You are always welcome. But....
This is not about you either.

Faith has it's place, and I'm not saying throw faith out of the equation. I am saying that no matter how much faith you have there are still some things that just can't be done right now. It's called being practical and there is nothing wrong with that either.

Research has it's place too. Let's also call it homework, study,learning. That seems to be a big problem with this latest batch of "wizards and witches", no one wants to do the work. "give me spells, cast a love spell for me, tell me how to get what I want" becomes tiring after so long. Besides if I do the work for you how are you gonna get done what you need next time? You can't "faith" your way out of that. It's this kind of research that gives confidence. But the confidence is that I can put the spell together, I know what herbs and oils to use, I know if it will need to be done at noon or midnight, full or dark of the moon, and how to back the spell up with real world action. Ask me the right questions and you might get the answers you are looking for because I'm not gonna be responsible for some little newbie, that can't contain their thoughts if you put them in a paper bag and hand them over, messing up and hurting themselves or someone else. Not untill they start to show that they have done some of the work for themselves.

As for my PERSONAL beliefs. Most of those are filtered here. I have found out that even if I want to talk about certain subjects, I'm not going to be allowed to right now. ( the universe and the Gods have their ways) So there is no way that you can judge what I base my own personal beliefs on. Just like I can't really judge what you base yours on.

One day you will get it, Desmond. I have faith in that, and I have faith in you.

it almost happened again. I almost lost the last post to the ether. some one must have changed thier mind.

I know you are good April. I am glad you accept me and beleive in me.

I'm just saying, what is more important in life? Faith or evidence? Some people isn't just here because they were born in the "now and here generation". Maybe they actually think that money so they could by there xbox and wide screen, bigger apartment and go to the pub every Friday would actually help them get happier. Well, what you do here is being honest and tell them what you think about it from your way of seeing it. (even if you talk like it would be the only truth).
Maybe they just want to beleive that everything would be better if they had money. Maybe they want to lie for themselves.

I have hurt so many people by telling the truth. I have come to see that not all people can handle the truth and an even smaller group even want it. Thats where religion (and alike) comes in. Even politics. For example, Sweden is really on the wrong way right now. We take down our taxes so the sick and the one without jobs can't live. They force people to split up there families so we can survive. And all along with this we take in more and more immigrants who take our jobs so there is even more without that can't live. This system has started to crash now and won't last long.
But wen I talk to people here about it they don't seem to know anything about it, and I tell them about there lives. I figured that either most people really are as stupid as I always thought, or they don't want to know the truth. They want the politicians to tell them everything is fine. They want to live in a protected life where the "big people" do all the work and they just do the routines.

We learn from the very beginning of our lives that we are small people and that the educated and big people will take care of us.

I think, that many who comes here sees you like gods. (more or less). You are the big people cause you have skills and knowledge they don't. And what have we learned about the big people? Yes, they serve and take care of us.

You won't help anyone by "busting there bubbles" or saying that all this new age crap you learned is a lie and reality don't work like that, go back to your routine life you weren't happy with.

Some just need to have faith in god. Jesus is going to take care of me, The hard parts of my life is just a test to see if I'm worthy entrance to heaven. Thats there reality, why? Just because they feel that is right for them!

If someone want to be a vampire hunter all there life thats reality for them! Reality to me is everything, cause I have this insight. Nothing is real and everything is permitted. There is no laws, there is no rules. Just creations of minds.

Can you see that? We are more different than you might think. We all live in our own separate existences.

BTW I'm very glad you accept me April, Honestly I was scared there for a while. I don't like when word hurts. It should be what we do that counts, not how we talks.

thanks

Desmond wrote:

I'm just saying, what is more important in life? Faith or evidence?

Even politics. For example, Sweden is really on the wrong way right now. We take down our taxes so the sick and the one without jobs can't live. They force people to split up there families so we can survive. And all along with this we take in more and more immigrants who take our jobs so there is even more without that can't live. This system has started to crash now and won't last long.
But wen I talk to people here about it they don't seem to know anything about it, and I tell them about there lives. I figured that either most people really are as stupid as I always thought, or they don't want to know the truth. They want the politicians to tell them everything is fine. They want to live in a protected life where the "big people" do all the work and they just do the routines.

You won't help anyone by "busting there bubbles" or saying that all this new age crap you learned is a lie and reality don't work like that, go back to your routine life you weren't happy with.

Can you see that? We are more different than you might think. We all live in our own separate existences.

OK, let's take these one by one:

Faith or evidence? Most people have a complete mind and therefore both are useful depending on the circumstances. Neither is more or less important than the other overall, but using the right one in a particular situation is crucial. This is why discrimination (in the sense of good judgment) is so important to all on the path, and often has to be learned the hard way.

Immigration: not really the right forum, but since it's been mentioned, with immigration comes greater demand for goods and services, housing, education, health, variety of services (people like a bit of home when they're living abroad), increased tax revenue, cultural and genetic variety (vital in the long term for the species), and many more benefits. That's if the host population has any brains of course.

Politics: most people pay it no attention - they're too busy getting on with their lives. Ambitious people use this to present simplistic solutions (often geared to the ugly biases of the mammal brain in us all) to complicated problems, thereby garnering votes and power, by whipping up the emotions and paralysing any judgment that may be available to the individual. If they want a democracy, the population have to WORK for it. If they don't, they get what they deserve.

Busting bubbles: should we then let people who are enquiring, or clearly steering into a dead end just do their thing? If their bubble is easily burst by a comment on a forum, then it wasn't very well formed and needed some serious attention. If they really were on their true path, how would a few words deflect them?

We are all different: of course we are - we all have to find our own way through life in the end. Our own perspective, codes, and means. Should I respect everyone else's views and opinions? No. Some people would do me harm. Some people would do you harm. Is this worthy of respect? A great many people thought (and still think) Hitler was right. Do I respect their right to be different? Yes. Do I condone their acting on that belief to try and recreate facism? No.

The biggest task we all face is coming to terms with, and taking intelligent control of, the pack animal side of our nature which, whilst extremely useful at times, can easily promote intolerance of difference, violence toward "others", inappropriate fear, and many other problems.

Like you Desmond, I have explained this last "truth" to many, and their reactions have been poor. Keep on the path.

Well said, Julian.

This is what I've been trying to say and, I suppose, failing miserably.

Thank you for chiming in.