Understanding Jainism

Originally posted by DeepThought
Actually yes, it is compatible. There is a significant current in cosmology that doubts that the big bang was the start.

Once again, my comment was not confined to that one claim but to the OP as a whole.
If you read the whole thread I have clearly stated that modern scientific thinking does not rule out infinite time.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Once again, my comment was not confined to that one claim but to the OP as a whole.
If you read the whole thread I have clearly stated that modern scientific thinking does not rule out infinite time.

If the universe were eternal, time would also be eternal. But we could never have gotten to this point if time were infinite. Time measures the intervals between movements. There was no movement until the universe began, therefore there was no time. It would be impossible to traverse an infinite amount of time.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Unless I am mistaken, your OP implies that Jainists are atheists.

My OP also provided a link to a site with more information about Jainism. If you genuinely have an interest in this topic i'd advise checking it out. (Rather than relying on what you think my OP implies).

Jainism, for example, doesn't believe in God as a creator, but does believe in God as a perfect being. (Which of course disqualifies it as atheistic). It also goes in for the whole reincarnation of the soul thing.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
But we could never have gotten to this point if time were infinite.

My advice is not to get your logic from Christian evangelists.

There was no movement until the universe began, therefore there was no time.
If time in the past is infinite, then the universe didn't begin. That is the idea Ghost likes.

It would be impossible to traverse an infinite amount of time.
And how do you know this?

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Jainism, for example, doesn't believe in God as a creator, but does believe in God as a perfect being.

Actually your source says

Jains do not believe in a God or gods in the way that many other religions do, but they do believe in divine (or at least perfect) beings who are worthy of devotion.

This makes it difficult to give a straight answer to the question "is Jainism atheistic?"

If your source is unsure, how are you sure? And why does your source have plural but you have singular?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Actually your source says

Jains do not believe in a God or gods in the way that many other religions do, but they do believe in divine (or at least perfect) beings who are worthy of devotion.

This makes it difficult to give a straight answer to the question "is Jainism atheistic?"

If your source is unsure, how are you sure? And why does your source have plural but you have singular?

I looked at a number of Jainist sites before creating the thread. The general consensus is that they do not believe in God as a creator, but only as a perfect being. - Now as all of us can become part of that God through enlightenment, Jainism has been described as both polytheistic and monotheistic.

I'm glad though you took the time to follow the link.

There are number of things to like and even respect about Jainism: it is pacifist, non-violent to all life forms (insofar as this is possible), and espouses asceticism and self-discipline. These are noble endeavors. It also tends to be non-doctrinaire, which I consider to be a Good Thing, especially in the current world situation where people are being beheaded for holding beliefs at variance with the man holding the sword.

Whether it is compatible with current scientific theory about the beginning of the universe is incidental to its spiritual import.

Originally posted by moonbus
There are number of things to like and even respect about Jainism: it is pacifist, non-violent to all life forms (insofar as this is possible), and espouses asceticism and self-discipline. These are noble endeavors. It also tends to be non-doctrinaire, which I consider to be a Good Thing, especially in the current world situation where people are being behea ...[text shortened]... ent scientific theory about the beginning of the universe is incidental to its spiritual import.

My first encounter with Jainism was in regards to the lengths they went to in order to avoid killing insects. (Not stepping on bugs, wearing masks so as not to swallow flies etc). What a splendid approach to life, always striving to do more good than bad. (Even if it is primarily for the sake of their own karma).

The most extreme ones are the so-called sky-clad Jainists, who go about naked. They avoid walking on grass so as not to injure even plants.

I suppose that to be strictly consistent, they would have to eat the flesh of animals which had died of natural causes (i.e., not hunting), since killing anything, even a strawberry, in order to survive is injurious to some life form or other. I'm not sure humans can actually survive on carrion alone -- it suggests a limiting case, not one that I personally would care to try to emulate.

Originally posted by twhitehead

My advice is not to get your logic from Christian evangelists.

Your advice would also be to not get your logic from Jesus Christ Himself.
Bad advice.