The roots of quasi-spirituality and the misery it causes, based on people like this!

frozengull2 said:Zachary Cook2;
Silence:

So I watched a CNN documentary, big deal. I’ve seen Batman too. 😂

And that’s your big response to the actual, genuine testimonies I shared?

You really are an unshakable believer, aren't you?
Once Brandon Sanderson (through his writing) hooked your emotions, you just can't let go, even when facts come along that totally expose him.

What really trips me out about this whole mess is how you insist on believing these propaganda pieces posted on bottom-tier tabloid sites that exist just to trash Christian spirituality.

Why does it confuse me?

Because I seriously cannot wrap my head around how you can be so incredibly exclusive when it comes to Christianity (regardless of all the cheap trash being thrown at it) while simultaneously (!?), stubbornly ignoring the undeniable facts that clearly wreck Brandon Sanderson's credibility.

You're pretty zealous in that sense;
Silence:

Look, I put in the effort and found the link (on some yellow journalism tabloid site). It wasn't hard... Wait, are you telling me that doesn't bother you (what was published on that site)??????????? Just look at what they were doing and you're still defending them like a headless chicken.

You react just as aggressively to the undeniably authentic testimonies shown in the CNN film;
Silence:

So I watched a CNN documentary, big deal. I’ve seen Batman too. 😂 Come on, maybe study a little more so you don't just blabber nonsense,..😂 😉

Isn't that a bit of a double standard?
Don't you feel like you're being inconsistent, even if just a little?

That's basically what I've been pointing out this whole time, but you just keep throwing fuel on the fire... if you catch my drift.



Silence:

I've experienced plenty of what Brandon Sanderson writes in practice. I almost kicked the bucket a couple of times, so believe me if you want, it isn't fiction... but I don't feel like arguing this with you, it's just a waste of time.😉

If I had known what level your spirit was at, I never would have dared to challenge you.

Silence:

Look, just stay a sheep in your own little flock; it's not like you're the first or the last.

Time will tell who the real sheep is here...

Wishing you nothing but the best and lots of happiness in your life.😉
Amen!😂

The thing that’s really eating at me is this nagging feeling that I somehow hurt you.
Like, I poked right where it hurts the most.
I know you’d never admit it—not even if your life depended on it (and yeah, I can see that endless parade of emojis you send my way)—but I just can't shake the feeling.

It’s like I’m an older sister looking out for her little brother (who’s, let’s be real, a bit dim, but has a good heart)... even though you're probably way older than me.

And I'm not being cynical when I say that.

That’s honestly just how I see it.

I'll admit it—you totally outsmarted my pudding brain. Mad respect. Honestly, if you were standing right here next to me, I might've just kissed you on the left butt cheek!!!!

🙏🙏🙏

😂

nimblewolf11 said:That is such a flawed perspective, and it honestly just comes from not understanding the fundamentals of effective meditation!!! It’s actually the exact opposite—true meditation quiets things down and settles that restless, messy ego! Anyone who has ever meditated and practiced observing themselves from a distance knows just how much a good session can unburden a needy ego—you know, the kind that usually needs constant little distractions and treats just to feel "whole" to itself.
And group meditations (those established circles)? Even if you aren't physically together, they actually amplify that effect!!!
Of course "meditation" feels boring if you're just sitting there waiting for something to happen, calculating, or overthinking everything in your mind. But that’s not actually meditation!

Drinking, smoking, drugs—even coffee, sedatives, or other useless stimulants and depressants—aren't necessary to feel "better"!

👍

nimblewolf11 said:That is such a flawed perspective, and it honestly just comes from not understanding the fundamentals of effective meditation!!! It’s actually the exact opposite—true meditation quiets things down and settles that restless, messy ego! Anyone who has ever meditated and practiced observing themselves from a distance knows just how much a good session can unburden a needy ego—you know, the kind that usually needs constant little distractions and treats just to feel "whole" to itself.
And group meditations (those established circles)? Even if you aren't physically together, they actually amplify that effect!!!
Of course "meditation" feels boring if you're just sitting there waiting for something to happen, calculating, or overthinking everything in your mind. But that’s not actually meditation!

Drinking, smoking, drugs—even coffee, sedatives, or other useless stimulants and depressants—aren't necessary to feel "better"!

Meditation provides calm, nothing more. It doesn't build character, so you remain the same person fundamentally. You achieve a temporary state of mental stillness, and that’s where it ends. Everything else stays the same. If anything, there's one minor downside: your ego gets slightly larger because you start believing you're spiritually superior just because you meditate.

A teenager comes back from a life-altering adventure as a different person; the experience itself changed them.
Real spiritual growth only happens through lived experience. There is no other way.

Calmness is useful in certain high-stress moments, so meditation has its place there. But assigning it some grand, special importance is just pure hyperbole.

Zachary Cook2;

Alright, fine... you win this round, you absolute clown!!!!

Just click the icon.

Look, I’m not trying to start some massive fight or nag you about anything specific.
I just really want you to take a breather, maybe head out to Sonora if you have to, and just recharge those batteries... since you clearly need it so bad.
Personally, I find my own ways to reset in places that wouldn't mean squat to anyone else.
But hey, while you're off doing your thing, don't forget the people around you, okay? Don't get so lost in your own little mystical bubble that you totally check out from reality.

Anyway, Bob!

Linda Kelly51 said:Meditation provides calm, nothing more. It doesn't build character, so you remain the same person fundamentally. You achieve a temporary state of mental stillness, and that’s where it ends. Everything else stays the same. If anything, there's one minor downside: your ego gets slightly larger because you start believing you're spiritually superior just because you meditate.

A teenager comes back from a life-altering adventure as a different person; the experience itself changed them.
Real spiritual growth only happens through lived experience. There is no other way.

Calmness is useful in certain high-stress moments, so meditation has its place there. But assigning it some grand, special importance is just pure hyperbole.

That's totally possible! It can definitely happen to someone who's just starting out with certain exercises and notices quick changes—they might mistake those shifts for some kind of superiority or something along those lines.
Deep meditation isn't some big mystery, even if it seems that way to someone who hasn't explored it. Through meditation, we experience deeper layers of our own consciousness—getting to know who we truly are, or at least getting closer to it. Pure authenticity naturally enriches a person's character!

It's like how a teenager comes back from a wild adventure completely changed by the experience.

Every single new experience—even a meditative one—brings some level of change!

Spiritual growth only happens through life experience. There's no other way.

Saying there's no other way is really just closing yourself off to all the endless possibilities and challenges life throws at us, no matter how old we are.
Most people progress through life experiences very slowly, if at all. How can they grow when they're stuck in these rigid, boring patterns? Just take a moment to look at older folks—you won't need much time to see how many of them are chronically frustrated with their circumstances, and even more so with themselves. Where was all that "life experience" and growth they were supposed to achieve?

Calmness is useful in certain situations when we're really agitated, so meditation is welcome in that sense. But giving it special importance is overhyping it.

But being calm is always helpful!
Overhyping things usually stems from insecurity and various types of unnaturalness. Meditation, if done right, is actually an amazing remedy against ego inflation. It's not just about thinning out unnecessary thoughts; it restores a sense of naturalness and a pleasant simplicity to our lives. From that perspective, we can see how heavy and exhausting it is to live an inflated, unnatural life. Those learned, artificial ambitions just drain so much precious energy that could be used for actually creating and maintaining a real sense of self...

frozengull2 said:Zachary Cook2;

Alright, fine... you win this round, you absolute clown!!!!

Just click the icon.

Look, I’m not trying to start some massive fight or nag you about anything specific.
I just really want you to take a breather, maybe head out to Sonora if you have to, and just recharge those batteries... since you clearly need it so bad.
Personally, I find my own ways to reset in places that wouldn't mean squat to anyone else.
But hey, while you're off doing your thing, don't forget the people around you, okay? Don't get so lost in your own little mystical bubble that you totally check out from reality.

Anyway, Bob!

Listen, we could always just meet up in person to discuss your ass ;-)

It's not that you're bothering me—God forbid—it's just that I don't want to waste my time spinning my wheels over stuff that doesn't matter.

Sure, Arizona might be amazing, but I've got woods right here that hit just as hard. That's my "church"—I go there to pray when I feel like it, no fancy rituals required.

Honestly, if we actually met face-to-face, we'd probably talk differently. Forums are garbage; you can be talking about the exact same thing as someone and still not understand a word they're saying.

And I'm not forgetting anyone—I just pity them. I watch them, knowing full well there's nothing I can do to help.

😉

Zachary Cook2 said:Listen, we could always just meet up in person to discuss your ass ;-)

It's not that you're bothering me—God forbid—it's just that I don't want to waste my time spinning my wheels over stuff that doesn't matter.

Sure, Arizona might be amazing, but I've got woods right here that hit just as hard. That's my "church"—I go there to pray when I feel like it, no fancy rituals required.

Honestly, if we actually met face-to-face, we'd probably talk differently. Forums are garbage; you can be talking about the exact same thing as someone and still not understand a word they're saying.

And I'm not forgetting anyone—I just pity them. I watch them, knowing full well there's nothing I can do to help.

😉

You're headed down a pretty dangerous path there!😁

Now, I'm sure Serena is absolutely phenomenal, but I've got my own woods right here that are just as powerful. That's my "church"—it's where I go to pray whenever I feel the need, without needing any fancy rituals.

Yeah, nature is just stunningly beautiful and inspiring... some views honestly leave you breathless! Sadly, forests are being cut down recklessly, along with all sorts of other nonsense that does way more harm than good in the long run. It's a shame how some people cling to institutions and closed-minded ideologies looking for salvation, no matter how broken those systems might be.