I like Lao Tsu. But it is difficult to remain so calm and to be doing without doing. I have a bedside paperback of the Tao - a translation by Steven Mitchell. It is about 40 years old. Yellowing pages that I turn to when I find myself in high anxiety with the desire to kill.
I am an old wannabe hippy peacenick sort of person. But of late, I find myself with clenched fists and red face as I read the news. Not healthy.
I left the Congregationalists at age 13. It was a lot of superstitious tradition. I watched the parishioners babble niceties and then go home to abuse their wives and kids.
I think we should be supportive of each other, protect our world and try to leave it a little better than we found it. Why did humans have to invent all this religious nonsense? Why not just employ some empathy and be nice to each other?
Perhaps it is just too frightening for humans to accept that this it. You are born, you live. Sometimes it is great. Sometimes it sucks. But then it is over! No more pain. Simple. Completely logical.
Thank you for this reply Bill, I read Lao Tsu, in my late teens early twenties (my philosophy phase) I dropped out of high school at age 16 and had no further education until entering college at age 31 and completing my Masters degree at age 44. In Canada in 1949 my chances at higher education were slim to none, the University tuition at that time was $800 per semester, my parents were earning, between the two of them $250 per month. So I self-educated.
I am so grateful to the United States and California for enabling me to go to college and spend a wonderful life, first in teaching science, the working for a County Department of Social Services, finishing up as a Business Analyst/Consultant for Social Services programming.
Like you, it pains me to see the destruction being wielded on the United States by a bunch of greedy over-privileged half-wits.
I am very thankful for Substack and all the friends I have made on this site.
My story is similar to yours but I settled on Christian Humanist. I can't describe it beyond that. I like Thomas Paine's description of his beliefs: I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and in endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
I like Lao Tsu. But it is difficult to remain so calm and to be doing without doing. I have a bedside paperback of the Tao - a translation by Steven Mitchell. It is about 40 years old. Yellowing pages that I turn to when I find myself in high anxiety with the desire to kill.
I am an old wannabe hippy peacenick sort of person. But of late, I find myself with clenched fists and red face as I read the news. Not healthy.
I left the Congregationalists at age 13. It was a lot of superstitious tradition. I watched the parishioners babble niceties and then go home to abuse their wives and kids.
I think we should be supportive of each other, protect our world and try to leave it a little better than we found it. Why did humans have to invent all this religious nonsense? Why not just employ some empathy and be nice to each other?
Perhaps it is just too frightening for humans to accept that this it. You are born, you live. Sometimes it is great. Sometimes it sucks. But then it is over! No more pain. Simple. Completely logical.
Thank you for this reply Bill, I read Lao Tsu, in my late teens early twenties (my philosophy phase) I dropped out of high school at age 16 and had no further education until entering college at age 31 and completing my Masters degree at age 44. In Canada in 1949 my chances at higher education were slim to none, the University tuition at that time was $800 per semester, my parents were earning, between the two of them $250 per month. So I self-educated.
I am so grateful to the United States and California for enabling me to go to college and spend a wonderful life, first in teaching science, the working for a County Department of Social Services, finishing up as a Business Analyst/Consultant for Social Services programming.
Like you, it pains me to see the destruction being wielded on the United States by a bunch of greedy over-privileged half-wits.
I am very thankful for Substack and all the friends I have made on this site.
My story is similar to yours but I settled on Christian Humanist. I can't describe it beyond that. I like Thomas Paine's description of his beliefs: I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and in endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
I am zen in outlook but more Methodist in practise.