The Philosophy Thread (Take Two)

[Garneta]

For those of you who may not know, Dr. Laura is one of these super-conservative loudmouths we have in the media these days. After speaking out about gay people being an abomination, someone got a little peeved. Behold, as he sends a letter, to your one and only
Dr Laura

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24.. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

5. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses.. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev.. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,

Jim

Quoted from a thread on the Squareone forums. Rather than starting a new topic for it, I thought that it would go well in here.

[Ciararavenblaze]

interesting, Kat. I've found that it's the loudest people who seem to be the most violent or extreme about their beliefs. what do you guys think about that thought?

[Ruby Falls]

Do you guys believe that dreams represent our anxieties or wishes?

[Ciararavenblaze]

I think they can, yes.

I also have found from personal experience that, whether they're merely desires to do so, that I tend to talk to people that have died, or that I don't know in person.

I believe that in dreaming, souls can communicate to other souls.

[Garneta]

What do y'all think about astral travel? I think it's possible; I've just never been able to accomplish it when I'm awake. There have been instances though, where I was asleep and floating a few feet above my body; then I woke up and fell back in. Maybe that's not the best way to describe it....um...hm, more like I woke up as I was falling, and when I re-entered my body, it was like the landing. Whole body actually shook like I'd just landed on the bed from five feet above.

I actually consider astral travel to be the equivalent of 'life after death.' Able to go to any time or place that you want to, in a heartbeat. Therefore I assume that whether you, in life, thought you'd be going to specifically heaven or hell...you'd be right. You'd think of that place after death, and go there ('there' being wherever in the universe is closest to your own perception of either your heaven or hell), not knowing that you had other options.

As to actual existence during astral travel, I'm still a bit shaky on what I think (having never done it awake). I've always figured that during astral travel you couldn't actually interact with anything (just other people on the astral plane somehow. communication, but no touch), just witness everything, or look at things. Wonder how I'd look to myself if I could do it...would I be a wisp? Invisible? Look like myself, only blue and see-through? Or just look like myself? There's tons of possibilities! *At this point in typing, I made a typo. 'Opossibilities.' That gave me an idea for a comic...a possum teacher in little glasses standing in front of her classroom of little possum students, and she's saying, "You can be anything you want when you grow up, children...There are lots of opossibilities!" That's either the greatest comic ever, or the cheesiest comic ever...I can't decide.*

As to the concept of astral travel and being able to go wherever you want, I'll tell you a story. My dad once told me that he had a friend who could do it...said friend had told dad of a place that he'd go to while traveling. It was this great <building?room?something...> somewhere else in the universe, called 'The Great Hall' and in it was a copy of every invention ever made. That's always fascinated me, and it's the main reason that I myself still (when I think of it) try to accomplish it...I want to find out for myself whether or not there is such a place, and if there is...Man, that sounds like the greatest museum ever, and I would love to go there!

[Ciararavenblaze]

oh yeah, I believe in the possibility of astral traveling. you've heard of people having out-of-body experiences, right? I think that's the same thing, except for the various different circumstances surrounding each experience. I don't see how it can be impossible to do it willingly--I've been to new-age type stores and they have books on astral projection and traveling.

you might want to look at some of those, Kat. or look online for information on it.

[Garneta]

Believe me, I have. It's just hard for some people.

[Ciararavenblaze]

yeah, I don't know that I can astrally travel myself. well, I think ANYBODY can do it, but that, like you said, it's hard for some of 'em.

it takes practice, but once you figure out what to do, I figure it gets easier and easier every time.

[Garneta]

It's easier (I hear) if you can really be calm and get your head cleared...so yeah, that puts me right out most of the time!

[Ciararavenblaze]

I'm of the understanding that sometimes certain drugs can help you achieve that state of mind that makes it all the easier to do astral traveling.

[Ruby Falls]

Still, I'd rather stay away from drugs.

[Ciararavenblaze]

yeah, you don't NEED drugs to achieve those higher levels of consciousness--that's the first thing I learned when I looked information up on shamanism (I'm greatly intrigued by it). you don't NEED drugs to reach trance-like states or higher levels of consciousness or anything, but they can enhance the experiences.

[Garneta]

What do you guys think about Karma? I've been pondering over it a bit lately, and I think that there are two possibilities here.

1. I did something very horrible in a past life. Therefore, I deserve all this shit that's been going on for the past couple years. (It would have to be in a past life, because in this one I think I'm basically a good person. Break some small rule every once in awhile, but nothing big [unless all the stuff just added up since birth and I'm only just now getting everything that's been coming over the years]).

or

2. All the big bad stuff is being gotten out of the way because something really good is coming up. Because, if I think about it; I just had the worst few months (over the winter) of my entire life...then I had the best time ever, with Richie. But maybe things moved too fast...maybe I still had some emotional stuff to deal with, and had to get this low one more time in order to really work things through and become a better person before I could really be happy.

[Ciararavenblaze]

my view on Karma is this:

good things lead to bad things which lead to good things which lead to bad things which... etc.

if you do something like steal from your friends/family, you're going to get your ass (figuratively) kicked for it. but then, something good will come from that. and something bad will come from THAT. I think it's more of a balancing act and a case of physics applying to life than it is a punish/reward system.

think of it this way: for every action, there is a reaction. NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.

so in your case, Kat, things that are happening to you are results of previous things that happened... and these things that are currently happening will result in further (good and bad) consequences.

[Ruby Falls]

I'm not totally sure with my stance on past lives. However, I agree with Cyndi in that every action has a reaction. Good must come with bad, and vice versa.
Life can be really rough sometimes. Believe me, I know. I believe, however, that God doesn't give you more than you can handle. While life gets tough sometimes, it can always get better. I think that you are a strong person, Kat. You have gone through a lot. Good things are coming your way.

[Ciararavenblaze]

I believe in past lives, but... I have this belief that our souls, when we die and go back to "the great big soul pool", just mix and merge with all the others, and then when a new life is created, what was once the whole of me is now going back as a part of a new person.

it's sort of a case of everybody pouring their drinks back into the punch bowl, and then, later, getting another drink from it. that's how I see it, personally.

[Garneta]

I guess I've never really thought about past lives to the extent that I've thought about other stuff, but I do remember one (drunken) night up here telling Jonnie, "I remember you from a past life! But it was in the future!"

Do you believe in love at first sight? I'm pretty sure I do...but I'm still a sight fuzzy on it. I know that I've had strong feelings for Richie from the first moment I saw him...but at what point did it turn into actual love? Was it really on that first night, or did it happen gradually?

[Ciararavenblaze]

I believe in attraction at first sight. this applies to attraction of all types, not just sexual.

I believe that love comes later. it's something that has to be developed between yourself and the other person involved.

that being said, I believe that one can genuinely fall in love rather quickly, but it's more of an infatuation thing than a Real Love thing if you don't have trust built up with it in addition to that.

[Ruby Falls]

I believe in love at first sight, but I don't think it's as common as it's thought to be. "Love" is a word that is often thrown around far too easily. Real love takes work and a willingness to accept differences. I don't know if my opinion should be taken too seriously, though. I've never been in love.

[Ciararavenblaze]

lack of experience doesn't ALWAYS dictate lack of true knowledge of the subject at hand, Ruby.