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Hey, I've been lurking this site on and off for a couple years now, and it seems like all the cool stuff such as shared dreams sometimes involve "past life" experiences. I know this whole thing is about keeping an open mind, but I don't really believe in all this past life stuff. I'm Catholic, and I'd like to maintain my religious views. Is it possible to do all this without changing my beliefs?
Yes.
If you're afraid to encounter someone else's belief, you're afraid it might reveal your own as un-true. If you believe that your beliefs are the absolute truth, then you wouldn't be afraid of encountering another belief system.
Whether or not dream views changes your beliefs is entirely up to you. That said, it isn't necessary to be a part of any particular belief system to be a part of dream views - were a diverse community!
I think sometimes people can make either too little or too much of Lucid Dreaming. It can be a helpful aid to getting the most out of life, it can open your eyes to the reality of things, or it can be just for fun, if you so choose.
If you don't WANT to believe something, that's different than NOT believing something. There are some things that don't seem possible until you experience them. Just remember, don't block anything out because it goes against what you believe. If you do that, you may miss a life-changing experience!
You can LD without compromising your religious beliefs; I've had several lucids, and I maintain that shared dreams and OOBEs are complete and utter BS.
Your outlook is so wrong. It's a common mistake, but very wrong nonetheless. Don't go through life trying to prove what you already believe to be true. If you do that you will never evolve. Go through life in search of the truth, whatever that may be.
"The only real wisdom is knowing you know nothing."
But theres no "evidence" for any religious beliefs. So why will someone elses effect yours? What you believe, is what you will believe. Its entirely up to you.
Catholic or not. It is in the Scripture that Lucid Dreaming would return one day. That "God" whatever it is, would teach man directly and that man would not teach man about "God" any more.
Well, there you have it. Conflict is inevitable.
And those who say there is no evidence contained in the scripture, evidently they have not read it.
It is written that someday someone would come along and do what? It has been done, even if people are ignorant of what is in the text.
Ignorance of the facts has never been disproof of them. Not examining a thing has never been the basis of judgment.
Strange thing about the Judeo-Christian Scripture, I do not really see the function as being to teach religion at all, but to teach judgement, which is quite independent of religion.
Firstly, it is absolutely possible to study LD without changing your spiritual beliefs. The main focus of this site, for instance, focuses on the "practical" side of Lucid Dreaming, which is quite enriching on it's own without any mysticism of any type at all, and which should not conflict with any beliefs, either.Quote:
Originally Posted by PlasmaNuke
I would say, though, that "maintaining" is never a word I would use about my beliefs. Our beliefs are our attempt to reach truth, and if we seek to "maintain" them for their own sake, they no longer serve that purpose properly. If my perception of the world were to one day suggest to me that Catholicism were true, I would consider becoming Catholic (again). If it suggested to me that reincarnation were real, I would study and possibly start believing in reincarnation.
I wouldn't presume to tell you what to believe and what not to believe, but I would say that your beliefs are supposed to serve you, not the other way around.