Monday, April 25, 2005
Buddhism and emptiness
I was sitting in a coffee shop today and thinking about why Japanese society seemed so empty. I immediately thought of materialism because in any developed country I often feel a similar feeling. But this sense was different. Lack of content or meaning. the two words Buddhism and emptiness immediately came to mind and I wrote it down in my journal. I came home and looked it up on the web- I am not sure where I will go with this but I will put some of what I find on this blog. I found this today on a web site
"To Kadampa Buddhists all things are totally empty of any defining essence. Consequently all things have no fixed identity ('inherent existence') and are in a state of impermanence - change and flux - constantly becoming and decaying. Not only are all things constantly changing, but if we analyse any phenomenon in enough detail we come to the conclusion that it is ultimately unfindable, and exists purely by definitions in terms of other things - and one of those other things is always the mind which generates those definitions." http://www.geocities.com/scimah/sunyata.htm
I noticed the phrase undefinable- immediately postmodernism comes to mind- and I wonder and know somewhat that Buddhism has been responsible for the idea or flexible truth or truth based on individual belief rather than absolute truth. It is my belief that Buddhist and eastern philosophy was popularized in the US in the 60's through popular musicians and entertainers.
"To Kadampa Buddhists all things are totally empty of any defining essence. Consequently all things have no fixed identity ('inherent existence') and are in a state of impermanence - change and flux - constantly becoming and decaying. Not only are all things constantly changing, but if we analyse any phenomenon in enough detail we come to the conclusion that it is ultimately unfindable, and exists purely by definitions in terms of other things - and one of those other things is always the mind which generates those definitions." http://www.geocities.com/scimah/sunyata.htm
I noticed the phrase undefinable- immediately postmodernism comes to mind- and I wonder and know somewhat that Buddhism has been responsible for the idea or flexible truth or truth based on individual belief rather than absolute truth. It is my belief that Buddhist and eastern philosophy was popularized in the US in the 60's through popular musicians and entertainers.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Non church
http://ac-christians.meetup.com/
Of course I cannot take responsibility for these random individuals or groups just letting people know God is up to something. In the old days they used to call them the remnant.
Of course I cannot take responsibility for these random individuals or groups just letting people know God is up to something. In the old days they used to call them the remnant.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Remember
Its the hardest thing to do- remembering. Names, vocabulary, and lately why we are here. I dont just mean in Japan, I mean on the planet. It cant be so we can continually work meaningless jobs so we can buy more stuff or maintain "life" as we know it. It cant be simply an endless sequence of week and weekends intermitently interupted by an occassional vacation or siginificant event that could signify something new or even profitable.
A few weeks ago I saw a lady sitting on her door step, in the rain, weeping uncontrolably. Most people probably would think she had lost it and that there was something wrong with her, but I was thinking she seems to be the only normal person. The people who seem weird to me are the ones who cram themselves onto a train in a grey suit to go to a place that they hate and are daily used and abused only to repeat it daily. And then they call this progress. Alot of people would respond "well that's just life". I disagree. It seems more like death to me.
I truly believe we have corrupted "life" and made it truly ugly. We have forgotten noble things, good things, particularly God. We set up "special " times to worship Him and remember Him when it should be a "spiritually natural" event practiced everyday. Mystics used to call it practising the presence. We are distracted by so many shiny objects. I am not sying we pray more, we should be "living" more.
A few weeks ago I saw a lady sitting on her door step, in the rain, weeping uncontrolably. Most people probably would think she had lost it and that there was something wrong with her, but I was thinking she seems to be the only normal person. The people who seem weird to me are the ones who cram themselves onto a train in a grey suit to go to a place that they hate and are daily used and abused only to repeat it daily. And then they call this progress. Alot of people would respond "well that's just life". I disagree. It seems more like death to me.
I truly believe we have corrupted "life" and made it truly ugly. We have forgotten noble things, good things, particularly God. We set up "special " times to worship Him and remember Him when it should be a "spiritually natural" event practiced everyday. Mystics used to call it practising the presence. We are distracted by so many shiny objects. I am not sying we pray more, we should be "living" more.
Monday, April 11, 2005
The hidden past
http://www.apublicbetrayed.com/case_studies/case_study4.htm?OVRAW=nanning%20massacre&OVKEY=massacre%20nanking&OVMTC=standard
This is a link to some thoughts about Japanese history. One viewpoint of course. Many people have the misconception that Japan is a peace loving quiet people but I certainly have seen many sides of the Japanese. Human rights are still violated daily here. People are randomly stopped on the street illegally detained, sometimes for 23 days without seeing family, being formally charged, or being read their rights. It happens to Japanese people as well as foreighners but more often to "gaikokujin" (meaning "different" people. essentially different means wrong but the language requires subtlety), especially other asians. Other asians are especially seen as "less than". There are many great things here but what I find is that the Japanese are very good at hiding their dirt and I believe the world should know the truth, all of it good or bad.
http://www.apublicbetrayed.com/case_studies/case_study4.htm?OVRAW=nanning%20massacre&OVKEY=massacre%20nanking&OVMTC=standard
This is a link to some thoughts about Japanese history. One viewpoint of course. Many people have the misconception that Japan is a peace loving quiet people but I certainly have seen many sides of the Japanese. Human rights are still violated daily here. People are randomly stopped on the street illegally detained, sometimes for 23 days without seeing family, being formally charged, or being read their rights. It happens to Japanese people as well as foreighners but more often to "gaikokujin" (meaning "different" people. essentially different means wrong but the language requires subtlety), especially other asians. Other asians are especially seen as "less than". There are many great things here but what I find is that the Japanese are very good at hiding their dirt and I believe the world should know the truth, all of it good or bad.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
What is a creative?
Superduper wrote this comment to this previously asked question. "To attempt to answer the question in the above comment, I would say that a "Creative" is someone who lives out the first image of God that the Bible presents us with: "God the Creator."And the beautiful thing (to me), is that people often live out- and evolve into- a clearer image of God before they might even be self-aware of their personal journey towards his likeness." good stuff