Morning all. So excited to share this one with you today!
@assyriannahrin
10 ай бұрын
You missed one of the most important ancient wisdom The wisdoms of Akhiqar the wise 😢
@NotNecessarily-ip4vc
10 ай бұрын
Compare: Hebrews 11 Names of God Bible 3 Faith convinces us that God created the world through his word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen. and: Romans 1 Names of God Bible 25 These people have exchanged God’s truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly and serve what is created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen! with: Genesis 2 Names of God Bible 2 Heaven and earth and everything in them were finished. 2 By the seventh day ELOHIM had finished the work he had been doing. On the seventh day he stopped the work he had been doing. 3 Then ELOHIM blessed the seventh day and set it apart as holy, because on that day he stopped all his work of creation. The Creation of Man and Woman 4 This is the account of heaven and earth when they were created, at the time when YAHWEH ELOHIM made earth and heaven. What is the difference between created and made? The difference between something being created and something being made is that when something is created it is brought into existence out of nothing. But, when something is made it has been formed out of something else that already exists.
@CheknoEternity
10 ай бұрын
@@NotNecessarily-ip4vc The theory that all the matter and energy in the universe was, at one time, condensed into a single infinitely small point. Then about 14.5 billion years ago it suddenly exploded and began expanding at an incredibly rapid rate. Over time, the universe continued to expand and cool eventually forming galaxies, stars, planets, and life. It's still expanding and cooling to this day, in fact the rate of expansion is increasing rather than decreasing as one might intuitively think. The universe is constantly expanding. This was an important discovery made by Hubble that forever changed our understanding of the universe. He showed that there is a direct relationship between the speeds of galaxies and their distance from Earth. That doesn't mean Earth is at the center of the Universe, it's just that this relationship is defined relative to Earth. If we were on the Moon, everything would be moving away relative to the Moon. So since we know the universe is expanding, that means that it was smaller yesterday. And even smaller last year. And even smaller 100 years ago. Smaller 1 million years ago. You get the idea. Current observations have concluded that the universe was the smallest possible physical size around 14 billion years ago. Beyond that, no one knows yet. From 14 billion years ago onward is what we call the Big Bang: the rapid expansion of the universe from a singularity. If the ignorance of nature gave birth to gods, the knowledge of nature is calculated to destroy them. When superstitious Bronze Age primitives invented God, they gave him every day single human character flaw they had, because they simply projected their own uneducated thoughts onto their imaginary God. Men created God in their own religion I believe man does not require a god to be moral. Religion divides more than it unites. It's untrue that atheists 'believe in nothing'. It does not take more faith to be an atheist. Religion is incompatible with science. Scripture is man-made and demonstrably false. God did not create man in his image, man created god in his.
@carlasmith9093
10 ай бұрын
@NotNecessarily-ip4vc not trying to be rude, but I think you might be the only person who cares about this here.
@thegametroll6264
10 ай бұрын
I loved that Greek philosopher who went out of his way to be anything but normal because he saw being normal and stepping in line as a curse.
@josephcollins6033
10 ай бұрын
Brandon, you don't really know me, but I am an extremely critical man; I've had to be so. I am not merely "blowing smoke" when I say that you would have been a WONDERFUL professor. The students would have adored you, and the faculty would have respected you. You ARE a professor now for us. This is fascinating and such a finely-sharpened tool for us to use when religious people attack us. I see and hear your passion when you have your classes for us. Please insist that friends and family are kind to you. Thanks, again, buddy.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
What a lovely compliment. Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment. Made my day.
@kamirose7816
10 ай бұрын
I so agree with you on this one!!!
@josephcollins6033
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-Brandon YAY!!!! What you have done and are doing are very difficult. We all support you!
@josephcollins6033
10 ай бұрын
@@kamirose7816 I think he is mighty special. And BRAVE.
@betzib8021
10 ай бұрын
So agree
@travis5181
10 ай бұрын
I consume a lot of atheist material on-line. This is, hands down, the calmest, most informative channel out there. Keep up the phenominal work Brandon.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
That is such an encouraging compliment. Thank you very much!
@calebmurrieta5626
5 ай бұрын
Same. The atheist experience is just a buncha yelling. I hate it most days.
@kayleeyates27
10 ай бұрын
As a woman in Texas, I was never given any of this information. Other religions were bad and not even worth looking into. At some point I thought there were only three religions and had no idea that any of these wonderful texts existed. So grateful for your wisdom and your conviction to share it❤
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
I too was raised in that binary good guys and bad guys and we were the only ones who had it right. Its so sad how we we’re purposely held back from the real world and better teaching!
@Cuffsmaster
10 ай бұрын
KayLee it sounds like Tennessee as well.
@mel3256
10 ай бұрын
That is an exact reason why public liberal arts colleges are so critical to support. Myself and numerous people learned about this stuff when we went to college. It literally changes lives. That's why the extremists are trying to destroy public education. Education is powerful
@kayleeyates27
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-Brandon yes!! It’s freeing learning the truth
@kayleeyates27
10 ай бұрын
@@mel3256 on the other foot of that, nativity and ignorance is also powerful and that’s why we have to do what we do. Even just sharing videos of literally CRASH COURSE! 😂 I’m trying to see how I could get more information like voting for local things out to the public easier with maybe a mass text thing.
@greg-op2jh
10 ай бұрын
Thank you for showing that other people existed with morals before the baby jesus. Thank you for sharing these books with us! Another awesome video.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
My absolute pleasure. Thanks, Greg!
@Grayraven777
10 ай бұрын
Bible study without the Bible, absolute genius, most enlightening episode yet!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thank you much!
@hamobu
10 ай бұрын
Even after I left Islam, I still assumed that the Quran is incredibly wise because that's what I have always been told. It wasn't until I heard someone say that they found Quran to be repetitive and boring, that it clicked in my mind that I have been brainwashed. Some of the texts you covered are so much more insightful and smart than anything in the Quran or Bible. Nobody is studying the Quran or Bible in the university philosophy or ethics courses.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Great point!
@billguthrie2218
10 ай бұрын
I was raised Christian and even studied to be a minister. Got a degree in Bible. Eventually realized it was all man made folklore. After leaving Christianity in 1992 when I was 33, i decided to read the Quran and other religious literature. I found it pretty repetitive and boring.. with a lot of absurd and horrific parts but I made it through the whole thing. . Last year, I decided to read through the Quran again. It was sooooooo boring and repetitive that I just couldn't even force myself to read past the first few chapters again. I guess my tolerance for empty vacuous boring repetitive nonsense has all but disappeared.
@hamobu
10 ай бұрын
@twistedblood234 Why are you quoting Hadith and not Quran? Shouldn't your best example come from the Quran?
@hamobu
10 ай бұрын
@twistedblood234 Seriously? The Quran and Hadith are equal? Lol! The Quran is supposed to be straight from God and is a central miracle in Islam. Hadith are sayings of prophet Muhammad as remembered by a chain of narration.
@TheMahayanist
10 ай бұрын
@@billguthrie2218It's way better in Arabic than English. Translations fail to capture the poetics of the Arabic. But that's not really your fault, most Muslims don't know Arabic either. But it is better in Arabic.
@mobius4860
10 ай бұрын
What an amazing channel on how to think critically and fair. I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian family, but I couldn't fully believe because a loving/forgiving God wouldn't sentence people to eternal suffering in hell. You said it perfectly, "it's unfair to sentence someone to infinite punishment for finite crimes". Thank you helping me give a name to the ideas that I had.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So glad to help vocalize! Thanks for the kind words!
@tam6912
10 ай бұрын
Was anyone else taught while growing up in church that it is lack of belief in Jesus as savior that sends a person to hell, not their crimes?
@brandbird
10 ай бұрын
Tao Te Ching is my favourite "spiritual guide" book, mostly because of its opening statement: "The Tao that can be described is not the eternal, unchanging Tao". For me this means that no matter how much we learn and study the Tao (existence, cosmos, universe, natural laws, whatever), how we describe it is just a description. There are always depths to fathom, and we should never think we finally understand everything. We might perfectly understand our description of the world and everything (Tao), but that is not how things actually are. There is nothing supernatural about it, it's just the way (pun intented) everything is.
@josephcollins6033
10 ай бұрын
Sunday School with Brandon!!
@duanethompson8770
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for bringing to my attention these outstanding books. Fascinating! Not all wise people, even in the ancient world, were Christians. Wisdom knows no geographical boundaries.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure, Duane!
@tercerocastero
10 ай бұрын
This makes me think of those "gotcha" interviews on the street on various topics. Would love to see a version where you read these quotes from various ancient wisdom then ask people if they know where in the bible it comes from. Would be a good way to show people the wisdom they think only comes from a god actually comes from mankind, the sad part how quickly we forget such wisdom or are completely ignorant of it in the 1st place.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love that! Would be fun for sure
@reneets5729
10 ай бұрын
My late grandma would have loved this video. Although my grandpa is a pretty lenient Catholic, especially with age, my grandma pushed against the religious beliefs of the rest of the family for so long, trying to find her own peace. She loved philosophy and topics like these. I wish she was still around because we would have had so much to talk about that other family members wouldn’t understand. Thank you, Brandon. This was very interesting and I might want to read some of these texts myself.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
I would have loved a grandma like this. Sounds like a great woman!
@reneets5729
10 ай бұрын
Me as well, because she passed when I was only 5. I got to read her journal a few years ago as well as my grandpa’s writings about her, which gave me a lot of insight. She would have found so much comfort had she lived to know so many people felt like she did!
@Moon-Marie
10 ай бұрын
@@reneets5729I wish I could’ve hugged your grandma!
@reneets5729
10 ай бұрын
Thank you for the kind sentiment ❤ @@Moon-Marie
@stevewebber707
10 ай бұрын
I love that Tao saying, "...the best leaders are never noticed." I could wish a few more modern politicians took that to heart. Even just a tiny bit. Not that it transforms perfectly well into a democratic system, but I think we're all tired of politicians expecting to be exalted, for doing the bare minimum of their responsibilities.
@nevvawinter7331
10 ай бұрын
The more I keep watching these videos the more I start to feel the weight move off my shoulders. Biblical teachings in childhood are why I developed serious protagonist syndrome. But I’m getting more comfortable with knowing “I’m not the main character”, but feel so free because “Just because I’m not ‘the main character’, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy and make the most of this life I’m living.” Very good stuff, Brandon.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thats so right! I had to follow the same progression when i got out. What a mind trap. So glad we are free to see the world as it really is now.
@stevenpike7857
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-Brandon Indeed. For where two or three gather in no one's name, serenity will be with them. (Bad joke) 😉
@omartorrio1512
10 ай бұрын
Having the weight lifted off of you is a good way to describe it. I spent so much time walking on egg shells, never feeling worthy, always feeling doomed to hell no matter how much I tried to abstain from sin. These teachings are so liberating and reassuring.
@MrCanis4
10 ай бұрын
Wisdom can be found in every culture. It is what you need to optimize your own well-being and that of the group you are part of.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Precisely
@ziploc2000
10 ай бұрын
It frustrates me that so many Republicans and evolution deniers think that "Survival of the Fittest" can only refer to being able to physically beat up your opponent. In human culture "the fittest" could be the person who has the most social connections, gained through emotional intelligence, i.e. wisdom.
@CharlesPayet
10 ай бұрын
Reading the Tao Te Ching, Bruce Lee, Thich Nhat Hahn, and others like them, as part of preparing for my 1st Dan test in Taekwondo, caused the first real cracks in my Christian faith around 25 years ago. I’m so grateful for my Master requiring such reading. It took another 5-6 years to leave Christianity, and 8ish years to realize I’m an atheist, but that’s where it all started.
@monoludico6166
6 ай бұрын
It's amazing to discover so much wisdom in pre-biblical works. Christians are so convinced that morals and wisdom can only come from their god! The authentic "Word of God" runs through our homo sapiens veins, no matter what culture/time we had born in.
@EluviumMC
10 ай бұрын
Scripture was always lauded to me as being something that could not have been man made. Thank you for some resources that show that the Bible is on par with if not substandard to other wisdom traditions of even thousands of years before it.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Exactly! Glad to show. Thanks!
@26beegee
10 ай бұрын
All I can say is, wow! You have left me speechless. If anyone does not value reading they should listen to your excellent teachings. You have an incredible amount of wisdom for such a young man, I’m sure your voracious reading has greatly contributed to your wide base of knowledge facilitating this gift. I try to take notes but, I can’t keep up with you even at a slower speed, so much information! I would pay for transcripts of your videos! Your children must be incredibly intellectually stimulated just being around you! Thank you so much! ❤️
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
You are simply too kind, Beegee. But thank you. Reading has been a major part of my life for decades. The saddest part is i had read most of these books as a believer and still couldn’t break free from my indoctrination. It was the mass amalgamation of them all that finally broke the camels back though.
@26beegee
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-Brandon You broke free many years before I did, I was about 60! Your children will benefit from your enlightenment even more than your audience! We are grateful, though!
@maggienewton8518
10 ай бұрын
Wonderful! I avoid getting into some religious discussions with some family members but one day my brother was insistent, claimed aggressively that all our morals come from religion - Judeo-Christian, of course, and that without that god formulating them, we'd have none. Yeah, thanks for insulting not only me, but your nieces and nephew as well. Just born bad, naughty, perpetual children with no ability or inclination to figure things out on their own. Homo Sapiens survived by having a genetically built in moral sense, to care for other members of the tribe, to share, not to lie (unless necessary for survival)...and on and on. I'm so tired of religions claiming our default setting is to be amoral or even immoral. This clip is...uplifting.
@Trigger-xw9gq
10 ай бұрын
“The Good Book” - one of the most remarkable euphemisms ever coined.
@FoursWithin
2 ай бұрын
"To act like its the only way to get wisdom is not very wise" 👍🌟❤️🙂↕️
@kerishannon775
10 ай бұрын
Hi Brandon! That was utterly amazing. Your best work yet. I thought I knew a good amount of philosophy from around the world, but this opened up a new doorway. I will be using this video for future reference.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Nothing makes me happier than passing on great thinkers and their works to others. Thank you kindly!
@mainaime2566
10 ай бұрын
“Something visually appealing besides myself”😹😹 didn’t miss that one Also I’m soooo glad for this video I needed one more activity to do over semester break anddd I’ll definitely be reading some of these
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Lol. And thanks! Hope you enjoy
@dougt7580
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for another great video Brandon. It's so bizarre to me that people will happily dismiss or ignore ancient holy book edicts on agriculture, health, personal grooming, but when it comes to 'morality', for some reason that's the ONE area they assume humans have made no progress in the millenia since. And even worse is their insistence that we need to remain shackled to the understanding of morality of the people who died not even understanding where the sun went tonight.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Yes! Exactly. This is a great point
@dougt7580
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-BrandonThanks Brandon! It just frustrates me so much when people tell me (using different words) that I need to be as ignorant and prejudiced as their ancestors.
@robertmoore2049
10 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing this with all of us, Brandon. In the recent years I’ve gone past the Bible to gain wisdom. I must admit I felt strange at first but as I went on, I felt more free, less guilty, to gain wisdom from other sources, ancient and modern. I started a “Quote Bible” in a spiral notebook. I divided these quotes by subject and by author. I’ve just started and it’s been a wonderful journey so far, and I’ve only begun! I’m no longer going on limit myself to any one source, whatever that source may be. I love Stoicism. It’s my favorite amongst all the others, but as I have said, it’s not the only one. Thank you once again, Brandon!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love that. I too have quote journals. Theres just too much goodness out there not to try and capture some.
@unknownx7252
10 ай бұрын
I know you said you have many, but do you have one that comes to mind more often than others?
@Jason-ep6pw
10 ай бұрын
Absolutely my favorite person to listen to. Its funny these books are also what brought me out of Christianity when my life hit rock bottom 30 years ago. Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, and many other eastern philosophies made me a better human than the the OT AND NT. My wife and I were talking about this same subject this morning and how we were raised Catholic and she thanks me for how my outlook on life has been for thr last 24 years we have been together. Once again Brandon keep doing what your doing, your approach is spot on.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thank you very much. Love that they had such an impact on you.
@rosepetal-ov7vl
10 ай бұрын
Love Lao Tzu!!
@zacharylehocki
10 ай бұрын
As someone who grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household its so enlightening to me to learn about other works of wisdom found outside the Bible, thanks so much for sharing this Brandon! And you where else wisdom outside the Bible can be found? by checking the notifications for this channel every week! I appreciate all you do Brandon.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So kind, thank you for that!
@DavidRichardson153
10 ай бұрын
I'm glad you included Aesop's Fables. It was always ones of those wisdom sources I turned to whenever I got one of those "What's more wise than the Bible" spiels (which I seem to be getting more of from my relatives as they increasingly go against what they claim the Bible says and ever more brazenly so). Funnily enough, the bulk of my exposure to the Fables came not from any sort of philosophy class - though I did get some from a couple of those classes - but from classic Rocky & Bullwinkle shorts. Those takes and expansions on those fables were my introduction into analyzing any supposed words of wisdom (one of my favorites was of the tortoise and the hare where the hare spent most of his life after the race upset over how he threw it).
@Kvothe3
10 ай бұрын
Epictitus is incredible. I have found it very helpful. I tend to boil it down to little quotes that help me focus. 1. Remember the dichotomy 2. Memento Mori 3. Amor Fati 4. Persist And Resist.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love those! I have Memento Mori on a necklace. Its such a good reminder.
@paulmichael7194
10 ай бұрын
I love the way you contrasted Jesus and Marcus. My takeaway: The commands of Jesus (of lowly standing),to all. Give me everything you have or else! The personal thoughts of Marcus (highest standing), live your best life and don’t be a jerk. What an amazing insight Brandon! Since my leaving fundi Christianity after 30 years, to agnostic atheism, a big shock was the reversal of roles of who the bad guys and good guys were. As simple and subjective that may seem on the surface, it is personally very deep and life changing.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
You nailed it. Thank you
@stacie1595
10 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing these additional sources of wisdom and for putting into perspective how the Bible is just one of many ancient mythical texts. I think this is such a gentle way of approaching those religious folks who insist the Bible is the only source of morality without diving into behavioral evolution.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Appreciate that Stacie! Thanks so much. Glad to have you here!
@karenmiller6088
10 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for taking the time to introduce us to this information. I hadn't a clue before now. And, now I want to read all those books you recommended. ❤ I can't thank you enough for all you do.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful! Helping others to see these things is pure joy to me. So thank you!
@pixel9548
10 ай бұрын
I'm taking notes as I watch and, as soon as I finish, I'm ordering these books! I love a good, big project!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love to hear it! Enjoy
@stevenhogenson4880
10 ай бұрын
Yet another excellent episode. It is SOOO refreshing to see someone SO well read and thoughtful as opposed to the narrow ignorant mindset so common amongst those who call themselves Christians. You knocked it out of the park again!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Super kind! Thank you very much, Steven
@TH3F4LC0Nx
10 ай бұрын
Interesting list, and ironic, because I literally just finished reading Meditations yesterday. Lot of eye-opening ponderances in there for sure. And, while it's far from ancient, I would also say that Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet has some really good stuff to offer. :)
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Loveee the prophet. I wanted to include it but yes to modern for this.
@wimsweden
10 ай бұрын
My favorite to show that Jesus is not original is the following quote from the "Counsels of Wisdom" (Babylonian wisdom literature written in Akkadian around 1500 BCE): "Do not return evil to your adversary; Requite with kindness the one who does evil to you, Maintain justice for your enemy, Be friendly to your enemy. [damaged lines] Give food to eat, beer to drink, Grant what is requested, provide for and treat with honor. At this one's god takes pleasure. It is pleasing to Shamash, who will repay him with favor. Do good things, be kind all your days."
@chriselias6340
23 күн бұрын
In this, there is a point that occurred to me. I've read the Enchiridion of Epictetus from cover to cover, and one of his points was respecting both the gods, and ones own place before them in obedience. The problem for an atheist to supplant religious texts with guidance such as these, is that the sages who wrote this advice were themselves predominantly theistic, and they considered the respect of the supernatural a core outworking part of much of their discourse. I see this in the Enchiridion and also in "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran's, where these themes feature quite heavily. So to truly make this a part of oneself, such a person would necessarily have to internalize the reality of and deference to some manner of supreme being as an integral part of character development. Or you could just read the ethics and reason of Kant.
@Djax111
10 ай бұрын
Im going to need to drop by for a visit to borrow your library for a bit 😂 What always kept me away from Christianity, especially living in the Bible belt, was knowing there was more compassionate works out there like Buddhistic or Taoist philosophies. For an "All Loving God" he never struck me as someone who understood us deeply like these other works. Thanks for the book recommendations!
@carlasmith9093
10 ай бұрын
Another excellent video. I was first made aware of the knowledge and wisdom in ancient texts outside of the bible when i was in my 1st or second year of college and taking a comparative religion course. Although my confidence in my belief that Christianity was special was shaken by the knowledge that so many of these ideas were around long before the hebrew bible or gospels were written, i somehow managed to convince myself that Christianity was somehow still special. Its only after removing the god goggles that i could accept ihat it really isn't. I don't consider myself a Buddhist, but I've found a lot of beneficial wisdom in the principles of secular Buddhism. And i didn't realize how old aesop's fables were, but it's ironic to me that out of all the books my very devout Christian father read, quoted, and encouraged me to read while raising me, the lessons he emphasized from aesops fables probably had a more lasting and practical influence on my moral development than anything from Proverbs. You cover such a broad range of examples (many of which i wasn't even aware of) in a relatively concise video. Hopefully it breaks through to people who need to hear it.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Oh man, i am with you big time, Carla.
@MateoVilhelmo
10 ай бұрын
Dude I want to check out your bookshelves so bad lol ADHD hyperfocal subjects for the win! 🤘
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Ha! Thanks so much! I am sure ill do a bookshelf tour at some point for an episode.
@MateoVilhelmo
10 ай бұрын
Awesome! I'm not sure if you're into old school occult literature but Arbatel (Joseph Peterson translation) is really cool. It includes the Latin text, so you get to learn how to read Latin as well :)
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Just looked it up! Thanks for the rec.
@aprilbryant8641
10 ай бұрын
I've already watched this video twice & gotta replay again 😂 TY
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Ha thanks so much, April. For some reason this is video flopped big time compared to my usual Sunday ones. So your double watch is much appreciated
@annaromanova1233
10 ай бұрын
Oh, man! This is going to be my favorite video of yours. Thank you for the guide into the world of ancient literature. The Chinese and Indian books were known to me, but there are so much more interesting texts. Love it ❤
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love to hear that! And theres so many more too even from these time periods but then the last 2000 years as well. Its amazing what man has been able to create. No gods required. Thanks for being here
@redraven_the
10 ай бұрын
I loved this episode! So many great thoughts about how to approach morality and life in general. Thank you for the plurality!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So glad to hear it. Thanks for watching!
@stevenpike7857
10 ай бұрын
It would easier to say where it can't be found. :) All cultures, both past and current, have fantastic sources of wisdom.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Excellent point. The cream really does rise. Eventually.
@TheMahayanist
10 ай бұрын
Hello @MindShift Brandon, I'm very glad you posted this as a fellow book nerd 🤓 A lot of people who leave Christianity leave the Bible in the dust after theyve left it, but in my opinion Ecclesiastes is still top notch literature even compared to the Akkadian and Egyptian works you mentioned. Also, its worth mentioning that the Dhammapada is part of the Theravada Nikaya sections of Buddhist literature, but in the Mahayana Agamas we have texts like the Heart and Diamond Sutras, which are part of the broader Prajnaparamita literature is for me the most profound. Highly recommend trying to read at least the Heart and Diamond Sutras. I also love Taoist works, Tao Te Ching is the most cited but Zhuangzi and Liezi are also great works. Of course there's the Zen Koans as well if you like scratching your head over obscure poetics. Very good video, thanks.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Very cool. Thanks for all the recs!
@kaceesnow
10 ай бұрын
Wisdom comes from knowledge, Knowlege comes from asking questions. Thus the bible shouldn't stop people from questioning the existence of God, or at least make people feel guilty. When one is restricted and pressure not to look into something, they have something to hide. The truth is truth and shall remain the truth regardless of what one's discovers, but what the Bible fears is it followers going in and finding the truth. And that is how you understand things better, with certainty, because you put it on trail
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love this. Well said. And. Maybe the greatest point on why the bible’s “wisdom” is so lacking. Thanks!
@Wolfman3
8 күн бұрын
Havamal is a great source of wisdom. My favorite. Also the poetic Edda as a whole, great knowledge and wisdom can be gleaned from the stories and legends by one capable of abstract thought. The secret fire is within us, Mimir's well is open to one willing to sacrifice a part of oneself for a drink.
@DomainofKnowlegdia
9 ай бұрын
16:38 I love and admire many teachings of Confucius.
@blade_warrior_blue
10 ай бұрын
What's sad is I feel like we're living a technically advanced medieval time. In America we celebrate the worst character traits in people. Society is just so dumbed down and unenlightened. People are so arrogant and cruel. Toxic bullies who lack any empathy. Mindless consumerism, worshipping money, the most shallow things are promoted. And Christians are some of the worst. It's sad when ancient wisdom is way more advanced and better for humanity then we have in so called modern times when we really have no excuse to be ignorant with the ability to find information instantly.
@HieronymusTPup
9 ай бұрын
I'm glad you did a video about this. I read both Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius earlier this year and have been reading about Buddhist philosophy as well. I find the similarities between Stoicism and Buddhism interesting. Both touch on the ideas of impermanence and equanimity; two ideas that have giving me such a better handle on anxiety and my appreciation of life. One of my favorite quotes from Marcus Aurelius is: "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."
@MindShift-Brandon
9 ай бұрын
Love that!
@abstraction6212
Ай бұрын
I'm also reading Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. I was finding some humor in Epictetuses how to be free and discourses but still learned a lot and now that I'm finished, Epictetus is my new wisdom petistal. Currently reading Marcus Aurelius and his book is more serious
@robertgrimard6964
10 ай бұрын
Wow! Just wow!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@RubyNeumann
10 ай бұрын
I really liked the Tao Te Ching. Thank you for some more recommendations.. More reading material that I can download in my budget. Aesop's Fables, the Enchiridion, and Mediations. Will look forward to expanding my mind again. Thanks
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Enjoy! Thanks for watching
@jeffrutan2344
10 ай бұрын
Another reference-quality work on the archive shelf! Thanks!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love that and my pleasure!
@davidsellon4580
9 ай бұрын
In the late 19th century, the agnostic philosopher Robert Ingersoll wrote several volumes refuting Christianity, including a couple chapters on this topic, but your review here was much more thorough. And, as you mentioned, there's much more that this video didn't cover. The notion that Christ was not the forward-thinking moral leader the church holds him up to be is something that no believer will ever hear from their preacher.
@DannyS177
10 ай бұрын
I have been in situations where someone would bring up The Code of Hammurabi as a point against Christianity, and I have seen Christians say something to the effect of "God has given everyone common grace/has written his law in everyone's hearts, so of course the code would get somethings right." When I was a Christian, I would think "That makes sense." But now I like "or the Israelites just took the parts of the code they thought would work best for their beliefs and they discarded anything they thought wouldn't work for them."
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Exactly! Those arguments really break down when theres no more confirmation bias left.
@nezz0r
10 ай бұрын
It's interesting that he wrote his law in everyone's heart but at the same time if we use this verse here: Jeremiah 17:9 "9¶“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can know it?" Here the heart is more deceitful than ALL ELSE. Now let's take a look at Hebrews Hebrew 8:10 "10“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And upon their hearts I will write them. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people." So is Jeremiah 17:9 now wrong because of Hebrew 8:10 ?
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
@nezz0r i love this. I was planning to cover this soon
@nezz0r
10 ай бұрын
@@MindShift-Brandon I posted that already but let me post it here again. A contradiction just after two verses. Deuteronomy 10:14-17 "14Behold, to Yahweh your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. 15Yet on your fathers did Yahweh set His affection to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. 17For Yahweh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the fearsome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe." "He chose their seed after them, even you ABOVE ALL PEOPLES,..." Then a bit later: "...and the fearsome God who does NOT SHOW PARTIALITY nor take a bribe." These statements literally contradict each other. He chose them ABOVE ALL PEOPLE and then just 2 verses later says that he does NOT show partiality. Definition of partiality: "unfair bias in favour of one person or thing; favouritism."
@alvinaj06
6 ай бұрын
This video is so underrated.. thank you for bring all the knowledge to light
@MindShift-Brandon
6 ай бұрын
Glad you found it and enjoyed it!
@pinky9440
10 ай бұрын
Thanks Brandon, this was an absolutely great video.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure!
@tomsenior7405
10 ай бұрын
Wonderful. Thank you. Far too many Christians seem to Worship the Bible, without ever reading the book. Fewer still are aware that there are other written religious works. Heck, I have met Christians who believe that the Bible was written before the Torah and the Tanakh.
@20july1944
10 ай бұрын
I don't worship the Bible, douchebag. I just refer to it as an ancient text.
@hurdygurdyguy1
10 ай бұрын
For most Evangelicals The Bible is the fourth person in the Trinity…
@20july1944
10 ай бұрын
@@hurdygurdyguy1 Not for me, and I'm a pretty orthodox Christian.
@tomsenior7405
10 ай бұрын
@@hurdygurdyguy1 Excellent thought.
@20july1944
10 ай бұрын
@@tomsenior7405 Is that your idea of an excellent htought, douchebag? What makes it excellent? The Bible isn't sentient or even animate.
@exaucemayunga22
10 ай бұрын
I'm a Christian, but I appreciate your work. You make a lot of good points in your videos. Keep up the good work👍🏾
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for the kindness
@ryanerickson3063
10 ай бұрын
and all this is the main reason religions do not want people looking into other religions/cultures. This is why they prize and champion ignorance
@1eviledy
10 ай бұрын
Excellent video, you have inspired me to read some books, Thanks!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love to hear that! Thanks and enjoy!
@mr.c2485
9 ай бұрын
This episode is in my top five watches….ever.
@MindShift-Brandon
9 ай бұрын
Man what a compliment. Thanks so much!
@BookishChas
10 ай бұрын
Such a great list of works Brandon. Meditations is at the top of my list too. I’ve been slowly rereading it this year.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Love to hear that. Its just amazing!
@wargriffin5
10 ай бұрын
"Do not do evil. It is not good." - Somehow STILL too complicated for Google. 🤣
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Lol
@lizhoward9754
10 ай бұрын
I was amazed at everything you pointed out but I am not sure why I am surprised. Of course these ancient philosophies pre-date the Bible by thousands of years but I never stopped to think how much of this wisdom was written by non-deities. You need to be teaching college and run for political office! 😊
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Ha! Thats very kind. I dont have all the answers either. I just know better ones exists. I do wish there were classes taught to all school kids on these subjects and comparative religion.
@jeremybristol4374
10 ай бұрын
That was awesome. Thank you for publicizing this ancient wisdom!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So glad to share it and glad you enjoyed it!
@NITE_PINE
10 ай бұрын
The Analects sounds good. I really like the idea of focusing on yourself when you see a "contrary man"
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Yes. What amazing advice. That one really convicts me.
@markmckeen5124
10 ай бұрын
Sensational video. Fyi, I'm still Thinking! Thanks for all you do Brandon.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Appreciate that Mark. Thanks so much for being here.
@akulagepard9510
9 ай бұрын
Brandon, this is your best video! Please do more of those. Even though i’m a book freak and have known and read all of those for years now, I’d love to see you going through more books, your excitement and how didactic you are, amazing.
@MindShift-Brandon
9 ай бұрын
How kind! Thanks so much for this
@Gowalkabout
10 ай бұрын
Stoicism seems to be a common sense and practical way to live life. Respect for oneself and for others sounds like a solid foundation.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Its hard to beat
@mwbhomee2802
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for another great video!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
My pleasure! Thanks for watching!
@alanhyland5697
10 ай бұрын
Well, at least I read Aesop's Fables when I was a kid, but I'm quietly jealous that you've read those.
@ankhisatpathi4489
10 ай бұрын
Your passion is so contagious. Keep going friend...
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thank you very much. Will do!
@LukeAllen-sb4mx
2 ай бұрын
My deconstruction was initiated by Niel Donald Walsh. He wasn't the reason. But his wisdoms from god made me wonder and then wander from his son
@michaelsbeverly
10 ай бұрын
Real books....I'm so jealous. Over a decade ago, a fire destroyed my library and I transitioned to Kindle. Which is good in many ways, like highlights, notes, etc. but for studying, real books are cool. Since I live in Mexico it's not so cheap/easy to get physical books in English. The next step, Brandon, isn't just finding other sources of wisdom and/or moral/ethical stories and parables (or straight up myth, fiction, plays, etc) but showing how pretty much everything in the Bible is actually a copy of other literature. Moses found in a basket in a river? Done before. Plagues? Done. Floods? Yeah, done by others. Abraham willing to sacrifice his son? A copy of another story. Jesus walks on water? Done before, boooooring..... Water to wine? Yeah, plagerized or copied, but not original. Names? Oh, yeah, copies, copies, copies... Redaction rules. Homer was a huge influence, as well as Egytpian (and other pagen cultures). Even the gospels, Matthew and Luke copy Mark (often verbatim), and Acts is just Homer retold...haha.....well, this is how fiction works today, just look at any recently published fiction novel.
@susancorbett8155
10 ай бұрын
Thank you for such a wide-ranging list of wisdom literature.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
My absolute pleasure!
@davidbudge8359
10 ай бұрын
2 books i would add to your list The Art of Peace The Training of a Prince Oh and How to Feed the algorithm
@TonyLambregts
10 ай бұрын
😂
@jens6754
10 ай бұрын
Absolutely fantastic video!! Will be saving, rewatching, and sharing this. 😊😊😊
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thanks so much! Really appreciate that.
@itkirk
10 ай бұрын
Another awesome video Brandon! Some of these books I have but I’ll definitely have to check out meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Glad you gave the Tao a shoutout.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Oh man. You will love it
@nancymc
10 ай бұрын
absolutely phenomenal. what a talented man you are. wish i could afford you. the information is priceless. thank you so very very much ❤
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
What a kind comment. Thanks so much!
@sbnwnc
10 ай бұрын
Thanks once again!
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So generous! Thanks for the support
@celticbabs3105
10 ай бұрын
Excellent video, Brandon! I love your content and your perspective on things. You enlighten me with every video. THANK YOU.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thanks so much for that, Barbara! Glad to hear it.
@mariearce8021
10 ай бұрын
Another good one. Just as religion is not the only way to find comfort, courage and purpose. I've not seen you do a video on this but I might have missed it. I have my own ways that I've acquired over time, but it may be helpful to myself and others to hear your perspective. On the judgement quote you read, reminded me of a believer I know who believes that it is fine and expected for her to judge others, for example if someone told a lie (not related to her) and I was surprised when she actually went out her way to point it out. Actually, some of these books sound interesting and I will look into them. Thank you. One of the things that is self defeating and defeating of others, is the religious/Christians who believe that you should not think or discover yourself because that means you're selfish. I'm so glad to have let go of that.
@broski365
10 ай бұрын
This video is very good because we can compare what an all-knowing all-powerful God of the future compare it to the work of ancient humans
@HassanRadwan133
10 ай бұрын
Humans discovered early on that the best way to have their edicts taken more seriously was to add: "God Said it."
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thats a good point
@kamnale1317
10 ай бұрын
Thanks, i needed this mental push now
@jerdal6825
10 ай бұрын
Great work Brandon. Now I’m just lurking, waiting for an argument to break out.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Ha. Thank you much!
@toluwaniahmed508
Ай бұрын
2:41 I like how you called your self visually appealing so subtly like we wouldn't hear that😂😂😂😂
@MindShift-Brandon
Ай бұрын
Lol!
@EstherH85
10 ай бұрын
I look forward to reading some of these texts
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Enjoy. Well worth it!
@breannclark1485
4 ай бұрын
I grew up reading Aesops fables. I loved them thats where I learned life lessons from. Guess I turned out okay. Thank you for sharing this i love this channel.
@wickjezek5093
10 ай бұрын
THANK YOU. I've been looking for reading material for my morning reflection and journalling. Any of these will do.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
So glad to help. Enjoy!
@videoDemon
10 ай бұрын
Wow. Nicely delivered.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Thank you very much!
@Mr.PeabodyTheSkeptic
10 ай бұрын
Meditations is one of a select few books I read over and over.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Yes. Very worthwhile to do so!
@cjgt77
10 ай бұрын
Thanks for the great synopsis. I'm not a big book reader, so a couple of the books you mentioned I never heard of. Good stuff. It just goes to show how Christianity is more of a system of control; not for the betterment of humanity. I think at its core you touched upon the reason why some Christians think slavery and genocide is okay. They've been fed to believe that control, not self-improvement, is the only way to live a healthy life. Most of the Bible is "might equals right" which is a big red flag for me to begin with.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Yes indeed. Thanks!
@Strangekabuki
10 ай бұрын
The beauty of most of the wisdom literature is it is you do not need to read it cover to cover in one sitting. Many are set up with small chunks, that are perfect to read in a couple of minutes then mull over during coffee. Meditations was never intended for anyone other than Marcus Araleus. I always wonder if he would be amused or horrified about it being published.
@amw6846
10 ай бұрын
Thank you. I find it maddening when people act as if wisdom similar to that in the Bible hasn't occurred in other works. Such a claim is intellectually extremely dishonest when one considers historical context.
@MindShift-Brandon
10 ай бұрын
Exactly!
@carolynmathieu6062
9 ай бұрын
Really good list of books. Thanks for the recommendations. I will certainly check them out 🙂
@MindShift-Brandon
9 ай бұрын
Glad to hear. Thanks for watching.
@vladimirgrbic8325
10 ай бұрын
One great timeless wisdom that should've ended up in da word: "If you want to win than you should not lose!"
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