[Buddha-l] Doxastic minimalism (was: flat earth?)

[Vicente Gonzalez]

Richard wrote:

RH> I think the point I was trying to make about my own familial heritage is that
RH> of the six ancestors I mentioned, at least five were seriously dedicated to
RH> being freethinkers. Freedom in allowing people to think as they please is a
RH> hallmark of Freemasonry, Unitarianism, Universalism, and generic liberal
RH> small-p protestantism. Atheism is much more dogmatic, but I seem to have
RH> escaped that influence in favor of agnosticism.

I agree in that. Protestantism favoured the freedom of expression.
Although regarding this problem of rationalism, I doubt the
Protestantism was directly responsible. There is a false topic in 
Europe about the rationalist mind is rooted in the north.
However, the obsession to rationalize the world started in Italy.
In the north the people was happy eating hallucinogens mushrooms until
the Romans arrival. Still today the Scandinavian culture shows an
strong fascination for the magic realism, and that trend is
unthinkable in Italy or France.

RH> So the campaign (insofar as there  is one at all) is not at all
RH> about getting rid of either rituals or  mythology. Rather, it's
RH> about giving people all the latitude they need to  find the
RH> rituals and myths they personally find helpful. That's all.

a problem is that also there is a personal ambit for that.
Many years ago I was a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism and I had an
unusual amount of dreams in total Tibetan style. I abandoned this
Buddhism type precisely because I was not comfortable with the ritual;
it was an excessive effort to me. Then those dreams disappeared.
I mean that I'm not ritualistic in any way, although I defend the
point because obviously there is people who feel well among myths and
ritual, and it can works for them. So I don't understand the efforts of
some western authors to clean nothing at all. I wonder why they don't
make their own contributions and then people can try until find the
better way according their own nature, that's all.

RH> I've been to a few Italian weddings before. Both of my children married
RH> Italians. Italian weddings are a lot of fun. At least 1000 people show up,
RH> all of them somehow related to the bride, and people eat until their eyes
RH> cross, and the next morning at least fifteen drunks are found in the swimming
RH> pool. Of course, when I go anywhere, I studiously observe the precepts and
RH> sit off in a corner being mindful. That's my favorite ritual.

don't be demagogic...  There is not difficult in observing precepts
while drinking, fucking, dancing, or eating. It is much more difficult
observing precepts in the job.

Well, returning to the real world, I send you sincere congratulations
for your family wedding. Hope you enjoy.


best regards,