Originally posted by seer
I agree that we all must defeat the evil within ourselves. This is where the devil exists, you said it perfectly because that is exactly what happens, our psyche is attacked and manipulated to perform deeds that are not to GOD's liking because they are not in our best interest nor the best interest of the planet as a whole. I agree that becoming a true master i ...[text shortened]... psyche, these too must be anticipated and this is where true self-mastery is tested and proven.
I disagree.Once you are a true master, you are a master forever. You will never need to worry about tomorrow ever again.
To become spirituality enlightened (as described in bhuddism, amongst other things), is the answer to all our problems. (Ok, maybe not all our problems, but to all my problems). So I have devoted myself to achieveing this mastery. This involves many different things, actually all things that stand in my way. From helping a fellow person to helping myself overcome my "drug" addiction, it is all in the name of defeating my root problem. That problem being separated from God.
As you, I wish to convert no one.
One of the problems I see with christianity is that it advocates a "one size fits all" ideology. This will not work because we are all born with different dispositions.
Consider my three examples of vegetarianism that I have seen.
1. My girlfriend decided to become a vegetarian at the age of four, despite having absolutely no influences,(direct or indirect), from others to become one. Her mother actually tried to hide meat in her meals to make her eat it. She could not be convinced to become a meat eater, so where did that inclination come from? Past life?
2. My daughter who decided to become a vegetarian at 13. A decision made by her own concience, again despite her mum and step-dad being meat eaters.
3. My "mentor" who decided to become a vegetarian at the age of 38. She said" how could you look into the eyes of an animal and then decide you must eat it?.
Different dispositions. We may be influenced my our family and our environment as to who we become, but there is clearly other inflences at work here.
The "one size fits all" approach will not work. Variety is the spice of life-especially spiritual variety