NationStates Jolt Archive

Hello again........yes it's time once again for the Monks to answer any questions you might have. Just about any topic is fair game, whether philosophical, spiritual or whatever. So let's hear 'em!

regards,

Mencius Merton, Abbot of the Essenic Tribe of the White-Robed Monks.

Are you single?

Are you single?


Are you asking IC or OOC?

The Supreme Sovereign would like to hear the answers to these questions

0. What is your view on religions that utilize/endorse cannibalism, human sacrifice, necrophilia, slavery, and other things generally considered taboo?

1. Would such a religious group be permitted in the The “Community of those who might be interested in coming together to unite in the formation of a body whose main interest is Spiritual Belief Systems.”

2. Why do you where white? Is not black a more appropriate color for a Monk

3. Are people innately good (Meng Zi), or evil (Xun Zi),l?

4. Why is your namesake more popular than Mo Zi, Xun Zi, Li Si, Zou Yan… ?

5. Why if Mozi was a pacifist did he develop weapons to be used in war?

6. Is the term “Star Gate” as used in the show and movies “Star Gate” copy writeable?

7. Beards or no Beards and why?

8. You have two surnames that of Meng Zi and Thomas Merton… Which is your personal name and which is actually your surname? Are you related to either?

The Supreme Sovereign would like to hear the answers to these questions

0. What is your view on religions that utilize/endorse cannibalism, human sacrifice, necrophilia, slavery, and other things generally considered taboo?

1. Would such a religious group be permitted in the The “Community of those who might be interested in coming together to unite in the formation of a body whose main interest is Spiritual Belief Systems.”

2. Why do you where white? Is not black a more appropriate color for a Monk

3. Are people innately good (Meng Zi), or evil (Xun Zi),l?

4. Why is your namesake more popular than Mo Zi, Xun Zi, Li Si, Zou Yan… ?

5. Why if Mozi was a pacifist did he develop weapons to be used in war?

6. Is the term “Star Gate” as used in the show and movies “Star Gate” copy writeable?

7. Beards or no Beards and why?

8. You have two surnames that of Meng Zi and Thomas Merton… Which is your personal name and which is actually your surname? Are you related to either?


0.....Since the word "religion" means "to bind again" or more accurately "a return to bondage" it would be of small wonder that religions, or rather cults, that utilize taboo AKA ungodly practices as you describe are inbred and therefore short-lived. As well they should be.

1.....Only similar belief systems could come together in unity. "What has light to do with darkness?"

2.....Why would it be?

3.....People are neither innately good nor evil. They are either moral or immoral.

4.....Perhaps because it does not sound like a Chinese take-out menu.

5.....Did he develop utensils specifically for war or were they perverted/adapted for use in war? Atomic energy can be used morally or immorally.

6.....Since the term 'Star Gate' as used in the movie/series doesn't exist, don't you think the question is irrelevant?

7.....A matter of personal preference.

8.....There was no intentional connection between Meng Zi and Mencius. I have been able to trace my lineage back over 700 years and there is a tenuous but definite connection to Brother Merton. My actual name is pretty much unpronounceable in English as it is attached to the Tanithian Dynasty and the rune/glyph language of ancient Acheron which spawned the colony of Atlantii. It roughly translates to "he whose counsel is gentle".

Question for you: Did you spend much time pondering these questions before you decided you needed help with them?

"What has light to do with darkness?"
Is the same statement as "What has Yang to do with Yin?". They form the balance that is required for all to function. Also The Supreme Sovereign is generally introduced as administering over both dark/Yin and light/Yang. The Supreme Sovereign can also be translated as Above Emperor. If an emperor rules over peoples of different cultures with different laws and taboos that would not the Supreme Sovereign need to be even more objective in his view of cultures? Can not a marginal cut of an animal's organ taste as good if not better than the choicest cut of meat? One must see the Light for its darkness, the Dark for its lightness, and that the two can and will become one another.

"Question for you: Did you spend much time pondering these questions before you decided you needed help with them?"

The Supreme Sovereign did not need help with most of these questions. The Supreme Sovereign wished to hear your views on the answers to these questions.

0) The Supreme Sovereign has deep understanding of his views on such practices and finds them not ungodly or inferior. He views the use of human sacrifice, cannibalism, necrophilia by many peoples throughout time as a part of culture that is to be permitted. He also knows that most people are not very accepting of the breaking of any of their own taboos.

1) The Supreme Sovereign knew little about this. He saw you as the main contact. What source would be more official.

2) Black is easier to care for, plain, and symbolizes north, water, seriousness, nobility, age, and experience. It also is one of the most common colors among priests, layers, judges, and academicians' traditional grab.

White is extravagant, hard to care for, and symbolizes death, mourning, and ghosts among most of the worlds people.

3) Good and Evil in my question mean Moral and Immoral. What is the nature of man? Are you saying that some people are born inherently destined to be moral while others immoral?

4) Our empire views all of those philosophers as valid for study and views the rest of the worlds emphasis on a single person (Mencius a.k.a. Meng Zi). The empire has not done much study but Mencius' dominance did not happen until long after the period he lived.

5) He was an inventor of many types of devices. Is there a peaceful use for gas pumps designed to fill caves filled with humans with mustard gas? He invented some of the most advanced purpose made weapons of his day while at the same time trying to stop all wars. Did he wish to make war so terrible that no one would wish to fight?

6) It does it is the circle that fills with water and explodes opening a portal to many other planets. Such a device is not the first of its type in fiction. It also is not the first of its type with the name "Star Gate". So is "Star Gate" a generic term for a portal (meaning it can not be intellectual property) or is it specific (others can not used a fictional "Star Gate" without violating intellectual property of who ever owns the idea for a "Star Gate").

7) But what is the preference of The White-Robed Monks?

8) Meng Zi and Mencius are the same name in different renderings. One is a transcription of Chinese into English, the other is the Latin version of his name. Just like the Supreme Sovereign's name is Ta Yīn Shén in Mandarin.

Will the ancient lands ever be found again? Is it even wise to try and find the past?

Religion(an English Word)-
Modern-This term refers not only to "traditional" religious beliefs but also to any set of personal beliefs that are "sincere" and "consistently held." Situations involving religion may often relate to work schedule or dress.

Etymology-
"religiun" French (about 1000AD), roughly careful contemplation of divinity.

Popular interpretation by St Agustine ligare(connect), re(again), reconnection to the divine.

Less common historical root attributed to Cicero(pre-christian) relego(reread/reconsider/carefully consider). Note the similarity between this and the early French versus the St Augustine.

No white robe required.

Will the ancient lands ever be found again? Is it even wise to try and find the past?


Are you referring to lands that once physically existed and are no longer existing, or are you speaking of a way of life that no longer exists (as in Native American traditions)?

It is ALWAYS wise to look for and find the past so long as you do not try to LIVE in the past. "Return to your first love...." It will do you good to go back once in a while and examine your beginnings.

wisdom: the dominion of the wise; where the wise reside/abide.

Intelligence: the ability to gather facts
Knowledge: the accumulation of facts
Wisdom: the application of the accumulation

Religion(an English Word)-
Modern-This term refers not only to "traditional" religious beliefs but also to any set of personal beliefs that are "sincere" and "consistently held." Situations involving religion may often relate to work schedule or dress.

Etymology-
"religiun" French (about 1000AD), roughly careful contemplation of divinity.

Popular interpretation by St Agustine ligare(connect), re(again), reconnection to the divine.

Less common historical root attributed to Cicero(pre-christian) relego(reread/reconsider/carefully consider). Note the similarity between this and the early French versus the St Augustine.

No white robe required.


Re-: to do again
Legios: to bind; to cause to be bound

The French/Augustinian definition is more related to the word "relegate" than to religion. Relegate: to give consideration to a particular law/set of laws. Somewhat similar to "jurisdiction": the correct speaking of the law/the speaking of the correct law.

You are obviously a scholar. You should consider the taking on of the White Robe.

A useful link

http://www.etymonline.com/

etymology
1398, from Gk. etymologia, from etymon "true sense" (neut. of etymos "true," related to eteos "true") + logos "word." In classical times, of meanings; later, of histories. Latinized by Cicero as veriloquium.

religion
c.1200, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power," from Anglo-Fr. religiun (11c.), from O.Fr. religion "religious community," from L. religionem (nom. religio) "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods," in L.L. "monastic life" (5c.); according to Cicero, derived from relegare "go through again, read again," from re- "again" + legere "read" (see lecture). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (and many modern writers) connects it with religare "to bind fast" (see rely), via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. Meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c.1300.
"To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name." [Pope Leo XIII, Immortale Dei, 1885]
Modern sense of "recognition of, obedience to, and worship of a higher, unseen power" is from 1535. Religious is first recorded c.1225. Transfered sense of "scrupulous, exact" is recorded from 1599.

Questions

1. What do you think of Democracy?
2. What do you think of a Republic?
3. What do you think of Organized Religion?
4. What do you think of Evolution?
5. What do you think of Freedoms?
6. What do you think of the Internet?

And finally...

7. What do you think of war?

Are you referring to lands that once physically existed and are no longer existing, or are you speaking of a way of life that no longer exists (as in Native American traditions)?

It is ALWAYS wise to look for and find the past so long as you do not try to LIVE in the past. "Return to your first love...." It will do you good to go back once in a while and examine your beginnings.

wisdom: the dominion of the wise; where the wise reside/abide.

Intelligence: the ability to gather facts
Knowledge: the accumulation of facts
Wisdom: the application of the accumulation

It is difficult; we are not accustomed to speaking about such matters to foreigners. The lands once existed, and perhaps still do, but they are 'lost'; currently they live on only in the hearts and minds of loyal citizens and in our dreams and hopes.

Yet sometimes we feel a calling, something that demands a stronger connection than just a remembrance. It's almost like a need to return home, yet without knowing where home is. We feel the need to regain what was last; our past was an empire that stretched the world; to accomplish this however great injustices where committed against our people and the world. Boundless innovations in technology and science where propelled by a fanatical ambition. Yet, as much as we embrace our past, and share with some of these values, we are occasionally feel--disquiet, perhaps is the right word, when we consider some of the darker moments of our history.

Our obligations to our past our only offset by our ambition to reach the future. Do you think we should embrace past traditions, or hope for ideological evolution?

Everyone is into purity or knowledge. Nobody seems to be into goodness.

Chrisitans seem to predilect white and muslims seem to predilect black

White is for purity and black is for knowledge.

But the real color is golden yellow! For gold is the color of goodness, it is noble and untainted yet at the same time warm, soft and pliable.

He who is dressed of gold can be both White and Black for he can wear the robes of both purity and knowledge and both purity and knowledge will bow to him.

The golden sun is the king.

As the freemasons teach the sun is to guide ones ascent up the stairs of the temple . . . .on the right side is the rail of wisdom. . .on the left side is the rail of the law.

In our ascent to divinity guided by goodness we use the law (the correct behavior we need to haev in our everyday life . . .those unwirtten laws which guide our every behavior and tell us what can be done and waht cannot be done) and wisdom (which tells us when the law is nonsense, tells us to avoid exercisng a right even if we are entitled and tells us when to go ahead and when to stop).

The sun (goodness) guides our ascent. The law and wisdom stop us from falling in the void.

Be golden and be dressed in white and black. For wisdom glistens with silver and the law is black with freshness and restoration.

From any freemason that reads this I DEMAND WAGES for with gnostic knowledge I have corrected the teachings of a master mason and from masonry do I demand just compensation for it is masonic work at the service of masonry.

Else may the knowledge be erased from your minds.

1. What do you think of Democracy?
2. What do you think of a Republic?
3. What do you think of Organized Religion?
4. What do you think of Evolution?
5. What do you think of Freedoms?
6. What do you think of the Internet?


7. Beards or no Beards and why?

All is energy E=MC2 mater is born from energy. Intelligence is born from matter this enrgy is intelligent and aware and transformation brings to change there where nature claims pain and suffering.

Does cutting your beard bring pain and suffering to the matter of the hair? If yes do not cut . . . . if no cut. Hair is also used to expel with willpower negative energy accumulated in body . . . . so it can be useful. (mystic knowledge. .. you have to focus and kick the stuff out through your hair).

Democracy: Rule of the people . . . .wonderful if the people are wise. Are the people wise? Consider your average nation in nationstates is it wisely managed? Does it bring prosperity or is it one big joke?

Respublica: Res publica. Public thing. That is managed by an elite. An oligarchy The elite should have a better education and a greater wisdom. . .but is it not so often corrupt and evil?

Organized religion: Do you believe in the infallibility of the pope? If yes then go ahead. If no then let religion be disorganised and allow for divine omnipotence and omniscience of god to allow the seeking soul to search for illumination through the voice of circumstance.

Evolution: Choice after choice a resulr is made. Every choice you make, every thought you voice changes your being and defines your form. Violent thoughts lead to violent looking beings. Beautiful harmonious thoughts lead to soft beautiful beings. Look at your lineaments. Are you graceful? Or are you harsh?

Freedoms: Your choices define your prosperity and your survival be wise and prosper . . . if not wise it best you be enslaved . . . for your own good.

Internet. May circumstance and randomness. . .the choice of divinity and choice rule!

May this knowledge be cancelled from the freemason mind until wages are paid else may the curse of the thief fall on the stealing mind who subtracts knowledge and wisdom without assent.

Questions

1. What do you think of Democracy?
2. What do you think of a Republic?
3. What do you think of Organized Religion?
4. What do you think of Evolution?
5. What do you think of Freedoms?
6. What do you think of the Internet?

And finally...

7. What do you think of war?


1.....In relation to question 2, I assume your'e asking what we think of a democracy. At any rate, in our experience and in light of history, both democracies and republics are largely, in the long run, ineffective and inefficient modes of government. They give the general population the a false image of freedom via the process of voting which means nothing when there is virtually no difference between the reps and the dems. If you truly want a people who speak with one voice, try an anarcho-tribal system. Each person is free to first govern his own life and then the lives of his/her immediate family (in a consensus form). This inevitably leads to a communal situation when other like-groups come together in a spirit of non-competitive survival. Yes, of course there are those who butt heads, but in a non-violent way. Differences of opinion occured in Heaven....what makes us think that we will ever be free of them on Earth?

3.....Organized Religion: in addition to seeing my definition in two previous posts, to us, the two words are mutually exclusive. That is the one has little or nothing to do with the other. In our view, organized religion has had more of detrimental effect on civilization than any other factor in the history of the planet, including war, AIDS, drug abuse, genocide, and racism/predjudice. Why? Because it is supposed to be 'religion' that is the answer to these problems. But it is religion's silence,tolerance, and acceptance of these demonic occurances that have pushed the world to the brink of God's needing to interfere before we destroy ourselves.

4.....It would be a viable theory if it wasn't for the "and then something unexplainable happened" part.

5.....Are you speaking of particular freedoms or the concept of freedom? None of us are truly free until we 'get ourselves out of the way' and do the will of the Father. Jesus did: "I do nothing but what the Father tells Me." If He did it, we can too.

6.....The internet: we got along without it for thousands of years.

7.....War is an unfortunate, but sometimes necessary, part of history. The concept that 'love conquers all' isn't of much comfort to those who are being blown up or otherwise destroyed by aggressors. Jesus said 'turn the other cheek'. How many cheeks do you have?

It is difficult; we are not accustomed to speaking about such matters to foreigners. The lands once existed, and perhaps still do, but they are 'lost'; currently they live on only in the hearts and minds of loyal citizens and in our dreams and hopes.

Yet sometimes we feel a calling, something that demands a stronger connection than just a remembrance. It's almost like a need to return home, yet without knowing where home is. We feel the need to regain what was last; our past was an empire that stretched the world; to accomplish this however great injustices where committed against our people and the world. Boundless innovations in technology and science where propelled by a fanatical ambition. Yet, as much as we embrace our past, and share with some of these values, we are occasionally feel--disquiet, perhaps is the right word, when we consider some of the darker moments of our history.

Our obligations to our past our only offset by our ambition to reach the future. Do you think we should embrace past traditions, or hope for ideological evolution?



You are using a number of words and concepts that indicate that the Qooi are highly developed spiritually.

For instance, the first paragraph decribes a place in the middle east called Haran. It is a physical place, yet in the language of the ancient Hittites/Caananites it means "the place where you dreams, visions, and aspirations yet live." If this place is in your hearts, then it is never lost.

That, or rather Who, it is that is calling you is the Father's Spirit. He's telling you that remembrance is a form of meeting. Your need to seek the past is a necessary part of forgetting what is past. The future is going to happen whether you want it to or not.
Science and technology when used for their own sake is destructive. Used when the Spirit, why the Spirit, and for the Spirit's ends will produce peace and plenty.
Disquiet is an appropriate word. We Monks are familiar with the "uneasiness of the spirit". When it occurs, about a hundred times a month, we cease our labor of the moment and go to the Lord with it. It's His direct notification that we need to deal with something in our inner lives. When we correct our hearts, we are then able to correct the outer manifestaion of that disquiet.

Traditions are good so long as they are not routine and not conceived by man. Ideology is a relative thing, as is truth and theology. We each have our own ideologies, truths, and theologies. The only thing that overshadows these things is Reality. Reality exists outside of time, therefore Reality is Yeshua Hamaschiah, Jesus Christ, Yesu the Anointed. He said "I am THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life." These three things add up to Reality.

Does .999999... (forever infinitely, you know- with the bar on top) = 1?

I have an idea, but I would like to know your perspective on the matter.

Does .999999... (forever infinitely, you know- with the bar on top) = 1?

I have an idea, but I would like to know your perspective on the matter.


A decimal point is an indication that the number is less than a whole number. Less than whole is not whole.

What is the answer to everything?

A decimal point is an indication that the number is less than a whole number. Less than whole is not whole.

In 1611 when Calculus was invented in the Holy Empire of Mon Kye En it was proven that .999999... (forever infinitely, you know- with the bar on top) = 1.

A rather simple way to describe 0.999999... is by using an infinite converging geometric series.

0.999... = 0.9 + 0.09 + 0.009 + 0.0009 + ... = 0.9/1-0.1 = 0.9/0.9 = 1

Hence, 0.999... = 1. Another way would be to use calculus, but that would be drawing attention away from the Wise One. Carry on.

In 1611 when Calculus was invented in the Holy Empire of Mon Kye En it was proven that .999999... (forever infinitely, you know- with the bar on top) = 1.


Yes but numbers are a product of finite concepts, i.e. time and entropy, and therefore arbitrary. Eternity/Infinity hasn't any need to be proven. Outside of God-created time, it simply IS.

Does .999999... (forever infinitely, you know- with the bar on top) = 1?

I have an idea, but I would like to know your perspective on the matter.

A decimal point is an indication that the number is less than a whole number. Less than whole is not whole.

So does that make 1.999999.... more than 1 or less than 2 (both of which are whole numbers)? I guess 1.99999... just looks like it has a decimal point but it is really non-existant becasue it defies the (your) definition of a number with a decimal in it.

Anyways, here' my thought on .99999...
8/9= .88888...
1/9= .111111...
9/9= 1
8/9 + 1/9 = 9/9 = 1
.111111... + .888888... = .999999... = 9/9 = 1

You monks should really try some math some time, instead of those psychodelic drugs... It's like all those pretty colors but makes cool lines on graphing calculators instead of rampant, meaningless specualtion on the difference between a seagull. (Yes, I purposely ended my sentence there. The diference between a seagull. Period. That is the essence of all philosphy that can be understood in white robe while meditating.)

A rather simple way to describe 0.999999... is by using an infinite converging geometric series.

0.999... = 0.9 + 0.09 + 0.009 + 0.0009 + ... = 0.9/1-0.1 = 0.9/0.9 = 1

Hence, 0.999... = 1. Another way would be to use calculus, but that would be drawing attention away from the Wise One. Carry on.

Hmmm...I suppose it could be said that to draw attention away from he who is wise is wisdom. Carry on yourself..........

This is my last post about the 0.999... thing.

Let variable c = 0.999...

10c = 9.999...
10c - c = 9.999... - 0.999...
9c = 9
c = 1

Hence, because c = 0.999... and c = 1, then by transitive property 0.999 = 1. Further information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.999...

So does that make 1.999999.... more than 1 or less than 2 (both of which are whole numbers)? I guess 1.99999... just looks like it has a decimal point but it is really non-existant becasue it defies the (your) definition of a number with a decimal in it.

Anyways, here' my thought on .99999...
8/9= .88888...
1/9= .111111...
9/9= 1
8/9 + 1/9 = 9/9 = 1
.111111... + .888888... = .999999... = 9/9 = 1

You monks should really try some math some time, instead of those psychodelic drugs... It's like all those pretty colors but makes cool lines on graphing calculators instead of rampant, meaningless specualtion on the difference between a seagull. (Yes, I purposely ended my sentence there. The diference between a seagull. Period. That is the essence of all philosphy that can be understood in white robe while meditating.)


Permit me a few (non-psychedelicized) thoughts:

...I will grant you that I personally am not a mathematician, mainly because, as stated above, numbers and their values have been arbitrarily conceived and therefore arbitrary. My discussion of math ends here.

...I wish to point out that if you wish to be taken even quasi-seriously, you should put more effort into not butchering the English language with 1st grade grammar/spelling and and 'one hand clapping' pop spirituality.

...I'm sure Dr. Phil could help you overcome your apparently uncontrollable descent into the Self-Help section of Hell. He'll arrive just in time, in a limo provided by Oprah......

...I crave your forgiveness for the last two points. I had an urge to use petty (yet applicable) statements to show you what an imbecile you are. I wouldn't have done it had I not forgotten that words CAN hurt. Selah (look up the definition of THAT word.)


And BTW, you share your region with a nation whose mother is evidently of questionable character and your name suggests a connection with non-sentient plants. Never mind the reference to your regional name denoting exposing your bottom.

This is my last post about the 0.999... thing.

Let variable c = 0.999...

10c = 9.999...
10c - c = 9.999... - 0.999...
9c = 9
c = 1

Hence, because c = 0.999... and c = 1, then by transitive property 0.999 = 1. Further information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.999...


Oy vey....the barbarians are no longer at the gate........theyr'e in my computer.....:rolleyes:

What is the answer to everything?


I'll leave the theo/philosophical questions to the good Abbot. I didn't know you were still around. You and Xeraph had at one time exchanged embassies, but we've not had much contact lately. And.....is CAPS still alive? I deleted my involvement with it.

What is the answer to everything?


That would depend on whether you think everything is good or bad.

Should the wife and I buy the house we are currently looking at or keep looking?

Should the wife and I buy the house we are currently looking at or keep looking?


If it's the 1st or 2nd your'e looking at, keep looking. If you looked at it over a month ago, and it still looks good to you, go for it.

bump

C'mon all ye seekers of truth! Dr. Phil and Sylvia Brown are amateurs compared to the Wisdom of the Monks! Ask...................