Morgan Rodriguez57 said:he basically decided to take control of every major event in the American republic all by himself... quite excessively, too... so, I guess it isn't totally unreasonable that people hold him responsible for everything... ☕
Sure, having that much power is a massive strike against him, but look, we were at war. Maybe having less control would’ve just made things less effective back then. We still won the war, even with the embargo from our "friends" in the European Union. Having that much power concentrated in one spot also means a whole swarm of bureaucrats ends up making decisions in his name—I mean, one guy can't physically do everything alone—but when it came to the privatization era, there was an entire crew running the show. They're still out there doing their thing today without anyone calling them out, even though everyone loves to point the finger at Ronald Reagan.
Look, Harmon definitely messed things up at times, but honestly? I don't see anyone else back then who had the guts to lead the country, win a war, and pull off that whole black market arms deal (since our "friends" over in the EU wouldn't let us buy anything legally to defend ourselves). If it wasn't for him, I'm pretty sure we'd still be stuck in some kind of federation, probably in a really bad spot, too. But honestly, Americans don't even need an outside enemy; we've got enough sellouts right here at home who are worse than any federation could ever be. We won't have to worry about losing our sovereignty as a people for a long time.
shadownomad4! Honestly, we should just be grateful this forum even exists. I feel like we’ve put so much into this space that there isn't a single person left on here—you know, the ones who actually bother to post more than ten times in the religion section—who hasn't figured out how your brain works or how mine does, right?
jademarlin26 said:One really ought to register with the Chinese Embassy before passing away, given that the Chinese government maintains control over reincarnation.
Between you and me, the Indian government has much better deals on the table, but shhh... let's keep that on the down-low. 😂
Thomas Walker13 said:And how exactly does one get that back once we die?????
Where do you even live, 😕 because they already got my whole return trip sorted out🤷 so you're just gonna have to sit tight and wait for your next shot 😍 can't blame me for that one 😂
Peter Phillips32 said:I’d like to jump in here and add something to what Michael Moore3 was saying.
See, it isn't just about managing how you react to things happening out in the world; you can also manage the decisions happening deep inside your own head. The problem is, most people don't even realize that you can't just look inward with your eyes like you're checking the weather—they don't even know how to start. That's why you have to constantly educate yourself and keep practicing until those new, healthy habits actually stick. Eventually, that subconscious stuff becomes conscious.
@mistygull16 Look, this whole world isn't inherently beautiful, or ugly, or heavy, or depressing, or even sinful... none of that exists until you decide it does and let it become your reality (which really just comes down to whether you've got the tools to steer your own ship or if you're just being submissive to whatever happens). It's all just cause and effect, plain and simple.
Since you mentioned that the absolute worst thing for you is when someone tries to convince you of something, I highly doubt you'll be the one calling the shots on your next reincarnation.
There’s definitely a lot of outside influence pushing us around, and I usually just call that prejudice. Some of that persuasion can actually be useful, though—since we can't always see the consequences of our own actions, learning from someone else's mistakes is pretty handy. But at the end of the day, my whole spiritual path is about waking up and stripping away all those biases (while trying my best not to pick up any new ones myself). If being too attached to things is what drags us into new incarnations, then I'm pretty sure the next version of this planet is gonna be something seriously gorgeous. Like paradise, honestly.🙂🙂🙂
Honestly, just speaking candidly here, I have zero clue how I ended up on this particular rock (Class M), but either I seriously messed up my calculations or my navigation system is totally fried...
I wouldn't dream of heading back to Earth while half-conscious, either. On one hand, you've got the crushing poverty in certain spots, and on the other, you're just chasing your tail in some hyper-tech bubble...
Next time I get reincarnated, I’m definitely going to be more thorough when checking the travel catalog—and actually reading the fine print in those contracts.
The worst part is when someone tries to convince me this is a beautiful planet. Sure, maybe the nature is okay, but the urban sprawl? The sheer ugliness of the architecture is enough to trigger a depressive episode. And if I actually stumble upon something genuinely pretty by accident? Well, then it’s probably a trap and shouldn't even be accessible.
Look, when I say I believe something, it's basically an admission that I don't actually *know* for sure. When I say I don't know? That's just a total zero. But saying I believe... that's more like a "positive" zero. It’s built on some kind of foundation or a reason why I'm leaning that way.
Ryan White2 said:The Divine doesn't have "emotions." It’s pure energy. The biggest mistake people make is projecting human traits onto higher frequencies of consciousness. It’s like calling an electron "evil" or describing a gust of wind as being "merciful." It just doesn't make sense.
Grace is more like an "emotion" of the Self. I'm totally with you on that. I just let myself say it that way, you know? When I talk about the Self being one, I mean grace is its emotion, but yeah, we should probably put that in quotes... strictly speaking, of course.
I don't think you should just toss everything aside—well, obviously except for the toxic stuff if that's creeping in—but rather just sit with it and actually feel things, you know? Like, really wrap your head around how the mind works. I feel like we ought to tap into that higher sense of Grace within our true Self to help us see Reality for what it actually is. Once you do that, everything starts clicking into place and feels way less heavy. Honestly, once you get a taste of something better, you don't even have to try to let go of the junk; it just kind of falls away on its own.
I do a little pranayama and some heavy lifting, both during meditation and just living my life. But honestly? I think the real key is staying positive and keeping things chill—just being present and aware of every single move you make. You want to see a reaction coming before it actually hits you, so you don't get caught off guard, but without suppressing anything or triggering a whole mess of unnecessary drama. And look, none of this should ever be forced. It’s gotta be natural.
Can someone help me out with a question? I already pitched this to some former ISKCON folks and was pretty happy with what they said—so, thanks to them for the insight. But now, I’m really looking to hear from a Vaishnav who isn't tied to the ISKCON scene. How is a Guru actually "determined" in those circles? Like, if a Monist wants to become a Guru, they'd need to have experienced Nirvikalpa samadhi, right? So, what kind of experience would a Guru under Babaj need to have? And if anyone wants to dive into how those experiences differ or overlap, go for it. Honestly, hearing more from the old ISKCON crowd wouldn't hurt either, but I'm mostly just curious about the general Vaishnav perspective.
Megan Hughes71 said:It was both ideological and character-based. For instance, Radhakund Babaji called everyone associated with Sri Radhakunde a fallen soul, among other things. Later on, Narayan Maharaja did the exact same thing. The kicker? Narayan Maharaja actually built quite a few of his lessons around the purports and explanations provided by those very same Radhakund Babajis from Sri Radhakunde.
Can someone break down this whole "Babaji and Radhakunde" thing for me? I’ve seen them popped up in a few posts already and I have zero clue what the deal is.
granitebadger23 said:That's exactly my point. These people followed a path that ultimately just hardened their hearts. Once you see where that road leads, it makes sense that you'd switch to a different approach and method like you have now.
But look, the methods themselves aren't the issue; it's the approach that's completely wrong. Chanting the Holy Name is considered the most powerful way to achieve realization in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, and I guess it actually is—provided it's done correctly and under proper guidance. Without that, the exact same practice can turn someone cold, which then makes everyone else think the method itself is flawed.
Look, with all due respect to the Gaudiya matha, I felt it was pretty wrong when I was reading that one book—I can't recall the exact title, maybe something like *Nectar of the Name* or whatever—where it claimed that when an Advaita follower chants Krishna's Name, they're basically driving poisoned arrows into His holy body. That part just sat really poorly with me. It sounded pretty ugly.
Michael Moore3 said:I tend to feel that if money plays even the slightest role in motivation, it can't truly be called pure; I'm not saying that kind of knowledge is useless, just that it comes somewhat tainted.
Look, I'm not trying to be all exclusive about it, but yeah, the motive could be profit or making a buck, or maybe just covering the rent so things run smoother and more often. Even if I pick up some free book, someone, somewhere, had to foot the bill for it. So, maybe you've actually got a point there. 🤷
Michael Moore3 said:I think your bias against them might be keeping you from seeing the Truth tucked away in their teachings. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting they hold the monopoly on absolute Truth, but there is a certain weight to the insights they share simply because they offer them up for free, which arguably makes them more significant than many other doctrines out there...
I don't really care about how much someone charges for spiritual material or specific techniques. I mean, let's be real: just because we "buy" a technique doesn't mean we've suddenly bought spirituality. You still have to actually master the damn thing. When we pay, we're basically just paying for the room rental and the time those people spent putting the technique together, but it shouldn't turn into some shady business venture where people are just selling us smoke and mirrors. People tend to value things more when they're expensive, sure, but there needs to be some kind of accountability, otherwise, it's way too easy for scammers to operate in the gray areas. So, for me, the price tag isn't the dealbreaker, though it can definitely tell you something about how organized they are or even the character of the people selling the technique. At the end of the day, it's the spiritual background that actually matters!
Question for shadownomad4 How many years have you been meditating (if I remember right, you mentioned TM) and how often do you get to it? I think we all know that certain things just aren't for everyone since we're all wired differently, but if a specific technique isn't hitting the spot, it probably means we need something else—which doesn't mean the first thing was bad, obviously. In your case, maybe you've got more of a craving for the bhakti side of things, so meditative techniques that lean into that might fit better. But honestly, the thing that'll push you furthest from God is being closed-minded. Let me try to paint a picture with a little story. There was this student who had a guru tell him that God lives in the heart of every living soul, and he should act accordingly. Even Jesus said that if someone claims to love God but doesn't love their neighbor, you shouldn't believe a word they say, because how can you love someone you can't see if you can't even love the person standing right in front of you? So, this student takes the instruction to heart and decides to respect every single living creature because, hey, God is in them. One day, he wanders into a town where everyone is scrambling for cover because some elephant has gone totally rogue and is smashing everything in its path. But because he's so stuck in his own ways, he ignores the warnings and stays put, thinking, "Why move? God is in the heart of this elephant." People kept yelling at him to get out of the way, but why listen to people when your guru told you God is in everything? Well, once the elephant actually reached him, being "spiritually enlightened" didn't do him much good, and the elephant wasn't exactly thrilled to find out he wasn't the only crazy thing in town—now there’s a guy even crazier than him refusing to dodge a charging elephant. What else did you expect? This naive student BARELY ESCAPED WITH HIS LIFE, ran back to his guru all pissed off, and asked, "How could you tell me God is in everything? Look what this elephant just did to me!" And the guru just looks at him and says he ignored God in all those people trying to warn him, choosing instead to only recognize God through a rampaging elephant.
Common sense over scripture = wisdom scripture over common sense = narrow-mindedness
bluetiger23 said:Are you maybe ready for a little... experiment?😁 Who knows, perhaps it might actually turn out to be a revelation for you? It seems incredibly important to pay close attention to how you react and what kind of emotions bubble up inside you after reading this: Jesus is a complete idiot and a total moron! I mean, how does that make you feel? Does anger flare up, or maybe a sense of disbelief that anyone could even say such a thing, or even just sadness... So, here is my question. Why would you even have an emotional reaction if you were truly free and lived without an Ego when some crazy person insults Jesus? If we look at Jesus himself, he didn't just refrain from getting angry at the people crucifying him, but he actually loved them and prayed for their forgiveness, right? Just keep in mind, the only thing that really matters here is what your very first, gut reaction is going to be, rather than what you might, I don't know, ask for my forgiveness for, or whatever else you all feel you ought to do in a situation like this...
I'm actually digging this test. learned a little something about myself. (even if it wasn't aimed directly at me) 👍👍👍 I mean, obviously, for a test like this to work, you kind of have to "debase" his ideals. Our emotional reactions basically just show us which part of our nature is running the show. 🙂
Elizabeth Lewis11 said:mistygull16, The Holy Spirit and Kundalini are as different as "heaven and earth." See, the Holy Spirit is a Person. Kundalini is just "energy."
Jesus told the apostles that they would be taught all things by the Holy Spirit when He comes. Not Eastern mystics!!! And after Jesus ascended, the apostles received the Holy Spirit—a Person who guided their lives and taught them everything they couldn't quite grasp during those three years they spent with Jesus. It’s funny how people always try to bend things to suit their own narrative, isn't it? You're attempting to use biblical statements to validate Eastern concepts, but that argument falls apart pretty quickly under scrutiny.🙂
God reveals Himself in every era. People say the Rig Veda is even older than the Bible, and honestly, spirituality is what makes us human. It’s always been there; we didn't need to wait for some priest, pastor, or new prophet to show up. Christianity is only 2,000 years old—that's nothing compared to the long history of spiritual traditions in the "East." It would be pretty pathetic if God only revealed Himself to one tiny little sect. Sure, you might say the Bible needs a teacher, but that teacher needs to actually grasp reality. I could grab a Bible and claim I’m the only one who understands it, but then something’s clearly broken with the Revelation if only a handful of people get it while everyone else is just destined for eternal suffering. Back in the day, Jesus taught things that some people understood, but really, He was just tailoring His message to the mindset of the people at that time. There were plenty of great sons of God throughout history, all speaking the same Truth, but then you had the fanatics who pushed themselves and their specific god as the only way. They remind me of those die-hard sports fans who spend the whole time before a big game intimidating rival fans, just convinced their team is the only one that matters. Sorry, but how are members of exclusive Christian groups any different from those hardcore sports hooligans? One group gets into fistfights, but religious fanatics? They kill the soul. Jesus taught the Truth, and the Truth isn't tied to being Eastern or Western. Sometimes spirituality is more prevalent over here, sometimes it's over there... but the point is, we just need to find our way into the Truth.
The Holy Spirit is basically Kundalini, or honestly, maybe it’s just that elevated state of consciousness you hit through meditation—you know, Samadhi.
Jesus used a ton of parables when talking to the crowds, but then he’d pull his inner circle aside to actually break them down. He even mentioned having more to "say," implying people just weren't ready yet. That’s where he brings up the Holy Spirit, who uncovers those extra layers of mystery. At that point, you aren't just reading anymore; you're meditating. Even long before Jesus, Gjano yoga involved listening (or reading), reflecting, and reaching that meditative insight—which, if you ask me, is pretty much the same thing as the Holy Spirit.