Questions

[mulyo13]

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

1. Desire. I asked about this already but, I can now ask about it in a more complex manner... Where does healthy desire start and unhealthy desire end?

When you know your own desire.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

2. What is the goal of a Buddhist's life, if it is not complete and total detachment from desires? Is the goal to become as detached as humanly possible?

To end suffering

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

3. Does everyone view enlightenment differently, our it's there a definitive definition of enlightenment?

Basically there are 2 views of enlightenment. enlightenment as a goal, enlightenment as a process.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

4. Why do spiritual teachers seem to teach us to detach from our emotions and view them as a non-judgmental observer? Can that not damage us emotionally? (it has damaged me emotionally)

not attached to your emotions and ignored your emotions, both are totally different. It seems, you ignored your own emotions.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

5. Is enlightenment NOT a state of blissful stupor where we are thoughtless and emotionless?

Refer to answers no.3

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

6. How can enlightenment be bliss if bliss is a chemical reaction? (the release and reuptake of dopamine in our brains)

Does bliss is a chemical reaction?

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

7. How can the soul's natural state be blissful/loving if thought and emotion are created by physical brain?

The real blissful/loving state are NOT created by brain(illusion)

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

8. Does Buddhism teach that submission in the face of dominance is always the most righteous path? Should a Buddhist always submit to someone dominating them? Should a Buddhist tension quiet in the midst of someone ignorant vocalizing lies, to avoid egotism?

Buddhism taught us to aware cause and effect of our own action.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

9. What IS ego and why shouldn't I identify with my convictions if they are accepted as ethical/moral/etc? Is ego identity? Can you please define ego for me?

Does convictions free from ego?

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

10. If I stop identifying with ego, follow a path of Zen, constantly quiet my mind and simply watch my emotions... What is the point of being human? And how can I even survive? Wouldn't I need to be fed and fostered by a caregiver? Wouldn't I be penniless?

Zen never taught to quiet the mind. 'quiet mind' is also called mindfullness.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

11. Also, if my intentions are not to live a life of solitude... If I want a family... Does this defeat Buddhism? If my intent is not to become a Buddha then why am I Buddhist? What is the point of Buddhism if you're making the decision to remain wholly worldly?

Try read about upasaka and upasika.

Originally Posted by flippyfloppies

I think that I will try and make it to the Buddhist temple at some point this week or next. Maybe it will be a positive step towards understanding meaning and purpose. Right now I am planning on taking a 2nd job, and I almost feel like I am beating and betraying myself, for many reasons. Burt I know that I must create financial security for my future and maybe even a family one day. I guess I must stop resisting the world..... Despite having believed for so long that I was living righteously by resisting? I will plan to go to the Buddhist temple by this time next week.

Can anyone recommend a good website for learning about spirituality and mind without Buddhism? And is there a section for the religionless here?

Buddhism is not a religion because there no belief in and worship of a superhuman/god controlling power. Buddhism is a teachings.
If you trace the history of any kind of spirituality teachings, it will ends on Buddhism or Hinduism.

Originally Posted by Ground

you can discard all the religious belief stuff of buddhism and focus on its meditation approaches only. The point is that whereever you turn to to get information, be it a website or a book there will be lurking a religious tradition and they will try to draw you into their community of believers. They will tell you again and again 'you need a teacher' until you believe it. Then they will present you a path and say that you have to tread this path. They will offer courses and the like. In this way you will become dependent on the religious tradition. Even if they claim not to be religious believers they have their specific collective philosophy they believe in as truth and so are no different from classical religious communities.
It is difficult to engage in any sort of spirituality without falling into the trap of religious belief and without becoming dependent on it. But becoming involved in such collective structures and beliefs entails that problems arise that you haven't had before so that it may turn out that initially you wanted some spirituality because you had some problems but then you end up with even more problems: the old ones not resolved and new ones caused by sprituality or you simply have replaced the old problems by new ones.
If one does not want to get involved in religious beliefs one should also stay away from monks and temples.

Instead of asking for websites in a forum get information via google. There is no success ever without own initiative
Collect information about meditation, all the many buddhist schools and their characteristic meditations. you have to find out what kind of meditation appeals to you.

You forget about a tradition called "no tradition" tradition.
In the end, you will say that you learn spirituality by your self or you learn spirituality from a book, or you learn spirituality from xxxx(the author of the book), or you learn spirituality from a spiritual teacher, or ......, etc.