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Replying to theophile in post #101]
Mind and spirit do have different attributes. By way of definition,
Matter = ephemeral material; raw energy even
Mind = consciousness most basically, but also related capabilities like reason, emotion, etc. It has energy and is itself a form of energy, and as such is inseparable from matter (like light from a lightbulb).
Spirit = a non-material being. It has no energy in itself or material that can be measured. It can manifest in and through mind and matter (this is true), but it also has a completely separate non-material existence. (Think something as basic as the number one here, which has a similar non-material existence. Or justice. Are these not things in their own right?)
There is no necessity which requires the existence of any non-material "thing".
Look at your examples. What they are - are simply ideas to describe real things...as in "1" doesn't exist as a "thing" and only exist as an idea of a thing - such as one
universe. Same with "justice" - it exists as a symbol which is descriptive of a type of action.
If spirit describes any type of attitude, and attitude describes a thing (action) then both words mean the same thing.
So when one says "One God" it is speaking of an overall source creator - which is recognized as the mindfulness/consciousness in all things - so has many "parts" just as the universe is one universe with many parts.
Or, take your example of non material justice. If justice did not exist as a real thing, then one could say "there is no such thing as justice." Not "Justice exists as a non-material thing, even though there is no evidence of it existing as a thing."
This is what makes spirit eternal, while mind is not.
This is contrary to the understanding that the Source Creator is mindful and suggests that it is not eternal, whereas you are also arguing that ideas (like "1" and "justice" and "spirit") are.
But where do such concepts come from, if not from mindfulness?
This is what makes spirit eternal, while mind is not. I would also argue more objective, while mind is by nature individualistic and subjective. (Matter is objective as well, like spirit, but in a much more measurable way.)
All things are matter and there is no such thing as non-material. Matter is eternal. Matter organized onto functional forms is temporal (functional forms are temporal but the stuff they are made of is not). Functional form is objective but can mindfully be experienced subjectively. Mindfulness is always subjective.
So how are they not separate substances in your view?
There is no separation that is real. You and I are able to experience each other as separate from our own sense of self, because of the design of the functional form we are currently experiencing, but quintessentially, we are of the same breath - of the One God/Source Creator...essentially we are the Source Creator experience being the human beings we are experiencing being.
Or is your point more that the spirit realm I'm talking about simply doesn't exist?
According to many reports there appears to be a "Realm/Realms" that people experience after the death of their body. This is often referred to in supernaturalist terminology as "sprit", but the BNP sees every experience as "of the mind/experienced mindfully" - specifically everything which can mindfully be experienced is of The Mind of The Source Creator. There is no mind outside of said mind. What we refer to as the physical realm (this universe) is within the mind of the Source Creator.
And you'd rather just harmonize it all by positing a single, eternal being?
The idea isn't new. It makes sense, and often the disharmony we experience as humans can be traced to a lack of this fundamental knowledge. This concept dovetails with what I wrote above and have used
blue font for easier referrence.
Yes, but what you provided was more a thesis than full argument.
It is just a summary, which is all I said it was. Something which can be easily read and understood.
I am working on expanding the concept with points, but as an initial broadcast, the summary is adequate enough for our purpose in this moment.
I still don't see why there needs to be an Source Mind, or what this really is or does in your view besides being one eternal being of mind and matter.
I have been working on a more comprehensive description of the main points re this Natural Philosophy. It is still a work in progress, but
I have posted what I have done so far, and therein you will find the answer to that question.