[Suska]

It occurs to me that I have more than once done very stupid things in my life just to see what happened. These were sometimes conscious decisions, or I ought to say instead; the instances which were conscious are clearest remembered and there are other moments I prefer to call it mischief. In fact these appear to me to be acute instances of a potentially chronic process. A step further, that whole philosophies might be tested but would first need to be internalized - and honestly - to be tested. But more importantly beyond the idea of a person or people testing a concept, I would say that certain impulses being hidden or latent or sheltered might wind up distorted in potency or purport. Its hard for me to think of an example, but I know this method much better than the positive and intellectual counterpart; experimentation. I give the idea of experimentation and grade it toward what I'm getting at because I'm not sure how to describe it really. I think of it as allowing myself to externalize and certainly I consider this not a step a novice takes - something that occurs to me much down the line from a casual familiarity with mystical practices. In a way; letting oneself be whatever one is - or attempting to be as natural as possible. It sometimes surfaces first as enormous error, but in a continuing process much may be corrected by airing everything out. A precondition is naturally that one be totally honest about what results, and really ruthless about accepting it. Even to the point of attempting to justify the most wrong parts of the behaviors, but again being completely honest about the credibility of the justification.

Now, this is a personal and subtle thing, maybe even a matter for experts alone - where novices ought really be simply studious or obedient. But it occurs to me that actually novices do this all the time socially, that is they do it in enormous social bodies. Particularly in religions. It isn't hard to see the results, at least I can't look anywhere online where religion is mentioned that it isn't put forward that religions are the cause of enormously terrible things. And in some sense I agree, but straight off its obviously difficult to see where Godless people end and the Faithful begins even when they wear uniforms. Place a dozen priests next to a dozen soldiers and in most cases it will follow that the soldiers are rather proudly godless while the priests are not. On the other hand, we cannot measure the heart of hearts, but its clear that some soldiers are profoundly faithful and some priests are the Devil in drag. Certainly there are examples of terrific cruelty and underhandedness in religion, and there are times when social bodies excuse their bigotries and atrocities with religion. But its odd really, in line with the personal method, it seems to allow it to be done openly even loudly. If the two processes are anything alike I would say thats completely correct. The belligerent transparency is absolutely necessary for us to have a good look at it.

Here's what I think. Religions internalize any pressing social issue general in the world at the time, religions are in a sense ceased by politicians, but also they are all too willing to be ceased - they are not simply used - they themselves use problems which arise to digest them, to inspect them, ultimately to deal with them. This does not make them the source of them, but the solution.

[noemon]

In a way; letting oneself be whatever one is - or attempting to be as natural as possible. It sometimes surfaces first as enormous error, but in a continuing process much may be corrected by airing everything out. A precondition is naturally that one be totally honest about what results, and really ruthless about accepting it. Even to the point of attempting to justify the most wrong parts of the behaviors, but again being completely honest about the credibility of the justification.

Another thing is that one should not be rationalizing and identifying "error" according to a popular narrative that describes it as such. There are far too many artificial fears and "errors", whose burden can stop that wonderful process and even lead to depression and isolation. The key is honesty and courage to face up to realities without fear of seclusion "real" or imagined.

[sad59yearold]

Religions are to blame for nothing. The blame lies fairly and squarely at the feet of those who managed to worm their way to the head of whatever religion,egomaniacs each and every one of them.
If any of them had the sense of a woodworm, they'd realise that their reigions have far more in common with each other than they have differences.