Can Religious People Or People Following Cults Be Enlightened?

[khalifa]

I'm aware of many types of meditation techniques from various different zen masters/buddhists/monk/other cults etc.

Although i'm confused about the religious spirituality outlook of it, Aren't they already filtering themselves with a belief in religious spirituality dogma?

I thought they were supposed to remove their filters in order to reach that state yet they can still manage to achieve it with their self belief system?

Edited May 19, 2016 by khalifa

[key]

Yes 

[Leo Gura]

Oddly enough you can be enlightened and still hold many silly beliefs. Beliefs die hard.

[khalifa]

If that's the case, I guess it's like a new brain muscle memory that helps aid you in various brain activity

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-16406814

http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/how-does-meditation-change-the-brai2013-10-30/

 

[Henri]

@khalifa As we ourselves develop through the magic, mythic, rational and trans-rational stages, so does religion.

There is nothing strange about an enlightened one to visit a temple or whatever sacred place as it is for a teacher to wander around the different classes and schools.

[vizual]

Every person who is not enlightened is religious in a way. Enlightenment means the letting go of all attachments to beliefs that are hold. An organized religion is very clear in their beliefs, but even as you define yourself as an 'atheist' or an 'agnost' who does not belief in particularly anything, you have just as much beliefs as the religious person. It's just more subtle because your beliefs are more disguised as they are probably more in tune with the part of society you attach your identity to. A part of society which deems itself as non-religious. 

So, at the end of the day. It doesn't matter which dogma you attach yourself to, no dogma is closer(or farther away) to truth than any other dogma. 

[Nunzia]

What visual said. Thumbs up to every word. Yes. 

When I was in my late teens I almost got sucked into a cult. I traveled to Montanna for three days with a girlfriend. But my intuition knew inside something was off, deeply off for me. My friend was stuck in the religious chants and the works they did. The lists of things they could do and couldn't do. I told her, "we get back on the bus now and leave this place. Go home. Please." 

When we told them we were leaving, a master of higher rank came up to us and told us 

" But God wants to know you." I respected him and told him, "with all due respect sir, if this is your God - I don't want to know him....but I do respect your own personal belief system if this is where you find your rest and peace." 

He was a kind man but all this dogma and religious teaching seemed to be brainwashing a certain kind of people. My heart went out to them because they were normal individuals that just wanted wanted enlightenment, a truth of some kind... I respected that.....each to their own belief system. Who am i to say that this is fucked. Maybe I'm fucked. Lol. 

Heres the thing , I'm pretty odd , lol 

I love and respect evolution and intelligent design together. It's sounds like an oxymoron ....but for me in my mind, I believe they can work together stimutaneousy. I have many atheist friends who show me the power of the gospel without a zealous hell fire sermon. Then I have religious friends who are like the religious leaders of Christs day ... Always elevating zealous doctrine & scripture but missing the mark completely..... Grace, mercy, love. It's just comes off dogmatic and stinks. Then I have religious friends who elevate grace, love, mercy (visa versa) who are an absolute joy to be around and there personalities are not extreme.... more easygoing and a balanced outlook on life. 

So for awhile I wanted nothing to with this God. I clinged with my atheist friends because a lot of them had a respect and love for humanity. It was where I wanted to be. It was restful. They showed me God I told them. And they respected me for it -- never invalidated my position. Because I respected there truth. 

Then this spiritual mind grabbed a hold of my heart one day and I fought it tooth and nail " please go" , I said. But it wouldn't. I can't explain it , there's something more and it draws me in. I joke with my husband and tell him that he's raising these oppositional bones in me. Somethings out there that's controlling all of this. Haha. I believe in different faucets.....that they can work together for good. But to someone else I could just be spewing out bullshit to their ears. I understand that.

Sometimes I look at that cross and say inside "you are so marvellous and powerful what you show me" ....then I think God I must sound so foolish to others looking in. I get it but why the heck is He drawing me in. I just can't explain it because it's like from a different realm.... Your spiritual mind maybe can't understand the physical mind. They do clash .....but they can also work together if we really listen and be still.  Maybe they can harmonize together. 

Haha, see I sound like a religious nut to some... but to others , maybe they can understand where I'm coming from.  It's really weird how I can be in both camps and enjoy the grey areas in between. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cetus]

@vizual  I was just reading your post and something funny hit me, "Put a leash on that dogma"