Don't Believe In Evil & Demonic Influences?

Matthew 24
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But if the fig tree was the nation of Israel then the warning of the fig tree is the appearance of a nation of Israel in the world. So then the day and hour would be May 14 1948. Midnight. When the nation of Israel was formed.

So on May 14th the "generation" will be 75 years old. Feeling the heat yet?

a reply to: infolurker

The contrast of responses is historical. Apathy is murder.
#OnwardChristianSoldiers

I do believe our minds are capable of great evil. No matter how good we believe we are. We need accept that even evil thoughts in themselves do harm regardless if they acted upon or not.

I would argue that seeing our self as mind is living in evil. The alternative is to exist at higher level. Witnessing and questioning every thought that echoes through our mind. Yes, using the minds own resolving power to police its own thoughts. Trying to find the root of all evil thoughts. Then burning those evil roots using the minds own logic to refute their very existence.

For example, suppose I am having sexual thoughts about little children. In examining those thoughts I discover the root of those thoughts resides from a great fear in growing old (aka death). Clearly, having sexual contact with children cannot make me any younger. So the root of those desires exists in a totally illogical state. Not only causing harm to myself but also causing great harm to children as well as society in general. Comprehending this, I can burn the root of those desires, using the power of the mind, to do so.

If one believes in reincarnation. Its the root of the desires that causes reincarnation. Not the thoughts that derive from the root.

Sorry for the rave.

a reply to: glend

I don't think it's that simple.
'Evil on the example of pedophilia' there are I think 2 roads down there, one is a misguided 'procreational drive' something very primeval, you look at children, your biological machine kicks in and it gets crosswired in your thinker aka brain.

The other is also not

a great fear in growing old (aka death)

But longing for innocence I'd say, like fe Michael Jackson had. People robbed one way or another of their own 'childhood' seeking closeness, or imitation.


Logic and desire are two so very different, almost but not entirely opposite things, I honestly doubt you can use one to conquer the other no matter which way you try.
...not that I have a solution, but I strongly disagree any kind of thought is evil, evil only starts depending on how and why it gets translated into action.
Those 'evil thoughts' are if anything a symptom indicating a psychological imbalance we all have at one point or another.
That's not evil if your psyche shows you your emotional wounds.

a reply to: Peeple

I don't disagree with the points you make. But in longing for innocence, wasn't that a time when we didn't fear death. So there may be a repulsion from ones owns fears, to those that exist in that state of fearlessness.

I only use the term evil as a means to communicate with people locked in duality. I do have similar feelings as yourself in that regard.

"Logic and desire are two so very different, almost but not entirely opposite things, I honestly doubt you can use one to conquer the other no matter which way you try."

Our desires are rooted in cravings for existence, sensual pleasure and even nonexistence (escape from pain etc). Generally we go through life chasing the same desires time and time hoping for better results. Not because we stuck in a rut. But because those pathways are known to us (Plato's Cave). So we rather exist in pain than tread into the unknown away from that pain.

If we use our mind to see all the negative patterns that exist in our mind. A process of correction is possible. The seven demons thus turn into the seven lampstades. The local giving way to the global of 144,000 petals etc etc etc. We return home.

The sun rises and the sun sets regardless of how smart we think we are. Our lives are based on what is in our hearts.

a reply to: glend

I like pain. I am also all for the unknown. When in doubt: jump! that's how I see it.
So from the outside of the 'we' which I'd assume means mostly 'glend and a handful'
There are no pathways in Plato's Cave, that's kind of the whole point of that 'thought experiment'. But I guess most people don't get it, because they don't know to the ancients caves were kind of like the inverse of the universe.
Nevertheless my biggest desire is not at all

existence, sensual pleasure and even nonexistence (escape from pain etc).

but strictly metaphysical. Because I'm a Seeker if you will and I believe you are too? So I'm a little surprised how narrow you defined 'desire'?
Because from a holistic point of you, sure your body, your animus, your reason all of them have their little desires too, but the 'magic' seems to be happening in the combination, in your 'Ego' the story teller the experiencer that analyses, the ultimate desire in all Life I believe is 'to improve'.
And it's a beautiful thing. The only difference between curse and virtue is how you use it. Destructive or constructive.

a reply to: Peeple

I do wish I had your fearlessness. Even this morning I was ever so close to entering the unmanifested but couldn't just let go of my last connection to this world. But as I said to you once before my stubbornness is my weapon. I have done so before so will do so again.

Oh, I do understand that desires have the greatest of purposes but there comes a point at the end of the road in which nothing remains in those desires but emptiness. I am not sure I am totally there yet, but for now, I am presuming I am. So see my remaining desires as just repetitively known preferred pathways of mind rather than adding any new value.

The "magic" you experience occurs because your inner has poked holes in the ego-segmentation of the outer. Which may in your case be attributed to many life-times of spiritual progress. That is not the case for me in my current state. So I am using meditative practices as an adjunction to help speed up that process.

"Nevertheless my biggest desire is not at all" ... Beautiful! Yet the very subtle nature of the inner is not devoid of desire else the universe would never have existed. Awakening is therefore not nihilism but expansion of consciousness. The transition phase requiring negation ("biggest desire is not at all") before that awakening can occur.

Even though you have many lifetime's head start on me. I will race you! Your fearlessness versus my stubbornness. Winner gets all.