Quote Originally Posted by mfqr
Coelho, I agree with spirituality, and what you have said in your above post. Like you said, religion is corrupt. But I do believe in the possibility of an afterlife, but I do not think that it will be hell or heaven.
Well... as you said in the end of your post, you have no doubt about the existence of an astral plane. Me too. So, lets suppose that there is where we go when we die.
From what ive read about it (Robert Moroe - Journeys out of the body), in the astral plane we have not the "protection" of some part of our mind, so our deepest thoughts, fears, desires and such are "unburied" and comes to the surface.
So, imagine an "evil" people, who didnt knew about the existence of the astral plane, going there after death. Being an evil people, it would have all kind of fears, distrusts, hatreds, and so, which would surface. I think the mere fact of being confronted with all this negative "load" would be the Hell...
Now, imagine a "good" people going to the same place. If the people were really good, it would have overcame all this negative things, and would be full of good thoughts, of love and peace. Being confronted with all this things, what would be? I think it would be Heaven.

Quote Originally Posted by mfqr
Spirituality is indeed different than religion. I don't really understand how Ganj can say that if you don't believe in religion that you are submitting to a more subtle evil. But there is some truth to it, in a way. No matter what way you go, no matter what you do, you are submitting to something. Call me paranoid, but there is a scheme in just about everything we believe in - good or evil. Our world is filled with deception, and in my opinion, if someone doesn't think that religion is deceptive, then they are oblivious to what is happening.
I like to think he meant spirituality, not religion, like me... And i think that the evil in not submitting to spirituality comes from the fact that (i believe) we will face the "spiritual", "astral" (or whatever) world when we die. So, if you dont believe in spirituality, you dont believe in the existence of this "another world", and so, dont prepare yourself for the day you will enter there. So, you come there unprepared, with all your negative things with you, and so dooms yourself to eternal suffering, suffering created by your own evil.

Quote Originally Posted by mfqr
Although I don't really believe in God, and believe that if he does exist then he is evil, I am a spiritual person. I am very open-minded. I used to frequent Untitled Document, and practice the techniques there. Haven't done it much lately, but I do not doubt that there could be an astral plane. That, and it's very interesting, unlike the bible (in my opinion).
Well... i think the Bible is a practical thing. If you follow it rightly, and frees yourself from every evil, then you go to the "Heaven". It doesnt explain why, or what is this "heaven" or "hell", or the laws of the astral plane, or whatever. It only says "do it.".
It seems very authoritary, i know. But in the time the Bible was written, people were more adept to following rules without much questioning... today we ask more questions, we dont want just obey, we want to know why to obey. In my opinion, that why much people ask answers in other "religions"...
In my own case, almost every answer i obtained in another places that not the Bible were not contradictory to it, i almost always could make a link between the two. So, i could say im a "Mystical Christian" or somewhat like that...
Anyway... thats a very personal thing, of course.
BTW, thanks for the link... i will visit the site, and maybe i start to trying astral project again...
And, if you will try it too, good luck! May The Force Be With Us! :thumbsup: