God is a Metaphor

Re: # 37

Zee:

I am a bit confused here. These guys are asking the courts for the RIGHT to have a sexual relationship? I never thought that you need the court`s permission to have sex! Now `marriage` could be a different matter as one may want to get it `certified` for reasons pertaining to taxes, childrens` education, punishments in the case of `infidelity`, bequests etc.

Re: # 38

dear khurrum....i enjoy reading your responses but i do not want to get into intellectual

debate. we agree on most things and disagree on some. i respect people`s truth based on

their own experiences and reasoning. some truths are subjective while others are objective

and can be experienced by others. i have not seen or experienced God. I had accepted him

as a blind faith. later on i realized that such blind faith was shared by millions of other

religious people. now i read holy books as part of the mythology and folklore. i was

fascinated when i read old testament and realized that how many stories of quran and old

testament were the same as they were all part of middle eastern mythology. when i

translated world folktales in urdu i saw the similarities in different cultures and realized

that before sciece, psychology and philosophy became popular people followed their

religious traditions and did not question or criticize as it was prohibited in their culture. i am

aware that you have come to different conclusions than mine. i am sharing my ideas and

my philosophy. some might agree with me, some might disagree and for some it might be

an inspiration to explore further. i am not here to convert anyone. i am here to share.

thank you once again for your keen interest in the article and a thoughtful response. my

main point is that we can read holy books as wisdom literature and not make them into

cook books and make laws in a theocratic state and then persecute others who do not

agree with our literal interpretations. people have the right to believe in whatever they wish

as long as they do not impose on others. for me God is a metaphor, if you have

experienced HIM / HER / It i would love to hear your encounters with GOD...sincerely sohail

drsohail,

Any comments on post #16?

.... #35 ....

Just a small clarification in case you start off on the wrong track:

The German brother/sister couple is fighting for the right to a sexual relationship and NOT the right to have children from that sexual relationship.

Now please respond.

Thanks.

wasif2,

Hehe .. what did you expect?

#26 by drsohail,

...especially when other interaters have answered your question more eloquently...

Hehe ... Dr. Sahib you`re a slippery fish. Which interactors have answered my question?

My question can only be answered in a simple yes or no. No further verbosity required.

Are you willing to answer it? Or guide me to the `other` interactor who has answered it?

oh sorry... i didnt notice. he (dr sohail) has indeed come bacak and chosen not to answer. what a shame !

#22 Zee

I think Dr Sohail is not answering because he hasnt come back to read the inter act yet. I am looking forward to his comment/reply, because I think it will be most entertainting. In the meanwhile.... may I say a word.

Why do all answers to the issue of incest relate to marriage and reproduction ? Can we simplify please ? Is there anything wrong with the sexual act itself ?.... assuming that no offsprings are produced and no disease is transmitted ?? As for myself, while I do not feel attracted to any of my brothers/sisters or parents etc (sexually) I dont have a problem with others having that attraction and consumating it......(i am not touching other issues, like free consent, adulthood since i think they remain constant whether its incest or not....but i am assuming we are talking about consenting adults).

Also, marriage between maternal cousins amongst muslims is ok...not so in certain christian sects... so even between religions this incest thing doesnt look like its of universal application....or agreement....

Re: # 27

Of the Sun:
Helios (Greco-Roman)
Mithras (Roman)
Ra (Egyptian)
Amaterasu (Japan)
Tonatiuh (Aztec)
et al.

Of the Moon:
Diana (Greco-Roman)
Artemis (Greek)
Coyolxauhqui (Aztec)
Khons (Egyptian)
Ix Chel (Maya)
Sin/Nanna (Sumerian)
et al.

Of Thunder:
Thor (Norse)
Raiden (Japanese)
Jupiter (Roman)
et al.

Of Kings or Rulers:
Alexander the Great (Greek)
Augustus Caesar (Roman)
Jehovah (Hebrew) ``our Elohim, King of the Universe``
Jesus (Greek) ``King of Kings``
Allah (Arabian) ``Malik (King)``
Stalin (Russian) ``Red God``
Kim Il-sung (Korean) ``In place of a god, Juche substitutes Kim Il Sung, who`s called North Korea`s ``Eternal President``...``
et al.

Are you sorry that you asked??

Re: # 30

Dr. Sohail - Is it proven that those who follow and die following their ancestors` religion or leanings are less content than those who find their own path?

Finding one`s own path is a huge undertaking in itself. Requires a lot of committment and drive. It`s not an easy investment for many worldly beings.

{i think time has come for people to question those ideologies and let their own hearts and minds guide them based on their own observations and experiences and reasoning rather than blindly following their ancestors.}

I partially agree with you. I have a very sweet old friend who did explore his own religion. He was raised by a Muslim father and a Christian mother. He came across a woman during his university years in California and started visiting her church. He felt more at peace in the church than what he was taught while growing up. He decided to change his path from one religion to another. He did not give up on the concept of God, but he was looking for peace and serenity that he expected religion to provide to his soul. He has three kids now. He is a very loving father, a kind man and a good husband. In this case, his exploratory journey steered him from one religion to another. He was still searching for the God he could connect with. His father was very upset with him for years, but being the fact that he was the only son and they lived on different continents he could not completely write his son off. My point is that one`s search may bring one back to God. I respect the journey since it`s a very personal thing, but I do not necessarily agree that it`s our fear or dream or desire that has created an illusion -- God. I believe it is in us to either accept the presence of a higher being or deny it. I am not a ritualistic being from any angle. I strongly believe in being the sponge to let the spirit soak in and soul embrace the concept. Keeping that in mind, I am not in concurrence with the concept of illusion. I am not trying to conduct a literal interpretation of a ``metaphorical`` concept. You may have referred to illusion in a methaphoric sense.

You have discussed the miracles of Jesus and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). I am surprised you did not include Moses and Solomon (my favorites). King Solomon had everything in life one could ever imagine, desire and pray for. He never denied the presence of a supreme being. In fact, some of the stories from his times can easily make one fall in love with myths, folk tales, human goodness, blessed hearts, wisdom, and character.

The concept of God is a very personal thing. I agree that as we mature and evolve that concept has a different significance for each of us on an individual level. I am not sure if it`s a blonde moment or I guess I have not yet been there where parallels are easily drawn between a concept and an illusion of this level.

Re: # 29

dear zahraj...i am a student of human psychology. it is my impression that children are

conditioned by their families and schools and communities and are asked to have blind faith

in certain traditions. as adults they have the choice to question those beliefs. unfortunately

most people not only accept the faith of their parents but also die on those faiths. i think

time has come for people to question those ideologies and let their own hearts and minds

guide them based on their own observations and experiences and reasoning rather than

blindly following their ancestors. that is the beginning of enlightenment and wisdom. such

wisdom not only leads to freedom of religion but also freedom from religion.....

sincerely sohail

Over here, I find ourselves confined in the mind space. What about the contact of that mind with the heart to create a connection ? It seems that we are living on a planet where we only function based on our mind`s leanings. I did not say that I disagree with that direction, but I am curious to learn why our hearts are disengaged in the process.

Re: # 27

dear zahraj...God is a metaphor for human fears and desires and dreams....projected on to

self created image of unknown mystery ....sincerely sohail

Dr. Sohail -

So, God is a metaphor for what ?

Re: # 22
dear zeemax....you like winning arguments and i do not mind losing.

if i have nothing important to say i act on my grandmother`s advice

ik chup tay sau sukh

especially when other interaters have answered your question more eloquently

than i can answer. so sorry to disappoint you

all the best in your search for truth..... sincerely sohail

If god ever ever turned out to be anything like the muslim allah..I will personally punch that bizzatch right in the mouth..

now that the obvious has been stated for Masadi and Peemax`s consumption, you do bring an interesting point dr. Sahib...that is the inability for adults to get over Allah ala the tooth fairy. I think the reason is that tooth fairy was a loving entity..she left a dollar for each tooth and her governance over her domain was universally applied. She rules with love. allah on the otherhand rules with fear and exclusion. ``Verily those that equate him with monkeys should be beheaded`` etc etc... If allah ever stopped being a petulant little biyatch, maybe she would get the same love from all that the tooth fairy gets.