Conflict of Principles

2006-8-29 00:45:00

If a teaching just seems to make no sense do not trust it until it does make sense. Principles of Discovery, November 25, 1999
http://www.freeread.com/archives/622.php
Plant a seed thought in your mind and heart, and feed this thought with contemplation and meditation. Observe the fruit that comes forth, and accept that which is sweet and registers with your soul. The Questioning Attitude, August 6, 2000
http://www.freeread.com/archives/1001.php

A reader asks:

So if you look at these two quotes there is a possibility of conflict, or contradiction, depending on how you understand them. The first quote makes good sense to me. If someone is trying to teach you something that just doesn't make sense then how could you possibly trust it? But then again, what if the teacher of the apparent nonsense had shown a great deal of sense previously, and in fact had established himself as an earned authority?

The second quote is one of the core principles that you teach. It is one of the principles of discovery. Plant a seed to see if it leads to good fruit. In order to reconcile this teaching with the one that says you shouldn't fully trust something that makes no sense then it seems that you would never "plant a seed" where the "seed" was a teaching that simply made no sense to you.

That would seem to be a logical way of reconciling these two principles. Then there would be no contradiction between these two teachings that I can see.

So although you may need to plant a seed from time to time, it is still fully justifiable to reject as candidates any "seed" that just doesn't make much sense at all. That would then lead then to the observation that the first "guardian" of your "spiritual gate" - that which keeps the nonsense and unworthy seeds out -- is simply your basic rationality and common sense.

Does that view accord with your teachings?

Yes, that is basically my view and does make sense.

It would be a waste of time to plant seeds that your common sense definitely tells you are wrong or non sensible. For one thing it could not even be impartially planted. For instance, you could not give a good planting or fair trial to the idea that the moon is made of green cheese for this is entirely unbelievable and to plant the seed takes an experiment in belief.

What kind of things can we plant then?

Often in life we come across a crossroads of belief. There are two things that could be true and you're not sure which, if either, is true. Either belief could make sense but you do not have enough knowledge to confirm.

A popular one is whether or not there is a God. Many arguments have been made on both sides. Now you cannot prove a negative such as atheism but you could experiment with planting a belief in God. Plant the belief and act for a while as if it were true and see what grows within you.

Then if you receive a positive on this you can go further by choosing a number of alternatives with which to experiment such as:

Is God a composite being of which I am a part, or a single individual who sits upon a throne?

Is God more like the Old Testament Jehovah who orders women, children and gays killed when it suits him or a God of love as taught by Jesus?

Is Jesus the God of the Universe?

Is Jesus a special creation or is he a brother just more advanced than the rest of us?

Will those who believe in Buddha have the same chances of salvation as a Christian?

Did Bush make the right decision in invading Iraq?

I threw that last one in to illustrate the importance of an impartial mind in getting results. Obviously, if you already have a strong opinion the seed is not going to get properly planted. In order for this principle to work one has to have an open mind to the possibility that either side of the equation could be correct. If the seeker cannot apply this principle with an open mind it would be a waste of time to use it.

Dan makes a good point we should not reject any idea out of hand because our internal reaction may be negative. Yes, we should always be open to all possibilities, but to effectively plant a seed as noted in this principle of discovery the idea must be credible enough to at least temporarily embrace it.

Each Pilgrim on the Road must carry with him what he needs: a pot of fire, to warm his fellowmen; a lamp, to cast its rays upon his heart and show his fellowmen the nature of his hidden life; a purse of gold, which he scatters not upon the Road, but shares with others; a sealed vase, wherein he carries all his aspiration to cast before the feet of Him Who waits to greet him at the gate. DK