I think you should be careful about writing things like that on an internet site where people are very open to suggestion. This could trigger a post-hypnotic suggestion in someone to suicide.

and:

I don't agree with that. Everything in the world is not merely a symbol, everthing can be thought about as a symbol, but that doesn't make it intrinsically a symbol. If everything were a symbol I'd have to ask: what are they symbols of and who are the symbols for? True you can look at a newborn baby as a symbol of new life, the lifeforce renewing itself, or you can look at it as a new born being with consciousness and lifeforce that exists independently of symbolism.-lala

"As guests, my friends and I entered this house, yet you provided no footbath to wash our feet.  But she has washed my feet with her tears,  and she has dried them with the hair of her head.  Therefore, I say that her sins are forgiven, for to those who know love, all is forgiven; but to those who love little, little is forgiven."

I also forgive myself for some of my past actions, its karma, and I move on, its between me and the Creative Great Spirit of God.

I see much pain and suffering in this world (and I am one these), yet, somehow, in someway, I feel there is a reason and it is to learn what life on a free will planet is like.  The nuetral forces, the STO, and the STS forces all interacting.

I  hope when I die to travel to the spiritual angelic realm(s) and take a break from the dense physical material world.  A place where I can do accurate research into the true history of humankind and the reasons for all the suffering and inequality.

I am the art.
I Am what I see.
I Am what I do.
I reveal to you,
You.
A beautful thing, ugly
A beautiful place, forgotten
You
I forgive;
And forget the past;
Kindness is who you are
Behind the mask;
I see you!
In me

~~carefulcarpenter

If you look at the world as your creation: it is art; it is a process; it is growing and changing; it just is.  What is it that you have created? Is it art--with all the tragedies and trials? Can you forgive all that is for showing its true nature--your reflection?

What do you see?

"When you begin to see a subtle revealing of the qualities in yourself that resemble those uncomfortable and denied characteristics that you saw in your parents: forgive yourself, and hug a kid"
~~carefulcarpenter

...but like there is just too much emptiness and insanity and inanity for this place to really exist.

I think I can see what you mean when you say that there is "emptiness," but...I don't know...I just think that there is so much that's wonderful and fulfilling in this world, too.  It is empty and insane and inane, but to me, it's also brimming with joy-of-life and sobriety and meaning.

This reality, to me, is a mixed bag.  I've heard of people having transcendental experiences of swimming in the great golden goo of God, returning to Source, and I think that's possible, but human love isn't anything to scoff at.  It is transcendental and ecstatic and awesome.  True friendship, only earlier this morning, made me weep with happiness. 

That people are suffering I can't argue, and I don't ignore it.  I know that, as we speak, that men are being shot like mangy dogs and that babies are being thrown into ditches.  It hurts me when I dwell on it.  But even in the worst street-block in the world right now there is probably somebody smiling.

...Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.  There are a lot of people here who are not separate from God at all.

Your so right about the answers are within us.
How anyone would think they would find these in the "insane" external world, happens, it happened to me but it is like looking for a kind word from a swear box .
Looking at the World with all its hate and disaster is one of the factors that lead us to realise something is not right here.

Forgiveness is the first step forward to freedom.

Excellent advise!

I wouldn't worry too much about your child, enjoy the early years as pure parental love and interaction with the young un but as you are the parent, I am sure you will be able to gently lead your child in the right direction, even if all you do is help your child to question the world.

I agree with most everything you said apart from the last paragraph.
Without sounding too preachy, I hope, I would not close the door on any possibility just yet.
Try not to think of every little thing, every conspiracy theory.
Allow the mind to rest and just be you, look at the bigger picture.
Is there something wrong here, most deffinitely yes.
Is it a brotherhood or alien plot or brotherhood/alien plot,is there a hidden agenda, are we in some kind of trap or proving ground?
Who can say for sure, all you know is the more you are able to willingly and easily forgive , the less you worry about yourself and think of others, the more you abstain from temporal feel good influences with guilt-ridden after effects, the more you realise that most you have been taught is crap, that true science and spirituallity are quite different to what we know, light-years apart, the better you feel and if you do, then there is a reason for this.
The truth is showing  the way and your awareness will grow and manifest itself to you.
Killing the ego,  does seem to be of paramount importance to our progression.
It does not kill the "I" but only the "me, me,me".

Absolutely!

according to THE DISAPPEARANCE, this world was made when we (all of us because we are all one, and at the same time part of god) believed that we were separate from each other and from god.  we took this mad idea seriously and the script was written that we are living today.  the ego was born and believes that IT is in control and that IT is the most important thing.  that we have to live in fear, like the news program tells us.  that there is always someone behind us, waiting to steal from us and/or kills us.  that there is all this separation between everyone and that we are all different and that some of us are enemies.
so to correct this idea, we have to forgive IT and everything else.  silently and all the time.  forgive that guy who cut you off in traffic.  forgive that person who insists they are "right".  forgive your self for forgetting the truth.  forgive.  forgive.  forgive some more.

sounds daffy, right?  it did to me.  i understood it is a way to brainwash your self into not reacting and to train your mind to not react to anything.  but then i read it as a form of buddhist "non-judgement", especially when the line arose "would you rather be right or happy?".  well, of course, i'd rather be happy.  who is to say who is "right"?  it all depends on what side of the fence you're on.
terrorist. 
freedom fighter.
of course that's an extreme example, but you dig what i'm saying.
so i forgot about forgiving and put the book aside and continued reading psychology and philosophy books.  that made me even more confused;  the philosophists were explaining how they saw the world.  the psych's look at the human mind from a scientific pov and if they want to prove something, they will.  if they want to disprove something, they can do that too.  they have to.  it's their chosen profession.
now i'm back to forgiving.  mind training?  brainwashing?  well, isn't everything brain-washing?  aren't all writers of non-fiction trying to sway you to their side, to sell books, to impart "knowledge"?   and aren't the widely accepted acts of prayer and meditation also a form of mind training? 

it seems to me that it can't be a bad thing to not want to be on the attack all the time.  however, forgiveness, true forgiveness isn't about being a doormat or not defending your self if you are in danger.  it's in your best interest to continue to live and to forgive.
or if that doesn't work for you, why not just try to be less judgemental and nicer to others?
in this age of the internet, anyone can say anything under a false name and be rude, derogatory, just plain mean and cruel.  for no other reason than that they can.  free speech and all that.  but what does that accomplish? 
do you feel better about your self for pointing out someone's shortcomings or the fact that they might not be as "smart" as you are?
i have friends like this.   but i accept it and don't take it personally.
and i forgive.  but i don't have to tell them that i forgive them.  that's between me and the great spirit (god, jesus, holy spirit, source, oneness, whatever you want to call it).  and when they are ready they will do the same.
i'm just tired of the aggressive, sarcastic, obnoxious, rude, disrepectful, mean-spirited, dumb and selfish behavior that has become accepted as the norm and is all that you see portrayed in mainstream movies and TV programs.  it's no wonder people act that way.    maybe it's just chicago and parts of the united states.  maybe it's the so-called civilized world.  i don't know.
i have a child on the way, and i don't want him or her to grow up like that; in a world where being kind and compassionate is seen as weakness. 
where being ignorant of other people's cultures is accepted. 
where being ignorant of personal responsibility is the norm.

it makes me sad to think of how closed off we are at a time when everyone could have everything they need to survive; but how there are so many that have so much and so many that have none. 
and to think of women and men slaughtering each other and even their own children, when there are so many people who would gladly welcom into their homes any child that is unwanted by it's parents.
i cannot subscribe to the conspiracy theories anymore, that there is a secret cabal controlling all that we do or say.  some organized group possibly not of this world that has us in their power, waiting for the time to strike and enslave all of humanity.
we are already under the control of the ego.  everytime we believe that there is something else other than god (or the source or whatever name you give it) that is the ego control.  it's not aliens implanting and abducting.  it's not the government kidnapping and brain washing.  it's not demons possessing.  those are all symbols for the ego and what it does.  everything in this world is a symbol.  everything is the ego insisting that there is separation; hot/cold, on/off, light/dark, good/evil, et cetera...
i don't know if jesus was really a man who became enlightened or if he existed at all.  i don't know what to believe about that.
maybe the buddha became enlightened in the same way, but not to the level that jesus did.  maybe all that "they" wrote, did happen.  maybe it didn't.  if we go on trying to prove and disprove every last idea and theory, we won't get anywhere.  if we continue to attack, we will continue being attacked.

peace and love to you all.
-ERT