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San Francisco, 4:08 AM
Wed Nov 25
23 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/05/09
I've been studying the concepts of Buddhism recently (which is actually more of a philosophy rather than a religion,) and I've got to say, there's definite merit in his ideas, but, interestingly enough, there's no way we'd ever convince a group of soldiers that embraced those ideas fully to ever participate in any sort of warfare again. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
If it's defined as worship of the supernatural, then Buddhism tends to be generally less religious than what we're familiar with from mainstream Christianity.
If you define religion as "re + ligare," "to reconnect," with reality as it is, then certain forms of Buddhism are very religious.
It all depends on which form of Buddhism you're talking about, though. There's a big difference between Theravada and Pure Land, for example.
The core concepts are the same, but the interpretations are wildly different.
Out of curiosity, what sort of Buddhism have you been studying? #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
I agree that it's a religion, but you can take away the religious aspects of it to reflect on the philosophy behind the message. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
I started with Theravada as well, when I got into insight meditation.
The thing I love about it is that it's like a diagnosis. The Four Noble Truths identify the problem of suffering; and the Eightfold path is the prescription / remedy.
Whatever your interest in it, I wish you the best of luck, with metta! #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/05/09
haha yeah: D #firstearthbattalion
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11/05/09
You heathen. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/05/09
Y'know, in a hetero way. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/06/09
He swindles people.
-Kle. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/05/09
Meditation also effects the brain according to brain scans on monks doing it, so the combination might actually work. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/05/09
Think about it. Instead of facing your enemy face to face in the battlefield - killing them when they're trying to kill you - you seek them out when they're on their smoke break using a video stream that's high def enough to make out their expressions, mannerisms, things that make them seem human. Then you push a button and kill them.
I imagine it would take more than a few days come back to reality after that. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
Studies have shown that the closer one gets to one's victim the greater the trauma to the killer. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
[www.airforcetimes.com] #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
[www.amazon.com] #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
11/05/09
The problem though is that meditation works much better as a preventative measure. You really have to be doing it regularly for several years to get the best benefit out of it. It's much harder to learn after the damage is done. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
If someone close to you died, for example, you and other close kin would be left alone for several days, while other members of the community would bring food and other necessities.
I don't know if people in mourning were considered "unclean" exactly, but were regarded as being connected to spiritual forces and death, and so were dangerous to be around until they'd had time to grieve. #firstearthbattalion
11/05/09
[en.wikipedia.org]
11/06/09
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11/04/09
I wonder if some scientist would be interested enough, and not put off by the paranormal babble to put some sensors in the place, and see if there's anything unusual in the place, or if it's just a pyromaniac's hoax. #ghosts
11/04/09
11/04/09
Anyhow, he has better things to do, like pick up the pieces of his failed gubernatorial campaign. #ghosts
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10/27/09