Looking into my diary back from the DAY, I found my thoughts connecting with the words on the page. I've been questioning many faiths since so many I have looked into have failed me so much. To me it seems that I’m failing those religions. Religions demand the conviction of belief from a person. To that person his religion is the only possible truth, which’s where he gets his strength. Religions offer no room for the self or for other beliefs. Some very crucial points are made. However, I seem to feel some hypocrisy in the text. For instance, it seems to repeat over and over the importance of freedom – that of the body and of the mind and thought. Criticizing other beliefs infringes this policy. Yet, over and over again, Christian believers are put down for what they believe throughout my thoughts and the world. I am drawn to freedom of thought. I think that everyone has a right to their own beliefs - no matter what they are. What I do not support any instances when others force or even persuade their religion on me. I have the same right to freedom! Exactly. That’s the problem with most religion extremists, they are so convinced of their own beliefs that they feel that everyone should share it with them, and if those others don't see they'll make them see. Think about it as an issue of functionality. If we (the people here discussing things) accept the fact that our beliefs are all unique, and yet we still wish to communicate, it behooves us to construct, each for ourselves, a system of personal belief and thought that allows for communication with other thought systems that are different. I like to think of it as a modular thought structure. One that is both internally and externally consistent, equally able to relate to itself and anyone else. However, looking at Christianity, it's very simple to see that as a belief structure of monotheism (i.e., it's my belief or no belief) it works fine. Worship God, give all your personal power away to someone (a priest) who can better handle it for you and tell you what it's okay to think or feel, and if you meet anyone who thinks differently, either
Convert them or kill them. For a one-thought system this works marvelously, and I'm sure it was especially useful in the middle ages when dealing with all those "pesky" pagans, central American Indian's, and other ancient, timeless cultures that needed to be destroyed. But now? Now we need belief structures that can not only work with themselves, but with others. Thus, as a belief structure, Christianity has become outmoded and obsolete. We need cooperation, not conflict. And any belief system that says 'think like me or die' is, I'm sorry to say, simply no longer acceptable.
Needed, wanted, or necessary. You find that strange? Christianity is the most reactionary force that has dominated mankind over the previous 2 millennia and is mainly responsible for the crisis that Western society is in now, any philosopher can tell you that. What Christ conveyed was lost in the constitution that his message became. Talk about hypocrisy...How can anyone that believes in the church (mind you: I said church, not Christ) still proclaim to believe in the importance of freedom? The church is responsible of so much repression, narrow-mindedness and ignorance and are solely responsible for the destruction of western pagan beliefs; only because they were saying that there is only one God and that was the one they believed in and anyone who didn't believe in him should go to hell (and they helped them on their way by slaughtering them) It’s a somewhat accepted fact that there will inevitably be people who, for lack of ability to be flexible in thought, will remain in the dark ages and quite possibly perish with the changing times. This is natural selection on the paradigm scale. Old, inefficient, contrary beliefs will be (are being) phased out, while new, adaptive, modular, capable belief systems are forming. If you really want to be a Christian, and believe that God is some 'higher force' or being way above you that you'll never comprehend and you're being judged by, well then go right ahead. But for each person that can become flexible, universal, and above all STOP GIVING YOUR POWER AWAY, the New World will be an even brighter place. Attendance is certainly not mandatory, but we'll all miss you if you don't show up. Anyway, Christianity is an umbrella-type device, which many hide under and then others throw things at them. It seems that the schism is the punch line. A schism right through me. What do those people under that umbrella owe the others and vice versa? See my above statement. Further, I see criticizing beliefs as merely healthy. Dozens of metaphors. Belief is calm; criticism is agitation. To avoid agitation, also avoid possibility of criticism. I see belief as a most dangerous form of waiting, whereas beliefs can also be viewed as stepping stones in a very large "place." Is this the case? Or is it a religion, which is being questioned? It seems people who put on a certain nametag receive some powerful beliefs to propel them straight though one lifetime. Isn't this a little disturbing?
Drugs
I also have a question about the whole drug issue. It seems to me that you are only living the drug, not your own life. All the talk about freedom, yet it is the drug that is controlling. I believe in natural herbs that are unharmful, but I question the use of hallucinogen drugs. You're tripping on what the drug is infecting you with - to me, it is in no way pure or true. I feel it is much more "pure" to travel our inner thoughts clear-minded. If these are your opinions of what a drug-body interaction entails, I recommend not partaking in any drugs beyond necessary measures. I am unfamiliar with these purity ratios people speak of, so I assume this is a personal preference. How else can we tell whether it is the drug or ourselves that are envisioning our dreams???? Else?! Why is this important to know though? If I were asking myself this, I would directly proceed to the realization that drugs may very well be envisioning also my pure dreams. Why not? Does the brain only operate while tripping? I don't know what mechanisms are actually involved, but don't let amplitude deceive you. Some people may need to jump in a hurricane and others may prefer just a nice walk in the breeze. Either way, these operations do not utilize two different entities, only one. I wonder, where did you think dreams came from, pure drug free energy? I hope you don't feel contaminated realizing that you're body is a drug lab currently manufacturing schedule A (I etc.) Drugs. Not just one, and not just psychedelic. The idea that by using drugs you are becoming un-pure, addicted, or dependent only makes sense if you identify completely with the physical body. That is, if you think that YOU are a body then anything outside that body will be seen as external or separate, and thus that builds the rationale that by taking drugs you are somehow becoming impure. My belief is that we are much more than bodies. True, my physical body is the focal point of my attention (usually) but in truth, EVERYTHING that I experience is also ME. The chair I'm sitting on is a part of me, this computer is a part of me, the part of the Internet that I experience is a part of me, etc. Thus when I "take" drugs I'm not bringing in an outside, separate substance. I am simply taking a part of me and moving it from one part of me to another part of me in order to produce a specific effect. Everything I experience, I've created and am a part of me. This joint in my hand is my manifestation, regardless of what the illusory laws of 'cause and effect' state where the joint came from. I am experiencing the joint; therefore the joint is part of me. The act of smoking it is no different in principle from moving my hand from my side to my lap. This kind of explanation is bullshit! This whole we become what we interact concept is what really screws people up. The world, when looked at from that viewpoint, looks incredibly insane and threatening. But when seen from the viewpoint of unity, that we are effected by what we interact with, one can easily see how it's all a big movie-show that we're all simultaneously acting, directing, and writing for we are each the center of our own movie, and the WHOLE which we all are is a story that can only be told and understood from a multidimensional point of view. Drugs are a good way of waking up to the possibility of all the stuff I am discussing here. And anyway you aren’t 'infected' with a psychedelic; fact is that psychedelic's are natural substances that are already present in the brain. This is why the most powerful psychedelic's last so short. DMT for example is only active for minutes before the brain has already neutralized it; the brain recognizes it and knows how to handle it. Drugs provide the real experience that religions wish to convey. Also drugs cannot envision anything...it is YOU envisioning it. They don't control anything, in the same way that glasses (that some people wear in order to see clearly) don't control the people wearing them. I personally believe in integration. All beliefs, religions, theories and structures combined may come close to the real truth. I did not write this letter to crush any beliefs or hopes. I simply am on a learning journey. I would love for you to answer me and explain your point of view. I will check for a reply.
