• pbxman
    39
    The Reptilian Conspiracy Theory (a source of inspiration for the Wachowskis sisters) is an abstract concept (sometimes pure entertainment ,sci-fi, internet joke or urban leyend) promoted by several authors based on texts by gnostics, human-farm-archontic theory, chamans, mediums and ordinary internet users.

    history-of-buddhism-20.jpg
    Story line in a lousy nutshell:
    Humans are not at the end of the food chain because the whole world is a big human farm. An advanced alien species masters of time, space, genetics and mental manipulation have created us through directed evolution from apes. This species is using an holographic or virtual AI computer reality on us whose purpose is to produce some sort of “vital energy” (prana, chi, reiki...) through human suffering.

    These species have limited our perception and have much higher levels of intelligence and technology but they cannot produce that “energy” by themselves. They can induce thoughts and feelings on us and promote certain systems of believes such us nationalism, religion, politics, history through mass-media or secret human societies and other means to produce more confrontation, suffering and ultimately more “energy”. They can even travel in time to a certain extent and they can make snapshots of the virtual world at any time as they see fit. Even though they have a better understanding of us than ourselves this fake reality is not perfect. When we die a tunnel of light appears which is in fact soul trap. A feeling of utter peace and love will be induced and according to your believes a precisely chosen figure (angel, deceased relative, spiritual master, etc) will appear to persuade you to reincarnate again into this existential video-game or in another different for your own good or "spiritual development". In some existences you play the victim in others you are the predator in others you are a spiritual master allowed to rig the system to certain extend to manipulate people by giving them "false hope". All kinds of ideas from your past such us revenge, guilt, regret or even karma will be used to make you reincarnate again. They can even get twice the energy from you if they decide to make you feel the pain you allegedly caused on others by your fake "free-will". Also they can even make you believe that you agreed your own miserable existence on earth for spiritual reasons or soul-contract and show you how you agreed to remove your own knowledge by a fake AI created past plus an artificially altered perception or “gut feeling” to induce you to think that what you are seeing it's true. (the paradox of voluntary ignorance can be a bitch...)

    Liberation/Salvation is attained when you seek empathy towards all sentient beings and accept this world as an illusory manipulating video game, when you seek happiness and high vibration, and you acknowledge that you don't have real free-will because only your soul (or true self) has it and all your perception, feelings, memories, thoughts, psychology etc. can be manipulated therefore you are not ultimately responsible nor guilty of anything. When you die you must not go into the tunnel of light and reject all requests of reincarnation no matter how great the existence promised by the AI machine or lizard in charge can be.

    According to this theory when a Buddhist dies a figure of Buddha or another ascended master will appear and will try to persuade the practitioner to reincarnate again because of karmic reasons or just being not good enough in dharma or meditation, then the Buddhist person agrees to remove his knowledge and reincarnates on earth again hoping to attain enlightenment this time...

    This conspiracy theory has a lot in common with many religious dogmas including Buddhism. Both tackle the origin of suffering and blame ignorance for it, both talk about a method/process of awakening and self-discovery and both talk about the illusory nature of existence (Maya/Matrix). People who advocate for Buddhism advise you to meditate, people for the RCT encourages you to do anything you need to get a high vibration (I guess that includes not harm yourself or others) eg. "Yoga, meditative sounds, gongs, isolation tanks, lucid dreaming, astral protection, psychology, philosophy, ancient aliens, hypnosis, past-life regression even moderate drugs!" to remind yourself that your all perception can be rigged and in fact is!

    Why Buddhism should be any more credible as dogma or even better to attain enlightenment? Both give you meaning, purpose, hope, the promise of a better existence and a path to be followed and both are based on believes such us (Karma, Samsara, Bardos, Simulation hypothesis) that cannot be proven nor disproved whose nature is based not in evidence but speculation and subjective biased personal experiences which are impossible to double-check. Even the RCT is kinder because you don't have to be enlightened nor spend a great deal of time doing hard meditation practices for a remotely possible “shot at liberation”. You only have to know the truth and accept it even when the truth is bad (red pill). Notice how the RCT acknowledges karma as part of the lie because it's unfair to pay for something you don't remember doing because you hardly have free-will and that knowledge is the most precious thing in existence. Buddhism has centuries of experience but the RCT uses the latest technologies such us the neuroscience of free-will, near death experiences, testimonies from alien abductees etc.

    Kalama Sutta tells you to question everything with moderation and not to overload the mind but makes clear that you should have a mind of your own and not just blindly follow any leader or dogma. Attachment is a known source of suffering nevertheless most Buddhists even monks seem to be attached to the Buddhist dogma itself, some shave their heads to get more identification other wear mallahs and their reasoning is clearly motivated to protect the philosophy/religion and the Sangha (because they are attached to it), and they rarely do something to break tradition. Doing critical thinking gives you truth and sometimes things are not the way you wish them to be. Plenty of Buddhists fall into this process of happiness/attachment/purpose ultimately doubt and then fear/sadness/disillusionment which is clearly explained in Buddhist sutra itself and by psychology in cognitive dissonance. After all, we are all human and our mind is weak and imperfect and some people need their time to heal so a little understanding and compassion for Sangha is needed here. If so why Buddhism is better than a rehab theraphy center, joining the army, Scientology or some weird sci-fi lizard story? That would depend on the person and their preferences, affinity, tastes and whatever floats their boat instead of a solid philosophical foundation.

    Isn't Kalama Sutta just telling you that it's better to be a free-thinker than a Buddhist, at least in some cases?

    There is no spoon — The Matrix
    What you think you become — Buddhist proverb.
  • Tzeentch
    3.3k
    All roads lead to Rome. What matters in the end is that one arrives there. Labels like "better" are meaningless. Some people may have no chance of reaching enlightenment through Buddhism, maybe because it doesn't suit their personality. They may find some other practice that works for them.
  • pbxman
    39

    It's the question that pushes us — The Matrix
    That need for a path or purpose in life as Nietzsche would say can be a biological need. Most parents specially with young kids don't show this need for transcendence and religion. "Enlightenment" can be just a self-realization or the ability to reach a self-hypnosis or altered mental state. It has not been studied nor examined by neuroscience then again most people need to believe in it as an act of faith or goal that will be achieved in many "future lifetimes"...
  • Tzeentch
    3.3k
    "Enlightenment" can be just a self-realization or the ability to reach a self-hypnosis or altered mental state.pbxman

    Perhaps enlightenment is the unaltered mental state and the end of self-hypnosis.
  • pbxman
    39

    Perhaps there is no enlightenment, no reptilians and no God an it's all an invention of the human mind which has trouble dealing with purpose and ignorance in existence.
  • Terrapin Station
    13.8k
    File in the SciFi/fantasy subforum.

    One problem with the SciFi scenario is that we'd need a fictional account of what energy is (a fictional account that we make explicit) if we're to make sense of the idea that the alien culture can't produce energy on their own.
  • pbxman
    39

    File in the SciFi/fantasy subforum.
    Interesting observation... Why don't you put all Christian questions on the same subforum? To me Christianity (Voices from the sky, opening of the Red Sea, resurrection, virgin birth, miracles, etc) is way more fantastic that the Simulation Hypotesis. Remember that America is not the world.
    The RCT is practically a new religion not different from the believes some New Age Sects have. This question on Buddhism particularly on Kalama Sutta. If you don't know what this religion/philosophy is about please let it be.
  • Nils Loc
    1.3k
    Mythic narrative is always an interpretation which can be re-translated into acceptable or unacceptable (contemporary, historical, fantastical) terms.

    "Soma Sema" was said to be a gnostic meme.

    It translates to the "The body is a prison" (maybe "body prison", or "body tomb"). Double check, I'm terrified of being wrong.

    This is a seed (existential attitude) for story which could portray a perfectly reasonable and contemporary setting.

    Sisyphus roles a rock up a hill, only to have it fall down again. Who is making Sisyphus role the rock of the hill? Possibly aliens (those who manipulated those who ordered those who hold S. to the grind). Or maybe the rock that is rolling is the burden of maintaining the body itself... that being, becoming is some kind of absurd work.

    It is important to look for many ways in which a myth (metaphor) reveals truth, even though it could have been stated in more serious terms: "The rat race is not a race for rats." Get your facts straight.
  • Terrapin Station
    13.8k
    Why don't you put all Christian questions on the same subforum?pbxman

    Yeah, that's ficction/fantasy as well, though "religion" is a more descriptive tag for it because of its cultural history.
  • pbxman
    39

    Thank you for your reply but perhaps I did not make clear enough that this is mainly Buddhist question. I'm not discussing any conspiracies here.
    I'm asking about how existential ideas mostly from religions and mainly from Buddhism impact the psyque of the believer and how those ideas are not based on fact but a need to believe and how the psychology of the believer tends to find systems of believes that suit the way they feel about life.

    I think religions and systems of believes just take advantage of weaknesses in the human mind.
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    I'm asking about how existential ideas mostly from religions and mainly from Buddhism impact the psyque of the believer and how those ideas are not based on fact but a need to believe and how the psychology of the believer tends to find systems of believes that suit the way they feel about life.pbxman

    That, in essence, is a psychological perspective on religion. I guess we may be able to explain all that we, humans, do in terms of defense and coping mechanisms of psychology. After all nothing really is proven in philosophy. It can be construed as a kind of freedom - freedom to adopt any system that fits one's attitudes, proclivities, etc. If one were to choose philosophies/religions on the basis of one's worldview then it would be insecure in its foundation. Is it a matter of limited choice or is it freedom that we have?
  • pbxman
    39

    Is it a matter of limited choice or is it freedom that we have?

    Well if we want to know if we are living in the matrix why not by finding flaws in it? Why not make a religion out that? Perhaps to be a human-being is that just that to remind yourself that you are an infinite consciousness having a human(animal) experience. Perhaps enlightenment is nothing but to remind yourself what you are after all isn't it human to forget?
  • unenlightened
    8.7k
    Anyone who answers declares themselves a reptilian or else another exploited sucker. Either way they are unbelievable, and this is thus a world view that declares itself not worth discussing.
  • pbxman
    39

    Knowing the defects on the human mind and how they are exploited is an extremely valuable wisdom. It's knowing the magician's trick or how conmen con. If it's not worth discussing for you just do as the Buddha ... " noble silence "...
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    Well if we want to know if we are living in the matrix why not by finding flaws in it? Why not make a religion out that? Perhaps to be a human-being is that just that to remind yourself that you are an infinite consciousness having a human(animal) experience. Perhaps enlightenment is nothing but to remind yourself what you are after all isn't it human to forget?pbxman

    I'm not sure if I understand you. You gave a psychological perspective on religion and I agree it makes sense that Jesus, Mohammad, Moses and Buddha had psychological issues they dealt with in different ways depending on their personality [flaws]. I mean we all face problems don't we. We even commit suicide. Yet Moses, Jesus, Mohammad started hearing voices (delusional?) and the Buddha ran away into the jungle. These people, in a psychiatrist's eyes, were unable to cope with reality and tried to escape into their own private worlds of ''salvation'' and ''nirvana''. A ''normal'' person doesn't do that. They suffer but don't resort to escapism no matter how pleasant their fantasies.
  • unenlightened
    8.7k
    If it's not worth discussing for youpbxman

    It is worth discussing, briefly, what is and what is not worth discussing. Thus Buddha's noble silence does not involve him not saying anything.
  • Harry Hindu
    4.9k
    This species is using an holographic or virtual AI computer reality on us whose purpose is to produce some sort of “vital energy” (prana, chi, reiki...) through human suffering.
    How does this species know that they aren't part of some simulation themselves? What would a real world be like vs a digital world?

    Another wild hypothesis is that we aren't the end of the evolutionary tree. As a matter of fact, humans are merely natural selections way of evolving computer/robots as the final branch on the tree. Organic life is inefficient in it's energy conversion and emotional which limits it's mental evolution. Machine life is the "purpose" of this reality where organic life is just a means to that end.
  • pbxman
    39

    The point of the question is not the simulation hypothesis or how many simulations can be on top of one another. The point is that you could create a religion and create your own sect out of any existential theory that cannot be proven nor disproved. Eg. "Karma, Sansara, Reptilians, God, Alien Species etc" taking advantage of the human weaknesses in the mind such dealing with ignorance or purpose in life. Nevertheless people stick to "tradition" most likely for another human weakness in the mind which tend to believe in tradition which is "if that worked for a guy who lived 25 centuries ago It can also worked for me".

    Even the most intellectual religions have flaws then again their followers don't want to see them.
  • pbxman
    39

    You got it right. The thing is that those flaws i'm talking about are experienced by everybody to a certain degree. Ignorance for instance (everybody wonders what happens after you die) you can take it with panic and obsession or you can take it as a fascinating mystery.
    Religions prepare you psychologically for those moments using existential theories that cannot be proven and promises that cannot be fulfilled then again people "need to believe" for psychological reasons.
    Those dogmas can shape your mind all your life if you don't ponder on them or don't want to because
    another flaw in the mind is self-deception because most people want to believe in something good. A god of love or a Karma that brings justice then again nobody really knows what the architect of existence(god) if exists has in mind. There could be robots, AI, a Matrix program called "Facebook" (the guy looks quite robotic), reptilians or master Jesus or just nothing at all.
    They all have the same chances but religions based on aliens or artificial intelligence seem to suit more the times we are going through then again people tend to choose tradition perhaps for another flaw in mind which is the difficulty the mind has to create new habits and break patterns or to overcome cognitive dissonance or because it's easier just to imitate than to create your own thing and look for the truth.
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    Since we're talking of flaws here, what is a flawless human being?

    One truth can't be denied - the truth of duality in nature. Every word has an antonym and every thesis has an antithesis. The spectrum between two opposites is where normalcy seems to lie. We shouldn't be spendthrifts, nor should we be stingy. There is such a thing as kidness but we need to be careful not to be over-generous. You get the picture.

    So, being normal is a balancing act between extremes. I think Aristotle called it the golden mean. The Buddha called it the middle path. I'd just like to point out that Buddhism seems to make the most sense. I don't know if it's a religion because some say it's a philosophy well-grounded in rational arguments; one of which I just referred to above. I think the golden mean applies to psychology too. We don't want to be mad but we don't want to be dumb too.

    How far can we take the way of the middle path? Is it always applicable, in all situations? That's a question I'd like to ask you.
  • pbxman
    39
    Since we're talking of flaws here, what is a flawless human being

    That's a good point but at least some people have that knowledge and it's aware of that. The human mind is not perfect and some people can take advantage of that.

    Perhaps that's what Buddhism is about and philosophy is about. It's about getting a higher level of awareness and consciousness through wisdom and the pursuit of truth.

    Many intellectual disciplines(Buddhism, Jnana Yoga, etc. advise you not to obsess with ideas nor attach to them because it's not good for the mind. Thinking is good but not overthinking then again according to some Buddhist literature Buddha almost starved himself to death during his ascetic period and was determined not to leave the Bodhi tree until he attained Enlightenment (how middle way is that?). Kalama Sutta tells you to be intellectual then again a great deal of Buddhism is based on faith or subjective experiences whose nature is impossible to double-check.

    I'm personally following the middle way myself and exploring new options in there for my own existential journey, perhaps just I will eventually get tired of it who knows...
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    One thing I want to point out about Buddhism is that by seeking eternal bliss/nirvana it ignores or contradicts its central methodology - the middle path. If the middle path is similar to Aristotle's golden mean then we shouldn't be seeking nirvana because that's the extreme end of our emotional range. Odd isn't it, that the middle path leads to an extremity? So, it seems there's a contradiction in Buddhism. Comments...
  • Jacob-B
    97
    Compared to the Reptilian Consplirasive narrative, the world of Harry Potter appears as
    a model of coherence and rationality!
  • pbxman
    39

    Not really. The RCT is nothing but a new version of what the Christian Gnostics believed centuries ago then again the believe itself its not as relevant as why would people believe it and how that believe affects the mind, conduct and actions of the believer.
    The RCT apart from suffering focuses on Knowledge and how sadistic it would be to reincarnate again losing it as opposed to Tibetan Buddhism in which it's just a natural way of existence.
  • praxis
    6.2k
    I think religions and systems of believes just take advantage of weaknesses in the human mind.pbxman

    Religions or belief systems tend to bind groups with common values and goals together so they can function more cooperatively. Within the group this is generally a strength and not a weakness.
  • pbxman
    39
    Yeah until you find a group of people who holds different values as yours or you don't like the way they praise God. Look at history and wars. Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.
    Sometimes is hard to live your life without unicorns then again it's nice not to be enslaved by them. To some "Truth" is the only religion worth following.
  • praxis
    6.2k
    I think it's uselessly simplistic to pin wars in history on religion. Indeed belief systems that bond and unify groups with common values and interests don't need to be based in religion. Look at the phenomena of president Trump, for example. He captured the loyalty of a minority of US citizens and won the election, because he utilized what you've described as a "weakness" and used it to his advantage. For the loyal Trump supporter, upholding one of Trumps lies is a show of solidarity with the group. The group matters more than the "Truth" because a unified group has power, or rather, has the momentum and will to take power in a democracy.
bold
italic
underline
strike
code
quote
ulist
image
url
mention
reveal
youtube
tweet
Add a Comment

Welcome to The Philosophy Forum!

Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.