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A Letter to a Friend! By Larry John
I am not a Buddhist. I am a
THINKER.
I believe "your hope
structure" logic has as much meaning and validity as that of Buddhism and
Christianity and all the world religions.
Your "tales" and their
"tales" have equal validity. I see no difference between your validity and that
of the Buddha or Jesus or Moses or Joseph Smith or Paul or Luke or Mohamed, or
the Dali lama. They were all just THINKERS too....and people believed their
words. But just because these people had "followers" doesn't mean they had a
corner on THINKING and "truth." Followers are easy to get. Most everyone wants
to be told what to believe and what to do. Following takes the work out of
THINKING. THINKING is hard work.
We must all create our own
mythology by which we live or be willing to live by someone else's mythology. I
choose to live by my own mythology. I choose to work out my own salvation. I
choose to gain my own exaltation. I choose to THINK.
I enjoy the study of all
thought (including yours) and then choose for myself the "mythology" by which I
live my life. I live the mythology of Larry. You need to live the mythology of
David. THINKING allows us to follow separate and different paths to joy with
different mythologies. We will all arrive at the same "earthly" and "heavenly"
conclusions eventually if given enough time. Cause and effect is a great
teacher. I don't think one life time is enough.
We all need Saviors to
forgive us of our ignorance and greed (SIN) and allow us to become like them.
It is only when THINKING
stops that we are "stuck in the mud." We can't go back and we can't progress
forward.
I love goodness. I love
mercy. I love laugher. I love happiness and joy. And I love YOU. I THINK I love
you, therefore I do.
I believe your "tales" to be
as true to you as any "tales" told by "legendary figures." Why not? You decide
what you believe. This is YOUR journey. This is your life. You must choose to
follow the path that inspires you to greatness and joy. Your "tales" make
perfectly logical sense to me based on the frame work and foundation of your
teaching and your thinking.
I am willing to "leave my
home, mother, father, friends and family" in order to find personal truth and
enlightenment...and when I realize that my personal mythology may need some
tweaking in order for me to arrive at a greater true joy, abundant wisdom, and
empowering awakening... I "leave" the comfort of my old THINKING to embrace the
comfort of my new THINKING.
I have a better opportunity
to "leave" than you do or most people do. You shouldn't leave. Your family needs
you right where you are... but you can THINK if you choose to know that you
don't know. And I enjoy THINKING with you....as long as neither one of us has to
be "right."
The study of Christianity,
Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Mormonism, Protestantism, Atheist,
Agnosticism, and all the "isms" has given me "food" for thought. That's all. I
love to THINK.
I have noticed that in order
for me to really THINK outside my "box" I need to challenge my current thinking
by learning what others think. It doesn't mean I begin thinking like they
think.....I never change my thinking unless I can see great potential for
happiness and joy. But regardless...I THINK.
I want to see things as they
really are. I want to find peace, tranquility, happiness, and joy just like
everyone else but I believe we can have total compete happiness and joy right
here...in the here and now...right here on earth. And it all starts with my
thinking.
I know I have within me the
power to be like the Gods and Buddhas...enlightened and joyful. I visit "heaven"
and "nirvana" often for short periods of time....and I like what I see there. I
am not a "permeate resident" yet. I don't see visions or talk to angels...I find
the real ME there....and I understand the real ME...and see clearly my faults,
desires, ambitions, and ignorance...and I desire to change and become the GOD
inside me. Like you say..."We are children of God"...but I want to grow up and
become an adult. I don't want to be Peter Pan.
I am a THINKER...that's
all...and that's I want to be. I think you may be a THINKER too.
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