Thank God I am not buddist :-)

: ) why do you say that? (not implying anything)

What is the opposite of us? God. What is the opposite of God? Us. Indeed, the hidden and manifest give birth to each other.

Let me give an analogy that refutes this logic. If a potter takes some clay and molds and produces a work of art that pleases his soul, is it now that the clay pot is the opposite of the potter?

I think we need to keep in perspective that God is in no need of us to exist. His creation that we represent only displays His desire to display His handiwork and, as you stated, create a relationship with His creation that He so loves.

What has it proven? That if God is our opposite, then the answer to our existence is answered. If God is our opposite, in the scientific and human perpective, then there is no way we can can even fathom what he is. BUT we can be assured that without him being our opposite, we will not exist.

I agree with you partially here, but I think your using a false dichotomy to prove a point. It is true that there is no way we can "fully" understand the "mind" of God, and that apart from Him we would not be in existence. But to say that the opposite is true is to undermine the deity of God. If God could only exist if we exist, because He is our opposite, then how did we ever come into existence? ...Chicken or the egg? This is where I place God beyond our scope of existence; He exists eternally. We are temporal.

I remember in my very Catholic childhood a question to my mother as she put me to bed. I asked my mother why God created us. She answered, he was lonely...he needed someone to love. The source to me has always been a simple equation. Everything else seems so tainted by the arrogance of our intellect.

You know, I would agree. I think that much of our intellect is tainted by arrogance and ego/pride.

Let me share something to you from the Tao Teh Ching so you can understand, a little bit, my persuation.

The Tao is like an empty bowl, Which in being used can never be filled up. Fathomless, it seems to be the origin of all things. It blunts all sharp edges, It unties all tangles, It harmonizes all lights, It unites the world into one whole. Hidden in the deeps, Yet it seems to exist for ever, I do not know whose child it is; It seems to be the common ancestor of all, the father of things.

It's actually poetry and not philosophy.

Maybe you could explain further this poetry. I'm not convinced at its persuasion on your life merely by reading it. : ) Tell me what it means to you.

God Bless you too. I really enjoy talking with you.

-nåte

btw, how old are you? and what do you do for a living?

I'm 24 and just recently married. : ) I am a video engineer currently employed at a professional video sales company. Sales support and service. I live in the bay area. what about you?

• Re: Absolute Zero - Tön/">Tön - February 9, 1999 - 02:52 UTC