GENIUS FORUMS

Elizabeth wrote:

If you honestly believe that all things are as they appear to be, I have to strongly recommend that you never visit America. You would get killed, or at least seriously taken advantage of.

OK, taking this further: if you are in a neighbourhood of well-dressed, well-mannered folk then the appearance “well-dressed, well-mannered” is both what it is and appears to be. The fact that you logically conclude from that “therefore, they are all good” is not an objective appearance but an inferred quality. Same deal with the distinction between males and consciousness and females and unconsciousness, I reckon.

This is why I said:

It seems to me that when one attempts to use objectivity as a measure of sanity and/or delusion, one misses the boat entirely. It is only through the faculty of logic and reason (living in the realm of certainty) that one becomes human--and all sane "objectivity" is incidental to that.

“Female” and “male” are things we define as objectively existing. They have tangible parts subject to observable decay (impermanence). What about good, nice, evil, conscious, unconscious is tangible in the same way?

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Leyla Shen wrote:“Female” and “male” are things we define as objectively existing. They have tangible parts subject to observable decay (impermanence).

What about the aforementioned transvestite? From what was observable, he looked like a woman.

Leyla Shen wrote:What about good, nice, evil, conscious, unconscious is tangible in the same way?

Psychopaths look normal. Look at this link under "con artists - no one can tell by appearances if someone is a con artist - they seem conciencious enough that people sign over their money to them. Ted Bundy seemed like a nice guy - that's how he was able to get his victims. If evil people looked/acted evil, they would not be able to fool many people into becoming victims. Especially those who do evil things to children often seem very nice until it is too late.

Elizabeth wrote:

What about the aforementioned transvestite? From what was observable, he looked like a woman.

What about him? (I must say, I did not notice the earlier reference, though.)

Apparently, he looked like a woman but that did not make him female. Is that your point?

I guess you’d have to look under his skirt before you went poking around in the dark with him.

I think you are--wittingly or unwittingly--sorely missing my point, Elizabeth.

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PS:

Especially those who do evil things to children often seem very nice until it is too late.

A few years ago, I picked up this lovely black Irish boy. Green eyes, fair skin, jet black hair; the wow-factor was rather intense. (Course, this was in a noisy bar so there wasn't any real talking.) I had estimated him to be in his early twenties and found out later that he had thought I was in my mid- to late-twenties. Turns out he was 18 and I was 36. Worse yet, when we got to the bedroom and it was way too late, I found out he was six.

One of the more disgusting moments of my life and I was more devastated by it than he was evidenced by the fact that he came back for more.

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Leyla Shen wrote:Elizabeth wrote:

What about the aforementioned transvestite? From what was observable, he looked like a woman.

What about him? (I must say, I did not notice the earlier reference, though.)

I apologize. There are so many A=A threads running that I managed to get confused as to where each post was. Hereis what I was referring to; there was no way for you to know.

I take this error of mine as a sign that I need to take a break for a little while. I expect that you will understand why I am postponing replying further.

Elizabeth wrote:

I apologize. There are so many A=A threads running that I managed to get confused as to where each post was. Here is what I was referring to; there was no way for you to know.

Wow, an entirely different forum? I certainly concede, however, that the subject matter is enough to do even the finest minds in at times...

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Kevin Solway wrote:However, we could say, as a manner of speaking, that the Totality (God) determines things independently of what we perceive. So no matter whether we perceive either a snake or a stick, or whatever else, God has already determined what is really there.

I believe in objective reality, but I believe that it's known only to God.
-Dave Sim