Promote what you love

@divegeester said
You wrote blocks of scripture out by hand. Whatever for?

I won't say why kellyjay does it--he already said why in a few posts previously.

I can speak to why I do it...

Dopamine

For some reason copying out blocks of anything seems to reset my brain when I find myself experiencing racing thoughts (or as the Buddhists call it "monkey mind"😉. And as kellyjay says, the texts somehow seem to "stick with" you. I actually learned that little trick a few years back at university.

After I have copied texts (which I sometimes give away--I'm working on a book of affirmations for my granddaughter), I seem to be able to settle my mind down enough to actually do some original writing.

I wonder if this is why Christian medieval monks spent so much time writing out texts and Buddhist monks sit with ink, pen, and rice paper....

who are we to tell anyone what they can or cannot do?

internet meme

@divegeester said
No. That’s not what I said. I’m quoting YOUR words from your OP.

YOU complained about bashing, not me. I couldn’t care less who you bash.

But YOU then start bashing me. As does sonship.

Your hypocrisy within a few posts is what is interesting.

Obviously you couldn’t care less if anyone other than yourself is being challenged.

Then why complain about being ‘bashed’ if you couldn’t care less? 🤔

You can hand it out but can’t take it?

@dj2becker said
“Promote what you love rather than bashing what you hate.”

Who do you think promotes "hate" in this community?

It seems you are using "bashing" here as a synonym for disagreement in the course of discussion and debate, is that fair?

Do you feel any Christians here "hate" agnosticism and atheism and spend time "bashing" those stances?

@hakima said
I can speak to why I do it...

Dopamine

For some reason copying out blocks of anything seems to reset my brain when I find myself experiencing racing thoughts (or as the Buddhists call it "monkey mind"😉. And as kellyjay says, the texts somehow seem to "stick with" you. I actually learned that little trick a few years back at university.

After I have copied texts (which ...[text shortened]... monks spent so much time writing out texts and Buddhist monks sit with ink, pen, and rice paper....

Is this for you a spiritual discipline similar to lectio divina or are you looking more towards the writer and the writing 'becoming one' in a kind of buddhisty way? Is it in any sense an act of faith in an improved future or strength of spirit? Is it the words themselves or the act of writing that has primacy?

@ragwort said
Is this for you a spiritual discipline similar to lectio divina or are you looking more towards the writer and the writing 'becoming one' in a kind of buddhisty way? Is it in any sense an act of faith in an improved future or strength of spirit? Is it the words themselves or the act of writing that has primacy?

I just started doing it and I felt better...

everything else you mentioned are by-products which may or may not develop. I am a writer, so the act of writing out words is comfortable.

My dad was a scientist and was comfortable with numbers. I would dare say mathematics practice was a spiritual experience for him. Whenever he was in the hospital and feeling in distress, he used to count by prime numbers forward to 100 and then back again. I remember one time when he had forgotten this coping strategy and I sat beside him counting “2,3,5,7,11...”. Pretty soon his blood pressure and heart rate eased up. I think his counting did for him what my writing out volumes of words does for me.

I consider it a spiritual practice because when I do it, I am in a state of being that connects me to that which is beyond myself and then brings me back to myself so that I can create.

By the way, I love the term “buddhisty way”.

@hakima

Although I dabbled in Buddhism it was not a complete fit for me but I still think of some things as a bit buddhisty.

A couple of days ago I was spreading manure on my allotment garden. The repetitive physical acts settles the mind as well as the knowledge of completing a task needing doing. The mind can contemplate the detailed inter-relationship of the processes involved in production as well as the direct connection with (hopefully) the food on a plate. There can be the almost artistic appreciation of the neatness of a section of plot neatly mulched. Finally there must be a faith in those processes as well as the principle that "he who does not plough the field awaits the harvest in vain".

I guess this must be a similar experience although it is our choice whether to interpret it as spiritual.

@rookie54 said
who are we to tell anyone what they can or cannot do?

I don’t think anyone here is doing that.

@dj2becker said
You may see it as “bashing”, others may see it as ‘challenging your attitudes or behavior’. 😅

I see it as exactly that and am happy continue doing so, it is you who is complaining about it in your OP and then doing it yourself.

You probably need to have a think about what it is you like and don’t like and then decide how to be honest about it.

@hakima said
I won't say why kellyjay does it--he already said why in a few posts previously.

I can speak to why I do it...

Dopamine

For some reason copying out blocks of anything seems to reset my brain when I find myself experiencing racing thoughts (or as the Buddhists call it "monkey mind"😉. And as kellyjay says, the texts somehow seem to "stick with" you. I actually learned ...[text shortened]... monks spent so much time writing out texts and Buddhist monks sit with ink, pen, and rice paper....

Very interesting, thank you for taking the time to explain. How often do you find yourself doing this?

I sometimes read things over and over, or watch things over and over. Probably for the same reason as you know I’ve come to think about it.

@divegeester said
I see it as exactly that and am happy continue doing so, it is you who is complaining about it in your OP and then doing it yourself.

You probably need to have a think about what it is you like and don’t like and then decide how to be honest about it.

So you agree that if someone challenges your behavior you will equate it with bashing but when you challenge someone’s behavior it’s not bashing?

I asked a question in the OP. If you want to see that as a complaint be my guest.

@fmf said
Who do you think promotes "hate" in this community?

It seems you are using "bashing" here as a synonym for disagreement in the course of discussion and debate, is that fair?

Do you feel any Christians here "hate" agnosticism and atheism and spend time "bashing" those stances?

I can see your trap. You want me to say who is promoting hate and then accuse me of being hateful by pointing them out. Not interested.

@dj2becker said
So you agree that if someone challenges your behavior you will equate it with bashing but when you challenge someone’s behavior it’s not bashing?

I asked a question in the OP. If you want to see that as a complaint be my guest.

I’ve stated my position in this thread more clearly and more times than your pointless crappy OP deserves so I’m not saying it again.

However to be clear and to repeat what I’ve said elsewhere to you: I think you are an intellectually lazy troll and a class dickhead Becker, so I’ll “bash” your lame hypocrisy every time I choose to. Just like that.

Do feel free to reciprocate, because you won’t hear me whining like a little girl about it.

@dj2becker said
I can see your trap. You want me to say who is promoting hate and then accuse me of being hateful by pointing them out. Not interested.

The three straight forward questions are simply about your OP.

@divegeester said
You wrote blocks of scripture out by hand. Whatever for?

The same reason that students take hand written notes in lectures, or at least did in my day. It reinforces what is being read and makes the process active rather than passive.