Dalai Lama self-confirms

[CaledonianGonzo]

Seems to confirm that he's on the Pyramid:

http://compassionoxford.com/dalai-lama-appear-glastonbury-festival-2015/

[ICGenie]

could you elaborate, rather than just being mildly dismissive? you've made quite a judgement on me there, so it'd be nice if you could.

You've instantly dismissed him as irrelevant purely on the basis that he is a man of faith without actually listening to anything he had to say. Atheism (as the system of belief which it has become) unfortunately has the propensity for it's followers to have the same narrow-mindedness that it says it despises in the "religious".

I do not believe in "god". However I would not call myself and atheist.

[Slugworth]

atheism is far from close minded, as you can change beliefs based on facts/evidence

THIS...

[dentalplan]

You've instantly dismissed him as irrelevant purely on the basis that he is a man of faith without actually listening to anything he had to say. Atheism (as the system of belief which it has become) unfortunately has the propensity for it's followers to have the same narrow-mindedness that it says it despises in the "religious".

I do not believe in "god". However I would not call myself and atheist.

That's exactly the sort of tarring with the same brush that the minority of atheists you're referring to do about religions. Well done.

If you don't believe in any god, I believe you are an atheist by definition.

Edited January 4, 2015 by dentalplan

[ICGenie]

atheism is far from close minded, as you can change beliefs based on facts/evidence

In theory yes. In practice I find some of my more steadfast atheist friends have a tendency to pick and choose which scientific studies they believe on the basis of whether it backs up their arguments.

I have no issue with people not believing in a god. It's all got rather ironically dogmatic though.

[ICGenie]

That's exactly the sort of tarring with the same brush that the minority of atheists you're referring to do about religions. Well done.

If you don't believe in any god, I believe you are an atheist by definition.

I'm judging this on the majority of atheists that I know. I know many atheists, many religious folk, many who have no opinion. As a rule I find the atheists are more likely to force their opinions on me and be dismissive and derogatory to those who have a differing opinion.

I don't believe in a "god" but I believe in a lot of things that atheists would baulk at which is why I would not call myself an atheist.

[WS_Jack_III]

As an Atheist, the Dalai Lama being on is interesting to me. I enjoy learning about other religions/belief systems.

What is more interesting is the Tibet situation though.

[dentalplan]

I'm judging this on the majority of atheists that I know. I know many atheists, many religious folk, many who have no opinion. As a rule I find the atheists are more likely to force their opinions on me and be dismissive and derogatory to those who have a differing opinion.

I don't believe in a "god" but I believe in a lot of things that atheists would baulk at which is why I would not call myself an atheist.

Fair enough, I guess. I just felt you might be confusing the situation as I'm sure there are a lot of atheists like myself that don't rave about Dawkins and don't deride religion but just don't think about that stuff and get on with life regardless.

The second bit I was alluding to was that atheism means you don't believe gods exist so I just thought saying you don't believe in gods but don't want to associate yourself with atheists a bit odd.

Edited January 4, 2015 by dentalplan

[russycarps]

That's exactly the sort of tarring with the same brush that the minority of atheists you're referring to do about religions. Well done.

If you don't believe in any god, I believe you are an atheist by definition.

God has nothing to do with Buddhism...

[oneeye]

A few more general facts and figures here...

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Dalai-Lama-appear-Glastonbury-Festival-2015/story-25803137-detail/story.html

I'll be giving 'his holiness' a miss, he's just another bloke in a cloak zzzzzzzzzz

[Funkyfairy!]

Best topic headline ever .... I did a double take last night with dalia lama self confirms .... For some reason it made me giggle .... We didn't envisage that., not even a rumour ... Love it :-)

[dentalplan]

God has nothing to do with Buddhism...

I haven't mentioned Buddhism.

[fatyeti24]

You've instantly dismissed him as irrelevant purely on the basis that he is a man of faith without actually listening to anything he had to say. Atheism (as the system of belief which it has become) unfortunately has the propensity for it's followers to have the same narrow-mindedness that it says it despises in the "religious".

I do not believe in "god". However I would not call myself and atheist.

You don't know whether i have listened to what he has to say or not!

I know this is vering off topic, but i only call myself athiest for the sake of simplicity. i consider myself one by default. it's not a term i usually employ and i have some problem with it.

However, i still object to your assumptions and accusations of closed mindedness, an arguemt that could just as easily - and wrongly - be used in respect of, say, followers of alleged teachings of someone who lived many hundreds of years go.

[ICGenie]

The second bit I was alluding to was that atheism means you don't believe gods exist so I just thought saying you don't believe in gods but don't want to associate yourself with atheists a bit odd.

Difficult to describe as I haven't quite got my head around it all myself but I think that what people would classify as a "god" exists as a kinda of universal energy but not as a conventional, conscious being. A sort of Gaia principle, some might say Mother Nature but that's kind of deifying it again. I think that a god-like definition exists just because it's the easiest way for us primitive human beings to grasp the concept. I believe there is something there, just not a "god".

Just because things are not yet proven does not mean they do not exist. Human beings - as individuals and as a society - will be much stronger once we learn to think for ourselves rather than rely on things people tell us. That applies to both those who follow a god religiously and those who follow science religiously.

[Matt42]

Dalai Lama confirmed for glastonbury

discussion about religion begins

you can be an atheist and have interest to hear whatever he has to say, don't be polarising.

[ICGenie]

You don't know whether i have listened to what he has to say or not!

I know this is vering off topic, but i only call myself athiest for the sake of simplicity. i consider myself one by default. it's not a term i usually employ and i have some problem with it.

However, i still object to your assumptions and accusations of closed mindedness, an arguemt that could just as easily - and wrongly - be used in respect of, say, followers of alleged teachings of someone who lived many hundreds of years go.

i'm genuinely surprised at the enthusiasm for this. i've no dount he's a nice chap with good intentions, but to me as an atheist, he's pretty irrelevant. i agree with Gonzo's point, above.

Apologies if I've read this wrong but you have - in the above quote - stated that he is irrelevant to you purely because you don't believe in god. There is no mention of you having listened or read anything he has said and no attempt to investigate whether his teacings may be relevant regardless of a belief in a god or a spirituality either way.

I suggest that if you read the majority of what he says you'd find that very little of it has anything to do with god. I agree that religious people can be closed minded. You can also study ancient teachings and be open minded about it. My point is there is an irony in atheists - who so often point out closed mindedness as a flaw in the faithful - so often being unable to even listen to a person of faith.

[ICGenie]

Dalai Lama confirmed for glastonbury

discussion about religion begins

you can be an atheist and have interest to hear whatever he has to say, don't be polarising.

I agree and I hope people of all faiths and beliefs will come, listen and maybe even act on what he says. The world would be a better place if they did.

[dentalplan]

Difficult to describe as I haven't quite got my head around it all myself but I think that what people would classify as a "god" exists as a kinda of universal energy but not as a conventional, conscious being. A sort of Gaia principle, some might say Mother Nature but that's kind of deifying it again. I think that a god-like definition exists just because it's the easiest way for us primitive human beings to grasp the concept. I believe there is something there, just not a "god".

Just because things are not yet proven does not mean they do not exist. Human beings - as individuals and as a society - will be much stronger once we learn to think for ourselves rather than rely on things people tell us. That applies to both those who follow a god religiously and those who follow science religiously.

That's completely fair and I've always found that way of thinking pretty interesting. I was really just being a smartarse in response to the labelling of atheism on the whole.

Edited January 4, 2015 by dentalplan

[ICGenie]

That's completely fair and I've always found that way of thinking pretty interesting. I was really just being a smartarse in response to the labelling of atheism on the whole.

I only label atheism as a whole because they are so fond on labelling those with a faith as a whole

[Gnomicide]

That applies to both those who follow a god religiously and those who follow science religiously.

Is that possible?

[Amy Lawn]

Is that possible?

Scientology!

[ICGenie]

Is that possible?

To follow what scientific findings without any question and refuse to believe they could be untrue? Of course it it!

Bearing in mind that a lot of "scientific studies" are paid for by big businesses with ulterior motives, a very dangerous thing to do IMO.

[sjseabass]

To follow what scientific findings without any question and refuse to believe they could be untrue? Of course it it!

Well if anyone does that then they're not actually practicing science, so what you're saying is all misdirection.

[neil999]

good science tries to disprove their own theories though

[Woffy]

It's a good booking and I heard he has decent taste in music. Isn't he a big fan of Nirvana?