Why I am still a Mormon (Testimony).

[_asbestosman]

Once I quit trying, everything got better.

I found a more effective path. Stop caring. Once I quit caring, things didn't get better but I didn't care anymore.

[_John Larsen]

Once I quit trying, everything got better.

I found a more effective path. Stop caring. Once I quit caring, things didn't get better but I didn't care anymore.

Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless words is
one
meaningful
word
that on hearing
brings peace.

Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless verses is
one
meaningful
verse
that on hearing
brings peace.

And better than chanting hundreds
of meaningless verses is
one
Dhamma-saying
that on hearing
brings peace.

Greater in battle
than the man who would conquer
a thousand-thousand men,
is he who would conquer
just one --
himself.

Better to conquer yourself
than others.
When you've trained yourself,
living in constant self-control,
neither a deva nor gandhabba,
nor a Mara banded with Brahmas,
could turn that triumph
back into defeat.

You could, month by month,
at a cost of thousands,
conduct sacrifices
a hundred times,
or
pay a single moment's homage
to one person,
self-cultivated.
Better than a hundred years of sacrifices
would that act of homage be.

You could, for a hundred years,
live in a forest
tending a fire,
or
pay a single moment's homage
to one person,
self-cultivated.
Better than a hundred years of sacrifices
would that act of homage be.

Everything offered
or sacrificed in the world
for an entire year by one seeking merit
doesn't come to a fourth.
Better to pay respect
to those who've gone
the straight way.

If you're respectful by habit,
constantly honoring the worthy,
four things increase:
long life, beauty,
happiness, strength.

Better than a hundred years
lived without virtue, uncentered, is
one day
lived by a virtuous person
absorbed in jhana.

And better than a hundred years
lived undiscerning, uncentered, is
one day
lived by a discerning person
absorbed in jhana.

And better than a hundred years
lived apathetic & unenergetic, is
one day
lived energetic & firm.

And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
arising & passing away, is
one day
lived seeing
arising & passing away.

And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
the Deathless state, is
one day
lived seeing
the Deathless state.

And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
the ultimate Dhamma, is
one day
lived seeing
the ultimate Dhamma.

[_Tarski]

Nobody created you. You just happened. There is no-one to blame.

Get over it, and get on with the business of living life in the world in which you find yourself (that doesn't mean you can't try to do whatever you can to change it). If you place too much hope in your supposed next world, there is a finite risk that you will miss a lot of real chances in this one.

There's a finite risk I'll miss real chances in this one if I don't place any hope in the next. It's not like I spend all day hoping for a better world while sitting in a recliner eating potato chips and getting fat. In fact, I'm with Hugh Nibley on this. Joy is heady, heady stuff and if you don't start adapting to being happy now, you might not be able to take heaven. Hence, happiness now is my endurance training. Preparing for a better world makes this world better.

I'm not blaming anyone. However, why did I just happen and why do I have desires that can't be fulfilled in the world? What possible survival value can they have?

It helps you keep on keeping on (long enough to procreate).

[_solomarineris]

It seams to me that it doesn't matter what we believe or how, because how can we be judged for believing in something that makes us happier and we believe entirely. We cannot, it would be unfair. I know that my life is much better when I am active.

What if we entirely believe that Jews are inferior and sending them to gas chambers makes us happier?

Man,
I thought I've seen enough "StrawMan" arguments from Jafar a.k.a. DCP, but yours takes the cake by far......
You have no clue what you're infering to. You don't know jack about Holocaust or Genocide.
Why would you draw a stupid analogy like that?

[_John Larsen]

It seams to me that it doesn't matter what we believe or how, because how can we be judged for believing in something that makes us happier and we believe entirely. We cannot, it would be unfair. I know that my life is much better when I am active.

What if we entirely believe that Jews are inferior and sending them to gas chambers makes us happier?

Man,
I thought I've seen enough "StrawMan" arguments from Jafar a.k.a. DCP, but yours takes the cake by far......
You have no clue what you're infering to. You don't know jack about Holocaust or Genocide.
Why would you draw a stupid analogy like that?

I drew that stupid analogy because it happened only a few years ago. By JonasS' definition if we believe something entirely and it makes us happier then we cannot be judge as doing something wrong. I was merely pointing out that the argument is absurd and can be demonstrated as such by applying it to one of the worst events in recent human history.

I probably know more about the holocaust or genocide then you happen to know what is in my head. The difference is I have a pretty good idea what sort of things I don't know about those subjects while you, on the other hand, are unaware of the scope of your ignorance on the topic of what is actually in my head.

Let me help you out further. To engage in the straw man fallacy, I must construct a weakened and disingenuous argument in the words of my opponent and then proceed to dismantle that argument in order to feign victory over my opponent. If you will please re read my post, you will notice that I did nothing even remotely similar to that. I only point this out because you are making yourself look silly by signposting your lack of understand of this informal fallacy.

[_marg]

don't take my bubble away man, I really felt settled, you just stirred it all again. Sigh...

I am going to let myself believe just for now because for 4 years now I have been searching for the truth and I am not finding it and I am tired. So very tired.

Internet discussion boards are not for you.

Try a support group. Really.

Exactly I was going to say the same thing to her and then saw your post.

[_LifeOnaPlate]

don't take my bubble away man, I really felt settled, you just stirred it all again. Sigh...

I am going to let myself believe just for now because for 4 years now I have been searching for the truth and I am not finding it and I am tired. So very tired.

I remember that feeling. I found peace when I realized the source of my pain was trying to make something that was obviously not true "work". Once I quit trying, everything got better.

Good Luck!

I remember something of that feeling, too. I found peace when I realized the source of my pain was trying to make something that was obviously true "grow". Once I realized seeds grow at their own pace, and continued to nourish it, everything got much better. (See Alma 32.)

[_JonasS]

hmmm...

hmmm...

hmmmmm...

hmmmmmmmmm....



OK