Hyper Real

And there is always technology helping a hand: http://enabletalk.com/index.html

This is not the first time you resort to personal attacks against me on this forum, please stop doing that. If you have personal issues with me you may contact me by sending a private message, however I will not promise a reply, that all depends on the nature of the message. But certainly these personal attacks do not belong here, cease and desist please.

I suggest you read better what I am actually writing, I am not tearing down anything, I simply state the facts. I have made extensive studies about world religion, including Buddhism. I lived in China and have visited Thailand many times. How about you, what do you actually know about Buddhism to criticize me? And what is wrong about dissection religious paths? Buddhism is more than the Dalai Lama.

Not only are they worshiped they are also prayed to, the same way a Christian prays to God if he wants something done. Particularly the Thai form of Buddhism is loaded with image worshiping. But, hey, that is of course not the 'real' Buddhism, just take a 'new age' class on Buddhism then surely one can dictate that the 'fuzzy bear new age Western' interpretation must be the interpretation of everybody who calls themselves Buddhist and otherwise they are simply wrong, sort of like Westerners who 'take' a T'ai Chi class and then, with authority, make all kind of claims about Chinese martial arts and medicine.

I disagree, go to Thailand and China and see with your own eyes.

That is simple, think of the consequences if we would have free will: how could there be laws of physics if we could simply ignore them? The actions of a human are simply the result of incredibly complex computations in his brain, but all these computations simply follow the laws of physics. A single cell does not have free will, and neither does a fertilized egg cell, nor an embryo or an adult human.

How do you know that? I think it is logical to assume that we do not have free will, I think we only imagine that our actions are completely independent of the laws of nature. Granted our brains are incredibly complex but I think they still operate under the laws of physics.

A non-practicing Catholic is that something like a marathon runner that never runs? Seems to me that a non practicing Catholic is simply not a Catholic. But I know, I am strange and unreasonable, I don't fit in with the 'flexminders'.

You may say whatever you like Tündér, I am not one of those people who call 'insult' and 'shame' every 3 minutes of the day, I do not live in eggshell land. I rather have a conversation with someone who speaks his or her mind than with never farting 'nicety nicey' people who give an appearance of being a demi-saint and for whom everything is wonderful and blissful.

Didn't Dan52 announced his departure a few days ago?

I put below in bold what I personally think about it: 1. Why are we actually here and what is it exactly apart from the biochemical and other components that we are? There is no intelligent design, some structures self replicate and mutate including human DNA. Life is nothing more than a virus. But most people cannot handle the truth, so they make up grand purposes. 2. What is the point and purpose of existence? --this is for all believers, and non believers inclusive? There is no a priory point. But most people cannot handle the truth, so they make up all kind of purposes. 3. If we presume --as some, that there is no afterlife, then why are we (most) clinging to life? If we go with that theory is it not easier and better to end it sooner or later? Really that is what you think? You would end your life if you realized that there is nothing after death? I think people a hard time accepting the truth that life includes death at the end. And what happens when people cannot handle the truth? Right, they make up things! 4. Why have children--simply to perpetuate the cycle of suffering??--if we presume that is no God, no spirituality, no faith as Hyper surmises--which maybe correct, non of us can prove the `pro or contra` for it is simply personal experience of experiencing the divine. Why not? I say live life to the fullest and if that includes having children go for it! 5. Why are we killing each other, the planet and all of creation deliberately? I think the origins are both biological and societal. It is basically how we are made by natural selection. You want the truth? The question is can you handle it? If you can't then by all means make up some more angels, nymphs, Gods, son's of God, heavens and hells.

Daoism yes, however I disagree on Buddhism here as there are (poly)theistic elements in some of the branches.

Faith, God, spirituality etc.

Permission by a Catholic bishop is no longer required for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic?

Yes, that is what you said. I have no faith and you wrote: "Unless we have faith we are simply empty vessels." Thus, by applying simple logic, that implies that you must conclude I am an empty vessel. So this appears to me simply pulpit preaching material: "Have faith otherwise you are empty". Perhaps a nice sign to hold up for a person of faith in the middle of Main street but not a very rational argument in my opinion. I could turn it upside down but then perhaps the moderators will "shame" me again: "If you are full of all the imaginations of God and spirituality there is no room anymore for rational thought." Sounds warm, caring and loving to you?