>> what is true don't need any  proof. .....
>jean-claude
>
>
>Errrr...
>
>Well the problem is that the human mind is so flexible. I know people who
>will swear blind that Homeopathy works, it is to them a self-evident truth.
>Now I know that Homeopathy only works as a placaebo it is to me a
>self-evident truth. Is my opinion any more or less valid than theirs?

No both are relative truths and both valid  . As long you believe that
you
can aprehend truth thru the discriminating mind ( judgements )  you
will
deny yourself the experience of  absolute truth .( the truth that can
encompasse all relative truths.)
At least you agree with the supporters of homeopathy ,it works (
placebo or
not )
>
>Thousands of years ago Indians Knew that we lived on a planet that revolved
>around a star and that there were many such stars in the universe - it was
>to them a self evident truth. Egyptions knew that the earth was the center
>of the universe and the everything revolved around the earth (a
self-evident
>truth) - therefore as rulers of the earth they were the supreme beings of
>the universe.

both vision,  interpretation of the movements of the planets are
relatively
true .
( a movement is defined allways in relationship with a fixed point  or
a
constante of some sort.)
both  propositions ( the sun or the earth is the fixed point) , are
certainly false or  better said  incomplete . They are still only
relative
truths.  wait a little  more and Copernic definition will be
questionned
 if it is not allready  done )

>
>I was walking along a bush path and I knew that there was a thin stick on
>the way. As I stepped over that stick I knew it was actually a snake as it
>bit me. Guess I should have looked for some proof - my heart would be more
>healthy now.

from what i get from your experience it seems that you knew all along
that
it was a snake but your discriminative mind didn't trust it and was
waiting
for a proof coming from the interpretation center of your senses.
It happen to me very often that i know that i should not do something
before and while i am doing it,  because,  from my conscious
observations
nothing seems to warn be . Once the proof come it is too late.( i got
my
finger underneath the hammer ,to give an exemple)

>If you think that you can do whatever your mind tells you then not only are
>you foolish but you are arrogent. On the other hand if you are not guided by
>your intuition then not only are you foolish but you are dangerous.

i think we agree totally ! the discriminating mind makes judgements
and act
from it unknowingly compromising the health , harmony and wholeness of
the
universes ( from the cells to the ozone layer of the earth.)
intuition or instinct act  from the experience of the senses without
the
interpretations of the discriminating mind ( who want to classify,
analyse,
compare ,  makes associations based on past experiences , who give
values to
observations etc...)

The dangerousness comes from thinking that we can fix problems created
by
the discriminative mind with more discriminative thinking .
Einstein said something about that .< we cant resolve problems with
the same
way of thinking that created them in the first place.
Scientists are getting out of hand . First  the applications of Liebig
view
on plant nourishment,  with  chemical agriculture created so much an
unhealthy situation that the need to create new species arise as the
solution ( genetic engineering)
endless quest to know the truth bring us to less and less
understanding of
the whole .

>
>We are not animals - humans have the power of discrimination, to carefully
>weigh up the circumstances and choose right or wrong action. It is our
>choice to use it or not. It is our responsibility to use it and our
>irresponsibility not to.

I heard tonigh ,someone saying :< i am not allways right but i am
never
wrong.>

In absolute term nothing that happens is ever wrong ( it happens
because of
various circonstances and it is the NECESSARY outcome).
the need to morally choose between right and wrong is useless ,  when
you
now that .
In other words ,if you need to choose between right and wrong you
allready
certainly chosen wrongly and you know it.
Guilt is the trap and is the alibi to continue to do the wrong things

>I guess that I have been wrong so many times in my life that I no longer
>trust my fantasies to guide me. Maybe if I lived like an animal, in a
>temperate forest, with ample natural foods I would be able to not worry
>about it.

you can do that right now ,just stop the fantaisies of the
discriminative
mind.
If you let go totally of the idea of being right about anything  you
will
never  be wrong but happy.

>Dont get me wrong , to me a vegetarian raw food diet is "almost" a
>self-evident truth. But I have been wrong before and would like to be a
>little more certain.

self evident or self imposed ?  by judgements.

jean-claude

>
>Regards
>matthew