Is fear the cause of all of our problems?

Originally posted by drew1749
I consider WW2 and the crusades to be bad.

WW2 - Hitler hated jews in the name of Catholicism.

Crusades - ...We all know.

Also

Iraq/Afganistan

All the Crusades combined paled in comparison to any one of: WW2, WW1, American Civil War.

WW2 was a separate animal from Hitler's domestic crusade. WW2 was about whether socialism should be national or international (Eastern front) or whether traditional liberal democracy should prevail (Western and Pacific fronts).

Here's how it works. People have a religious drive; this is built-in. Whatever your "highest value" is, whatever gives you purpose, is your "religion". Without a transcendent faith, people often find purpose in things like political ideology. Due to the innate psychological religious drive, this has exactly the same emotional investment as God does to the traditionally religious. The only difference is, the scruples are usually gone. When there's nothing holding you back from ruthlessly slaughtering civilians in order to prevail, you have wars in which entire cities are burnt to the ground.

Not saying cities were not sacked in the past, but in modern times it got out of hand.

Total war is a modern phenomenon, and as a rule total wars have been non-religious wars.

reply to post by NewlyAwakened


The way I see it is that "Total War" happens because of the way that information spreads today. In this day and age something can get from America to China in 5 seconds.

Where does fear come from? Is it not triggered by environmental stimuli that is gathered through our 5 physical senses and then collected and interpreted/perceived within the egoic mind, a mind that is submersed in the perception of individual/separate "self"? Please, take a good look for yourself.

So, maybe if we begin to let go of this egoic mind (belief/perception of individual/separate "self"), then we will also notice fear dissolves away with it. (Although be warned. it - the egoic mind and thus fear - in its final death throws most likely will try any and everything to re-establish itself as the 'ruler/king.of your mind. Some people literally become crazy - unbalanced - when they try to do this. But if you are sincere in your intentions and are strongly determined to overcome this burden than you will find the 'right' path and you will succeed.)

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Also, what is natural? How can anything we do be unnatural if we were created by and are a part of nature? How do we define such things and where do we draw the lines? Upon contemplating deeply I can see no possibility for permanent or absolute lines (boundaries/limits) to what is and what isn't natural, it is all relative, thus "natural" and "unnatural" must just be words used in exchange for "good" and "bad" or "right" and "wrong". Of course these words (good/bad/right/wrong) are also relative, but it seems they at least offer a much more clear and direct interpretation for our beliefs/perceptions, but remember, these beliefs/perceptions arise within the egoic mind. Good luck!


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reply to post by drew1749


When we perceive ourselves to be at risk or threatened from something that appears to be outside of our control, our sense of self wants to protect itself and a feeling of fear is formed which in turn triggers fight or flight ( I'm using the sense of self as ego)

Obviously fight or flight is important to our survival, but unfortunately we seem to apply it in most aspect of our lives, especially when our own views are challenged.

An example of how it is not just lack of understanding is - Someone has terminal cancer, they know they are going to die but yet fear death even if they just see it as a biological process. (Have had a couple of friends die from cancer and this was how they felt)

(Unfortunately at work atm but if needed I will expand further when Im at home)

reply to post by drew1749


It is true that fear causes all the problems, they say all there is is fear and love on a sliding scale.
Fear is confusion. Love is clarity.
Fear is caused by knowledge, learned knowledge, incomplete knowledge. This type of knowledge is always old and incomplete, it has been repeated over time by people who do not know the truth.
Love is the seeing of the truth, knowing the truth.
The truth can not be learned, and although the truth is known by all it has been veiled with lies.
The truth shall set you free.
Do you know the saying 'I want to believe.'
Believing will never set you free. It is believing that will trap you in a box of fear, believing is accepting the repeated information fed by people who do not know the truth. They may believe they have the truth, but how can you believe them?
Only when the false can be seen to be false, will the truth shine forth.

Beneath the lies and untruths lies the truth.
The truth does not have to be found, it is right here.
The truth can not be found out there.
Turn around and see the self.

When we look out there, we see the many things (everything), it can be confusing and splits us into many bits.
When we look to see what sees the many things, look to ourself, it makes it one thing.
This one 'thing' is the truth.
With one there can not be fear, because there is nothing separate.
It is the feeling of separation that causes the fear.

reply to post by drew1749


Great quote. S&F.

Yes, I agree that the fear factor comes first and foremost. It is an expression of our feeling of separation. We either have and fear losing or we are yet to have and fear not attaining, simply because we permanently feel incomplete.

I have witnessed time and time again fear leading to aggression. In my everyday life I mean. I try to understand whenever fear is clouding my judgement, and as soon as I recognize it, acknowledge it and accept it for what it is, it tends to fade out.