Our Father, to thine own pathological self be true

[Ben]

Our Father, to thine own pathological self be true

Catherine Deveny

HERE'S my theory. God has narcissistic personality disorder.
Stay with me as I indulge in two of my favourite pastimes: illuminating monotheistic religion's exploitation of the human desire to feel safe, loved and special; and my constant need to question and expose maladaptive behaviour. Let's pathologise!

Here's the deal: tick five in the diagnostic criteria and we have an NPD winner!

For the rest of this article: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/our-fa ... ml?page=-1

[genkaku]

Facile, but fun.

[pink_trike]

My 11-year-old atheist gave me the revelation that God had NPD when he said, "I think we invented God and then God invented us."

Smart kid - he knows the nature of mind at age 11. We invent stories and then the stories invent us. This can be applied to everything we believe.

[Ben]

Dear Adam,

Facile, but fun.

What else would you expect from the rude bastard of Tasmania??
Cheers

Ben

[Fede]

I've always said that if people stop thinking about him, god would cease to 'exist'.
Now that's ego for you.....

[christopher:::]

I've always said that if people stop thinking about him, god would cease to 'exist'.
Now that's ego for you.....

In seeking the essence of the Way,
one should quiet the mind
and penetrate to the depths.
Silently wander within
and clearly see the origin
of all things, obscured by nothing.
The mind is boundless and formless,
just as the pure water
contains the essence of autumn.
It is glistening white and lustrously bright
in the same way that
moonlight envelops the entire night.
- Hung-chih

[tiltbillings]

Silently wander within
and clearly see the origin
of all things, obscured by nothing.

The Dalai Lama states:

"This principle [of Buddhism] means that all conditioned things and
events in the universe come into being only as a result of the interaction
of various causes and conditions. This is significant because it precludes
two possibilities. One is the possibility that things can arise from
nowhere, with no causes and conditions, and the second is that things
can arise on account of a transcendent designer or creator. Both these
possibilities are negated."

[christopher:::]

Right.

[Jechbi]

It's poetry, Tilt.

[tiltbillings]

Of course it is poetry, but that does not mean it is not saying something profound.

Clearly see the origin
of all things, obscured by nothing.

And in prose, it is what is expressed by the Dalai Lama.

[christopher:::]

Yes!



Like the empty sky it has no boundaries,
Yet it is right in this place, ever profound and clear.
When you seek to know it, you cannot see it.
You cannot take hold of it,
But you cannot lose it.
In not being able to get it, you get it.
When you are silent, it speaks;
When you speak, it is silent.
The great gate is wide open to bestow alms,
And no crowd is blocking the way.

~Cheng-tao Ke

[Jechbi]

Of course it is poetry, but that does not mean it is not saying something profound.

You're right about that.