Posts by steelgardener22

Maria Robinson2 said:Ridiculous—some guy claiming to be above God? I’ve seen that one a thousand times.

Spirituality wouldn't even exist if there weren't a God to begin with. But I guess you want to redefine everything?
Look, if that's how you feel, maybe go talk to someone else.

Yeah, I said the same damn thing here and got flagged... can't even talk religion because I'm banned from those groups... otherwise, I'd set you straight...

Maria Robinson2 said:Jehovah's spirit is likely a mystery to you—not to me.

Look, this is a spirituality group... please go deal with your religion and Jehovah somewhere else!

Maria Robinson2 said:An uneducated spiritual person simply doesn't exist.

Do most people even grasp what it actually means to be spiritually educated?

I suppose the more books you churn through—all those spiritual guides and such—the less actual spiritual depth you might possess.

Of course, many will disagree with me here—not that I’m particularly surprised by that.

you're being super cryptic here... might as well just write riddles at this point...🍿

Michael Gonzalez77 said:Look, people are the only ones capable of creating peace, just like they’re the ones responsible for all the chaos—both inside themselves and out there in the world. Santa Claus isn't going to swoop in and fix it for us. As for when that actually happens, or if it ever will, well, that's a whole different conversation.

Maria Robinson2, you sound like a Jehovah's Witness. Your whole idea about future peace on Earth relies on some divine intervention and the glorious return of Christ... which is exactly what the Bible says, and it's something the Witnesses love to spin into these elaborate, vivid little fantasies in all sorts of ways...

Michael Gonzalez77 said:Illusion isn't some moral thing—it’s not "good" or "bad." It’s just a factual state of being. Think about it: life itself is an illusion because it only exists through the lens of the mind. Our consciousness relies entirely on the impressions fed to us. Without those impressions, there is no mind; without a mind, there is no life, no experience, and no sense of self. In that void, personal existence simply doesn't exist. It's all illusory.

The core issue with people is that they just collect a mountain of artificial impressions. They end up building this entire separate psychological universe inside themselves—a world within a world that isn't even real, much like trying to navigate a dream.

The whole spiritual path is essentially an illusion. It’s that specific moment when consciousness starts moving forward along the path, which is really just a form of advanced imagination. But here’s the distinction: while an average person is tangled up in mental impressions—viewing the world as a solid, undeniable reality—on the Spiritual Path, you begin to experience the unreality of life firsthand. It isn't just an intellectual concept; you actually feel it.

The material world is constantly shifting; it doesn't hold any real substance. Even those higher planes—the more advanced dimensions where different beings exist—are essentially illusions, just much more stable versions of our own reality. In those realms, things like psychological suffering don't even exist because they are far more energetically grounded. But above all of that, there is a dimension of pure spiritual energy. That realm shares absolutely nothing with the lives of living beings. There is no such thing as an eternal being; a "being" is just a temporary shape, much like how entire civilizations are merely fleeting patterns, whether they endure for a long time or a short one.

Asking this question feels like we're trivializing the whole issue when it comes to identification.

Everything we claim to be—whether it’s being a man or a woman, an American, an engineer, or a judge—is really just our consciousness latching onto things that don't actually exist. These identities are nothing more than psychological constructs, simple social conventions built from pieces of human imagination. We rely on our five senses to perceive them, but they lack any true substance. The problem is that we get so consumed by these labels that we surrender our entire existence to them. Because we define ourselves through these imaginary categories, we can't even see anything outside of those narrow connotations. In effect, we end up identifying with things that aren't even us. If you want to actually touch the real experience of who you truly Are, you have to start by recognizing what you are *not*. You have to become aware of all those false identities you've wrapped yourself in—the ones currently dictating how you think, how you act, and how you stay stuck in these endless loops of unconscious behavior.

Life is inherently dualistic. That’s not some mystical concept; it’s just how things work. Our senses and our minds act as this incredible mechanism that defines the very nature of life, all stemming from the evolution of consciousness itself. Once you actually become aware of this duality, everything shifts. It's like flipping a switch. Your consciousness starts operating on an entirely different level. That’s when you can finally start living the way we were actually designed to—by finding that perfect, subtle balance between the mental, the emotional, and the energetic aspects of being human.

Look, whether you’re someone currently walking this earth or even someone who’s passed on—provided they haven't broken free from that mental matrix and found themselves reincarnating again—everyone is caught up in this duality. It really just boils down to one thing: whether or not you actually realize you're part of it.

Virtue is nothing more than a moving target. It’s whatever the society you live in decides is "good." What one community in America calls a core strength, a culture halfway across the world might see as a total character flaw. That’s really the heart of the matter.

Every situation we face acts like a fork in the road. It either forces us to confront reality head-on, or it makes us tighten our grip on a lie just to get by. Honestly, the whole debate over "virtue versus vice" isn't even the main point here. It’s simpler than that. Even the most upright person you know wasn't born a saint—everyone starts out as someone who’s been tempted and knocked off course.

What I was getting at wasn't about whether someone feels good in the moment because they think they did the right thing. It’s about the fact that—regardless of how you felt while you were doing it—your actions create consequences that stick to your conscience. If you feel guilt, that should act as a compass, driving you toward actions that root out the "bad." But if that guilt just turns into a repetitive mental loop without you actually doing anything to stop the harmful behavior, then it becomes a trap. At that point, it isn't helpful; it's just a destructive cycle.

Look, when someone views themselves as a "good person" rather than a bad one, they end up trapping themselves. They start trying to prove their goodness by clinging to that identity, which just keeps them stuck in a narrow way of existing. You can only really break free from those self-imposed "good guy" shackles once you realize how limiting they actually are. Once you see that, it becomes much easier to read a situation for what it is and act exactly how the moment requires, without being tied down by a rigid moral script.

In reality, people aren't inherently good or bad—even though that’s how most of us view the world. It's simpler than that: people just have different life experiences. Everyone is essentially just chasing their own version of well-being based on whatever knowledge or impressions they happen to hold. Think about the difference between an average person and a career criminal in a state penitentiary. In principle, they both think in very similar ways; the difference is that the inmate lacks that internal boundary and reaches for what he wants using the only tools he knows how to use.

Having a tendency to judge others is like adding extra weight to your mind. It’s a massive roadblock to any kind of spiritual growth, just like gossiping or venting toxic emotions. All these habits create "repulsion"—this heavy emotional, mental, and physical friction that pushes things away.

There are so many layers to this topic that you can't explain it with a single rule or a one-size-fits-all example. Life and the human mind are far too complex to be viewed through a simple black-and-white lens. Nothing is purely "white" and nothing is purely "black," but trying to identify solely with the "gray area" is just as much of an illusion as clinging to the extremes.

The real question is: what is the quality of our lives? And when I say "life," I’m talking about our inner life—the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic core. I mean our ability to experience this world more deeply and exist as a continuous whole. I'm talking about achieving mental and emotional freedom from toxic feelings, negative thoughts, and stress, while opening ourselves up to those bursts of compassion, bliss, and pure vitality. I'm talking about energetic growth that elevates our physical, intellectual, and creative capacities, allowing us to radiate that energy outward. The goal is to live in a way that inspires the people around us and directly improves the quality of their inner lives, too. To me, that is far more significant than just "spiritual development."

Wait... you were talking about spiritual growth—soul progression and all that. But if illusion isn't even "good" or "bad," then there’s no such thing as moving forward or backward. What exactly is spiritual development then? Just a more precise way of relating to the illusion—where you might end up with a little more virtue, or a little more evil and shitty consequences.

The core issue with people? It’s just an accumulation of fake impressions—basically building this whole separate psychological bubble inside a world that isn't even real to begin with. It's all just one big dreamscape.

I’m fine with embracing illusions when they serve a purpose—but that doesn't mean the mind can't snap out of it and hit a state of pure reality whenever it wants.

The whole spiritual path thing? It’s an illusion. It’s basically just that moment when consciousness starts leveling up—a type of pure imagination. But here's the kicker: unlike the average person who's totally wrapped up in sensory impressions and thinks everything they see is "real," someone on this path starts to actually *feel* how unreal life really is. We're talking experiential, not just some intellectual theory.

The surface stuff is just an illusion—but the foundation? That's backed by God, the Law, and the Truth.

This question kind of trivializes the whole damn issue when you start talking about identification.

Man, you just love arguing at thirty thousand feet—where everything’s abstract and it’s easy to tear stuff down when nothing is actually real.

Everything people cling to—being a woman, a man, an American, an engineer, a judge, whatever—it’s all just their consciousness latching onto things that don't actually exist. These are nothing more than psychological constructs, simple social conventions. They're just fragments of human imagination built on what our five senses pick up. It's not "real." Since people are so obsessed with this stuff, they end up subordinating their entire existence to these made-up labels. They can't even perceive anything outside those connotations. Basically, they spend their lives identifying with things that aren't even there.

The Law runs through all this—some illusions are just bigger than others. Calling someone an American or a Mexican? That’s a massive illusion right there. An engineer or a judge? There’s way less illusion there because they actually have to answer to natural laws, ethics, and justice. But man and woman—that’s even further from being an illusion. They were built to be "one"—not some twisted version where people try to be gay. You can't just distance yourself from the gift of life and spiritual polarity like that.

To actually get close to the real experience of who a person Is, they have to become aware of everything they *aren't*—all that stuff they identify with that dictates their thinking, their behavior, and their actions, basically just keeping them stuck because they aren't conscious of it.

But look—men and women have to accept the temporary nature and the illusions of their physical bodies and reproduction. Because up on the Mountain... there is no such thing as reproduction in the real world. Down here, it’s just a mechanism to pull souls into these lesson-filled scenes... regardless of how they got dragged into it.

"Virtue" is just whatever someone decides counts as virtuous—it's defined by the society an individual lives in. That exact same "virtue" could be seen as a total flaw on the other side of the world, and that’s the whole point.

No... listen... just because one tribe somewhere doesn't see a problem with cannibalism while another tribe prizes the sanctity of life and organic food... that doesn't mean cannibalism is just as "virtuous" as vegetarianism.

Nah, when someone views themselves as "good" rather than "bad," they’re just doubling down on that identity to validate themselves, which keeps them trapped in that separate existence. Breaking free from the shackles of being "good" only happens once you realize how limiting it is. Only then can you actually recognize life situations for what they are and act according to what the moment actually requires.

Yeah... the mind has to be steady, but there's nothing wrong with me correctly judging that certain person didn't deserve my charity... quite the opposite... I have to be selective and act virtuously. I'm not about to throw money at some woman who's just going to spend it on cigarettes.

People aren't fundamentally good or bad, even if that's how everyone looks at it. People just have different life experiences, and everyone is just chasing their own well-being based on their ignorance and whatever impressions happen to be dominant.

I don't buy that... virtue has to have elements of Law. And when someone pursues their own well-being at any cost, if they have even a shred of virtue in them, they'll know they wouldn't want someone stealing their car the same way they steal others' just to get ahead.

The tendency to "judge" others just ties you more to the mind, and it definitely blocks spiritual progress.

When a villain judges others, they're just binding themselves further—but when a saint judges, they do it out of pure knowledge. It's like when Jesus told people not to judge, yet said of Himself, "If I do judge, My judgment is true."

There's way too much going on here to boil it down to one simple explanation or just look at one specific example. Life and the human mind are way more complex than some basic "black and white" checklist. Nothing is purely "white" and nothing is strictly "black"—but honestly? Trying to claim you're living in the "gray area" is just as much of an illusion as pretending things are black or white.

yeah

The real question is: what’s our actual quality of life? And when I say "life," I’m talking about the inner stuff—the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic side of things. It’s about having the capacity to experience this world on a deeper level and feeling like a continuous whole. It's about being mentally and emotionally free from toxic emotions, negative thoughts, and stress—all while experiencing those growing bursts of empathy, bliss, and pure vital joy. It’s also about that energy growth that boosts your physical, intellectual, and creative capacities, allowing you to radiate that out to people around you—to actually inspire them and directly improve their own internal lives. For me, that's what truly matters when it comes to spiritual growth.

Spot on. But if you actually want to live like that, you’ve gotta understand the Laws of Life, tap into Virtue, and be smart about who you share yourself with—don't go throwing pearls of joy and wisdom at swine...

Michael Gonzalez77 said:It’s only humans who can be judged for having "virtues and vices." Everything else is just "non-virtue," which really just points to the level of intellect used to measure it. This whole concept of illusion stems from ignorance—essentially, identifying consciousness with things it isn't—or, conversely, reaching that stage of spiritual growth where you realize what consciousness is *not*. For consciousness itself, there is no such thing as an "external illusion." There is only consciousness and its perception of what it is or isn't.

So, it's not that the world is inherently an illusion. Rather, it's the impression formed within the mind due to the laws of Maya—that illusion where everything feels separate and tangibly real.

As long as consciousness identifies with labels like being Catholic or Muslim, belonging to a specific nation or race, holding a certain profession, or even being an artist, a scientist, a man, or a woman, and letting those things drive their actions—we're talking about being caught up in a dualistic, illusory existence. It's the trap of the "limited self," which doesn't actually exist.

On the other hand, "virtue and vice" are mostly just cultural and civilizational norms—taboos, prohibitions, and social expectations. Anything that impacts spiritual growth can be utilized: if it blocks you, you use it to transcend; if it encourages you, you use it to fuel further development, right up until the point where consciousness stops clinging to any of it.

Then there's what I call the "golden shackles of goodness." This happens when consciousness identifies itself with "good deeds." That’s just as much of an illusion as anything else, and honestly, it’s even more restrictive than being "bad." It’s much easier for consciousness to detach from "bad" actions, whereas it tends to cling to "good" ones without ever realizing it needs to let go of that identity too.

So where's the line for "spiritual development"... or is it just a matter of higher vs. lower illusions? What level are you writing from here—are you speaking from a state of high spiritual realization (setting the scale for things), or are you operating from a lower illusion by exposing a higher one?

Basically, the world itself isn't illusory; rather, it's the impression of consciousness (caused by the laws of Maya, the Illusion that makes everything seem separate and real) that builds up through mental impressions.

The world has elements of illusion in its instability; everything is born, grows, ages, and dies... from people to mountains to entire galaxies. Old folks talk about some heavenly paradise that's eternal, where nothing is born or dies... I used to say that world was non-illusory. But honestly, even this world is recognized as an illusion by those who are enlightened... and as such, it stops being an "illusion" and just becomes something explainable. Everything is relative...

As long as consciousness identifies at levels like Catholic or Muslim, or as a member of a specific nation, race, profession, or as an artist or scientist, man or woman and acts accordingly—we're talking about being entangled in a dualistic, illusory existence of a "limited self" that doesn't actually exist.

Are you actually "entangled" in duality? Or as a guy, could you just throw on a sundress and walk down your street without a second thought because you aren't strictly "man" or "woman"—plus, a breezy summer dress is way more comfortable in this heat? Are you actually part of human reproduction, or would you rather this whole world just vanish... because why bother with birth and creating all these illusory relationships anyway?

"Virtue and vice" are, on the other hand, mostly phenomena of cultural and civilizational norms, taboos, prohibitions, and what is deemed desirable.

I don't care about "mostly."

Then there's the "golden shackles of goodness," where consciousness identifies with "good deeds". That’s also an illusion, and it’s even more restrictive than "badness"—because you can shake off the "bad" easily, but with the "good," consciousness clings to it for no reason, and you have to consciously work to free yourself from that kind of identification.

Isn't there a third option here besides what you're laying out? Say, some panhandler on a street corner in Chicago—cigarette hanging out of her mouth, baby in tow—begging for "food money." I hand over a twenty, she gets fed, and I feel like a good person. Then tomorrow, I change my mind, realize she’s just playing on people's emotions to scam them, and I don't give her a dime—now I feel good again. Is there actually a third way to look at this?

Michael Gonzalez77 said:Think about it: even if a person listens to themselves and tries to find mental and emotional harmony, they’re still living inside an illusion—they’re still living as a persona. The world itself doesn't change; instead, human perception shifts so much that you finally see through the veil. You realize it's all an illusion, or perhaps like a vivid dream so convincing that the only way to feel it is to get lost in it and mistake it for reality.

We’re essentially living in a "double dream." Most people aren't even aware they're trapped in an illusion. They genuinely believe that their mind—which is really just a collection of impressions and distorted perceptions—is the ultimate truth. To them, that distorted mental map *is* reality.

Look, you still have to LIVE that illusory life. Your job is to actually act with some damn integrity while you're in it. Go ahead, dream your dream—but don't go bragging about how you were stealing and beating up kids in your sleep... whether it's a dream or this "conscious" version of one. Even if the world is an illusion, that illusion still has its own rules, virtues, and total madness.

Matthew Anderson4 said:Where does peace even start?

Peace is just finding that balance with fear... that’s the cold hard truth—until you show some teeth and prove someone can't just walk all over you.

Matthew Anderson4 said:Where does peace even start?

Right where Islam—and all those similar "revelations"—ends... and honestly, this is just a tiny slice of the truth. Every single war boils down to economic interests. Take Muhammad-Allah's interests, for example: it started with raiding caravans (the Quran lays out how they split the loot), then moved to conquering the world and slapping taxes on non-believers (also in the Quran) just so they could live high on the hog while everyone else worked for them—all while they lounged around with a harem of women and servants (which is basically their version of paradise, according to the Quran).

When I tried to bring this up myself, I got blocked... it’s the exact same way they hide crimes committed by radical Muslims against women and kids in Germany today...

People in France are finally pushing back against violent Islam: http://croative.net/?p=41627...

Anthony Ross2 said:I’m not entirely sure about the results—after all, we’re all on these journeys that either drag on forever or maybe never truly end. But since these paths are so complex, and honestly kind of terrifying sometimes, we get to peek into so many different corners of ourselves. By diving straight into our own shadow, we can finally see our lives through a whole new set of mirrors.

I’ve started to realize that simplicity is actually the best way to measure spiritual progress. Whenever I manage to keep things simple, I feel like I'm succeeding. Simplicity is what eventually led me to love. Or maybe it was the other way around? I'm not quite sure.😍

Results are whatever we decide they are. They don't just vanish when this body dies or when this life wraps up... people think this world is the center of the universe... it's pure ego.

Post got nuked in under a minute... just like I predicted—those atheist mods over in the religion sub can't handle anything else. Basically, my point was that homosexuality isn't "sexuality" and it isn't natural since it doesn't involve two different biological sexes. Plus—and this is the part they hate—citing "homosexual" behavior in animals is a total cop-out. Animals don't make choices... they just jump on whatever is nearby, even other species. In the animal kingdom, that's just a glitch.

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William Williams7 said:I’m trying to wrap my head around how God can die and then just come back to life and...

In Christian belief, is Jesus actually God, or is he just the son, or what exactly is the deal?

Please keep your answers brief, if you wouldn't mind and if you actually have the time to get back to me.

The Bible is pretty clear—Jesus died "in spirit," meaning he didn't actually die. He just left his physical body behind. "He died in the body, but through his spirit, he descended into the underworld to preach the gospel to the spirits who were disobedient during the days of Noah..."

So, during those three days of "death," Jesus was still spiritually active—preaching, teaching, all that..

Is Jesus God according to Christian belief, or is he the son, or what?

Christ is God because of how He operates through the Holy Spirit. Scripture makes it obvious: everything was created through Him, and everything that exists draws its existence from Him.

He's the son because He manifested from the Father as the only begotten—the one single manifestation from the Nutrine. That’s why He's subordinate to the Father, just like the Father is subordinate to the Holy Spirit. When God-Holy Spirit decided to create, He first gave Himself the form of Father and Son so that everything created could be "in the image and likeness" of the manifested deity of the Father and Son.

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Could you please give me short answers if you have the time to respond?

Then you be polite too—stop assuming the Christian God can die or that God can't "give birth." Some people think that's impossible because they follow the logic that "Allah has no wife." Can you believe how shallow that kind of reasoning is!?

Jose Young4 said:Here is why God changed the revelations.

And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it. So judge them by what God has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from the truth that has come to you. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had God willed, He would have made you one nation, but He tests you in what He has given you so that you may aspire to good. And to God is your return, and He will inform you about that over which you used to differ. (5:48)

It’s a test, Alex Ramos91, a test!!!
It is stated clearly that God allowed previous Revelations to be distorted as a way to test us. After all, what good is free will if we can't choose between good and evil? There has to be a test from God so we can earn our righteousness or our sins!

Distorting the Bible is definitely a massive test—just like how the revelations of the satanic hierarchy, such as the Quran, serve as tests. But all that nonsense is in the past; serious people don't waste their time arguing over those smoke screens. The biggest deceptions and traps are still ahead for this current generation, right before this world's satanic system finally collapses.

Harold Reyes3 said:

You really shouldn't have gone there. It’s been made clear a thousand times already—this is clearly a forgery.

Look, even if we assume it's a fake, we still have what the Quran says about Jesus to deal with. Whether it's a forgery or not, I look at the Gospel of Barnabas simply as an explanation of what God intended.

They didn't actually kill or crucify him; it only appeared to them.

So, let's say the Gospel of Barnabas is a forgery—which I don't believe, by the way—we could still interpret it this way:

"It only appeared to them." Maybe they killed someone who looked just like him, or maybe God transformed another man to look exactly like Jesus. That's one way to read it!

Look at it this way. Prophets were killed. Christ was killed. That’s Christ showing solidarity with the prophets—I won't even go further there... But they killed what *can* be killed: the body. They couldn't touch his soul, and they never could.

A biblical thinker like the apostle Peter clearly gets it when he says he was "killed" in a sense: "He was indeed killed in the flesh, but in spirit he goes to the dungeon to preach the gospel to the dead from Noah's time..."

Then, through his physical resurrection, Jesus overcomes even that temporary victory of the wicked who tried to take him out physically. That’s the beauty of our view of Jesus' suffering and sacrifice... because we acknowledge both sides. We recognize that he intentionally humbled himself and then intentionally exalted himself through the resurrection. The Quranic version is a temptation and pure madness because it's a lie. The Christian perspective of "it only appeared so" is much more complete, clearer, grander, more philosophical, wiser, and aligned with the truth.

Christianity knows the truth; it's hard for those who took part in betraying Jesus, or those who participated in his torture, or even those who deny Jesus' sacrifice—you deceived by the Quran and its lies.

rowdyhawk10 said:The Underworld? I wonder how far beneath the surface that actually is. 😁
Technically, the term "Underworld" isn't really a part of Christian belief; it’s more rooted in Ancient Egyptian or Greek mythology.

Would you mind listing those three or four users? Thanks! 🙂

The Underworld is basically just Heaven’s prison cell—and we’re the ones living in the basement. It's the bottom of the barrel. You look at someone like Muhammad, for instance—he went straight to the absolute bottom to wait for his inspiration.