Introduction part3
Mon, 01/21/2008 - 17:53 — admin
TEACHER was not in the habit of wasting time with small talk, and as soon as he saw that Michael was feeling both comfortable and welcome, he immediately changed the course of the conversation.
“So what brings you here today, Michael?”
“Actually, I have some questions which I’d like to ask you if it’s all right. There is a philosophical problem which I’ve been struggling with for some time now and I don’t seem to be able to resolve it. So if you have time, I would like to hear your opinion on the matter.“
"However I can help you, I'll help you. So you can put your question to me and I will try to answer it as best I can."
“I guess it’s not only a question, but also a doubt. From my childhood I have always been led to believe that God existed, and I accepted this as truth without any real consideration. But I am aware that I have no direct proof that there is actually a Supreme Being. Is it possible to prove that there is a God? What arguments can be used, or what evidence is there to prove this? And if God does exist, what is His nature? Finally, how can God be known? Can He be understood other than by direct perception?”
TEACHER was silent for a few moments before replying. “Actually, Michael, your questions are quite deep. Now I have to ask you if you have time for the answers, because if we are actually going to pursue these questions in a meaningful manner, a considerable amount of time and thoughtfulness will be required. If you are serious about your inquiries, then I certainly have time to discuss these points with you. But if you expect to sit here for an hour or so and go away with the answers, then there is really no point in talking. You’ll simply end up replacing one blind and complacent belief with another one.”
“I came here because I want to hear your viewpoint“ Michael said, “and I’ll continue to come and talk to you as long as I feel it is helping resolve my doubts. But I’ll want to discontinue our discussions if they are not leading me towards a better understanding.”
TEACHER laughed and replied, “Let us begin.”
Many people believe that a person is the brain or some part of the brain. You may be one of them. If so, the following should boggle your mind: Recent studies on the turnover of the molecular population within a given nerve cell have indicated that ... their macromolecular contingent is renewed about ten thousand times in a lifetime.* In other words, the matter making up each brain cell is completely renewed every three days. Your brain — that mass of matter which is contained in your skull today — is not the same brain that was in your skull last week.The Problem
Science of Identity Foundation – Siddhaswarupananda
*Paul Weiss, “The Living System: Determinism Stratified,” in Arthur Koestler and J.R. Smythies, eds., Beyond Reductionism (London: Hutchinson, 1969), p. 13.
TEACHER was not in the habit of wasting time with small talk, and as soon as he saw that Michael was feeling both comfortable and welcome, he immediately changed the course of the conversation.
“So what brings you here today, Michael?”
“Actually, I have some questions which I’d like to ask you if it’s all right. There is a philosophical problem which I’ve been struggling with for some time now and I don’t seem to be able to resolve it. So if you have time, I would like to hear your opinion on the matter.“
"However I can help you, I'll help you. So you can put your question to me and I will try to answer it as best I can."
“I guess it’s not only a question, but also a doubt. From my childhood I have always been led to believe that God existed, and I accepted this as truth without any real consideration. But I am aware that I have no direct proof that there is actually a Supreme Being. Is it possible to prove that there is a God? What arguments can be used, or what evidence is there to prove this? And if God does exist, what is His nature? Finally, how can God be known? Can He be understood other than by direct perception?”
TEACHER was silent for a few moments before replying. “Actually, Michael, your questions are quite deep. Now I have to ask you if you have time for the answers, because if we are actually going to pursue these questions in a meaningful manner, a considerable amount of time and thoughtfulness will be required. If you are serious about your inquiries, then I certainly have time to discuss these points with you. But if you expect to sit here for an hour or so and go away with the answers, then there is really no point in talking. You’ll simply end up replacing one blind and complacent belief with another one.”
“I came here because I want to hear your viewpoint“ Michael said, “and I’ll continue to come and talk to you as long as I feel it is helping resolve my doubts. But I’ll want to discontinue our discussions if they are not leading me towards a better understanding.”
TEACHER laughed and replied, “Let us begin.”