Originally Posted by Alisa
This understanding emerged, thanks to your groundwork here, and from a day-long philosophical conversation with a good friend of mine today. She had said in defence of the bible, But people need something so they will know right from wrong.

Unless one actually knows what another "needs" then this is merely a belief or narcissistic assumption. And if it were true, and by some amazing fact it applied to all people if that is what is assumed or implied, then by what means will it be ensured that the people "get what they need" - a book that orders them how to live, enforcement by others, covert encouragement? Then what is right and wrong being defined as?
Now I gather you can probably see all of this and I have little interest in such an "argument", however my one point is that with what I have provided and what you may already know, such a conversation starts to become rather pointless. That is not to say however that it may not be had to share new insight to another or to reconsider the knowledge one already holds.

Originally Posted by Alisa
All day long in my discussions the same theme kept surfacing..."rules, laws, restitution, punishment". I kept thinking back to your recent posts about harmony and freedom. Everything was pointing toward this -- to freedom!
Fundamental understanding.

Originally Posted by Alisa
I realized that natural consequences exist to help people learn how to behave. But more importantly, if you try to force anything, put up any kind of boundaries, eventually a reaction will occur to oppose the force.
Well, have you met a person who would if asked, gladly be imprisoned (assuming the conditions were painful to them)? Not too common in my experience...

Originally Posted by Alisa
It makes me think of when people engage in a restrictive diet. They often successfully control their food intake for a while, then they lose control. If they manage to keep control, it becomes a regiment, you can feel it with them, the lack of freedom, the rigidness about them. It works, but it is not positive.

Remember that we currently live in a world dominated by such regiment, order and control.
They know not what they do.