Ryan Wilson2 said:Personally, I’m pretty sure the old saying goes: if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.
Honestly, there is enough philosophical depth in that proverb to fuel a hundred debates—though, given your rather... devilish reputation, I suspect you might have taken it completely the wrong way.😁>
crimsonbison10 said:Thanks. But why go philosophical on me?🙂
Does a child's soul grow in proportion (if you can even put it that way) to their physical body? Does the soul evolve?
And what exactly is "spirit"?
👋
Well, it's philosophical because—let's be honest—I'm a bit pretentious. 😉
My take is that the soul does evolve, but not in lockstep with physical development; rather, it evolves independently—through the process of karmic reincarnation—which involves a vast array of different material manifestations along the way.
As for "spirit"? It's essentially the same thing, though we tend to apply the term more broadly. Take the "spirit of the times," for instance. It's that word we use to describe the core essence of a person, an object, or a concept—that certain quality which is, shall we say, much greater than just the sum of its individual parts.
crimsonbison10 said:I just wanted to ask—as a complete layman—what does one actually mean when they talk about the "soul"? 😕
ehe, it depends on who you ask! Personally, I view the "soul" as the philosophical essence of that vital force which animates us. My take on the definition is that every single organism—meaning any object independently driven by that life force—possesses a soul; even bacteria, if you think about it. In my view, once a child evolves past being just a collection of cells, that’s when they acquire a soul.
Looking at all the different takes floating around here, I’m reminded of that old, slightly blunt bit of wisdom... "If you try to please everyone, you can kiss your ass goodbye..."
The guy clearly has a massive dilemma on his hands. Honestly, don't listen to these folks. Just follow your heart. Or—better yet—follow my lead, since I actually know what I'm talking about. 😁 Problem solved. 😛
Look, Kafetin, sure, almost everyone is looking for great sex—nearly everyone, anyway—but maybe not at the expense of a solid relationship. I say: down with casual hookups! Raise the flags of romance! Viva la Amour!
Nobody wants to be the backup plan. Even Kenneth Robinson5 knows you’re interested in her—and honestly, I don't think you'd feel great about "testing the waters" with this first girl only to pivot to the second one later. I mean, personally? I know I couldn't pull something like that off.
Person B, without a doubt, because she sounds like exactly what you actually need. Passion alone isn't a ticket to happiness—that's a guarantee. If you're looking at the long haul, you really ought to weigh which one would actually make you happier in the end. Well, if you even care about the long term. You said you do, so just make a call.
As for the indecision... look, we've all been there. Everyone wants to have their cake and eat it too. It’s also entirely possible that you’re still a little (or maybe a lot...) hung up on your ex, and you realize that if you jump into things with your friend, those doors might close for good... which is probably not a comforting thought.
If the physical attraction to your ex is the only thing making this a dilemma, then it's a moot point. Physical attraction is largely driven by how we perceive someone—at least if we consider ourselves to be somewhat deep people. I can vouch for that firsthand; for me, physical attraction is way more tied to character than it is to breasts. To put it bluntly. 😁
😢 That is just the absolute worst. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words—I don't even know if there's anything I could possibly say to make this better... Hang in there... hopefully, one day, the memories will start bringing you more joy than heartache.
coastalorca3 said:No, seriously—how do you actually escape?
I’m just done overthinking everything. It’s exhausting. Plus, I’m planning on staying sober.
Honestly, laziness is my best friend at this point; I'm not ready to give that up just yet. Please, don't go telling me I need to become a workaholic. I'm exhausted...
The internet feels like its own kind of escape. But how do you escape the actual urge to run away?
Well... stop running? 🙂
A bullet to the head is a bit too permanent of a solution for my taste—personally, I'd suggest a hammer to the toe. That’ll bring reality back to you real quick. 😈
I honestly don't think there’s much of a genetic link when it comes to being spiritually inclined. Sure, certain personality traits might be somewhat predisposed—though I’d argue they are more like variables than fixed constants—but spirituality itself? That really just falls under how we perceive reality. And as such, it's largely shaped by our environment. In my view, the influence of our surroundings and the specific information available to us are the most powerful factors in molding how we interpret existence, which ultimately dictates our spirituality or religious leanings.
When you look at religion versus morality, those two concepts aren't actually connected historically. If anything, organized religions have mostly been a source of chaos, warfare, immorality, and corruption. It seems to me that the more monolithic a religious structure becomes, the more disorder it injects into society—leading to massive setbacks from sociological, scientific, and even economic perspectives. In other words, religion has functioned as a brake on human progress, threatening our advancement perhaps more than any other internal factor—with the possible exception of nuclear weapons, of course.
Yur... please, don't even get me started on Oleander. Honestly, I’d tie you to a chair and force you to sit through the entire Ed Wood filmography—and then, as a finishing touch, every single episode of "Green Hornet." Got it? 🙂
Moving on—the whole point of horror is to give you chills down your spine, not to wow you with some deep intellectual subtext. Maybe you were a bit hard on Ramb for not delivering a philosophical treatise on celebrity culture, or perhaps you expected Superman to actually follow the laws of physics?
When it comes to its actual goal, a movie should scare you using ghosts, atmosphere, sound design, and all that good stuff. Goth does a pretty decent job of hitting its mark as a horror thriller. It might not quite reach the level of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, but for a "ghost story," it’s a remarkably solid piece of filmmaking.
Man... under US law, if you commit a murder while in an insane state, you don't just get tossed into a standard prison cell—instead, you're sent to a psychiatric facility (which, let’s be honest, often feels like a prison anyway). As for being released or how much security you need, that’s entirely up to a board of doctors. It creates this bizarre reality where a cold, calculated "humane" killing—you know, a single shot to the head—could land you a life sentence, whereas someone who goes on a complete rampage with an axe, a chainsaw, or even a spoon due to a psychotic break might actually walk free "eventually." Of course, this doesn't apply to serial killers, since they're defined by their premeditation.
Personally, I thought the movie was solid. They actually managed to catch me off guard with the plot development—there was a twist that I truly didn't see coming, which is a rare find these days, especially when it comes to the thriller genre.
There’s no such thing as a quick fix if that person isn't truly ready to embrace change and start healing. We can’t just wave a magic wand and erase the scars from a past we didn't even cause. Our role—as their friends—is simply to make that journey a little less grueling by offering support, genuine empathy, and the kind of patience that actually allows a person to grow and move forward. I’ve always felt that people are somewhat like plants. If you provide them with plenty of sunlight, clean water, and nutrient-rich soil to take root in, they’ll flourish. But if you deprive them of those basics? Well, most people will develop "thorns" as a defense mechanism; their fruit becomes bitter, and their potential stays buried in the dark. Of course, life is rarely that black and white, but you get my point. Just as you can't force a flower to bloom prematurely, you can't rush a human being through the aftermath of their own personal winters. 🙂
So, please, have patience. As the saying goes, patience is the hallmark of the wise. 🙂
Ryan Wilson2 said:I’m just far too spiritually evolved to indulge in the ego-driven thought that I am perfect... but hey... others seem to have noticed.
And I’m so spiritually enlightened that I can confidently tell you—you aren't. 🙂
No, no, let's not go there—we really should find some other way to flaunt our superiority besides grading one another. Otherwise, we’re going to end up in a playground "you're it!" competition...
I’ve been noticing that you still tend to shy away from actually defining what spirituality means to you personally... 🙂
Ryan Wilson2 said:He basically equated spiritual seekers with donkeys—which automatically puts him in that category since that's his own definition—and then reduced spirituality itself to a carrot. Honestly, I should take that as a compliment, considering you just identified me as the very embodiment of "Spirituality."
Taking another look at this... I think I might actually score an extra point here, because let’s not forget, we are specifically debating spiritual arrogance. 😁
Even though you conveniently glossed over the fact that by admitting you contemplate spirituality—thereby acknowledging your lack of concrete convictions about it—you've essentially admitted you aren't the one pulling all the strings. On the flip side, there's me: someone who is certain that, as a spiritual donkey chasing a carrot, I possess a direct line to the very essence of things. Therefore, I am infinitely more arrogant than you, my self-effacing little contemplator. As a confident, enlightened donkey, I believe I'm entitled to at least ten points on the arrogance scale. 😁
Alright, let me put it this way: spirituality is essentially just the carrot dangling in front of a donkey. It’s that constant incentive used to keep us trudging forward, forever chasing after some unreachable, ultimate goal.
Jack Harris3 said:Ouch—how am I supposed to deal with you not appreciating the sheer depth of our discussions? You ignoramus! 🙄😁
So, where on earth am I supposed to find a truly beautiful soul? 😢 Do you actually know anyone who fits the bill? 😁
Now, hold on—I’m not an ignoramus; it’s more that I’m simply too spiritually ascended to descend into such amateurish debates. Honestly, I was discussing this very topic with my fellow bodhisattvas back when we were still in diapers. 🙂 (Do I get any extra credit for that one?)
And as for the whole "soul" situation... well, yours might just qualify. 😛 I’m convinced, Jack Harris3, that you possess an incredibly beautiful soul. It’s so pure, you could probably whip up a gourmet feast out of it if you tried. 🙂😈
Sure thing—just keep your eyes peeled. We’re counting on your integrity and honesty here.
Anyone else craving some sautéed kale? Or maybe carrots? You know, the juicy, delicious kind... 😉😛
Alexander Parker69:
Look, I might be a bit of a smart-ass, but I'm not crazy. 😁
For my first big move, I’m proposing my upcoming response to Sennacherib over in that thread "Why humans like to complicate things..."—which, by the way, Jack Harris3 and Nestlé were absolutely blowing up, so they both owe me a massive serving of the finest soul food. And I mean just the prime cuts, none of that greasy stuff. 😛😈