of decent, anyway I noticed that there was a bookstore that was located off of Salem Ave (SR 49) which is relatively close and that I have passed hundreds of times, maybe thousands now that I really think about it… Anyway my curiosity lead me to go check this place out… Now it gets to the cool part... I think...

I get to the bookstore except it was a parking lot attached to a house, however I could tell that the house was in the equation somehow… so I walk this sidewalk up to a porch and see an "Open" sign and I walk in and say "Hello... Hello..." , I felt like I was walking into a person's house because well that is what it was at a time, it was built for such… and then I was greeted by what I would guess was an 70ish year old lady comes around the corner and greets me. She was so nice. We talked back and forth for probably 15-20 minutes at most as I was headed to class in Downtown Dayton at Sinclair and felt like death. She was thee most open-minded 70ish woman I had ever met, seen, read about, heard about, whatever she believed a lot in what I had to say and vice versa. I was presently surprised as this was a brand new experience to me. most 70ish women I have met were either super Catholic, Christian, or Jewish, so this was super new.

I walked the store while talking with this lady and she has a lot of cool items, there was beautiful Buddha and Ganesh statues, great stuff on Chakras too. She even had some books on UFOs, but I was looking for something specific… I have been itching for a new set of male beads (108) and she did have a Red Lapis mala bracelet, which surprised me once in the store as it was not too big, but had tons of stuff. If you like just gemstones go there. AND! she did have 2 sets of male beads (108) but they were Sandalwood and I have one of those already as well as bone, but that is neither here nor there. That was my official store plug, if your open-minded spirituality go to The Mountainview in Clayton, OH, if you live close, or just swinging through.

Adding to that cool part, at the very last part of my conversation with the 70ish lady that I think is at least co-owner, if not the owner of The Mountaintop. She said "can I ask you when your birthday is?" I said, "December 10th" and before I could say "Sagittarius if you are looking for my sign." she stated, "Oh, a Sag are you, okay…" and proceeded to tell me everything I do, strive for, what I hold dear, etc. Just based on our earlier conversation and my sign. I found that pretty amazing... This was not something you would never read in a newspaper horoscope or a book on the same topic, I mean she read me, entirely. I was stunned and replied as I always do, "I might see you soon". In hindsight I think the might may become a will. Some of there events are a little out there for even me but who cares, I think I will go to one and see what happens, maybe I will learn something… I might run like hell because they are a cult (KIDDING!). Whichever I am sure I will walk away learning something. Right? Plus there are some that are my speed...

Religious tolerance is so important to human kind and more people need to realize it, if they do not harm themselves or someone else let them be...

I found a jewel in my backyard.

-automachi

The Be Better Thought...

2011-09-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers, welcome to another post. I have thought of numerous topics to write about since my last post but something always prevented that from happening… sometimes it was just that I was to tired… but in hindsight I wish I would have wrote because now I feel like I have a writer's block of sorts… So this could really be a piece of sure genius or something else that starts with an s.

I have had the mindset as an adult of always believing you can be better at whatever you are doing, even if you are the best… there is still some room for improvement.

This is a "thought" that most religions drive home with different scenarios within their sacred texts. In the Bible… weird… I have been away from my former faith too long to quote scriptures, good, but anyway, I do remembering hear countless preachers say, "You can do anything through him [Jesus Christ]. There are other passages that drive this home with passages, again that I cannot quote, planting the thought "You can do anything if you put your mind to it." In the Christian scenario Christ is your motivation...

Buddhism entire theology is center around self improvement and personal evolution, per se. Always striving to be better in one form or another (samsara). Most, if not all, Indian born theology/religions drive the thought that we can always be better at whatever we do, no matter how amazing it may be.

Islam I cannot say for sure as I have only reads pieces and skimmed most of the Qur'an (however, I do own one), but I am sure given that it is an Abrahamic Faith there are passages that drive the "Be Better" thought into your mind… and yes there is a possibility that this thought comes into play with suicide bombers, do not think like that as I am not including the radical portions of any religions and am only pointing this out because in truth Islam can be good for some, they just need to be more open-minded, even more so than other very large religions. There radicals in all religions that is just a matter of fact.

I could point out something in every religion that drive home the "Be Better" thought as all do in some manner, but I think you get the idea.

So the above proves the "Be Better" thought is ingrained into most of us through the religions we follow. Then again, there are some Atheist that are pretty good at a lot of things requiring said thought ("Be Better"). So how did they get that thought ingrained in them? Our education institutions teach this as well… that's how.

So when you think you cannot do something call on the "Be Better" thought and do it. This worlds needs more people that are passionate about being better, won't you join us?

It could have been better, and it will be if you want it to...

-automachi

My Afterlife as I See it Today... Could be Different Tomorrow...

2011-09-04T19:26:00.000-04:00

Hello readers, since we have a long weekend w/ Labor Day I figured I could get a post in... hopefully one that is good... and I think this just may fit the bill. Lets take the journey and see how it goes. Enjoy...

I have a unique outlook on the afterlife since I switched from a Judeo-Christian religion(s) of 23 years to an Indian (w/ a lot of Buddhist Thought) Philosophy/Religion, but I do not subscribe directly to those afterlife scenarios of the "religion(s)" I follow. I believe in a combination of the Hindu/Buddhists afterlife(s).

The older I get and the more I study, both religion and other unrelated subjects, I have arrived at a place where science and religion cannot contradict each other for me believe in it wholeheartedly. Western religion as it has been taught cannot meets that criteria, meaning science has disproved major components of creation for starters... the only ones that I personally think can coexist in both science and religion is Eastern religions, the one I believe fits in science (as it cannot be disproved, and some of it is proven through science) and religion matrix the best is Buddhism which is my Foundation Faith (see the Foundation Faith post for more details). This is the main reason I subscribe to it, but I do believe aspects of Hinduism as well, and I do believe that most moral religions will take to you to a different "better" place... just in my mind I do not believe it will be quite what your expecting but you will not know it at that time.

The Afterlife as I see it through my eyes today goes like this, if you are a good person and have been good to others and lived a true good life, in every aspect you can control you are going to a better place... a different plain with less suffering than that of the human condition. At that time you will be born, or enter a new realm... that realm depending on your level of "enlightenment" achieved in the life you just had as well as Karma being a factor.

When you die in the "human" realm you energy and mindstream leave when your brain dies and you then hit that bright light, where it goes from there until you become "conscious" in another real I do not know yet... or how long it takes before you enter that new realm or become "conscious", as mentioned in the previous sentence, in "our time" (i.e. seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years), as time could be in those different realms. Once this quasi state just mentioned is over you enter this new "consciousness"on this new realm. Do you remember the past life being on a higher plain, I think you might be able to depending on how "high" your new realm is. I think the samsara nature is not completely know but I think there is something to say about the 31 plains of existence, it may be spot on, it may not be, but I do think there is something there, something accurate. Google that if you like to learn more... So that is if you were "good".

Now, if you were a piece of garbage in the "human" plain you do not go to a better place at the end of that quasi state mentioned above... You go to one of the less desirable plains, one may call them Hell. Your level of suffering increases rather than decreasing. This is not what you want to happen... Do you?

However, all these plains are in constant flux, including the "human" realm, but not including a plain called Nirvana (We will get to that in a minute). So you always will get the chance to go up and down on this plain "ladder", depending on your Enlightenment and Karma, being "born" into new or realms you have already been in many times, however, suffering will follow you no matter what realm you are on, but will lessen when getting to higher realms, until reaching that plain called Nirvana, which some may call Heaven.

Nirvana is a place you enter when you have eradicated all suffering and attachment giving pure bliss and a good "emptiness".

That is a short summary of what I think the afterlife is, more lives just in a different sense, and sometimes not. You may agree you may not, it makes no difference to me in any way, as long as I made you think...

It is mathematically probably that there are alternative universes, it this those other plains?... Sometimes I often think so... but who knows I could be full of it and so may be everyone else... Either way you have to decide, not someone else...

-automachi

Religious Labels and Rants... or something...

2011-08-30T22:20:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers and welcome... I hope all is well with you. I truly hope so... I hope you enjoy this post, I hope to get a few extra posts in while I have a 2 week break from classes I am taking, time will have to be the judge of that. Enjoy...

I used to identify well with labels of people in regard to spiritual beliefs and that you had to fall into 1 of those "categories". If you didn't you did not have a true belief structure because it had not already been introduced by someone else, I guess was my think at the time... and... Well... not so much anymore and am so happy to follow a faith that YOU get to design. I stick to Indian Philosophy and have my own personal (some may think wacky) beliefs, and then being newer to anything other than a Judeo-Christian path and strict beliefs structures I stuck a label to it. HA! A little ironic at this point with annoyance of labels regarding spirituality.

However, this (logical spirituality), my, Faith is defined by those who chose to identify with or not. A little like Buddhism, but even there there are different traditions and schools they are just peaceful about it, but there is still a degree of labels. So... I think that makes it a little less annoying that I had to label it but then again you have to call something something right?... I think I just went cross-eyed.

Anyway, why label what you are regarding your spiritual status? I used to understand it or thought I did but in hindsight I cannot figure out why or how I ever accepted being labeled... then it hit me,,, it was cause by what a lot of faiths call a sin or misconduct and that is PRIDE. When you have no issue with spiritual labels you are proud to be what that label is associated with (i.e. Cross to Christ). Pride is a bad thing I do not care how you try to justify it or an instance of it. Sorry just does not work for me and shouldn't for anyone else, take achievement in your work or life not pride, if you do not get it you should probably do some soul searching (that statement is very ironic if Buddhist).

Just disregard the labels... wait... a lot of religious constructs cannot be supported without this "labelism" If you are not Catholic anymore and just a follower of Christ who do you tithe to?... What happens to the Pope. Oh my God(s)! Are we starting to realize why Atheists know the most about religion? That 4th branching of the Abrahamic Faiths better happen soon with the amount of people saying "I cannot stand organized religion", but you know some of those people are still going, you naughty hypocrites you, By the way... you are sinning... =) and the fact that these labels cannot be remove cause yet another hypocrisy with some Faiths =(

So by my own brilliant deduction above I now have proof that I will have to continue to be annoyed by spiritual labels because they are not going anywhere soon... they might transform in some way at best, at the very best, but organized religion would fall, just over labels too, sad... So I guess this post served reason for me... one less annoyance... dissolve the dislike or the notation of spiritual labels within myself... problem solved. See what following a Faith that works for you does? It make good solution for you or others in some way... As I have said many times before... You pick the Faith that is right of you and not the faith that you have been told was right for you by anyone.

Hopefully my next post will be of more substance and not just a realization that spiritual labels will live just short of roaches...

til the next time...

-automachi

The Way I Seen Things Going, My Prediction...

2011-07-31T22:41:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers and welcome back... This is one of the posts that I am doing because I think I need to just write. It is something I have to do, I do not know why, but I feel it to be a necessity, my outlet... Lets see how this one turns out...

Karen Armstrong is a great religious author from Britain and one book she penned was The History of God and she wrote on sentence that struck me, and I will never forget it... She stated that a religion must evolve to continue to exist. Like I said she wrote the book The History of God which traces the Abrahamic God from inception to current day from a subjective perspective and at a detailed level with comparison, great book, but I digress, but think of God in society today with that sentence I mentioned in perspective...

Something has to give right? My nephew told me yesterday that he did not believe in God, and I told him you just need to believe what you need to in order to be the best human being you can. I gave examples of helping people whenever you can and just being a "good person", if God is not in that equation then so be it. I also mentioned that He can be a part of his life if he wants him to be and he had no confusion on his face, he knew exactly what I was saying... it made sense to him. The funny part is that children can take that logic but adults can't. This proves that children, not just your own, can teach you things... big things like the realization that conversation had on me.

So that comes back to my sentence I mentioned early that hit me like a brick. The Abrahamic religion, especially forms of Christianity in the West, are not evolving anymore. Really after Y2K and thousands upon thousands of preachers/pastors were wrong and the world did not end I think is when society's subconscious saying wait what happened??...

So what about 2012 huh? Yeah I know took a dramatic turn but I will tie it together... really, I promise... Anyone on this planet has to wonder why so many oracle/prophecies all over the world point to one date. The Mayans, The I-Ching, Merlin (the real one), Nostradamus, and many more.

Is there correlation around the current unstable conditions of the Abrahamic Faiths related to this date because of the lack of evolution? Our society has evolved so much over the last 20-30 years that a religious revolution of sorts must happen again or the God of Abraham will lose followers of all 3 branches, and maybe 2012 is the time of the branch? So technically the world would cease to be as we know it today... Is that the end of the world all these oracle/prophecies mean? Maybe... I do not know... just throwing ideas out there to make you think...

Last time that the Abrahamic Faiths faced this issue a very influential Prophet showed up, maybe you have heard of him?? Mohammad right a bell?? That was the last branch of the Abrahamic Faith, Islam. I am not Muslim but I hold all the Prophets of all faiths in high regard for the good they have done for humanity, with no intention of religion being the number one killer of civilized humans, if they would have seen that I doubt they would have ever spoke, but that is another topic.

Personally, I hope I am in this birth to see the fourth branch of the Abrahamic Faith because I think it will be even more dramatic than comparing Christian to Muslim eschatology, and it will be interesting to see where humanity will be in the end... Things will change, a lot, and the sad thing is... it is completely irreverent... and I am sure blood will be spilled like all branching has causes in the faith, which will not be good, and will be pointless too. Are we starting to get it?...

Thought of the day:
Make your own decisions on what you believe religiously and do not be afraid to go against the grain if you feel led to. If it does not harm you or anyone else there is nothing wrong with it and they can just deal.

-automachi