The Skeleton Key to Mystical Interpretation

[Limbo]

You can harness negative emotions toward whatever ends you like if you remain mindful of them and learn to control them. I've emotions in me that are extremely volatile and savage but I keep them where I can see them, so to speak, so I have a certain level of mastery over how they are expressed. You don't have to run and hide from every unpleasant 'vibe' and feeling. Face them and tame them.

Oh, don't worry. The kid is alright.

Now then, if anyone would like to discuss the skeleton key to mystical interpretation, let me know. It is a matter of philosophical and religious concern, after all. And this is the forum for that.

Otherwise you guys can continue talking about my scandalous ignore list and my thin skin without me.

 

[Chucky]

Oh, don't worry. The kid is alright.

Now then, if anyone would like to discuss the skeleton key to mystical interpretation, let me know. It is a matter of philosophical and religious concern, after all. And this is the forum for that.

Otherwise you guys can continue talking about my scandalous ignore list and my thin skin without me.

OK then. Why should I care about mysticism in the first place? What's the point?

 

[Limbo]

OK then. Why should I care about mysticism in the first place? What's the point?

Well, do you care about how much religious fundamentalism sucks? I sure do. The skeleton key not only unlocks the universal mystical esoteric interpretation. It locks up the fundamentalist, literalistic, exoteric interpretation at the same time.

 

[JohnG]

Who cares how 'tortured' a metaphor is so long as it is an apt depiction?

A mixed metaphor is by definition inapt. It's obscures or confuses the point trying to be made rather than clarifying it.

 

[Chucky]

Well, do you care about how much religious fundamentalism sucks? The skeleton key not only unlocks the universal mystical interpretation. It locks up the fundamentalist, literalist interpretation at the same time.

I believe that religious fundamentalism at its worst is a threat to people's freedom, cultural well being and even their very lives, but that doesn't answer my question.

Again, why should I care about mysticism in the first place? What's the point?

 

[Limbo]

I believe that religious fundamentalism at its worst is a threat to people's freedom, cultural well being and even their very lives, but that doesn't answer my question.

Again, why should I care about mysticism in the first place? What's the point?

Well, let me try to put it another way. Its bad for religious fundamentalism. Thats why you should care.

 

[Chucky]

Well, let me try to put it another way. Its bad for religious fundamentalism. Thats why you should care.

So is science and it is a measurable and active, demonstratable force everywhere in the 21st century world which makes it more effective. I'm fine with using science and reason to neutrilize the fundies.

Are you saying that the of point of mysticism is that it deters other beliefs? That it is a disruptive force, that this is its purpose?

 

[AkuManiMani]

So is science and it is measurable and an active demonsttratable force everywhere in the 21st century world which makes it more effective. I'm fine with using science and reason to neutrilize the fundies.

Are you saying that the of point of mysticism is that it deters other beliefs? That it is a disruptive force, that this is its purpose?

To bring empirical understanding of the mystical things that institutional religions simply encode as blind, rigid dogmas.

 

[Chucky]

To bring empirical understanding of the mystical things that institutional religions simply encode as blind, rigid dogmas.

That's not telling me what the mystical things are or why we need them.

 

[wardenclyffe]

Now then, if anyone would like to discuss the skeleton key to mystical interpretation, let me know.

I'm very interested in discussing it. My first question is this:

Of what practical importance is it? How does it affect your life?

Ward

 

[Zanders]

Ok, I have a question.

In my other thread I talked about the prophet Muhammad and how he discouraged such interpretation of the book he was told to write by an Archangel. This Archangel told him a lot of stuff, and even what to abrogate from his book. Do you think that the man who conversed with an archangel would tell you not to interpret it in such a way for no reason?

And a second question, (this is not interrogation, this is about the "skeleton key") you mentioned Carl Jung. I have heard of his theory of the collective consciousness and the ability to influence others with it. This idea has been parroted by many new agers and mystics almost everywhere ever since, but is there any evidence of such a thing?

Of course, his theory of synchronicity would apply and explain a few things I mentioned in some threads I made.

 

[Limbo]

I'm very interested in discussing it. My first question is this:

Of what practical importance is it? How does it affect your life?

Ward

Hmm. Mileage may vary, but it can save your frakking soul. Hows that for starters? Oh, and it can do it without "religion", as you know it. Oh, and it can do it while weakening religious fundamentalism as I already said.

Here, please take a peek at this.

Joseph Campbell Saves The World / In which the late, great master of myth reveals just how foolish all our religious impudence is, again

 

[AkuManiMani]

That's not telling me what the mystical things are or why we need them.

"Mysticism (from the Greek μυστικός, mystikos, an initiate of a mystery religion)[1] is the pursuit of communion with, identity with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, instinct or insight. Mysticism usually centers on a practice or practices intended to nurture those experiences or awareness. Mysticism may be dualistic, maintaining a distinction between the self and the divine, or may be nondualistic. Differing religious traditions have described this fundamental mystical experience in different ways..."

Its basically understanding and interacting with the world via intuitional and emotional faculties as opposed to primarily utilizing one's external senses and intellect. Its a mode of operating that is virtually antithetical to the personality types of most posters here [afterall, this a skeptic's forum ]. Basically the OP is a liberal arts and humanities nerd crashing a party of science and engineering geeks -- with predictable results... >_>

 

[sadhatter]

Hello Zanders, here is a thread about mystical interpretations for you. The skeleton key to understanding mystical interpretations of sacred texts is comprised of four parts. Each part is a complex challenge and each part is necessary because so much has been lost or altered over time, as you pointed out.

I think you can probably guess what those components of the skeleton key are. Comparative mythology, comparative religion, comparative mysticism, and parapsychology. These fields need to be studied, not merely glanced at on the net. They each need to be grokked separately, and also together. Only then do they click into place, opening the mystical 'Gestalt shift' that leads to the crucial epiphany, or insight. Only then can the mystic begin to grasp the the esoteric under the exoteric, unless you are lucky and something just clicks along the way.

This would seem to indicate the poster believes all skeptics were always skeptics. Something that i have trouble believing someone who is being legitimate would be saying.

 

[sadhatter]

edited to avoid feeding the troll.

 

[sadhatter]

Limbo, stop resorting to the ignore feature so much. You're gonna need thicker skin than that if you want to make real headway here.

But he doesn't, he wants to behave in an aggravating manner because that is his intent. Legitimate users who are heavy on the ignore feature seldom taunt those on their ignore list. Nor make a big deal about putting someone on ignore.

 

[sadhatter]

I don't agree. If the skeptics use the strategy of indulging in mockery and intolerance and the 'guffaw' factor like a bunch of children, then they are going to have to accept the consequences. Not me. One of those consequences is pissing people off who then, surprise, don't want to talk to that skeptic anymore.

Oh its probably no big deal, because sooner or later most of us woo-woos leave anyway, after being subjected to X amount of JREF intolerance. But sometimes we stick around and the ignore list accumulates. Like I am. I like collecting asshats on my ignore list. If JREFers don't like it, then they can always decide to quit resorting to the asshat strategy so much. They are gonna need thicker hearts and souls if they want to make real headway with me.

The result of feeding the troll. He gets to make another post that he hopes will rope someone into an angry response, yawn, just yawn.

 

[Limbo]

Ok, I have a question.

In my other thread I talked about the prophet Muhammad and how he discouraged such interpretation of the book he was told to write by an Archangel. This Archangel told him a lot of stuff, and even what to abrogate from his book. Do you think that the man who conversed with an archangel would tell you not to interpret it in such a way for no reason?

Its not for no reason. I have reasons I think he would accept.

And a second question, (this is not interrogation, this is about the "skeleton key") you mentioned Carl Jung. I have heard of his theory of the collective consciousness and the ability to influence others with it. This idea has been parroted by many new agers and mystics almost everywhere ever since, but is there any evidence of such a thing?

Oh yes. Not only do the findings of comparative mythology and the other comparative fields support the idea, but my own mystical experiences prove it to me many times over. Its real and it goes by many names.

Of course, his theory of synchronicity would apply and explain a few things I mentioned in some threads I made.

Yeah. Synchronicity is kind of like psychically projected meaning, that is to say meaning is projected outside the human skull by psychic ability. Since psi transcends space and time, the meaningful connections are acausal, and the connections conform to the patterns of thought in the human psyche.

 

[tsig]

Well now your good mind is going straight to the eternal abode of the offensive asshat, aka my ignore list.

You're ignoring many teachable moments. Seems more like preaching to me.

 

[tsig]

Delving into psychic phenomena is fun but it gets you nowhere. Its sad to see good minds waste their time this way.

Good thing we're not seeing that here.