ego

quakeyjase

quakeyjase

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We seem to make so much trouble for ourselves and others by constantly trying to pursue the question of who is the greatest. Don't we all really know in our hearts the answer to this: God is the greatest? Then why are we still so unhappy with the answer we know is right?

qj
 
quakeyjase said:
We seem to make so much trouble for ourselves and others by constantly trying to pursue the question of who is the greatest. Don't we all really know in our hearts the answer to this: God is the greatest? Then why are we still so unhappy with the answer we know is right?

qj
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What good is proclaiming God as the greatest even if we feel the truth of it at a deep level if our real question is "who am I?" If our corrupt ego answers the question, it will only accept the distorted image of God and lead to the battles over these assorted subjective distortions about what is the greatest. How to allow the ego to serve its rightful purpose rather then justify its own corruption? Not so easy.
 
Nick_A said:
What good is proclaiming God as the greatest even if we feel the truth of it at a deep level if our real question is "who am I?" If our corrupt ego answers the question, it will only accept the distorted image of God and lead to the battles over these assorted subjective distortions about what is the greatest. How to allow the ego to serve its rightful purpose rather then justify its own corruption? Not so easy.
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1 Thess 5
12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.​
 
Snoopy said:
where does "ego" fit into this post, jase?

s.
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The ego wants recognition, for the self to be valued. But for me this leaves the door open to the flatterer who twists this into a demand that can never be satisfied. The good news is this is the last ditch effort that can be prayerfully be overcome.

qj
 
SG writes

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Jase writes

The ego wants recognition, for the self to be valued. But for me this leaves the door open to the flatterer who twists this into a demand that can never be satisfied. The good news is this is the last ditch effort that can be prayerfully be overcome.
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The corrupt ego is drawn to the good and for recognition. It can even pray a great deal and blow up buildings for the sake of the good. The deepest part of our being, our budding soul that we are usually oblivious of, also seeks the good and to be recognized rather than be cut off from the source as it is now.

What is the good? Is Man even capable of evil or do we do everything from our psychological conception of the good? How do we come to appreciate recognition from above as either self justification or the value of a soul, the psychology of being, or the initial intent of a legit spiritual teachings from acquired self deception?

Seems easy in theory but is it practically? And of course the big question is why bother? What is so bad about continuing the struggle for dominance in hell? For the ones on top, is it really so bad? Why ponder the good? If it feels food, do it and forget all this philosophy.
 
Nick_A said:
SG writes

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Jase writes



The corrupt ego is drawn to the good and for recognition. It can even pray a great deal and blow up buildings for the sake of the good. The deepest part of our being, our budding soul that we are usually oblivious of, also seeks the good and to be recognized rather than be cut off from the source as it is now.

What is the good? Is Man even capable of evil or do we do everything from our psychological conception of the good? How do we come to appreciate recognition from above as either self justification or the value of a soul, the psychology of being, or the initial intent of a legit spiritual teachings from acquired self deception?

Seems easy in theory but is it practically? And of course the big question is why bother? What is so bad about continuing the struggle for dominance in hell? For the ones on top, is it really so bad? Why ponder the good? If it feels food, do it and forget all this philosophy.
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Match the colors:

seattlegal said:
1 Thess 5
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.​
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So who is this self that "has" an ego, is this sense of self not ego? And here "we" sit in judgment of "it" as if we were all schizophrenic. The whole conversation is highly amusing!
 
Paladin said:
So who is this self that "has" an ego, is this sense of self not ego? And here "we" sit in judgment of "it" as if we were all schizophrenic. The whole conversation is highly amusing!
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In the NT the feet refer to the ego as in John 13. It can be cleaned but we prefer it as is.

10Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
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Francis king said:
i am the greatest...me and mohammed ali
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Thanks Francis, you bring up an important point. The popular use of the word ego to describe a narcissistic tendency is getting a bit trite. The word was intended to describe the entire personality and sense of self, so discussions on ego can become somewhat obfuscated.
 
Paladin said:
So who is this self that "has" an ego, is this sense of self not ego? And here "we" sit in judgment of "it" as if we were all schizophrenic. The whole conversation is highly amusing!
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Self and ego are two terms that can be taken to mean such different things. Even a casual look at a "decent" dictionary creates more questions than it clarifies their meanings...

Definition

<– Back to results
ego Show phonetics
noun [C] plural egos
1 MAINLY DISAPPROVING your idea or opinion of yourself, or a great feeling of your own importance and ability:
That man has such an enormous ego - I've never known anyone so full of themselves!
I'm glad she got the job - she needed something to boost/bolster her ego (= give her confidence).
See also alter ego; superego.

2 SPECIALIZED in psychoanalysis, the part of a person's mind which tries to match the hidden desires of the id (= part of unconscious mind) with the demands of reality

___________________________

Definition

<– Back to results
self (PERSONALITY) Show phonetics
noun [C or U] plural selves
the set of someone's characteristics, such as personality and ability, which are not physical and make that person different from other people:
The hero of the film finally finds his true self.
When I saw them this afternoon they were more like their old/normal selves (= as they were in the past).
a sense of self

Definition

<– Back to results
self- (YOURSELF) Show phonetics
prefix
of or by yourself or itself:
self-educated
a self-winding watch

Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press

As references to psychological notions / constructs they could be dismissed as not existing, and yet they are "things" that continue in common parlance. (I'm sure without Freud there'd be some other bod who'd come up with a word for what we think of as our "ego.")



s.
 
Quite right Snoops, good research as always and a point well taken.
My point is that there is no way to separate self and ego, The religious way of thinking seems to fractionate self, and even some Chan as SG points out does so. Now this is all well and good but we might as well start talking about Kleshas while we are bandying about the term ego as something that needs to be cleansed or even broken off from the self.
Remember Thich Nhat Hanh's demonstration with the matchstick?
 
Paladin said:
Remember Thich Nhat Hanh's demonstration with the matchstick?
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Er, no don't know of that...

For what it's worth :)rolleyes:) I find it useful to think of the self as a construct made by, advanced by and defended by the ego. I do not think the self exists per se, but our belief in its existence is fostered by our ego. The ego is the painter that paints a picture called The Self, that doesn't really exist (did I just say that?)
I see the self as a neutral notion, but the ego is the potential source of our problems in that it creates the self that can be attacked or feel the need to be promoted. It is our created self that ends up carrying the can for the ego, with its desires and aversions and general psychological clingings and neuroses. Of course I can't prove any of this and it's probably all bollo*** :D

s.
 
I think that's a useful model Snoopy. Are you familiar with Tony Parsons? I can send a link if you haven't heard him talk.
Thay once took a matchstick and held it up saying " this is your self, perhaps there is a part you do not like and wish to be rid of, so we break off the left half to get rid of it, and what do we find? There is still a left half! We can break it off more if you like but all we have left is a very little matchstick" ;)
 
Paladin said:
I think that's a useful model Snoopy. Are you familiar with Tony Parsons? I can send a link if you haven't heard him talk.
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The one I know is a British "culture" critic, probably not the same one ;)

so feel free :)

s.
 
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