The GOD PARADOX - Brian Muraresku & Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong OBE FRSL (born 14 November 1944) is a British author and commentator of Irish Catholic descent known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and majored in English. She left the convent in 1969. Her work focuses on commonalities of the major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule.

Brian C. Muraresku is the New York Times Best Selling author of "The Immortality Key: the Secret History of the Religion with No Name". Alumnus of Brown University and Georgetown Law. He was recently on the Joe Rogan Podcast with Graham Hancock (episode 1543) and Lex Fridman Podcast (episode 211).

The Immortality Key is a look into the psychedelic origins of the world's great spiritual practices and what those might mean for how we view ourselves and the world around us.

The Immortality Key is Muraresku's debut book. In 2020, it became a New York Times bestseller. Audible named it "Best of 2020" in the History category.

This video also features a clip from Joseph Campbell - "The Power of Myth" ep.6
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[AfterSkool]

Spirituality is full of paradoxes. The more you detach from your conditioning and the material world, the more connected you feel to everything. The more you try to define God, the more you misunderstand God. The more you look inward, the more you see outward. The more you let go, the more comes to you. The less you desire, the more you gain. The more you suffer, the more you grow. Suffering is unbearable, but it's all perfect. In order to live, one has to die.

“I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.” - Rumi

Huge thank you to Brian Muraresku for putting this thought-provoking presentation together. He is an extraordinary explorer, researcher, teacher and friend. His book, "The Immortality Key" is phenomenal.

[tadradagast]

"It's all perfect, in its unbearable imperfection", beautiful.

[aakkii]

Right now, someone is grateful for the impact you've had on them . Someone is staring at your soul - filled art in their homes and tearing up at the magic your hands created . Someone is reading your heartfelt words and feeling less alone in this world . Someone is laughing uncontrollably at the memories you share . Someone is remembering the kindness of a stranger and praying that you are healthy and whole . Someone is blessed to have known you, to have felt your love in its entirety even if it was for a brief moment in time . Someone is in awe of you and the imprint you leave on the world . Someone is inspired by your courage and strength and using it as a catalyst to dig into their own hearts, their own healing . Right now, someone out there is thankful that you exist 🙏🏻❤️

[aakkii]

Just in case no one has told you lately, I'm proud of you ❤️For moving through the mess no matter how hard it is at times . For building resilience and strength every single time you get back up after a long and treacherous fall . For getting up every day despite the heaviness that has settled into your heart . For having the courage to persevere through the storm . For holding on to the hope that something better is awaiting you on the other side of the mountain . For continuing to cradle that hope when everything around around you is unknown . That takes strength, bravery, courage, & that is something worth being proud of ❤️👑

[Jadenshade]

I wrote a book called G.O.D. about this topic. I was exploring the nature of mental illness as it relates to religion, and called the root illness a "logical paradox." This logical paradox is the conscious mind trying to reconcile being separate from God instead of an extension of God experiencing reality subjectively through our ego. We all know this when we are born, but we spend our whole lives trying to remember this simple fact. Cheers.

[TalkingtoMayaself]

Maya's mom here; Everyone wants peace in our world! Yes and an Honesty in our government!!!

[dolf]

GOOD STUFF!!! Thank you for not dragging your feet. A Ton of Info in a few minutes. Great job!

[isaklytting]

These drawings make me so happy! They are so evocative and inspiring! I especially loved the panorama of all the globe's ancient religions at 4:47. This image made me remember how I used to love thinking about ancient religions and philosophies, and how happy it used to make me to just let my mind wander in the images that came to my mind. Thank you to the wonderful artist and to Brian Muraresku.

[thecurlyafro]

Just listening to this made me cry. Not tears of sadness but i guess of Joy.

[PKWeaver]

I experienced this feeling so strongly during an LSD trip, I was an atheist before that trip, I felt an indescribable feeling that made me aware there was something spiritual in every living thing including me, I communed with the garden in which I was sitting.
It changed me.

[taylordatsmetaylordatsme]

I was moved to tears, in awe of the great wholeness that has been at hand for so many thousands of years. Great share ❤

[ohmyheartstillwild]

Amazing and touching. The only thing missing from the discussion is how to deal with the ego, which in turn has enough material for several videos. The ego is accumulated pain, and to become empty and open to the moment, we need to process emotions consciously. That is the end of greed and apathy: and the self love that inner work brings is the love for the world. You cant love the world and other people if you dont love yourself.
True self love brings on the true divine bliss!
And it awakens the need to serve others from purity.

[IgorS]

Those drawings have such a strong message. Love the one with trust science 💰!

I am not religious and never have been. But since a good trip on mushrooms I have met the spiritual world. I was laying in the grass and was one with the nature (even have had an ego death). It showed me visually and mentally how everything is connected with eachother. I learned so much after that.

For example how mycelium connect everything and let the trees communicate
I learned more about spirituality (thanks to this channel as well) but there is so much more to explore!
Microdosing helped me alot in tough times.

For me, it doesn't matter if or what god you believe in. As long as it unite eachother and don't hold you or someone else down. But unfortunately we have a lot of religion related wars and people who can't love the same gender...

Let yourself and someone else be. And give love if you want to receive it.

[samglazier]

This wins my all time favourite post. Thank you so much x❤

[jesknox]

Like it or not Afterskool you are doing God's Work. Thank you for bringing people together to connect the divine dots

[honorahs.]

Beautiful! Thank you Brian and After Skool for your work, videos, etc. I am so glad I came across Brian‘s book The Immortality Key. Which led me to read Reality, etc and now I will enjoy reading Sacred Nature. ❤ Many blessings to all.

[deignwin]

0:49 "strange as it sounds, the fate of the planet could very well depend on our definition of God." No, my friend, that does not sound strange. That makes more sense than anything else I've heard today. This channel may save YouTube, keep up the amazing work.

[manrajmudan]

Thanks as always Afterskool 🙌🏾🙏🏾 you are the online spiritual guide, we never knew we needed ❤

[Peejiurn]

It’s good to see all the content in the video. Most of the time I just feel alone. Of course at the root of it all (energy wise) I know I’m not. But on a human level I receive zero connection on a daily basis. Even a 16min utube vid w the right stuff is a breath of fresh air for a suffocating soul…✌🏼

[yeahTHATLarry]

Bless you all for creating this vid. It's important. I love you.