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UPDATE: Almost all humans become slaves to their metacognitive content, whatever that may be. In the video above, all participants are beholding (or pretending to behold) Jesus as the top of their metacognitive content. In Iran, political leaders are beholding something else at the top of their metacognitive content. In Israel, leaders are beholding something else. All three of these religions sprang from an inchoate Abrahamic tradition. Among these three, there are numerous further divisions and subdivisions. I believe there is not a single Catholic in the room above. Prayer is good and I am glad they are praying. I am not trying to dump on anyone, but do want to mention that Buddhism is different from all other religions in that it enjoins us (more or less) to not behold, or hold, anything at the top of our metacognitive content. This is the area the Buddha refused to describe, define or answer questions about. Why is that? It is because reifying top metacognitive content, holding it as absolute truth, is to retreat from its true reality; believing you absolutely know what God wants, however you put that, is a hindrance to fully experiencing Ultimate Reality, which you can call God if you want. The Buddha did not even use the term Ultimate Reality. He left the top metacognitive category blank, to be filled only by your own individual experience. For the fun of it, no matter how you see yourself, try throwing all of it out, leaving nothing at the top of your metacognition — no content, no identity, no self, no pride, no gods, no Buddha. Then go outside and walk around. Notice how easy it is to function perfectly well after replacing your habitual metacognitive prison with pure experience. ABN
American Buddhist Net 