Right now I'm using "truth" with lower case, because I'm not talking about abstract, high value, chill up the spine kind of truths, but the mundane kind. Somehow religious people in their pursuit of "Truth" tend to forget about truth. They so want to stand at the equivalent of a "Ceremony in the Air" that they think they can fly above mundane requirements like telling the truth, acknowledging their role as relatively blind human beings compared to the "Truth" and the fact that those who don't see their wonderful august "Truths" may well be valuable human beings with a valid perspective.
Many converts or "recommits" to religion do this.
I first observed it among born again Christians, among whose ranks I once counted myself. The attitude they had towards "heresy" -- or thinking -- was that of "I don't go there;" mention the subject and you'd get a scriptural quote and a blank stare.
Then I fled to Buddhism where I observed this phenomena among Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu members. To them simply observing inconvenient truths was "slander" of their organizations and a grievious transgression. If there were a flood on a street where Gakkai and NST members (once they started feuding) lived, you could be sure that someone on either side would attribute the flood to the other. Personally I attribute such things to both sides engaging in fantasy thinking rather than improving the drainage and building flood control. And now I observe the same phenomena among Moslems, and to be fair; among some orthodox Jews.
But the key realization is that a focus on "Truth" cannot leave out truths or the "Truth" sought is delusional. Nor can it account for truths in a way that twists or bends the truth to near breaking. Its okay for Christians to spin the story of their founder (Mr. J) but not to make him into things diametrically opposed to what he said, did, and to the ideas of the religion he founded. Christians who do so may call themselves fundamentalists, but they are fundamentally wrong about their religion when they do so. There is nothing in any modern religion that justifies waging wars of conquest or behaving savagely because the truths of all these religions; their history, the facts, the realities, are that they have noble ideas and that those ideas have been found wanting in practice.
The "Truth" is a strictly internal way of dealing with truths. And peace starts when we learn peace within. Moslems, Christians and others seek to fight one another because their insides are unsettled, and because they are willing to lie rather than reconcile inside with outside. A person who does what he says, says what he means, and is honest, is as rare in this day as a 100 carat diamond -- and worth as much. How many leaders can tell their followers about a subject; "This is as much your responsibility as it is theirs." How many people are willing to be responsible enough to say; "well maybe there is an other hand there?" Not very many, and that is the reason we don't have peace.
If groups like the Gakkai -- with wonderful ideas -- can't even look at their behavior and say "I was as responsible for the problems with NST as the priests were" how can we expect less responsible religious groups with traditional ideas of "I'm white, you're black." or "I'm right and you are evil and white;" to look at their own behavior objectively and seek truth and reconciliation? Starting at the truth, everything becomes negotiable and solve-able.
Further, starting at the "Truth" often means that people embrace lying. Abstract principles, and reasoning from Scripture, can be used to put false frameworks on reality. If the "truths" are the work of an "anti-christ" or of "kuffirs" then there is no truth to the "Truths" being stated because the truths are being distorted. That is why such groups can't look at themselves objectively.
Chris
Posted by cholte at August 23, 2006 06:09 AMThe solution will start when we seek what is right
rather than who is right.
SGI is getting a reputation as a group that
promotes superstition, greed, and intolerance. Our Soka Spit Web Site smears 5 of Nichiren's 6 hand
picked successors; as well as the retired Chief
Cleric of the Temple whose doctrines we still
promote.
This is making it tough to sell SGI as a group that promotes world peace, good will, tolerance, forbearence, etc.
robin
Posted by: robin at August 23, 2006 07:59 AMRobin, your comment is reasonable. Nichiren's guidelines for examining religions apply all the more to Nichiren Schools. He, basing himself on traditional Buddhist principles, held that people should hold to core "Truths" based on facts. We cannot say what he would do or say if he were alive now, but these principles do not condone abandoning facts for fantasies.
Realistic religion is based on the prescripts of the Nirvana Sutra and uses core "Truths" to guide behavior in the real world by measuring and moderating those Truths or principles against facts. That is the reason the Buddha taught that Dharma's are empty. It's not that they hold no force, but that the force of Truth-Principles are measured by how they are used.
Posted by: Chris at August 23, 2006 10:52 AM "The way that can be told is not the true way."
-Lao Tzu
"The map is not the territory."
-Korzybski
"Perception is not reality."
-clown hidden
"Evrything you know is wrong."
-Firesign Theatre
"We're all Bozos on this bus!"
--The Firesign Theatre
"You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you."
--Bob Dylan
"Power is not sufficient evidence of truth."
--Samuel Johnson
LOL :-)
Posted by: Chris at August 23, 2006 04:34 PM Since the previous comment section was closed, I will answer your question here. No that is not the article I was referring to, but I will say it dosen't prove your point although neither does it prove mine. I maybe mistaken where I read it but what I saw was unambiguos that Isreal was in Lebanon and kidknapping or taking prisoners in June. I'll see if I can find it although I don't have a lot of time to do it presently. I'm certain that is what I read because my reaction at the time was not to the story but to it not being widely published.
The consensus of reality is determined by those who run the media. I'm not making the claim often heard that "the jews run the media" I'm saying the power structure lies all the time for their own interests. The state of Isreal is only a pawn in their game.
clown hidden
This is not what I saw previously and can be dismissed as fevered imagination if you like.
http://www.halturnershow.com/IsraelPalestiniansSyriaLebanon.html
http://tinyurl.com/zpldo
Thank God for fiction.
clown hidden
I cannot even access that webpage. My content filters kick in for "racism and hate speach." I sincerely doubt the information there is accurate.
Posted by: Chris at August 24, 2006 08:22 AM I respect that I found a better link but then realized that this section is on a different topic when I came to post it and didn't, I thought you were continuingh that discussion here. Any way it is naive to believe this started with some Israeli soldiers killed and taken hostage as if it was all peace and tranquility prior. I believe the reports I heard about Isreali capturing and killing people prior to the famous taking of an Israeli soldier and it is perfectly sensible for me to do so. You of course can deny it and say that anyone who says so is lying but it is a hard thing to swallow if you say it's implausible. I cannot find a citation, although there is a break down of recent activities at San Francisco Independent Media not that that would convince you. Destroying Lebanon won't be good for Isreal but I think that's the plan. A bully will always pick a fight when they feel strong. Once again Isreal has absolutely no right to exist and any harm they cause to exert that right is also wrong. It seems an intractable situation, the question being is it worth WWIII?
It would be nice to see the state of Israel destroyed. And I will forever see them in the wrong for as long as they exist. Maybe they can eventually be rounded up into concentration camps, it'd be no less than they deserve.
clown hidden