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Old 06-06-2012, 11:11 AM   #1
Dan Richards
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Re: Measuring success

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Jesus said: The kingdom is inside you. (find/seek one point) Resist not evil. (relax) Forgive. Cast your burdens. Put down your baggage. (weight underside) Love God with all your might. (extend ki)

It's all the same stuff.
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Old 06-06-2012, 05:05 PM   #2
hughrbeyer
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Dan Richards wrote: View Post
Jesus said: Forgive. Resist not evil.
No he didn't. And the difference between what he did say and your paraphrase is significant.
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Old 06-06-2012, 07:18 PM   #3
Dan Richards
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Re: Measuring success

hugh, if you're gonna jump in here and hold up your stop sign. OK. Or, you could put a little more on the table. Expound a bit, please.

Some more on the table...

http://www.biblecenter.de/bibel/cbc/resist.php
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-39.htm
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Old 06-06-2012, 07:41 PM   #4
lbb
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Re: Measuring success

Now you've derailed the thread, all right.
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Old 06-06-2012, 07:58 PM   #5
Chris Parkerson
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Dan Richards wrote: View Post
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Jesus said: The kingdom is inside you. (find/seek one point) Resist not evil. (relax) Forgive. Cast your burdens. Put down your baggage. (weight underside) Love God with all your might. (extend ki)

It's all the same stuff.
The hard sayings of Jesus in Matthew 5 are plain enough.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. . . .

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

~ Matthew 5: 38-39; 43-45.

They are not easy to ingest for those who are not idealistic and apocalyptic (Like Jesus).
Certainly not within the palate of "Just War" theorists or "supply side Jesus" theologies.

New Age Jesus theology may better be derived from the Gospel of Thomas as it's gnostic character lends to inner self awareness. Thomas is an early source...as early as the Gospel of Mark. But even then, Japan's Budo culture and Aesthetic Hebrew culture are very different animals. Original language rehashed into English by way of Greek and Latin can really muddy the waters in the biblical texts alone. Cross culture analogies require serious exegesis.

Namaste,

Chris
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Old 06-06-2012, 08:18 PM   #6
hughrbeyer
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Re: Measuring success

Actually, I'm going to cede this one to Dan. I'd forgotten that Matthew 5:38 starts "Resist not evil" because in context it's clear Jesus is talking about evil done to oneself. He talks a lot about actively resisting evil in the world.

I'm still waiting to hear how overturning the tables in the Temple translates to "keep one point" though.
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Old 06-06-2012, 10:25 PM   #7
Chris Parkerson
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Hugh Beyer wrote: View Post
Actually, I'm going to cede this one to Dan. I'd forgotten that Matthew 5:38 starts "Resist not evil" because in context it's clear Jesus is talking about evil done to oneself. He talks a lot about actively resisting evil in the world.

I'm still waiting to hear how overturning the tables in the Temple translates to "keep one point" though.
The cleansing of the temple was done for "one point" and was not violence against people. No lethal weapon was used. He was making a statement about how the Kingdom of God would sort out.
His point was To protect the temple (symbol of the Kingdom of God) from the emporion (becoming a market - Gospel of John), and from Corruption by a "den of thieves" or unscrupulous and greedy business practices (Gospels of Luke and Matthew).

Matthew and Luke place it directly after Palm Sunday. Jesus knows his time is short

1. Jesus looks for fruit on a fig tree and finding none curses it (11:12-14)

2. Jesus enters Jerusalem and attacks the temple (11:15-19)

3. The disciples see the fig tree withered from the root and ask about it.
 . 
So this story is primarily used by the writers to point to the eschatological changes Jesus's death and resurrection established.

No lethal weapon was used. No one injured.
And no Aiki "One Point" (I know you were jesting).

Namaste

Chris

Last edited by Chris Parkerson : 06-06-2012 at 10:28 PM.
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Old 06-07-2012, 06:43 AM   #8
graham christian
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Dan Richards wrote: View Post
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Jesus said: The kingdom is inside you. (find/seek one point) Resist not evil. (relax) Forgive. Cast your burdens. Put down your baggage. (weight underside) Love God with all your might. (extend ki)

It's all the same stuff.
Dan.
Like your approach. I agree basically. Not just Jesus or Christianity but nearly all religions and spiritual practices (yoga etc) and healing arts are based on the same universal principles. They are all to do with self development too.

Thus they all relate to Aikido.

The only difference is Bu, or Budo.

But if you look at those too in their essence then you will find for the true practitioner of those other things Bu and Budo are there too.

Peace.G.
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Old 06-07-2012, 06:53 AM   #9
lbb
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Not just Jesus or Christianity but nearly all religions and spiritual practices (yoga etc) and healing arts are based on the same universal principles.
One of those truisms that just isn't true. A lot of people like to believe this, but I don't know how you can say this without pretty extensive study of "nearly all religions and spiritual practices" -- knowing one tradition in some depth, another two or three at a superficial pop-culture level, and then extrapolating to say, "Aaah, they're all the same" is just not adequate. More accurate, and a lot scarier, is to accept that different traditions can have radically different beliefs -- scarier because it implies that, gulp, other people in the world may see things very differently than you do.
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Old 06-07-2012, 07:06 AM   #10
graham christian
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
One of those truisms that just isn't true. A lot of people like to believe this, but I don't know how you can say this without pretty extensive study of "nearly all religions and spiritual practices" -- knowing one tradition in some depth, another two or three at a superficial pop-culture level, and then extrapolating to say, "Aaah, they're all the same" is just not adequate. More accurate, and a lot scarier, is to accept that different traditions can have radically different beliefs -- scarier because it implies that, gulp, other people in the world may see things very differently than you do.
Is it scary?
A lot of people who like to believe this may be right. Now that for some may be scary.

Compassion for example is a prime tenet that runs through all major religions. It has to for it is a spiritual truth. Funny thing is it is also a tenet of healing arts.

Then we come to the healing sword, shimejutsu and such things. As I keep saying, it's all good.

Peace.G.
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Old 06-07-2012, 08:02 AM   #11
lbb
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Is it scary?
A lot of people who like to believe this may be right. Now that for some may be scary.
Just to clarify: the "it" I'm referring to is the fact that different traditions have radically different beliefs. Those who like to believe differently are not right. They may be comfortable and happy, but they are not right.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Compassion for example is a prime tenet that runs through all major religions. It has to for it is a spiritual truth.
Fettuccine Alfredo for example is a dish that is served at every major Italian restaurant. It has to be for it is a pasta truth.

Here we have two examples of assertions made without any supporting evidence. Easy to do, and easy to weasel out of when challenged, by humpty-dumptying the definition of "major" and selective copy and paste.

Graham, doesn't it strike you as profoundly disrespectful of these "major" spiritual traditions, of which you are neither student nor practitioner, that you speak for them in such a manner? Do you feel, for example, that you can speak for what Islam is all about? And Hinduism, and Buddhism? Do you feel that you can clearly articulate all the principles on which these religions are based?

I understand that you like to say "It's all good". Maybe on some level it is. But maybe you should leave it alone a bit, and not try to shove other people's traditions, practices and experiences under your big umbrella. It's fine to be inclusive; it's disrespectful to co-opt.
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Old 06-07-2012, 09:20 AM   #12
graham christian
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
Just to clarify: the "it" I'm referring to is the fact that different traditions have radically different beliefs. Those who like to believe differently are not right. They may be comfortable and happy, but they are not right.

Fettuccine Alfredo for example is a dish that is served at every major Italian restaurant. It has to be for it is a pasta truth.

Here we have two examples of assertions made without any supporting evidence. Easy to do, and easy to weasel out of when challenged, by humpty-dumptying the definition of "major" and selective copy and paste.

Graham, doesn't it strike you as profoundly disrespectful of these "major" spiritual traditions, of which you are neither student nor practitioner, that you speak for them in such a manner? Do you feel, for example, that you can speak for what Islam is all about? And Hinduism, and Buddhism? Do you feel that you can clearly articulate all the principles on which these religions are based?

I understand that you like to say "It's all good". Maybe on some level it is. But maybe you should leave it alone a bit, and not try to shove other people's traditions, practices and experiences under your big umbrella. It's fine to be inclusive; it's disrespectful to co-opt.
Easy for you to say.

Strikes me as profoundly disrespectful to assume you know what I do or don't do.

I speak to and discuss with many religious folk from many religions as is my way thank you very much.

Let's see now, my basic orientation is Buddhist, my family are christian, my godson is muslim, my neighbours with whom I have great religious discourse with are hindu, my teacher was zen, my friends all various from catholic to brahmin, my life is a journey. In my experience they all agree on the tenets held in common and all agree that only the zealot or egotistical add on the negatives.

Thus I speak for my view, my experiences and as depicted in this thread aligning with what the o/p said.

You don't have to agree. It's all good.

Peace.G.
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Old 06-07-2012, 09:38 AM   #13
lbb
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Easy for you to say.

Strikes me as profoundly disrespectful to assume you know what I do or don't do.
I didn't make any assumptions. I asked you to show evidence to support your assertions.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
I speak to and discuss with many religious folk from many religions as is my way thank you very much.

Let's see now, my basic orientation is Buddhist, my family are christian, my godson is muslim, my neighbours with whom I have great religious discourse with are hindu, my teacher was zen, my friends all various from catholic to brahmin, my life is a journey. In my experience they all agree on the tenets held in common and all agree that only the zealot or egotistical add on the negatives.
That's nice that you have such a diversity of experience, but it doesn't mean you have a good understanding of all these traditions. Perhaps you do, but you're not showing it here. I'm just asking you to support your claims of unversality and so on. I'm asking because I don't see this universality. I see that you (and many others) would like to believe it exists, but I'm not a big fan of wishful thinking. Mind you, I'm not a scholar of any of these traditions either, but I'm familiar enough with some of the concepts that I see examples of important concepts on which different religions have very different takes (the Christian belief in the desirability/achievability of transcendence vs. the Buddhist focus on immanence, to use one example). So, I question whether this universality exists.

I also question whether it's even desirable. Do we, as thinking adults, really need the emotional comfort in believing that there's some kind of universal set of values or eternal verities? Is the truth of diversity really such an ugly and frightening thing? Is diversity only acceptable and non-scary when it means that we really have to agree on everything except superficialities?

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Thus I speak for my view, my experiences and as depicted in this thread aligning with what the o/p said.
I dunno. Is asserting universal truths really the same thing as "speak[ing] for my view, my experiences"? Seems like it's a good bit more than that. It's good to speak from our experiences, it's good to speak from our actual knowledge, but we're better off stopping there. Having a Muslim friend doesn't mean you're automatically knowledgeable about Islam any more than eating in an Italian restaurant means you know about Giuseppe Mazzini.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
You don't have to agree. It's all good.
What "it" is all good?
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Old 06-07-2012, 10:14 AM   #14
graham christian
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Mary. You are into argument and supporting evidence and quotes and who said.

Not my game. To the academic mind maybe that's the pinnacle of debate. To me not.

I don't hide behind what others say for they are not me.

I may debate with many in life every week but I find the best debates are to do with 'what do you think' not who said or give reference.

I encourage others to say what they think unclouded. It takes trust in that each person has a right to look and speak from their own view without these academic games.

I am a student of life, of the principles thereof and convey what I find. Kannagara almost in view.

I have had many in depth discussions with religious folk, I repeat.

When you understand 'it's all good' then you will understand 'zen' I would say.

Apart from that, I'll sign off from our tete a tete.

Peace.G.
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Old 06-07-2012, 10:32 AM   #15
Chris Parkerson
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Various religious beliefs are bound by both historical context and culture. Ideas like "compassion" and how to act upon it are different because of these two issues.

People, even today, have a variety of contexts in which they understand "compassion". If you have been introduced to"Spiral Dynamics" you might see that a red meme (tribal) is different than a blue meme. The street Gang member's idea of compassion is about his tribe. He cares little about who he
steals from or who is injured from his drug distribution business. But he displays compassion to his fellow gang members.

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSvKB...e_gdata_player

This is the simplest YouTube on Spiral Dynamics. Though set in a context of discussing Bipolar disorder, it talks briefly and thoroughly about the different consciousnesses present today. Find out which one you are and you may see why different folks tend to agree with you and others don't.

Namaste,

Chris
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Old 06-07-2012, 12:01 PM   #16
lbb
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Mary. You are into argument and supporting evidence and quotes and who said.

Not my game. To the academic mind maybe that's the pinnacle of debate. To me not.
Graham: you are into telling people what they're thinking, calling their beliefs or way they view the world as "games", and representing your own beliefs and worldviews as objective truth. You use words like "academic" as a pejorative and disparage intellectual rigor, supporting of one's claims with facts, refraining from making sweeping generalizations that aren't backed up by facts, and other tools that aid in seeking the truth.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
I don't hide behind what others say for they are not me.
That's an interesting take on things. If you say that O-Sensei said something, and then quote him, are you "hiding behind what others say"? I'll remember that...

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
I may debate with many in life every week but I find the best debates are to do with 'what do you think' not who said or give reference.

I encourage others to say what they think unclouded. It takes trust in that each person has a right to look and speak from their own view without these academic games.
These "academic games", as you disparagingly refer to them, are about honesty, Graham. You've claimed that the central tenets of all the "major" religions are the same, but in your manifest disdain for "what others say", you seem indifferent to what these religions actually have to say for themselves. Do you consider yourself more of an authority on all these religions than their various scriptures, dharma, teachers, etc.?

I don't think there's any problem with having your own take on things, no matter how much experience you may have with them. I do think there's a problem with stating what a belief system is all about without some pretty solid knowledge. At the least, it seems disrespectful.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
I am a student of life, of the principles thereof and convey what I find. Kannagara almost in view.

I have had many in depth discussions with religious folk, I repeat.
That's fine. Maybe some of them taught you about the central tenets of their religions, or some of them. But you made a statement about all of them. All I said was that this is too broad a statement. I provided one counterexample, but there are numerous others.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
When you understand 'it's all good' then you will understand 'zen' I would say.
I'd understand your take on zen, I'm sure. What I don't understand is why you can't give a more direct answer. Are you perhaps referring to the teachings on equanimity? If so, I wouldn't consider that the same thing as "it's all good", but that's the closest I can come.

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Apart from that, I'll sign off from our tete a tete.
Tete a tete? Hardly that.
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Old 06-07-2012, 12:28 PM   #17
C. David Henderson
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Re: "Resist not evil"

"I don't hide behind what others say for they are not me."
With these last words, the Dodger suffered himself to be led off by the collar, threatening, till he got into the yard, to make a parliamentary business of it, and then grinning in the officer's face, with great glee and self-approval.

David Henderson
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Old 06-07-2012, 04:16 PM   #18
Benjamin Green
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Dan Richards wrote: View Post
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Jesus said: The kingdom is inside you. (find/seek one point) Resist not evil. (relax) Forgive. Cast your burdens. Put down your baggage. (weight underside) Love God with all your might. (extend ki)

It's all the same stuff.
One might say that actions are neither good nor evil of themselves. That evil exists only in the mind, as malign intent. A rock falling on someone's head commits no sin, a lion that eats you was only hungry.

Under that interpretation: you take an action, the goal of which is to thwart my intention (my intention not being to throw force out - which is simply a means to an end - but to hurt you.) However you accomplish that, whether by punching me in the face or dodging or throwing me or whatever, you have resisted the imposition of my will; and if my will is for evil you have resisted evil.

It's not necessarily all the same stuff.
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Old 06-07-2012, 05:11 PM   #19
graham christian
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
"I don't hide behind what others say for they are not me."
With these last words, the Dodger suffered himself to be led off by the collar, threatening, till he got into the yard, to make a parliamentary business of it, and then grinning in the officer's face, with great glee and self-approval.
Well at least that's your view.

A bit off topic, a bit insulting, but yours nonetheless.

Peace.G.
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Old 06-08-2012, 04:56 AM   #20
Carsten Möllering
 
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
.. the fact that different traditions have radically different beliefs. Those who like to believe differently are not right. They may be comfortable and happy, but they are not right.
For me personally it is sad, that staying "comfortable and happy" is more important for many, many people, than to recognize the tremendous diversity and richness of life - and of the conceptions to understand it. So they allways see only the surface of, let's say, a religion or philosophy. Instead of being able to "really see" and learn something they don't know yet. Because it is different, radically, deeply different.
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Old 06-08-2012, 09:35 AM   #21
C. David Henderson
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Re: Measuring success

On topic, then,

Quote:
Chris Parkerson wrote: View Post
, Japan's Budo culture and Aesthetic Hebrew culture are very different animals. Original language rehashed into English by way of Greek and Latin can really muddy the waters in the biblical texts alone. Cross culture analogies require serious exegesis.
+1

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote:
Not just Jesus or Christianity but nearly all religions and spiritual practices (yoga etc) and healing arts are based on the same universal principles.
One of those truisms that just isn't true. A lot of people like to believe this, but I don't know how you can say this without pretty extensive study of "nearly all religions and spiritual practices" -- knowing one tradition in some depth, another two or three at a superficial pop-culture level, and then extrapolating to say, "Aaah, they're all the same" is just not adequate.
+1

Quote:
For me personally it is sad, that staying "comfortable and happy" is more important for many, many people, than to recognize the tremendous diversity and richness of life - and of the conceptions to understand it. So they allways see only the surface of, let's say, a religion or philosophy. Instead of being able to "really see" and learn something they don't know yet. Because it is different, radically, deeply different.
+1

Quote:
Man: Is this the right room for an argument?

Other ManJohn Cleese) I've told you once.

Man: No you haven't!

Other Man: Yes I have.

M: When?

O: Just now.

M: No you didn't!

O: Yes I did!

M: You didn't!

O: I did!

M: You didn't!

O: I'm telling you, I did!

M: You did not!

O: Oh I'm sorry, is this a five minute argument, or the full half hour?

M: Ah! (taking out his wallet and paying) Just the five minutes.

O: Just the five minutes. Thank you.

O: Anyway, I did.

M: You most certainly did not!

O: Now let's get one thing quite clear: I most definitely told you!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh no you didn't!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: No you DIDN'T!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: No you DIDN'T!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: No you DIDN'T!

O: Oh yes I did!

M: Oh look, this isn't an argument!

(pause)

O: Yes it is!

M: No it isn't!

(pause)

M: It's just contradiction!

O: No it isn't!

M: It IS!

O: It is NOT!

M: You just contradicted me!

O: No I didn't!

M: You DID!

O: No no no!

M: You did just then!

O: Nonsense!

M: (exasperated) Oh, this is futile!!

(pause)

O: No it isn't!

M: Yes it is!

(pause)

M: I came here for a good argument!

O: AH, no you didn't, you came here for an argument!

M: An argument isn't just contradiction.

O: Well! it CAN be!

M: No it can't!

M: An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.

O: No it isn't!

M: Yes it is! 'tisn't just contradiction.

O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary position!

M: Yes but it isn't just saying 'no it isn't'.

O: Yes it is!

M: No it isn't!

O: Yes it is!

M: No it isn't!

O: Yes it is!

M: No it ISN'T! Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says.

O: It is NOT!

M: It is!

O: Not at all!

M: It is!

(The Arguer hits a bell on his desk and stops.)

O: Thank you, that's it.

M: (stunned) What?

O: That's it. Good morning.

M: But I was just getting interested!

O: I'm sorry, the five minutes is up.

M: That was never five minutes just now!!

O: I'm afraid it was.

M: (leading on) No it wasn't.....

O: I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to argue any more.

M: WHAT??

O: If you want me to go on arguing, you'll have to pay for another five minutes.

M: But that was never five minutes just now!
Oh Come on!
Oh this is...
This is ridiculous!

O: I told you... I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you PAY!

M: Oh all right. (takes out his wallet and pays again.) There you are.

O: Thank you.

M: (clears throat) Well...

O: Well WHAT?

M: That was never five minutes just now.

O: I told you, I'm not allowed to argue unless you've paid!

M: Well I just paid!

O: No you didn't!

M: I DID!!!

O: YOU didn't!

M: I DID!!!

O: YOU didn't!

M: I DID!!!

O: YOU didn't!

M: I DID!!!

O: YOU didn't!

M: I don't want to argue about it!

O: Well I'm very sorry but you didn't pay!

M: Ah hah! Well if I didn't pay, why are you arguing??? Ah HAAAAAAHHH! Gotcha!

O: No you haven't!

M: Yes I have! If you're arguing, I must have paid.

O: Not necessarily. I *could* be arguing in my spare time.

M: I've had enough of this!

O: No you haven't.

M: Oh shut up!

(Man leaves the office)
(http://www.montypython.net/scripts/argument.php)

+1

David Henderson
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Old 06-08-2012, 10:56 AM   #22
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
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Re: Measuring success

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
On topic, then,

+1

+1

+1

+1
Adds up to 4. Count thee up to three, not 4, nor 2 before pulling the pin on the holy hand grenade.

Counting by one then seeing the total is an excellent way to measure success. Of course, one must count the right things. Be sure to deduct for errors and taxes. A daily net greater than zero means progress is being made - that is success.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
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Old 06-08-2012, 12:55 PM   #23
hughrbeyer
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Boston
Location: Peterborough, NH
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 653
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Been reflecting on the original point. I think what has my most puzzled is what "resist not evil" is doing in a budo forum. If we're not about resisting something or other, what in tarnation are we doing here?
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Old 06-08-2012, 01:43 PM   #24
C. David Henderson
Location: Santa Fe New Mexico
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Some might "argue," if I may use that ironically, reconciling conflict through non-resistance and restoring harmony. Non-resistance as a strategy for not getting caught up in evil while transforming it. Which brings us back to another perennial disagreement -- what do these terms mean in the context of budo? That probably deserves some serious exigesis as well.

David Henderson
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Old 06-08-2012, 03:11 PM   #25
Chris Parkerson
Dojo: Academy of the Martial Arts
Location: ohio
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 740
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Re: "Resist not evil"

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
Some might "argue," if I may use that ironically, reconciling conflict through non-resistance and restoring harmony. Non-resistance as a strategy for not getting caught up in evil while transforming it. Which brings us back to another perennial disagreement -- what do these terms mean in the context of budo? That probably deserves some serious exigesis as well.
Budo (redirecting the spear)????
Some resistance is necessary, in my experience.

From my perspective, the idea you mentioned re: "restoring balance" is an honorable ideal.
Now that is a wonderful shamanic quest and a fine goal in practicing Aiki.

In reconciling conflict, non-reactivity might be a more precise goal rather than non resistance. If we remain clear during the chaos of conflict, it is easier to locate the path that reconciles and restores balance. But the actions we take may include both passive and even aggressive resistance. Having clarity about why we do something is the major guide toward collaborating on a successful resolution.

I must admit, in several of the recent threads I have experienced more reactivity and unnecessary conflict coming from Aiki teachers than I have witnessed reconciliation or resolution.

Namaste,

Chris
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