How do you feed your spirit?

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Mendalla said:
May I humbly suggest that religious people are part of the problem. The self-important, "I know what's right for you" attitude that comes out of so much religion, both right and left, does not fly with the current generation or, indeed, most generations from the boomers on. So they sit on their hands and we get wonderful statistics showing things like a majority of people holding beliefs in God or at least some kind of spiritual beliefs, but a minority of them actually going to church or other religious institutions. There should be humility in the face of recognizing that we are part of a greater reality (God or otherwise) but the leadership of some churches don't seem to possess that quality. I think that part of what makes Pope Francis stand out is that he at least come across as a bit more humble and aware of his place than many other old school church leaders.
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I hate to be a naysayer against religion, as some religionists are totally honest and sincere in what they do and to which I respect wholeheartedly, but 'yes' there are religious people out there that hold the position that says "it's not me you're disagreeing with, it's God and His word, the Bible, you're disagreeing with", whenever they encounter opposition or challenges to their belief structures. As if they have been given some God-given interpretation of the Bible simply because they have pledged their lives to Jesus.

Saying such allegiances are only the "first" step towards the light. One then has to walk the way of sincerity of spirit and honesty of mind to truly walk the path to salvation. It may be offered as a free gift, but we still have to pick up that cross of self renunciation and carry it. And that doesn't come free from our point of view.

IMHO.
 
I usually disagree with Neo, but here, I'm in complete agreement with him and Mendalla. There is nothing humble about the common religious position that they have something that everyone needs, and anyone who disagrees is somehow denying the truth, or is foolish, or is against God.

I think that atheism is a perfectly reasonable conclusion given what each religion brings to the table in the form of evidence, or lack thereof. But some people seem to need the comfort that religion brings. That's something I should recognize more often. The assumption that, because you need faith, that everyone needs faith, and especially the assumption that everyone needs your faith (for the reasons above), is holding us back. We can't move past old disputes, old divisions if those beliefs are held.

The problem is, exclusivity is built-in to many faiths, and many forms of Christianity. That's why I think that real hope lies in their slow demise. We're never going to change some faiths. All we can hope to do is open the eyes of their kids. It's possible.
 
Hi Mendella----I don't know if I'm reading this right if I am though there seems to be an odd way to look at Chrisitain belief.


Mendalla said:
May I humbly suggest that religious people are part of the problem. The self-important, "I know what's right for you" attitude that comes out of so much religion, both right and left, does not fly with the current generation or, indeed, most generations from the boomers on.
objective morality.
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Airclean--I do agree to some part on the way churchs allow those things that are ungodly to be in church. Like4 a Minister the U.C.C has in it. What was her name? .Oh yes. Gretta Vasper . Who preaches there is no GOD or Christ.
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So they sit on their hands and we get wonderful statistics showing things like a majority of people holding beliefs in God or at least some kind of spiritual beliefs, but a minority of them actually going to church or other religious institutions.
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Airclean--Do you believe you must go to some church or your not saved?
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There should be humility in the face of recognizing that we are part of a greater reality (God or otherwise)
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Airclean--We are part of GOD or otherwise?
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but the
leadership of some churches don't seem to possess that quality. I think that part of what makes Pope Francis stand out is that he at least come across as a bit more humble and aware of his place than many other old school church leaders
objective morality.
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Aircean--As for the new Pope . I have no faith in him. Many believe he was prophized to be the last pope . And would lead the church down the wrong road. He already seems to have started.The next leader I believe we will see, will be a lot stronger. Also no were near as humble. After all HE is a KING---Most High Priest of GOD.

Heb 5:10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchiz'edek.
.airclean33
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Hi Airclean... simply place cursor and click on the last visible bit of your post. The whole post should come into view.
 
airclean33 said:
Hi Mendella----I don't know if I'm reading this right if I am though there seems to be an odd way to look at Chrisitain belief.
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I did not say anything about Christian (or any other faith's) belief there, ac (which is why I am not responding to the rest of your statements as they presume I was addressing belief). If you read carefully, nowhere do I mention a specific tradition. I was speaking about behavior exhibited by followers of any number of traditions (not just Christians). I could even put some UUs and atheists into that.
 
chansen said:
The problem is, exclusivity is built-in to many faiths, and many forms of Christianity. That's why I think that real hope lies in their slow demise. We're never going to change some faiths. All we can hope to do is open the eyes of their kids. It's possible.
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I believe unity to be the guiding principle or "spirit" of the universe. Exclusivity goes against that principle, and is both immoral and non-spiritual.
 
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chansen said:
I usually disagree with Neo, but here, I'm in complete agreement with him and Mendalla. There is nothing humble about the common religious position that they have something that everyone needs, and anyone who disagrees is somehow denying the truth, or is foolish, or is against God. ...
The problem is, exclusivity is built-in to many faiths, and many forms of Christianity. That's why I think that real hope lies in their slow demise. We're never going to change some faiths. All we can hope to do is open the eyes of their kids. It's possible.
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I wouldn't hope for the demise of any the major religions, they've guided millions and millions of new borns into a good life. But I would hope for nothing short of a total revelation and revolution for these religions however. If they can't or refuse to change, then 'yes', they should (and will) pass into history.

The world is totally different now, it's beginning to work globally and universally, meaning the old ways of exclusionism and selfishness are passing. This is being witnessed in all aspects of our lives, in religion and in politics, national and inter-national. It's why our society is having a continuous "economic downturn", it's why we are having an "energy crises". It's why we're living in a post 9-11 world. The old ways of thinking are simply not working anymore. And it's this conflict, I believe, between the old and the new world, that causing so much crises in the world. Nobody and no country is an island anymore. We will never live in peace as long as millions upon millions are continuing to suffer because of poor living conditions. It's a crime against nature to allow this to happen in our midst.

I believe mankind is on the verge of something completely new; a new way experiencing life like we've never seen before: we are beginning to think like one race, a global consciousness . Think about what this means. It's like our species, en masse, is reaching new a level of awareness, a level of "group consciousness". And at the same time we're being presented with a choice: a choice to either live with nature, by sharing with others and being proper stewards of the planet, or of continuing to live against the grain of nature and therefore destroying ourselves in the process. And we don't have to be religious or even believe in God to make this choice. But we will have choose, there's no sitting on the fence on this one.

Ok, I'll climb down from my soapbox now. Thanks for listening.
 
Hi Mandalla-- As I said wasn't sure of what your talking about. I did beleve you were talking of north Amerians . As you stated. Your post----
"I know what's right for you" attitude that comes out of so much religion, both right and left, does not fly with the current generation or, indeed, most generations from the boomers on.
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Airclean -- I took this to mean your talking about Christains and others born in north America . Then ofcouse I am sorry for the miss understaning. I had not knowen . You were talking of the Aztecs or Hopi and and others which I know little about. --airclean33
 
airclean33 said:
Hi Mandalla-- As I said wasn't sure of what your talking about. I did beleve you were talking of north Amerians . As you stated. Your post----
"I know what's right for you" attitude that comes out of so much religion, both right and left, does not fly with the current generation or, indeed, most generations from the boomers on.
_______________________________________
Airclean -- I took this to mean your talking about Christains and others born in north America . Then ofcouse I am sorry for the miss understaning. I had not knowen . You were talking of the Aztecs or Hopi and and others which I know little about. --airclean33
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I was talking about "religious people" who behave a certain way causing others to see religion in a bad light. That includes Christians who behave that way (of which there are many), Muslims who behave that way, and so on. I suppose there may have been Aztecs who behaved that way but I wasn't around 500 years ago to verify that.
 
I share many of your spirit feeding ideas: music, working on church services, reading the Bible, walking my dog (named Faith), helping others. I love it when my spirit is especially needy, and God provides something unexpected and wonderful: like the glimpse of children singing Jesus Loves Me, or a particular chapter or paragraph in a book I'm reading, or a radio program.
 
"Sacred Values and Cultural Conflict" by Scott Atran & Jeremy Ginges
Abstract
"This chapter reviews a body of research on sacred values and cultural confl ict.
Research conducted in the West Bank, Iran, Indonesia, and India reveals
that when people transform a resource, idea, or activity into a sacred value,
normative approaches to dispute resolution may fail. In a series of experiments,
the authors fi nd that off ering material incentives to encourage people to
compromise over a sacred value will often “backfi re” leading to heightened
opposition to such compromise. In contrast, culturally sensitive attempts to
off er powerful symbolic gestures—such as a painful apology or sacrifi ce over
one’s own sacred values—often increase fl exibility towards compromise. The
chapter also discusses a direction of future research focusing on the way people
manage sacred values over time."

Link to the article http://sitemaker.umich.edu/satran/files/michelejgelfand_ch06_copy_2.pdf
 
Nancy said:
I share many of your spirit feeding ideas: music, working on church services, reading the Bible, walking my dog (named Faith), helping others. I love it when my spirit is especially needy, and God provides something unexpected and wonderful: like the glimpse of children singing Jesus Loves Me, or a particular chapter or paragraph in a book I'm reading, or a radio program.
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Hi Nancy,

The minister in our previous congregation had a dog named Spirit. She brought him to all committee meetings, and whenever someone used the word "spirit," his ears would perk up. :)
 
Neo said:
I hate to be a naysayer against religion, as some religionists are totally honest and sincere in what they do and to which I respect wholeheartedly, but 'yes' there are religious people out there that hold the position that says "it's not me you're disagreeing with, it's God and His word, the Bible, you're disagreeing with", whenever they encounter opposition or challenges to their belief structures. As if they have been given some God-given interpretation of the Bible simply because they have pledged their lives to Jesus.

Saying such allegiances are only the "first" step towards the light. One then has to walk the way of sincerity of spirit and honesty of mind to truly walk the path to salvation. It may be offered as a free gift, but we still have to pick up that cross of self renunciation and carry it. And that doesn't come free from our point of view.

IMHO.
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Thank you!
 
Yes, George, diversity is giving birth to a word, and the word is unity. And, of course, the unitive whole gave birth to diversity in the first place. So, what we are doing is gradually finding our way back to what we always were: the unified whole, a.k.a. God.:)
 
Kimmio said:
Lovely video. Made me tear up. The cynic in me says "but it's an insurance company ad". Still, lovely video with a nice message.
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It made me tear up too.....can you imagine, though, some don't see any "rewards" or results from the giving but still......the fact that they helped is enough.
 
Hi Kimmio .... Good that you are here.

I am sceptical if not cynical. Do you remember the little song "I'd Love to Build the World a Home"? Coke exploited that song to further its capital agenda. This does not diminish the value of the song, or the opportunity it makes visible.

I still sing that little song with many different persons and groups. I almost always mention Coke's expropriation and distortion of truth for the furtherance of profit and power.

Same with the Gospel. Taken up and used by persons in all times and places to further the interests of power seeking power.

George
 
Here's an interesting take on how cynicism & self-righteousness can be an addiction that interferes with problem solving


*points toward the tv and making a snipping motion*

yes, even grass-roots movements, me, and followers of identity politics ('privilege', 'rape culture', 'bad words') are not immune
 
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