The Paradox of ONE

05 Mar 2002

What does "Thy Will" really mean when we consider the horrors around us ?

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What does it really mean? Doesn't this juxtaposition look familiar?

Thy Will Vs. The horrors around us.

The One Vs. The Many

Reality Vs. Illusion

Absolute Truth Vs. Relative Truth

Yep, you guessed it. These are all examples of the Divine Paradox.

Of course, to just say "It's all an illusion, just a picture show", is to fall into the error of the "Half-Wise."

"Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the Master" - The Kybalion.

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23 Dec 2001

To start the 'serious' inquiry of ONE I think we should reflect on the actual terms used. It is possible to discuss the question, it's been debated long before us. Anyone that has taken a philosophy course knows this...especially an Indian Philosophy course.

Some words to look up at m-w.com (unless someone knows of a better dictionary for these type of terms):

monist
monotheist
theist
nihilist
polytheist

Then from there, to search on google for some papers that discuss the merits of each. Like I said, the monist have there holes as well...I've just never seen them 'brought' up on the list yet and therefore am a little curious how well this "One" thing has been thought out by members. Note, I'm not doubting anyone's experiences'...but as others have said, the sharing of them is the real challenge.

There are a couple of people on the list I believe are capable of giving us some good working definitions from the Buddhist and Hindu traditions as well...if they choose to share.

waiting to see if anyone is up to the challenge, together,...

adam

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I once had a rather vigorous discussion with a fundamentalist Christian friend on this subject Monism Vs. Polytheism. This gentleman accused me of being a polytheist, and I made a few distinctions.

See: http://www.divineparadox.com/Conversations/heresy.htm

Also, this subject (of the ONE) touches on the primary issue relating to the Divine Paradox. One can't talk about the "ONE" without directly confronting the divine paradox. All else is either Orthodoxy or "Half-Wisdom" (folly).

	To the Monist I say: "Beware the folly of the Half-Wise"
	To the Monotheist I say: "ALL is ONE"
	To the Theist I say: "Transcendent yet Immanent from who's POV?"
	To the Nihilist I say: "Do what you want to do"
	To the Polytheist I say : "There is only ONE"

But guess what?

They're ALL right!

Another PARADOX!

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And all wrong !

adam

Yes, of course. Right and Wrong at the same time - the very definition of a paradox.

Like the story of the blind men and the elephant, it all depends upon one's Point of View.

The only way to get a handle on paradox is to consider the various Points of view. For the Divine Paradox this means considering the Relative and the Absolute points of view. The frames of reference must be considered.

Unity - Duality - what do i see? - Let's Poetry!

Half-Assed

From the relative point of view
the facts you've got really are few

So from half-cubed perch
the Devil you search

But he's moved on to somebody new.

Boo hoo!

:-)

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___ADAM___
Note your use of these two words though. "Relative" and "Absolute". How can one even consider the Paradox until ones questions and investigates the very truth of those words by themselves ? Does Absolute or Relativism even exist ?

___RED_LION___
The existence of something "relatively" or "absolutely" depends upon point of view. If they absolutely do not or do exist, then we have the absolute point of view. If they may or may not exist depending, then we have the relative point of view.

A maddening paradox. Embracing a non-dualistic thought system, however, can cause many problems - How does one verify it? A friend of mine was once a devote' of the "Course in Miracles" and it's supposedly non-dualistic teachings. The human wreckage that can caused by such half-wise interpretation is instructive.

___ADAM___
One can not simply brush it aside with a cute poem without acknowledging that 'great' minds have intensely considered these questions before

___RED_LION___
Absolutely!

Transmutation, not presumptuous denial is the weapon of the master.

Poetry speaks from the mountain top and can inspire and propel. However to get from one peak to another, one needs go down into the valley and undertake the task of transmutation. Yet even deep in the valley of darkness, poetry can help us to remember those lofty heights from whence we came, and of our destination.

Nudda woids, it wasn't a "brush aside" thing, so much as a "vision thing", a reminder that one needs to hold both sides of a paradox at once, else we become half-wise, and our goal eludes us.

Poetry can be like a Zen Koan - Tricks and arrests the intellect, but hints at something deeper.

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Red, thanks for making this point. I am in concurrence with you. Allusions to it are possible to be "shared" but it is something that must be KNOWN. I don't know that all experiences are "interpreted the same" either, once one comes out of the NOW. Perhaps a person's interpretation is conditional upon their belief system as well. (Hypothesis).

Lisa