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How about this. We don't need to be friends. But we stop slandering and name calling each other and we end this discussion in peace. Is that good enough ending to you Maddie?
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There're only two ways to end this imo. Either I get labeled a troll. Or we make peace and say we become on good terms. But if I suggest the idea of ending this on good terms to Maddie, she doesn't want that. So she goes for plan a. And that just prompts more conflict. If you guys really want this to end. Let's just come to terms all together like good friends.
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Thank you! I'm not going to play the the troll anymore.
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That happened zero times for the record. Be more careful about the words you use I would suggest. Because that was not what was happening.
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I would love this aswell. I had no intention to come back if not for the attempt to slander me.
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Ah... but how many times has it been suggested? One veers into troll territory when they are unable to stop continually hammering someone else in a thread, despite that persons obvious discomfort, or inability to reconcile it in context. At this point you have had as much opportunity as you could possibly require to make your point. It has been heard. It would be kind and respectful to drop it now.
- Today
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Thank you everyone for your answers. Much appreciated. Are form corrections more suited for one on one sessions? Or do you make these in the group sessions as well? I just assumed that wasn’t possible in a group zoom session. It would be cool if you visited my dream, though I understand you are a busy man, with better things to do than entertain me while I sleep. The comment from the real you about expectations is much more uplifting than the one from my projected Terry Dunn - very, very nice to hear!
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I don’t think suggesting ideas for contemplation and having an open discussion around it counts as trolling. And the biggest irony of all is that you yourself understand and agree that all identity is ultimately a false thing. You already displayed that understanding earlier. At this point you yourself are trolling yourself.
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One unexpected side effect of being trans is I've learned a lot about trolls. I've noticed there's two basic kinds. There's the blatant trolls that just say things like you'll never be a woman. And then there's the subtle trolls who are kind of sneaky about it and then when you confront them about being a troll they play innocent. Like the kind that suggest maybe if you were more spiritual you wouldn't be infected with this trans disease. LOL
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Matthew 10:34-36 - what does he mean?
old3bob replied to S:C's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion
to me most of this discussion is a good example of why hard core dualistic and non-dualistic teachings can never really be integrated, "unity in diversity" has certain limits with most beings (via the instrument of thinking mind) although such is not for what is sometimes called the Absolute. So if the Absolute is reached then what is there to argue or "divide"? -
That's a tricky question to answer at the moment because I've been doing tons of Zhunti mantra recently to try to save my business and that always seems to bring up every single existential crisis one can possibly have but on the other hand my business is doing better since I started doing it regularly again lol. But in general in spite of the fact that my family stopped talking to me I would say I'm more comfortable with myself that I have ever been in my life. Previously I always have this underlying inexplicable discomfort that I just assumed everybody had and then once I accepted who I was that went away.
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Hahaha you're allowed to have opinions and post them. The examples of things that were not questions that I posted were basically trolling. I'm not doing this to be trolled. But I don't mind if you have opinions and share them because you're clearly not a troll.
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Could anyone introduce me to the basics of daoism?
Taoist Texts replied to NaturaNaturans's topic in Daoist Discussion
oopsie -
I just want to say -- and this might sound really stupid -- that it´s really hard for me to forego posting my opinions. Part of me says: OK Luke, Maddie says she wants questions so if you don´t have a question, don´t post. Obviously, given this post that doesn´t have a question, I´m not great at that kind of self-restraint. I think a lot of people are like me; we love to opine. In my defense, I will say that I´ve learned some things from the thread. To me, these big social issues are like coffee: a single cup is pleasantly stimulating but drink a whole pot and my nerves will be shot. So this is me switching to decaf. Thank you Maddie, Bes, and Surrogate Corpse for sharing a little of your world with me. Thank you for being patient with me when I´ve said silly, uninformed shit. Take care of yourselves. The controversy around this topic isn´t going away anytime soon, but with every selfie things get a tiny bit better. This I believe.
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Okay, Have noticed this has devolved into a . . . I don't know what. Anyway, did anyone ask you, "Are you happy?" I mean it has got to be quite a journey. Feeling things are just not right and then moving on to how to get where one wants to go. So, are you happy? When I met my wife, I fell for her. But, things wouldn't have gotten very far if I saw that she wasn't already happy. As an individual, I know that I can not be all for another person. They have to be happy first. Then, my addition to her life would compliment or add to her life. Now, that's the other end of the spectrum, if she was already set and did not need me or I could not make her life a little better then marriage would not happen. I saw she was happy with her life. But. also saw that I could help to make her life better. So, I married her. We have been married since 1996 or about 27 years. I think you said before that you have no interest in marriage and having a family?? That is fine. It isn't for everyone. But, my question stands. Are you happy? Of course, I don't mean crazy happy. Just generally happy with the way things are now? Buddha might have said that life is suffering but I do not see it as suffering all the time. There has to be some calm in the midst of the storm. Some bright spot. A place to absorb the warmth of the sun and feel good about oneself. Note: I guess I am no better at this topic than anyone else??
- Yesterday
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Matthew 10:34-36 - what does he mean?
Tommy replied to S:C's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion
What do I think about this analysis? I think I am too old and tire. So, tl-dr (too long- didn't read). My dementia is kicking in. I don't even remember being in this thread. Shalom. Or is it Namaste? Eh, aloha. -
Could anyone introduce me to the basics of daoism?
thelerner replied to NaturaNaturans's topic in Daoist Discussion
I like to think of Dao (the philosophy, not the religion) as the study of nature and it's cycles. How things ebb and flow using the tools of yin and yang and the 5 elements. The Dao seems like things simple and quiet though it has few rules. When one follows the Dao, one flows with the circumstances of life, accepting and adapting. -
Thanks for a blast from the past. I don't think I was making any statements about emptiness and consciousness. I was talking of observers taken out of the equation as a matter of routine operations of what we are told is scientific objectivity. What I seem to remember having in mind was something not as grand as the cosmic mind but, rather, things very mundane that we accept as objective scientific approach. Not the elephant in the room but a herd of elephants, in fact. The non-independence and non-freedom of any "objective observer" from all things subjective. From their very own personality traits ("gotta prove it to mom and dad and the world that I'm important, that I'm worthy") to hopes of tenure or grants given or not given based on how well the results dovetail with the granting party's agenda, to the general reluctance to rock the boat that carries the "observer"-- hierarchy, career, non-alienating the peers whose careers and incomes might depend on no "independent objective observer" rocking the boat, down to the price of publishing one's scientific observations when not sponsored/desired by anything big and powerful and incorporated (a minimum of $5,000 out of the observer's pocket these days, per my scientist friends) and ad infinitum.
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Matthew 10:34-36 - what does he mean?
Daniel replied to S:C's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion
The verse as written is: Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν· οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν Μὴ - Lest ( soft negation ) νομίσητε - think ὅτι - that ἦλθον - [ I ] came βαλεῖν - "casting"? "Like a net? From the root βάλλω. That's an interesting word choice. "Net <--> Sword" is a sharp contrast. εἰρήνην - "peace-as-a-consequence-of-unity" Another interesting word choice: from the root εἴρω = "bound / united". It means "peace" but it is peace that comes from a fundamental connection. Strong's Lexicon indicates that εἰρήνην was the traditional Jewish Greek invocation on departure. This matches the traditional hebrew invocation on departure which is: Shalom. Shalom is from the root Shaleim, which means "complete". Also Salam in arabic. Bound, united, complete, all of these are expressing the same message. When Jewish people part ways, traditionally it is said: "Be at peace, we are united, we are complete." That is what is expressed by the word "Shalom" in hebrew and also the meaning of "Eirene" "εἰρήνην" in Greek. It is a a true peace that can only be accomplished through inclusion. As an aside: there's also a Greek Goddess in their pantheon named "Eirene / Irene", the goddess of peace. Perhaps there's an additional layer of meaning in this as well? Jesus is saying that he did not come to bring either the traditional Greek version of peace? And. He did not come to bring the traditional hebrew version of peace. He came to bring something different than that. ἐπὶ - to τὴν - the γῆν - [ the physical ] earth Often a word chosen to translate the hebrew words Eretz and Adamah in the Greek Old Testament. οὐκ - not ( harsh negation ) ἦλθον - [ I ] came βαλεῖν - "casting" ( like a net ) εἰρήνην - "peace-coming-from-unity" ( see above ) ἀλλὰ - but μάχαιραν -"slaughter-knife" μάχαιρα has specific connotation. It only had one edge as contrasted with a ῥομφαία, a more elegant two-sided double edged sword. There is context here that is needed. The μάχαιραν is not an ordinary "sword" even though that is how it is translated into english. It is a long single sided knife which was often used in ritual slaughter. This can be seen in Homer's Illiad where the priest of apollo uses a μάχαιραν to slaughter the sacrifice. In hebrew, this sort of knife is called a khaylif. The knives used for ritual slaughter were ( and are ) exceptionally sharp and long so that the beast would be dispatched painlessly with a single deliberate stroke. This is the ending of the statement. This is what Jesus is saying he is bringing. He is bringing a slaughter-knife to execute a ritual. According to what's written, the verse is contrasting the imagery of casting a wide net ( εἰρήνην / Eirene / inclusive-peace ) with executing a ritual slaughter ( μάχαιραν / Machairan / divisive-salvation? ) @Tommy, what do you think about this analysis? -
To get this post back on track allow me to reiterate that this is a question and answer about transgender issues. Questions about my (or any other transgendered person that want to share) experiences or questions about transgender issues in general are welcome as long as they are sincere. This is not however a transgendered statement post. Statements like "you'll never be a woman" or "just get enlightened instead" are not questions.
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Matthew 10:34-36 - what does he mean?
Daniel replied to S:C's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion
To be clear, I do no think he was advocating violence either. I wrote "he was not opposed to violence." Agreed. I think what I meant to communicate is being misunderstood. I apologize for not being more clear. -
It has not been sorted and thank you! I haven't actually been asked a question about my experience for quite a while. It kind of devolved into a few individuals seeming from my point of view to want to undermine my experience.
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~~~ admin comment ~~~ This is a bit of a tricky thread to moderate as it's so unusual. As a matter of courtesy, the main point of this thread is not to explore every permutation of how things might be seen (and I get that that's *part* of the dynamic), but the main point is to allow someone who has direct personal experience to share their point of view. - Trunk p.s. I haven't had time to keep up with this thread well, so things might've sorted well already ... but I still had lingering that something like this needed to be said. ~~~ admin out ~~~
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Could anyone introduce me to the basics of daoism?
DynamicEquilibrium replied to NaturaNaturans's topic in Daoist Discussion
Classical chinese philosophies and medecine
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