Our Egos and Religion

[MidGe]

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I've always seen the ego as self-protective, so I think fear relates to it.


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madnak, this is a quotable quote. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it down, but it can be read in so many very different ways, it has to be true!

Good on you!

[madnak]

Hmm. Good points. You guys are probably right, I can't think of any reason to use "ego" per se. It oversimplifies things. I do think people tend to have a strong personal stake in their religious opinions, even when those opinions are highly academic.

[Splendour]

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The only reason why people are so decisive in their religious beliefs is to feed their own ego.

"We are humans. We are important. We need a meaning to life. We can't accept the fact that we don't know. We have to figure it out for ourselves."

Whether it's Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or none of the above. We all think we got it figured out.




Well how about this religion. I don't know, and neither do you. I STRONGLY believe in agnosticism. Anybody with me?

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In many religions the ego is actually subliminated. Even in Buddhism when you see people meditate they aren't elevating their own ego they are trying to get into a calm state. There's nothing calm when you elevate your ego. That's called striving. Nothing calm about striving.

Quote: "We have to figure it out for ourselves."

All the religions you mention have texts. If you mean do we have to figure out texts then yes, but that's not exactly figuring things out ourselves its more like coming to a good enough understanding of principles to be able to apply them. This is where the "decisiveness" comes in and since you're no longer able to follow whatever you want its pretty much the opposite of ego.

Even in the practice of yoga and there are many who get into the spiritual side of yoga the principles of yoga don't seem to appeal to the ego. If you've ever tried to do yoga you'll know that a Yogi teacher will tell you to never force things. You have to wait for the opening when you're stretching and that opening could take seconds, it could take months, it could take years. Once again self control and patience over the ego. Knowing yourself. Nevermind that the lady next to you can put her foot behind her head. That's her limit, not yours.

The ego sort of does the opposite. The ego tells you to compare yourself to others. It drives us to competition. It tells you to push your limits. We get a lot out of pushing our limits within reason.

[ehafner]

I meant figuring out the text or belief that is true. So yes, that is your decision. It seems to me that everyone has to "pick a side", and that's the part that's frustrating to me.

[ehafner]

Is my disbelief in purple flying buffalo an ego trip? Seems common sense to me.

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Show me some proof against it and I'll share your disbelief. Until then, I'll continue to believe that anything is possible in the afterlife (if we get one).