From: bskendig@netcom.com (Brian Kendig)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: What's your SIQ?
Date: 11 Nov 92 03:05:12 GMT
Organization: Starfleet Headquarters: San Francisco

kalki33!system@lakes.trenton.sc.us writes:
>bskendig@netcom.com (Brian Kendig) writes:
>
>> Huh?  If it's an "actually existing living entity", then what's its
>> genus and species?  I thought religion considered the soul to be part
>> of a human being, and not an "entity" unto itself?
>
>Genus: spirit
>Species: soul
>
>Don't know about "religion" but the Vedas say the soul is a separately
>existing entity, not dependent on matter. Also not restricted to
>inhabiting human bodies.

Ah, okay, that explains it, then.  I am a human body, and obviously
nothing's sharing my body, so apparently I don't have a "soul".
Thanks for explaining.

>> And what it "the Supersoul, or God," if not an abstract concept?  ;-)
>> Can you demonstrate it to be something concrete?  Can you take me
>> somewhere and point to something and say "there, that's God"?
>
>Supersoul
>Genus: God
>Species: Spirit

You say this is a living, physical thing.  Where does it fit on the
evolutionary tree, then?

>As a matter of fact, we can point God out to you. But would you
>recognize Him?

Probably!  Why don't we give it a try?  Point.

>> Then I assume that life is what somebody else makes it?  Who?
>> (note that the answer "God" is invalid unless you prove that (a) God
>> exists, and (b) God is responsible for everybody's life being what it is.)
>> 
>
>Yes, God makes life,

Who made God?

>life being the conscious living beings who are
>inhabiting the lifeless universe of matter. God also makes the lifeless
>universe of matter as a temporary abode for the living beings (souls)
>who desire to pursue their dreams of personal enjoyment independently of
>God. But this is a temporary situation, and at the end of the present
>term of habitation, when the body of the living being becomes
>uninhabitable, he is forced to vacate that body and accept a new body,
>to undergo the same illusory search for pleasure all over again.

How did you find all this out?  Did your god come down and explain it
all to you, or did you just read it in a book?  What proof do you have
that this book is legit?  After all, it seems to be making some pretty
wild claims; I assume you've personally researched it and found that
the things it says are true, instead of blindly accepting it and
proving its "worth" in circular arguments?  Please share with us the
methods you used to verify your beliefs.

>But the human form is more advanced than the lower forms, because it has
>a brain which is more advanced. With this brain, even though the living
>being is within the body and restricted in his activities by the
>limitations of the body, he can entertain questions about his
>predicament. He can inquire about his origin, his destiny, his real
>identity, etc. Animals and plants cannot ask "who am I and what is my
>duty", but human beings can. The purpose of human life, the human
>biological form, is to ask these questions, act on the answers, and
>return to Godhead, to our real home, where the soul is eternally happy
>in a loving relationship with the source of his being, God, the
>Supersoul.

Who's to say that our intellectual capabilities are practically as
limited as those of plants and animals -- insignificant, that is,
compared to giant invisible alien life-forms who can imagine entire
worlds in an instant?

>> >      |  Don't forget to chant:   Hare Krishna Hare Krishna   |
>> >      |                           Krishna Krishna Hare Hare   |
>> >      |                           Hare Rama Hare Rama         |
>> >      |                           Rama Rama Hare Hare         |
>> 
>> What is that, and what does it mean?
>
>...
>These are personal names of God, and the prayer means:
>
>"Oh energy of the Lord, oh Lord, please engage me in Your devotional
>service"
>
>This is called the maha-mantra, or the great prayer for deliverance.
>Chanting it is part of the process of glorifying the holy names of God,
>which is necessary for proper discharge of the purpose of life.

Why not just ask him once, rather than repeating yourself over and
over again?

And why do Hare Krishnas chant this loudly in public and implore other
people to chant it before they understand what the words mean?

-- 
_/_/_/  Brian Kendig                             Je ne suis fait comme aucun
 _/_/  bskendig@netcom.com                de ceux que j'ai vus; j'ose croire
  _/                            n'etre fait comme aucun de ceux qui existent.
      Nolite te bastardes    Si je ne vaux pas mieux, au moins je suis autre.
        carborundorum.                                           -- Rousseau