Universal Interdependence - "Your god is your ultimate barrier.": Quotes from Joseph Campbell

[IXSASifuJeff]

@ChuckNorrisKratosLOL Hey, cut me some slack. I'm an English teacher, OK! Therefore, I have no idea how to use the language, let alone speak or write it properly! And, BTW, I basically type with my feet, so I'm just lucky it doesn't look like ancient Babylonian.

[myshakenbaken]

If Joseph Campbell is your "Yoda," then Alan Watts is my Obi Wan Kenobi.

[theroadupward]

Religion is an attempt by humans 2 tame transcendent with rules and rituals. No one lacks this-we all have our methods of taming the transcendent. An atheist/environmentalist, for example, believes in a force beyond himself and recycles and rides his bike. This person also preaches his beliefs and tries to convert others! We choose what to believe, all belief is subjective. We should respect that in other people, as we wish them to respect it in us. Theroadupward.

[sunchaos]

Jeff, what could be more personal than yourself? Baha'u'lláh said to know God is to know your self. The God Bahá'u'lláh talked about was the Unknowable Essence, the Unorignated as Buddha said, the Suchness, it is still God. God is beyond anything we can conceive of Him/Her/Consciousness.“Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery.”

[IXSASifuJeff]

@sunchaos I understand, but that's not what the term "personal God" means. The term refers to a supreme being that's a literal entity with a personality - things, people, ideas he/she likes and doesn't like. This entity gets directly involved with the individual lives of people and because it is beyond the "rules" changes them when it suits him (miracles etc.). It's purely a language problem. In many ways, the God of Baha'u'llah is like Brahman...,, you're right, just not in this 1 way.

[sunchaos]

This is wonderful, but the Bahá'í Faith taught all of this in the 19th century. Bahá'u'lláh revealed these truths as the latest Manifestation of the Unknowable Essence. He taught the Unity of God, the Unity of Humankind, the Unity of religion, the harmony of science and religion, the equality of men and women. He said that people were wrapped up in the symbols and rituals and had forgotten their inner truths. He said, "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens."

[IXSASifuJeff]

@sunchaos You're right to a degree. The main difference was that the God of Baha'llah was a personal God that, though ultimately unknowable, had the capacity to reason and feel love, listened to prayers etc. The "God" JC talks about is "Brahman", "Suchness", "The Tao" etc. impersonal, neutral - beyond human likes or dislikes, judments etc. - the one truth beyond the temporal dualites of right and wrong. Joseph Campbell stated many times that he did not believe in a personal God.

[soozmct]

Thank-you very much for your little creation of quotes from Joseph Campbell. Got me pondering.

[MrChicorico69]

100% Novel Prize person.,, But ,since he's actualy trying to freed peoples minds of the stupid society we live in ,that just wouldn't happen. His views are so, easy to understand once you take off the mask. I'm glad there are people that share this view of lfe. Keep evolving ;-D

[Dragon33304]

Thank you very much! You are performing a great service to the world as well as to the memory of Joseph Campbell. He, Alan Watts, Robert Anton Wilson and many others all pointed to the experience of transcendence. It may take years but the awakening is worth the trip. The Jewel is inside of us. To all who see this video: may you always have peace-of-mind at the end of every day.

[DawnCherryful]

thanks so much for putting this up. he said it right.

[supernaught1963]

Hindu Proverb:

In the begining there was the truth. God gave man the truth. The devil came along and organized it for man and called it ' Religion".

[00AngelDog00]

Thank you for posting this video . l have added it to my favorites. Thanks to dylan42207 for turning me on to J. Campbell as l am new to internet . J. Campbell refreshingly simplifies what my own lifes search and experiences have concluded . The Gnostic Christian view of seeking "Christ" within, and not needing an organized religious heirarcy, has always resonated truth with me .

[ronavila]

thank you

[Artmaker52]

Good job pulling the essential quotes from the interviews which I have listened to over and over this year. I want to get in in my bloodstream, this wisdom. What a prophet and sage Joseph Campbell was. You might try getting someone with a great voice to read the quotes - I found the music a little distracting while trying to read. But great piece. Thanks!

[Jonobos]

The term "atheist" is often misunderstood. It simply means a non-theist. I am an atheist in that I don't believe in a deity, or god. It doesn't mean I want to abolish religion. I want to rid the world of oppression of all sorts, and that includes oppression that masquerades as religion. Don't confuse this with a desire for the destruction of spiritual rituals and practices. Prayer toward mecca is a fine thing. Circumsizing infants (male or female) is not. It is barbaric and cruel.

[IXSASifuJeff]

@pitbullexpress If you don't understand why, you missed something...

[Valkonnen]

Remember that story that JC told:

He had a friend who was old and dying, nearing the end of life..He said looking back, every experience that I've had, even the obstacles and heartaches seemed to have an order to them as if my life was planned out from the very beginning...

It really isn't the destination, It's the journey that we take in this one life that matters.

[dylan42207]

We need a new church - the Church of Joseph Campbell. This is the rational explaination of what religious stories are - metaphors... of course! How can anyone take them otherwise? The virgin birth was not meant literally but as a metaphor of a human becoming spiritual - how beautiful!! Let's print these quotes and get them in every church, synoguage, mosque. Trying to find a way to explain god to my kids. Won't take them to church because doctrines are taught as literal. Who wants to start

[IXSASifuJeff]

@dylan42207 Good in theory, but the problem occurs when you try to organize spirituality. No matter how good the message, it inevitably falls prey to standardization, becoming doctrine, evolving into dogma. Check out the videos on Spiral Dynamics. These problems occur because most will always be at the lower levels of spiritual evolution. For them literal dogmas are just easier to deal with. As Krishnamurti said, "The moment you follow someone you cease to follow Truth." Even joseph Campbell.

[dylan42207]

@IXSASifuJeff Disappointing that so few are aware that they are simlifying their spirituality in this manner and unfortunate that so few have the spiritual intellegence and/or freedom to withold from succumbing to dogma. How many more years must we evolve before we break through the barrier? Not in this lifetime (maybe the next).

[felo790]

@dylan42207 I read a Hare Krishna book that quoted some book form the Vedas, that the only religion is Krishna (they claim most saviors who come earth from time to times are Krishna, like Buddha and Christ), and to reach Krishna you have to forget all religion systems - including the vedic system.

Man... this is wonderful, it instantly reminded me of Joseph Campbell.

Systems and institutions can help humanity, but on the last step toward God, it become obstacles.

[IXSASifuJeff]

@felo790 Just always be careful with organizations! They very often have their own agenda that has nothing to do with spiritual awakening or truth. And always remember what the Buddha said about his own teachings, "My teachings are like a raft used to cross a turbulent river. Once you're across the river, there's no more need for the raft."

[oteg629]

Great Video, I have been looking and now I have found what I think will be a great source of study. Thanks for the Video. Joseph Campbell seems to be a bit like a Buddha. : )

[723cielo]

I love that picture @ 2:31, lol

[enrgutierrez]

great message, i also think that is very easy to judge one's religion as the only Truth, or to engage in your own "holy war" (even atheist can fall into this trap). But it is not about that... we need more understanding.

To transcend religion, in the sense that we cherish universal values with religion, without it, or even in spite of it.

/watch?v=jzLYZzRLLuw

[brahud]

Never have I seen or heard such a profound message. I am an intellectual follower of Joseph Campbell. I love the message of this video. It speaks of truths that other religions find painful to face. Kudos!

[IXSASifuJeff]

@brahud Thanks for watching! Glad it hit home. His lessons always do with me too!

[heppleknut]

thank you, sometimes its just enough to get messages like this to help you realise there is hope after all

[TheMrDeist]

Joseph Campbell has to be one of the most brilliant and spiritual men I have had the pleasure of reading! I like these quotes as well. The problem is not the religion itself, but how people who practice religion misunderstand it entirely. I definitely don't see one needing to be religious to be spiritual, but I do see religious people who are a far way away from anything truly spiritual.

[leeevanz]

Since any idea of God can only exist in our minds, you are your ultimate barrier ...& J C knew it.

[IXSASifuJeff]

@leeevanz Absolutely. Hense the importance of "getting over yourself". As "J C" also said, "Outwardly we see all these problems..., but inwardly we are the source of them all."

[brahud]

Good response......letting go of the ego or "getting over yourself" is a good point. You clearly understand

[irunfunky]

Who sings this song? :)

[IXSASifuJeff]

@irunfunky This is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Monty Python's "Life of Brian", sung by Eric Idle. It may seem an odd choice for this kind of video, but the point is that, as Alan Watts said, "Regard everything that you are doing as play and dont imagine for one minute that youve got to be serious about it." The end is Tibetan monks chanting the "Aum"

[irunfunky]

@IXSASifuJeff I love this song! I checked it out, but this version is the best!

[annemyashea]

Ever since "The Power of Myth" was broadcast . I felt the urge in me to listen and understand what it all means. The quotes posted is nice short cut . Thanks

[cloaknpoke]

Beautiful video..thank you..I really agree w/ this message.