Comments on: Ripples On A Sea Of Peace http://jeffwangbest.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/ripples-on-a-sea-of-peace/ Be MY best Jeff! Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:11:18 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Secret Simon http://jeffwangbest.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/ripples-on-a-sea-of-peace/#comment-19 Secret Simon Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:17:30 +0000 http://jeffwangbest.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/ripples-on-a-sea-of-peace/#comment-19 Hi びっくり. You're referring back to the original discussion we had on Jon's site and I'm sorry if I misquoted you. I should have checked exactly what you said. What I did, in effect, was to take the objection you raised to Jon's original point and use it to reevaluate a previous post of my own. Jon's discussion, as you say, was about labeling things good or evil, whereas mine was about accepting things. Your cited instance about a child being tortured was relevant to both. I think the difference is subtle though. I am talking about 'acceptance' in the sense of not just believing something is happening but in being *fully willing* to believe it: to believe it without any internal resistance. A lot of the time, we 'disagree with reality'. We say 'this shouldn't be so' or 'that shouldn't be so', willing it to be other than what it is. I suspect that this internal resistance goes along with labeling something as 'bad', and that to fully extinguish it, we need to drop that label. As long as we *have* that resistance, we are giving ourselves a hard time and using up valuable energy which would be better channeled into action. And as Jeff says in his summary, it is that action which is going to make an impact. Hi びっくり. You’re referring back to the original discussion we had on Jon’s site and I’m sorry if I misquoted you. I should have checked exactly what you said. What I did, in effect, was to take the objection you raised to Jon’s original point and use it to reevaluate a previous post of my own. Jon’s discussion, as you say, was about labeling things good or evil, whereas mine was about accepting things. Your cited instance about a child being tortured was relevant to both.

I think the difference is subtle though. I am talking about ‘acceptance’ in the sense of not just believing something is happening but in being *fully willing* to believe it: to believe it without any internal resistance. A lot of the time, we ‘disagree with reality’. We say ‘this shouldn’t be so’ or ‘that shouldn’t be so’, willing it to be other than what it is. I suspect that this internal resistance goes along with labeling something as ‘bad’, and that to fully extinguish it, we need to drop that label.

As long as we *have* that resistance, we are giving ourselves a hard time and using up valuable energy which would be better channeled into action. And as Jeff says in his summary, it is that action which is going to make an impact.

]]> By: びっくり http://jeffwangbest.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/ripples-on-a-sea-of-peace/#comment-18 びっくり Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:07:41 +0000 http://jeffwangbest.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/ripples-on-a-sea-of-peace/#comment-18 I can't tell if I am being misrepresented or if you are redefining terms. I thought the other conversation was about whether actions could be labeled as good or bad. I certainly would have no trouble accepting that something was occurring. I however, would not hesitate to label that as bad (or sinister, or evil, or...). I do agree with your summary here: accept that reality is reality and make plans based on that. I can’t tell if I am being misrepresented or if you are redefining terms. I thought the other conversation was about whether actions could be labeled as good or bad. I certainly would have no trouble accepting that something was occurring. I however, would not hesitate to label that as bad (or sinister, or evil, or…).

I do agree with your summary here: accept that reality is reality and make plans based on that.

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