billcoe Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 This has to be a better topic than a Politics and Climbing discussion. Except maybe not. Quote
skykilo Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 Alpinism is the one true path. Escalate your eschatology. Quote
XXX Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 (edited) John Muir once said "I would rather be in the mountains thinking about God, then in church thinking about the mountains" I actually think God and climbing is an excellent combination for me. When I am in the mountains I feel closer to God. I enjoy basking in his creation while I ponder the meaning of life and what a huge beautiful amazing world we live in. Pretty much every religious tradition has some connection between nature and God. Afterall Moses went up Sinai, John the baptist went to the wilderness. For me nature is one of God's ultimate tools for reaching humans. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20 Edited August 27, 2007 by XXX Quote
bstach Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 Jesus climbed the Mount of Olives. Interestingly, Jesus and John the Baptist were both liberals in their day. Or at least reformers that railed against the religious legalism and hypocrisy of the establishment. Quote
kevbone Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 I feel close to God when I am about to die. Quote
Adam13 Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 lol I agree I coulnt imagine many better ways to get into touch with god than bein stuck on a mountain with no way down in hurricane winds Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 (edited) After climbing a billion peaks the luster of just being up there kind of wears off. Especially if you can name every peak you see and have climbed half of them. I remember standing on peaks and marveling at the views, but that even gets old. Then there is really no difference between the pretty view and sitting in your living room. Not that I don't enjoy it still, but the spirituality of it, I think, lies in the mystery of what you see. When that mystery is gone (and when you notice the smog on the horizon), all you see is lifeless rocks and clearcuts. Sometimes when I'm in the mountains I feel rather ungratified. I miss my family. It sometimes seems rather materialistic. Like there is no difference between some hick obsessing over his jacked up blazer or me obsessing over this mountain. Same thing really. At first the mountains seem like they can fill some void in your life, but after you've done it, you realize you have to fill the voids from the inside out. No pile of dead rocks can ever do that. I still find myself in the mountains, but not for the same reasons. now I just go because I miss them. Kind of like that annoying best friend. Edited August 27, 2007 by Bill_Simpkins Quote
rob Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 When I'm in the mountains, there is no god. There is only me. That's the way I like it. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 When I'm in the mountains, there is no god. There is only me. That's the way I like it. There's also black flies. Does that make you Lord of the Flies? Quote
geoff Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 (edited) Never thought about it much until one night I found myself camped out on a fairly decent sized ledge about 300 ft up a wall not too far from town. It already had another group planning to stay but there was plenty of room for both of us. Anyhow, late at night one of the guys from the other party informed me that the world was coming to an end. Well, what isn't? But, he meant soon. At any rate, I just inquired as to whether or not he thought it would happen tonight- on the ledge. I selpt easier when he said it was still a few years off. Edited August 27, 2007 by geoff Quote
G-spotter Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 The world ended about 50 years ago. No one noticed. "It's already after the end of the world. Don't you know that?" - Sun Ra Quote
Spencer Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 All this talk....Politics Religion, it would be like climbing with Ned Flanders and Rush Limbaugh...... hmmmm can we do drugs and climbing next? Quote
ken4ord Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 Climbing is as close as I get to practing any type of religion. Quote
phillygoat Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 I feel close to God when I am about to die. Like... two feet above a bolt? Quote
Bug Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 .........Then there is really no difference between the pretty view and sitting in your living room. ............Sometimes when I'm in the mountains I feel rather ungratified. I miss my family. It sometimes seems rather materialistic. Like there is no difference between some hick obsessing over his jacked up blazer or me obsessing over this mountain. Same thing really. At first the mountains seem like they can fill some void in your life, but after you've done it, you realize you have to fill the voids from the inside out. No pile of dead rocks can ever do that. I still find myself in the mountains, but not for the same reasons. now I just go because I miss them. Kind of like that annoying best friend. Wow. Your pipe has been empty for too long. Quote
EWolfe Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 Soloing does it for me. I am locked to the Earth with no safety net. Everything else falls away, leaving ecstasy and terror reminiscent of the Inquisition - but different. Lots of soloing this year: Tuolumne, Lovers Leap....TR to follow Quote
pink Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 Never thought about it much until one night I found myself camped out on a fairly decent sized ledge about 300 ft up a wall not too far from town. It already had another group planning to stay but there was plenty of room for both of us. Anyhow, late at night one of the guys from the other party informed me that the world was coming to an end. Well, what isn't? But, he meant soon. At any rate, I just inquired as to whether or not he thought it would happen tonight- on the ledge. I selpt easier when he said it was still a few years off. you know opdyke to Quote
pink Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 I feel close to God when I am about to die. Like... two feet above a bolt? whatever stick clip boy Quote
phillygoat Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 I feel close to God when I am about to die. Like... two feet above a bolt? whatever stick clip boy Awwww, did you have ANOTHER bad day at work while I was out climbing? Quote
phillygoat Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 (in a quiet, sheepish voice) ...sport routes... But it's part of the training for the Grand Wall next month- if that helps put me within your good graces. You know how I CRAVE your approval, oh mysterious pink! Quote
XXX Posted August 28, 2007 Posted August 28, 2007 When I'm in the mountains, there is no god. There is only me. That's the way I like it. Quote
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