Negative persona (mask) inhibits learning

[nicolepsy]

Originally Posted by Padgett2

There is a big difference between saying, "I think that thus and so happened because......" and implying that the other person is wrong by saying things like....."there is no way that could have happened" or "you don't know what you are talking about."

Often the opposing viewpoint is stated in such a manner that it acts like a red cape to a bull. That's when the debate stops and the fight begins.

Now, as another example of what I mean would be when A person says that they think or believe that something really happened. OK, I am fine with that. But there is the person that never says what they think....they just quote scripture after scripture as being fact. They will not see that many do not feel that the bible as a valid source of factual history.

Nothing that can ever be said will convince some that the bible has flaws in it, nor will anything ever be said that will convince others that the bible is the inspired word of God, that it was tranlated by inspired people, writen and copied by hand by inspired people and without any errors. Nope, it isn't going to happen.

So why bother to try? I am getting tired of doing it myself. Posting here has been interesting. I have learned a lot about how strangely some minds work. I see a lot of fear of the unknown. Fear, that is covered with a layer of "faith" that bad things won't happen if there is enough faith and prayer, or worse, "it's God's will," when it's really the fault of man's own doing.

i like your post and it does seem to me that all of this forum babble might just be a huge waste of time. i too have learned so much and like you mostly about how strangely some minds work. all i can say is wowwwww when it comes to the workings of the mind.

[Tricky D]

Originally Posted by Padgett2

So why bother to try? I am getting tired of doing it myself. Posting here has been interesting. I have learned a lot about how strangely some minds work. I see a lot of fear of the unknown. Fear, that is covered with a layer of "faith" that bad things won't happen if there is enough faith and prayer, or worse, "it's God's will," when it's really the fault of man's own doing.

True, but you cannot completey abolish fear especially the fear of others. Although dealing with your own fear is far easier.
Anywayz, neither knowledge nor science can eliminate fear simply because there are things we do not know.

But everyone has his own way of coping with fear, some use rituals, some need a deity and some just deny it outright. But eventually all have to cope with reality and face the fear and go through it.

Originally Posted by nicolepsy

i think you should start a thread involving the subject of ego. or a thread called "if you formed a cult, what would you name it?"

There already is one although it is not mine, nor is it a cult.
It is called Church of the Pink Fuzzy Bunny.

[nicolepsy]

fear seems to get in the way of soooo many things. there is a book titled "feel the fear and do it anyway" which has always stayed with me (the title i mean, i havent read the book).

[Tricky D]

I think that fear, if you use it right, can be a great teacher.
I believe that fear of death is ultimately the fear of change; cauz death is the ultimate transition.
Anywayz, when I'm afraid I notice that my senses focus sharper and I start to become more aware of my surroundings because I'm in a life or death situation. And knowing that I fear change means that the first thing I do when I'm afraid is assess if my fear is rational or irrational. When I recognise what type of fear it is I try to determine why I am scared.
This way I learned a lot about me so you could say that fear has become my alley, because I do not try to deny or suppress my fears.

[Padgett2]

Originally Posted by Tricky D

I think that fear, if you use it right, can be a great teacher.
I believe that fear of death is ultimately the fear of change; cauz death is the ultimate transition.
Anywayz, when I'm afraid I notice that my senses focus sharper and I start to become more aware of my surroundings because I'm in a life or death situation. And knowing that I fear change means that the first thing I do when I'm afraid is assess if my fear is rational or irrational. When I recognise what type of fear it is I try to determine why I am scared.
This way I learned a lot about me so you could say that fear has become my alley, because I do not try to deny or suppress my fears.

I agree with you on that. Fear can make someone really look at a situation and make rational decisions. If it's something that cannot be avoided, like death, then, in my opinion, it should be faced and accepted. If it's comforting to look at death (or any other problem) as God's Will, then more power to the person that does that. I think it gives them hope that it won't happen.

But my mind doesn't work that way. I figure the odds of something happening. If the odds are moving toward 100% certain, then I will prepare for it. I won't try to avoid it and pretend otherwise.

[Tricky D]

If the odds are moving toward 100% certain, then I will prepare for it.

LoL, odds don't do anything for me. I mean a forecast with 98% of rain doesn't mean that it is going to rain; you don't really know if it is the 98% rain or the 2% of not raining that is going to happen.