I thought the only unforgiveable sin was to worship santin , knowing that it was the unforgiveable sin ...

I've been doing some serious thinking about some really trivial stuff.

I was thinking that if I had a nickel for every time Creative used the words "that" and "which" together I would be a millionaire.

that which that which that which that which that which that which that which that which that which that which that which that which

I'm not sure what it means... mmmm...

I'm going to the other party, this one is sorta quiet. ...
I understand there is some serious sinning going on in that other thread..

JB

It is quite interesting at times to witness the individual perceptual faculty's reflections being displayed during the conversations in these forums.

We each walk our own paths for our own reasons.

True, but on occasion we meet people along the way that let us know that while we are often chasing our own, there are others who understand, identify, and show us more than a modicum of compassion as we walk. Good to see you, my friend!

-Drew

Hiya Drew...

It is also good to see you...



As always, thank you for your kind words...



Regarding your response...

Those paths which cross and bring some type of enlightenment and/or understanding by the exposure to a never before entertained perspective are indeed quite remarkable...

I am quite grateful for those things, as well as the ability to understand that I will always be a student which anxiously awaits the next teacher...

A nickel each huh?

Being a curious one I was forced to look ... once in the last 25 posts ...

That's it?

I wouldn't give up your day job ... unless you have a REALLY good rate of return on your investment portfolio ...

Yeh, later, after I rested up a little, I thought I should have at least asked for a dollar for each one.

faith is one of the everlasting sins...because needing faith only proves that you doubt

You ask if there is an "Everlasting" sin. There is - it is the prime core sin that is present in all - no matter what their faith or belief's are, no one can deny having it or being able to rid themselves of it in totality, including the prophet's,jesus,muhammed,or yaweh himself and all the myriad of other religious or non religious belief's held by anyone at anytime - The prime core sin of ""selfishness""

Selfishness is not a "sin." Whereever did you get that notion?

It is where evry evil deed or intent that has ever showed itself to mankind stem's from and that we all have within us by nature.

1sin
Pronunciation: \ˈsin\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sinne, from Old English synn; akin to Old High German sunta sin and probably to Latin sont-, sons guilty, est is � more at is
Date: before 12th century
1 a: an offense against religious or moral law b: an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible <it's a sin to waste food> c: an often serious shortcoming : fault
2 a: transgression of the law of God b: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
synonyms see offense

If were using normal definitions of "sin" then yes it is "sin" - if you have a different dictionary meaning please make it available to all here so we can agree or dis agree as to a meaning all will accept as a viable substitutation. words can only have use as to there perceived meanings - if you or evryone else has there one meaning for each word used then there can be no true understanding of anything.

Hello great white bearded one!

In order to address your conclusion that selfishness is a sin, I will have to agree that there is such a thing as sin, at least temporarily.

(But just because a word is defined in the dictionary does not mean that it cannot be disputed.)

Dictionary meanings tend to follow the general understanding of the word.

But in accepting the premise of "sin" I would like to address the statement that "The prime core sin is "selfishness."

The extreme opposite of "selfishness" is "altruism."

Either extreme is detrimental to the soul of mankind. This is what Wallace D. Wattles says:



I tend to think that a balance between selfishness (taking care of the self) and altruism (taking care of others) is the key to true spiritual enlightenment.

Because in the pantheistic view of reality, we are all connected henceforth we are all THE SELF and to abuse the self is to abuse others and to abuse others is to abuse the self.

"What you do unto others, you do unto me."

What you do unto others, you do to yourself. Love your neighbor as yourself... because he is you.... after all.

JB

P.S.

Now as for diatribe on the term "sin" (once again)

"Sin" is only defined within the confines of religious doctrine or religious thought. Therefore, it does not exist outside that confinement.

Altruism/sin - moral behavior/immoral behavior - that which "seems good" or that which is not - all stems from "selfishness" it can be used for what seems on the surface as "good" but beyond surface appearences it stem's from self gratification.self indugence, self serving scenario's - Altruism is only that which appears to be good or feels good or seem's good done by the same person(s) that sometime later may commit the most hideous crime imaginable. doing something in the name of good does not excuse or nullify the truth about us all - we are at heart selfish being's - And that selfishness has caused every immoral act ever committed by our kind - only "unselfish love" is capable of defeating it - and that is something that is of momentary or brief exsistance. Such as saving a drowning person or rescueing someone from a fire, or other non-selfish act that man is capable of in fleeting jesture.Not man's normal state of mind or being.

I guess in the pantheistic view it is all a moot point to separate "self" from "others" because we view all as SELF.

Doing for the good of ALL is for the good of SELF. (THE ONE SELF)

Therefore "selfishness" is a good thing because we don't separate our little selves from all the other little selves. We are all one big SELF.

It is in the illusion of separation where selfishness of the little selves can be harmful.

Practice divine love and you won't have to worry about all the semantics of it.

If we or anything were perfect, there would be no need for growth or change. Perfection does not and never will exist.



A grey beard does not mean wisdom. Neither does being old.
As a man thinketh so he is.

I can quote millions of people too. An enlightened person cannot be selfish because they realize that they are part of all that is.



The term "evil" and "sin" are only defined within the confines of religious doctrine. They have no meaning outside of that.

Because of the law of cause and effect set up in this world, there are no injustices. All things come about as a results of thoughts and actions of people who are the thinking centers and the creators of this, their world.



Pantheism is not a religious belief. It is simply a word to loosely describe a way of thinking for the benefit of people who insist on labeling everything a religion or a belief.

Pantheism is not religion nor is is a veil. It is for your understanding that all things are connected on a quantum level. All that exists, exists as one thing with many parts.




If you want to call selfishness a "core truth" that is your choice.

I think not. To become self aware is to know that all is self, and that you, the little self, are merely part of that.

Peace to you.

not seeing your selfishness is your downfall. you can study and read and accept any and all thing's you believe to be truth's but the only thing you can know for sure is yourself - We will never know the answers to the universe, nor most of those thing's that surround us - all we can know is ourselves, that's the only thing we have inside information on - everything else is theory, belief,accetence of outside influence brought upon us by outside sources. I put no stock in word's a mean's of manipulative communication at best - but this i know - at our core - we are selfish being's, alway's were alway's will be. Talking or holding a particular view is no sign of wisdom either young or old - when people hold to a view they consider correct - they shut themselves off to further learn of other thing's especially about them selves and in reality - we are the only thing we can know for sure - as i said we have inside information on human's because we are human, everything else is guess work at best.

Pantheism is not a religious belief. It is simply a word to loosely describe a way of thinking for the benefit of people who insist on labeling everything a religion or a belief. JB

A "way of thinking" is a belief - it is a "belief system" if it were not a belief - why would you or anyone subscribe to it? Why would you think it?
Did you come up with this way of thinking??? then you are accepting and believing someone else's belief's. If your taking former belief's and holding them as your own then you are following teachings of other's - if your following someone else's belief's then you are involved in religion. the religion of pantheism. or are you saying that pantheism is your belief only? hmmmm???

I have always said that the only thing I am certain of is that I exist.

I am not even claiming that I know myself. I simply know that I exist. That is all I know for certain.

Everything else is an opinion.

So in that, I agree.

But the negative idea you hold about what selfishness is or does is your downfall.

First you state that you know:



Then in the same breath you state this:


Which agree with. But you hold the view that selfishness is a sin, and the cause of all evil. That sounds like a view that you consider correct and you sound like you have shut yourself off to further learn of other things...

All of my current views are temporary conclusions which I am willing to change in a heartbeat upon the assimilation of new information that is more reasonable.

JB

While explaining my understanding of how all things are connected, someone told me that I was "pantheist." They labeled me. I did not label myself. Some people just need labels.



Pantheism, as far as I know, is not a religion. It is not practiced as a religion. I do not subscribe to it as my belief system.

I base my ideas about the universe on science and quantum physics, not on some people's ideas about pantheism. I only use the term when people ask for a label to save time rewriting my entire world view. I don't have time for that nonsense.

JB