From: sryan@vivaldi.trl.oz.au (Simon Ryan)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Things to think about!
Date: 21 Aug 92 04:46:22 GMT
Reply-To: s.ryan@trl.oz.au
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne, Australia


     Things to think about:

     Essentially  everything  is reducable to  science.  Likewise 
everything  is  reducable to the physical.  There are  those  who 
believe  in  a  distinction  between  physical  and  metaphysical 
worlds.  This  distinction exists primarily because of  the  dual 
aspect of religious truth,  as viewed by most humans.  They see a 
realm of understandability,  logic and explainability offset by a 
realm  of  the  reverse.   Here  there  is  no  understanding  or 
comprehension, not because this is not possible but because it is 
not  permitted.  This is the realm of the Gods and  spirits,  the 
realm of astral energies and occult occurances.
     Leaving the existance or non-existance of these realms as an 
unknown, for the present, one obvious fact stands out clearly. It 
is  even echoed in the beliefs of the humans and the truth of  it 
goes  back  to  relativistic theory.  Stated simply  it  is  that 
Everything  is  understandable when viewed from  the  appropriate 
vantage  point.  Does  not "God" understand  everything?  Further 
reaching  than  this  simple  fact is that in  this  same  manner 
everything is reducable. 
     All  things  are reducable to components.  If  we  take  any 
physical  object  (at this stage physical covers both  realms  as 
one) and cut it in half, we find two components. Further reducing 
produces  more  and smaller subdivisions.  Eventually we reach  a 
stage where we can no longer divide the object, we have reached a 
unit  particle.  By definition a unit particle can have only  two 
states,   existance  or  non-existance.  Whilst existing,  it  is 
completely  unalterable by definition,  since for something to be 
changeable  it  requires components to  re-order.  Thus  we  have 
uncovered the only unchanging objects in the universe.  There may 
be an almost infinite number of different types of unit particles 
similar only in their unchangibility.
     The  human organism can be analysed in this same manner.  It 
is  infinitly changeable.  Any human can be made into  any  other 
human,  given the right set of circumstances. If we could, over a 
period  of  six months gradually replace human A's components  so 
that at the end of six months A had become B,  then we would find 
that there is no difference between A and B,  the human would not 
be able to tell you at what point he had suddenly become B yet he 
most obviously becomes B in every detail.
     This  detail must of course extend down to the level of  the 
soul. (for the moment I am assuming its existance for the benifit 
of those still trapped by the belief) Of couse for a soul to have 
meaning,  it  must  have  components,  components  which  can  be 
changed. (What would be the use of an unchanging soul) We see now 
from  our little experiment that we have effectivly  changed  not 
only the body but the soul also from A to B.
     Ah  there are still those who tremble at this concept of the 
soul. Think then on this:
          For  a  soul to exist in the usual definition  it  must 
somehow  be  the vehicle for Karma.  It must contain  a  changing 
essence of the individual, hence it requires components.
          Now  a  soul  with components is a soul  which  can  be 
changed.  It is no longer eternal,  it is no longer  everlasting. 
The only soul which can last indefinitly is a unit particle,  but 
even that is constrained to exist or to not exist.
     With  these  thoughts in mind there is no need for  anything 
metaphysical,  metaphysical  objects are constrained to laws just 
as are the physical ones.  There is only one physical reality  or 
realm and the soul, should it exist, may as well be a part of the 
body and be counted within the realms of physical science.
     It is interesting to look at the origin of the soul concept, 
it  can be seen that it developed as a result of evolution.  Each 
intelligent creature (not just humans) has a concept of self  and 
not-self,  this  concept  is essential for survival in  the  more 
primitive  animals since it permits them to make judgements as to 
whether or not something benifits or harms their 'self'. Even the 
colony  insects  such  as  ants and bees  have  a  self  concept, 
although this extends more to the hive being the 'self' and  each 
element  of  this  self is capable of willingly  sacrificing  its 
subexistance for the benifit of the whole self, just as a  larger
more complex creature would willingly chew off a leg in order  to 
escape  a  hunters trap.  In the higher order creatures  such  as 
humans  and perhaps dolphins, elephants and whales the idea of an 
eternal  soul has developed due to the fact that the creature  is 
capable of understanding death. Faced with the idea of death, the 
self  concept  reacts  accordingly and  attempts  to  ensure  the 
survival of the individual. Since there is no possible method for 
preventing  eventual death,  the self has formulated the idea  of 
continuation after death and attached to this concept the concept 
of a vehicle containing the essence of the individual.
     The  effect of the self concept is that the brain feels that 
it  has  a unique existance as a separate entity,  it feels  that 
there  is a distinct dividing line between "me" and "not-me"  and 
nothing in the middle. This idea is basically delusion, it is not 
real  and hence this restricts the full potential of  the  brain. 
This  most basic of delusions causes the need for more supporting 
delusions  to be formulated.  Once the self concept is seated  at 
the  root of all thoughts,  more and further  retarding  concepts 
arise. For example:
     Look at how large the universe is and how small I am. I feel 
small  and lonely,  life has no real meaning,  what can I  in  my 
insignificance  do to change anything.  Anything I could  do,  no 
matter how great, is still a pittance when compared with the size 
and scope of the universe.  The only way this can have meaning is 
for there to be a God,  There that is better, now I am the centre 
of  the universe,  God has created it for me and I have a job  of 
meaning and purpose,  I must redeam my soul so God can take me to 
a higher existance, one with meaning.
     This   pathetic  chain  of  delusions  unfortunately  occurs 
subconsciously in most 'God fearing' humans.
     A  mind,  pure and untainted by delusion sees far more  than 
those blinded by the self concept. It is capable of looking where 
the   Atman  (concept  of  self)  cannot  look  without  fear  of 
destruction. The pure mind is able to grasp complete control over 
the body,  even down to the chemical level. The full faculties of 
the mind and body are instantly available,  no longer  restricted 
and blocked by the atman. No longer  is  the  being controlled by 
moods or feelings. The descision to act is all  that is required. 
There is no need for atman survival  processing  as  dictated  by 
evolution.  Psychological  barriers are non-existant,  since they 
are connected with the atman survival. The advanced mind does not 
require the atman to function.  Any dividing lines or  boundaries 
are  unneeded,  the mind sees the entire problem  simultaniously. 
The  most  human portion of the mind,  once disposed  of,  allows 
thought processing, perception and learning to exceed the average 
by such a large degree,  that to the lesser beings it seems  that 
the  mind  without self has become god-like in its  powers.  This 
fact  can  be  seen  to  occur in  history  a  number  of  times, 
especially  in  the different strains of Buddhism and to  a  much 
lesser  extent  in some of the more primitive religions  such  as 
christianity and judaism.
     Another  basic  delusion  is that the self  concept  is  the 
originator of thought. How can this be? How can a concept produce 
anything,  a concept does not even think!  The brain does all the 
deciding.  It  is  true that in most humans the  basis  for  some 
aspects of their motivation is the self concept,  but remove this 
and  they will still have likes and dislikes.  There is no change 
in motivation observed at all,  except perhaps for a loss of  the 
negative motivational effects produced by the self concept.  Some 
examples of this are: 
     I  am  the self. I am programmed by evolution to preserve my 
existance  at all costs. I do not wish to change. I see all these 
tasks before me ,doing  these  tasks "I" am  reduced to a thought
of lower priority in the brain (the doing of  these tasks lessens
the  time  the brain has to dwell in the self concept,  therefore
the brain produces an effort barrier.) I can't be bothered  doing
these things, it all takes too much effort. Why bother when I can
do them later. As a self concept I produce resistance   to  those
activities which threaten my  existance.  I now sustain   another
concept known as mental effort.  This is purely my creation   and
represents resistance to action.
     Of course effort  does not really exist, even mental effort,
since a decision to act requires no effort.

Cogitate on that!

Simon.		e-mail to: sryan@trl.oz.au