The Matrix Fans 2007 forums

[max314]

Only a Sith deals in absolutes

Yet, even that statement is 'an absolute'.

Perhaps the phrase should actually read: "the only absolute is that there are no absolutes". This could almost be an echo of Socrates' proclamation that "the only thing I know for certain is that I know nothing". This also takes care of what may otherwise be perceived to be a self-contradictory statement. It also explains how the term "only a Sith deals in absolutes" can at once be a paradox whilst remaining fundamentally true.

[eddyrocket]

This IS a problem.

But I think to begin one has to have a significant amount of intellectual self confidence. There is a lot of bullsh!t flying around and you really have no one to depend on to sort it out but yourself. Personally, I don't regard the Truth as democratic. The majority are full of crap most of the time.

I agree that there is a lot of bullsh!t out there and that ultimately we are responsible for sorting out fact from fiction. You are right about the majority being misled.

There are so many unhealthy messages that our society disseminates through the media and other mediums. This information may trickle down to us through the avenue of our culture, our upbringing, and our peers. And when we buy into and follow these errant messages we find ourselves lost in an ocean of illusion; many times becoming a mirror image of our society.This process is often called socialization. Our identity is many times formed by the people who we surround ourselves with and the messages that we hear and observe.

As Neo realizes that all his memories and events that occurred in his life were not real he is left with confusion because it influenced and helped construct who he used to be. Now he looks back and says, "What does this mean?"

Trinity gives him a very insightful response. She says that the Matrix cannot tell him who he is and define him. The same is true for us. No one can tell us who we are, not even our society. We become who we choose to become. Unfortunately many blindly follow the messages given to them and like puppets mirror their society.

One of the first steps to finding reality (truth) is to examine one's life and see how society has influended our beliefs and our view of ourselves, others and the world. Then after examination sort out was is false from what is truth.

Peace

[CaptPostMod]

Another nomination I made over at MEx was the religion of the Druze. I thought their color scheme had an interesting corelation to Wilber's view of the Matrixverse colors, and the idea of mixing Gnostic, Neo-Platonic, and Jewish theology seems very Matrixy:

From Wikipedia--"It is also known that Druze believe in five cosmic principles, represented by the five colored Druze star: intelligence/reason (green), soul (red), word (yellow), precedent (blue), and immanence (white). These virtues take the shape of five different spirits which, until recently, have been continuously reincarnated on Earth as prophets and philosophers including Adam, the ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer Pythagoras, and the ancient Pharaoh of Egypt Akhenaten, and many others. The Druze believe that, in every time period, these five principles were personified in five different people who came down together to Earth to teach humans the true path to God and nirvana, but that with them came five other individuals who would lead people away from the right path into 'darkness'."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druz

[14515]

I have so far seen that the Matrix is close to lots of religions..or maybe it is a "Neo-Religion", but till now I haven't seen "Islam" in the list of the religions....

Does it represent Islam too?

[CaptPostMod]

I have so far seen that the Matrix is close to lots of religions..or maybe it is a "Neo-Religion", but till now I haven't seen "Islam" in the list of the religions....

Does it represent Islam too?

Ever read Rumi?

[psikeyhackr]

Islam

Although mainstream Islam tends to reject reincarnation, once again experience of the mystic branch of the religion - in this case the Sufi movement - is very supportive of reincarnation. Like many mystic organisations, the Sufis see the one truth in all forms - in Christ, Mohammed, Ahura Mazda and Ahriman and are influenced by the writings of many different religions.

Druze
The one sect which above all others fully accepts reincarnation is the Druze sect of Lebanon, Palestine (including Israel) and Syria.

From early 2001, the National Geographic Channel aired a documentary showing a reincarnation researcher and a reincarnation sceptic investigating various cases of Druze children who each claimed to remember their respective families from a previous life - though with varying levels of detail. Although the cases were not conclusive, it highlighted the phenomenon which is certainly not limited to this culture.

http://www.geocities.com/richard_holmes ... on/faq.htm

psik

[CaptPostMod]

Another vote for the Druze! Thanks psikey.

[psikeyhackr]

I was voting?

Are they going to lower my taxes?

There's a reincarnation tax? What's the karma if you refuse to pay?

psik

[CaptPostMod]

Are they going to lower my taxes?

You live in Indiana, too, huh?

There's a reincarnation tax? What's the karma if you refuse to pay?

You have to be a civil servant in the afterlife.

[psikeyhackr]

You have to be a civil servant in the afterlife.

That's good! Is that a Beetlejuice reference?

psik

[CaptPostMod]

That's good! Is that a Beetlejuice reference?

Yep, though I could swear Beetlejuice got it from somewhere ... Just can't remember where