Happy New Year

Hello and Happy Thursday!

As we head into 2011, I'd like to take this time to look back on 2010 and thank all who contributed to this blog- the amazing participants who shared so much with everyone, as well all who have left comments and questions and to all who took the time to vote on the polls, and of course all the YMR followers too!

We've had such a wonderful and wide variety of participants and I for one, have learned a great deal from all.

Cheers to 2010's YMR participants:

Andrew Joseph
Kim
Michelle Wickstrom
Salman
Char
Angel
Monica
Kris 'Mrs. B.' Bradley
Deb Dove
Cora
Inannasstar
Casey Kochmer
Ange
Ryan
Abe Solomon
Infidel753
James 'The Amazing' Randi
ALC
Carlos Scienza
Muslimah
Tirzah Roxie
Jason
Don Emmerich
Kola Boof
Sarita Rucker
Ilene Rosenblum
Noor
Anne Johnson
Jake Collyer
Chanan
Rand
Rachel
AnOceanofJoy
Ruby Sara
Peter Clothier
Joanna Tzortzis
Mystic Tourist
Ven. Jo Jo
Chaviva G.
Sally Coleman

Thank you all!

2011 will be bringing some more excellent interviews so be sure to check back with us!
Til then, hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year!

See you Saturday!

Oprah Winfrey Quote

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Oprah Winfrey:


Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.

Sally Coleman

Hello and a Happy Saturday to All!

I wish to thank Chaviva for not only her wonderful interview last week but also for taking the time to answer all the many comments and questions following her interview. And thank you to all who did comment; it was wonderful to read the different views!
Thank you so much for sharing Chaviva!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Sally Coleman.
Sally is a Christian and I know you will enjoy her post as well!

Here Is Sally's Introduction:


I am a Methodist Minister working with a number of churches in rural North Yorkshire, I’m a wife and a mum to five grown up children. I enjoy walking, cycling, swimming and am just learning to sail (dinghies). I am a beginner vegetable gardener and have enjoyed having fresh veg this summer, I have two cats who are a source of real joy except when they bring presents, the last present was a frog!

My passion is sharing the love and grace of God with others, breaking free from rule bound dry and dusty religion to truly reconnect with God. I believe that prayer should be honest not ritualised, and that God speaks to us through all things, other people, creation, music, literature…. Sally

www.sallysjourney.typepad.com

1) What religion do you practice?
I am a practicing Christian.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I am a convert, I was not brought up in a religious family and religion was never mentioned. Somehow I believed in a God who was out there somewhere but didn’t know anything about him/her. I converted through learning to pray when my middle son was born with a major heart condition, I found an inner peace through prayer and a connection to a God who knows about suffering through Jesus.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
I am not fond of labels but am not a conservative, although I was called both a fundamentalist and a woolly liberal in the same weekend so I guess I am fairly moderate, but would probably prefer the term progressive.

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I am willing to engage with tough questions and to admit that I don’t know stuff. Social conscience and justice issues are dear to my heart and they influence the way I approach scripture; I don’t read the Bible as if it were a manual but as the story of different people’s interaction with God through the ages. In it I find poetry and history, story, song and instruction.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Like I said I’m not fond of labels and really not fond of applying them to others.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
That is something I will wait to find out! I do however believe in a physical heaven/ new earth, where we will work and grow, learn and interact not only with one another but also with God in a way that is currently impossible.

I don’t believe in a physical hell though. I believe that some people and often through choice will simply cease to be.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Not my call to make! But this I do believe, that I will be surprised who is there, and I might be surprised at who is not.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Grace- I believe in a God of grace as revealed through the Christian gospels, and so often missed out on! I love Jesus words in Matthew 11: 28-30:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, those are the main ones, and with the first two it can be difficult to remove the secular trimmings from them which strip them of meaning. I try to embrace the simplicity of the stable, and the wonder of the incarnation, the mystery of the cross and the glory of the resurrection. I love celebrating the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost.

That said a party with a feast is always good!

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes. I have friends of other faiths, and friends with no faith.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes but I may not participate in all of the activities/ festivities…

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I am a woman, I am a priest. I guess that says it all!

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My faith affects every aspect of my life; it requires that I consider my actions carefully and prayerfully. I try to read the scriptures everyday and they inspire/ inform me. Prayer is a listening activity and I believe that God speaks by his/her Spirit, and sometimes prompts me to a certain course of action.

As for abortion- this is a often a complex issue to which there is no one size fits all answer. I don’t believe it should be an easy option or used as a late form of contraception, but there are times when it is the best of a set of difficult choices. I believe that the God of grace I worship is more loving and forgiving that s/he is sometimes portrayed to be, and that s/he understands our hearts better than we know.

The Scriptures I read are pro- committed love. Gay marriage is committed love

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
We would talk it through, and discuss the potential difficulties, but I would not stand in their way.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No- like I said- not my call!

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
People like the folk from Westboro’ Baptist Church who spew hate do not speak for Christianity, they speak for a twisted form of religion!

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
My faith does not devalue me, but occasionally folk who speak for it do, when they speak against women and argue about sexuality I am afraid that I wonder whether they have lost the plot. I believe that Christianity is life-giving and transformative, if people are devalued then it is institutions not the Spirit who is to blame.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes: read this: http://sallysjourney.typepad.com/sallys_journey/2010/08/inner-peace.html

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
No. I believe in an afterlife but not that we return to this earth. I cannot see how or why that would be either edifying or transformational, nor do I believe in a God who would use reincarnation as a punishment. I do believe that our life on earth will impact our life in heaven.

Margaret Thatcher Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!


Today's quote is brought to you by Margaret Thatcher:


If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.



Be sure to check back this Saturday for a new post!

Chaviva G.

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Ven. Jo Jo for sharing his journey with us. A very interesting and indepth piece that I very much enjoyed reading. Thank you Ven. Jo Jo!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Chaviva G.
Chaviva is a Jewish Convert and I know you will enjoy her interview as well!


Here Is Chaviva G.'s Introduction:


Chaviva, a social media devotee, is the the creator and writer of blogs Just Call Me Chaviva (www.kvetchingeditor.com) and the Kosher Critic (www.kosher-critic.com), among others. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, 12seconds.tv, Yelp, and every other social-networking, music, and media platform the web over. Why the vast virtual presence? Every e-avenue is an outlet for explaining, exploring, developing, and expanding the understanding of and experience of Judaism in the 21st century not only for Jews of every flavor, but also for the larger global community.

When she's not blogging or Tweeting, Chaviva, an Orthodox Jew, is a master's student at New York University, and the future holds more academic promise, she hopes. In a past life, Chaviva was a copy editor for The Denver Post, The Daily Nebraskan, and The Washington Post, and Chaviva still manages to mix her passion for proper grammar with Judaism through Jewish-style editing projects.

1) What religion do you practice?
Orthodox Judaism.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I converted to Judaism under Reform auspices in 2006 and under Orthodox auspices in 2010. Before converting, I grew up in the Bible Belt of Missouri and then Nebraska, where my parents raised me largely on the Golden Rule. I attended church regularly, went to Vacation Bible School, and was for all intents and purposes a practicing Christian with the big secret that I didn't believe that Jesus was the son of G-d (not to mention a crop of other Christian tenets). I was a very social person with a big group of friends -- a big group of Christian friends. So I went along, I did the clubs and the retreats, and I got saved a half-dozen times. And then, in high school, I quit. I couldn't fake it. I founded my own religion, my own beliefs, and went a fairly agnostic route. In college, a friend, inquiring about my beliefs, suggested I look into Judaism and thus, I found myself at the doorstep of the house that had truly always been my home.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
I consider myself socially liberal, religiously conservative, and politically liberal ... if that exists!

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
Socially, I'm sort of outside the box compared to my religious beliefs. I believe a lot of things that don't float, according to a lot of right-wing Jews I know, because they don't match up necessarily with the simplest understanding of the text of the Torah (Hebrew Bible). For me, however, I think rights, liberties, and acceptance are the underlying message of just about everything in Judaism, so I choose to be socially liberal. Religiously, I see the binding nature of the mitzvot, or commandments, that are found in the Torah, and I live a Torah-observant lifestyle (keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath, dressing modestly, etc.). I don't think the two -- being socially liberal and religiously conservative -- are out of balance. Add to that, of course, that politically I'm a liberal!

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Nine times out of ten, I think it's how you grew up, what values your parents instilled in you, and how open-minded you are toward a change in those views and sentiments. I think environment plays on people's conservative and moderate sentiments more than beliefs, because we tend to worry more about how people view us and how accepting others are of us than what is right or just.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
In Judaism, there's really no necessarily defined view of the afterlife, what we call olam ha'ba, or the "world to come." Thus, I don't think much about heaven or an afterlife, because as a Jew, my emphasis is on this life, doing good and positive things here, because I know the tangible results that can be had. When it comes to a heaven, it's impossible to know what it entails, so I don't think much about it. I did read a brilliant fiction book by Dara Horn called "The World to Come," in which she suggests that olam ha'ba actually is *this* world, the one we live in. When people die, they spend their lives teaching and preparing souls for this world!

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Since I don't really conceive of it, I don't really have a good answer to this. My inclination is to say, Sure, why not?

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It focuses on doing good and living a commandment-based life, this life, the hear and now. A focus on the present just makes sense to me. Why live for something that might come later, or put responsibility for your life in the hands of someone else? In my mind, G-d gave each of us the gumption to do good and make this world better for a reason, and I found that reason and realization in Judaism.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Do you have a few hours? Hah. Judaism has a lot of holy days; we have FOUR new years! Some of our holy days include Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Each hold historic and religious importance, but going into the details would take me quite some time and probably confuse your readers.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course. All of my high school friends are Christians, I have a few Hindu friends, I have a college friend who converted to Islam. I don't discriminate or not include people in my life for their faith choice. I believe firmly that what is right for me is not right for everyone, and because we can know with no certainty which religion (if any) is "right," then why bother creating divisions or converting others or discriminating? Why not just live your life and your faith in the way that makes you most comfortable.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
There are a variety of restrictions as an Orthodox Jew as to what I can and cannot celebrate, where I can and cannot go, etc. I would love to invite a variety of individuals with varied faiths for a Passover seder or Chanukah party, but I cannot go to a Christian Mass or celebration because of laws about entering churches and taking part in non-Jewish ceremonies.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I don't know enough to answer.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
Again, I don't know enough to answer, but in Judaism, we have this issue with women being rabbis and/or faith leaders.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
My synagogue does have separate seating, with a mechitzah, which is a sort of walled separation, dividing us. In many synagogues this is a *beautiful* separating structure, made of etched glass or latticework. In some Orthodox synagogues, women have seating upstairs overlooking the main sanctuary where the men are (it's a very Friendship Meeting House sort of kick-back). I actually really love having the separate seating, because it gives everyone a chance to focus on their own prayers, without the distraction of a husband or possible love match. I know that before I became Orthodox, going to synagogue with my then-boyfriend was hard because he wanted to hold hands and talk to me during the service, which kept me from really connecting to G-d on a personal and in-depth level. The separation allows me to sort of climb into my own world with G-d.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My religion affects EVERYTHING I do -- it affects how I dress in the morning, how I cover my hair, how I leave my house, how I purchase, cook, and eat my food, how I talk and interact with individuals, and more. Judaism allows me to be 110 percent conscious of every small and large thing I do and decision I make. It does play into how I view social and political issues, of course.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion? It would break my heart, but I would understand the need to make one's own place in the world (after all, I did). I would hope, however, that my child would come out of his life at home with the powerful impact of Judaism on his or her heart and mind.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. Judaism doesn't believe in Hell ... there's (pretty much) always a chance to turn back, to make teshuvah.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Not sure I understand the question. There are a lot of people who claim to speak for aspects of Judaism (think Madonna and Kaballah) who really don't represent or express the positive aspects (or even the true aspects) of my religion.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Thank G-d, no.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Never! The common misconception about Orthodox Judaism is that it devalues women, the modern world, and anything that doesn't float back to our earliest sages and Rabbis. This, of course, is a complete misconception. Don't worry, I haven't been brainwashed. But as with all things, you view your religion through your own, unique lenses and if those lenses are dirty or chipped, then you'll see everything you don't agree with as a stumbling block and not a building block.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
There are a lot of curious aspects of Judaism that cater to an idea of reincarnation in a sort of tangential way, but I don't know enough to speak about it at length. There is a thought that a friend once shared with me that the reason there are so many young Jews returning to Orthodox Judaism, to a Torah-observant life, is because the souls of those who died in the Holocaust are being rekindled in these Jews who are returning to the faith as those souls might have, had they not been killed. It's a unique and beautiful thought, I think.

Bliss Carman Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!


Today's quote is brought to you by Bliss Carman:

Indifference may not wreck a man's life at any one turn, but it will destroy him with a kind of dry-rot in the long run.



There'll be a new post this Saturday, so be sure to check back!

Ven. Jo Jo

Hello Everyone and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Mystic Tourist for sharing what it means to him to be a Secular Mystic. A very interesting read; thank you so much Mystic Tourist!

Today we have a new post. Please welcome Ven. Jo Jo.
Ven. Jo Jo is a Buddhist and I know you will enjoy his post as well!


Here Is Ven. Jo Jo's Introduction:

Ven. Jo Jo began training in Buddhist meditation in 1980 at the age of thirteen. After the passing of his master in 1992, he spent much of his time in the mountains continuing his pursuits of mental cultivation.
Gradually he began leaning toward becoming a monk as the pursuits of everyday life began losing their appeal. After choosing to reacquaint himself with some of the local temples and train under their teachers, he had firmly made the decision to become a monk. By the spring of 2006, he received ordination.
Ven. Jo Jo has decided to contribute to the Buddhist community primarily through writing. As such, he has begun work on several books as well as recently begun efforts to be active in the online community. Though most of his writings at this point are seen only by his students, he has every intention on getting active with posting essays to his blog - http://bhikkhujojo.blogspot.com/ for the general public. He also does a Dhamma Tweet every Sunday morning to inspire reflection. You can follow him on Twitter @BhikkhuJoJo.
　
1) What religion do you practice?
Buddhism.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was not converted nor was I born into Buddhism. I was raised in a family that was typically Christian, meaning they believed in some sort of Christian religion, but didn't practice it or talk about it. I have never considered myself a believing Christian. My great aunt and uncle dragged me to church occasionally when I was a toddler but I was disinterested, as I'm sure most kids of that age are.
I was never truly a practitioner of any religion. In my teens I intently studied the Bible and various Christian denominations because I enjoyed going to the preachers around town and debating with them. Though I know now, looking back, it was more along the lines of arguing with them. So I went through that phase. Then I began to feel the social pressures of identifying with a religion, so I experimented in various occult practices. In the end I found all of these previous studies and dabblings to be lacking.
At the age of thirteen I began to study meditation from a master who was also my martial arts master. He would only train us if we cultivated not just our bodies but our minds as well. This marked the beginning of my Buddhist practice. However, I was already familiar with meditation to some extent from an earlier age growing up in the tail end of the hippie era and always enjoyed just being in my mind. So much so that my mother was at her wits end on how to punish me as a child because sitting in a corner (which was common in those days) was no punishment at all for me.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other?
If this is referring to politics, I don't concern myself with politics. Therefore I'd have to answer none of the above. With regards to Buddhism, again, none of the above. Buddhist practice is about recognizing these sorts of biased states of mind, which cloud our perception and judgement, and purging them.

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
Refer to question three.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
When we get caught up in our thinking and begin to identify with the subsequent opinions and positions we begin to create an imbalance in our minds. This is how these defiled states arise.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
The Buddha used the prevalent Brahman cosmological view of the day as a metaphor to help people understand his teaching in a way they could relate to. Therefore, when he spoke of the heavenly realms, he was illustrating that it's a mental state we are "born" into when we are at peace and happy. Likewise, when we are perhaps angry, we are "born" into the hell realms.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Again, irrelevant. What Buddhist practice aims to uncover in this situation, if speaking of it literally, would be why the person has a need to feel as though they are going to go to heaven or some sort of paradise. It's all about delving into the mind and uncovering what's there, why it's there, and how it got there.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It's relatively scientific. The claims it makes, though not always testable via instruments, are verifiable by practicing. For example, if I say sit down and breath in and out deeply for two minutes and you will experience a relaxing feeling, that would be verifiable. You could go try it, and see for yourself. This is what makes it appealing to people — "It just works". Living in the modern age of science and critical thought, we expect our practices for well-being, religions, philosophies, etc., to be able to hold up to scrutiny. Being told to follow something on blind faith, just doesn't make sense to the modern human anymore.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
There are numerous occasions that would be referred to as holy days in Buddhism. Each country will celebrate a different variety than others. However, the one universally celebrated holiday, as well as the biggest event in Buddhism, is Buddha's Birthday. The rituals and ceremonies will all vary depending upon the country as well, but the one common theme throughout the Buddhist community is the tradition of pouring water over a little statue of the Buddha as a baby. This is done by each member in attendance. The decor is often replete with hanging Chinese-style lanterns and parades being held with elaborate floats. People will flock to the temples and mediation centers to meditate or participate in ceremonies and hear talks on Buddhism, or about Buddha's life given this occasion.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, I have even done this a few times. Irregardless of whether someone thinks these holy days are sacred and important or not, realistically they are social occasions that bring people together. When someone I care about is celebrating an occasion that's important to them and they wish to share the experience with me, then why would I not go? When this dualistic thinking of "their way" and "my way" ceases, then there's no problem, only harmony.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
There are countries where women are beaten and the law either permits it or traditionally turns a blind eye to it. Or children are turned out into prostitution to earn money for the struggling family. Yet I hear so much uproar over Islam's burka which isn't harming anyone. It being a degradation of women is merely a cultural way of thinking. Muslim women who wear the burka say they are proud to wear it, some even say they have a choice. Whether this is a result of indoctrination or not is a matter of speculation. The bottom line is that the Western world has latched onto the burka as a way of maintaining its disdain for Islam as a result of the acts of terrorism in the last decade and Islam's perceived role in fostering it. Instead of recognizing that those responsible, though Muslim, are radicals just like other religions have their radicals now and in antiquity, we choose to continually bash an entire religion and grasp at petty things to continue fueling our outrage. What if we were to do this with the Christian religion because of their crusades, or in recent times the mass suicides, and other unfortunate happenings? No one is hesitant then to recognize these as the actions of radicals, cults, and other misguided people.
As for the shariah, I must profess I know virtually nothing of it save for the commonly criticized law that puts people to death for leaving Islam. I understand that the Islamic community has been attempting to push their ways on the societies in which they have immigrated to, and even going so far as to attempt to have laws implemented for or in favor of Muslims. But a society is an aggregate of people. The laws and culture are made up of all those individuals. If the masses don't want such Islamic laws being incorporated into their system, then they won't be. But they have just as much right to try and integrate their ways into their new culture as others before them have likewise done and are still doing. By the same token, Islam or any other religion should not and must not be allowed a free pass based upon religion when they break the laws established by the people. Religion is not above reproach. If they kill someone while in a Western country because someone de-converted from Islam then they are punishable by those laws which prohibit such action. Or not being permitted to wear the burka when entering a bank. They do not get a get out of jail free card in the name of religion or shariah. They have their own countries and culture that has evolved with their religion and shariah in mind allowing them to live in accord with it, regardless of what the rest of the world may think of them for it.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
Religion is losing ground among the people not just because of the modern mind being more logical, scientific, and less apt to dispense with critical thought, but also as a result of the religious institutions being either unwilling or too slow to change and adapt to the times. People, at least in the Western world, do not accept discrimination anymore. When a religion is doing something that the people no longer wish or those people have higher moral standards than the religious institution, something is going to give and that is likely going to be the religion getting the boot.
In Buddhism we have a similar situation to the women not being allowed to become priests situation. In the school of Buddhism dominant in southeast Asia, the lineage of nuns died out long ago. It's only been being reinstated in the last ten years. But this is a slow and arduous undertaking. The reigning monks and institutions refuse to recognize these ordinations and officially disassociate themselves from those who do these ordinations. There are questions of legitimacy with regard to the rules and procedures for ordination as to whether it can be done or not. But these have been hashed out over the last decade also. It's been found that there is no reason to deny these ordinations. The reasons those in charge are giving are merely excuses in a feeble attempt to maintain their prejudices against women which stems from their culture. If they wish for their flavor of Buddhism to take root in the West, and they do, then they must find a way of rectifying this issue. Because to the majority of Western people involved or interested in Buddhism, it is an unacceptable situation and all of Buddhism is going to be hindered by this discrimination as long as it persists.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No it doesn't segregate. Though in the Buddhist monastic tradition the nuns are required to sit behind the monks. It's also most common for the monks and nuns to live in separate temples, though some do not. However, they all practice together, so in that sense there is no segregation.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
We all have mental defilements that keep us from experiencing life clearly and fully. It's like being sick, we just aren't functioning efficiently and effectively. Buddhist practice is like receiving a medicine that kills off the bacteria causing the sickness. Therefore, Buddhism does affect your daily life because it's exuding a profound change upon the mind. To say that it influences the way in which a practitioner views the issues of abortion or gay marriage would be hard to say. Out of hand I would say it quite possibly could. But these decisions are still up to the individual, there is no Buddhist doctrine that decrees they must think such and such a way on these issues. As for me, I don't know if it's influenced my thinking on these topics because I've been involved in the practice far before I even had a knowledge of these issues.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I would have no issues with it and have actually experienced this. The only concern is for the child and if the other person's fervor for their religion is going to dominate and cause difficulties in their marriage, which often doesn't become pronounced until after children enter the picture. This potentially volatile situation must be made apparent to the child. But this is a far cry from inflicting my own biases and prejudices upon him, it's simply ensuring he understands all the ramifications of his decision so HE can make an intelligent decision.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? i.e. who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Yes, there are those who are purported as being authorities on Buddhism but clearly are not and/or should not be, though I won't give names. This is actually a topic of concern within Buddhism among some people. The issue has become pronounced with the introduction of Buddhism to the West. Western culture places a huge value on people of academia. So what we see are people who are getting a degree in Buddhism from a university and then going out and calling themselves a Buddhist teacher and writing books. Or people who are academically inclined go and become monks for a stint, then quit and become professors at a university as if they were merely conducting field research. These sorts of approaches to Buddhism is causing many issues, especially for those new to Buddhism, because their understanding of the teachings are often shallow and not tempered by serious practice and a sincere approach to introspection. Although none of this means that all of these people are not worthy of teaching.
Traditionally it's the monastic order that is charged with preserving the teachings and conveying those teachings down to the laypeople. By going through the proper channels and observations by masters during the monastic training they're ensured, in theory anyway, that by the time the practitioner becomes a full monk they are not only well rounded in their understanding of the teachings academically as well as the practice and absorption of those teachings, but that they are qualified to teach. However, this also doesn't mean they are any more qualified than the academics who call themselves teachers, especially with the deteriorating way monastics are often being bred in the modern age now.
These are the two factions that many feel needs to be resolved. And it clearly is an issue given the perceived decline in the quality of the monastic community, and the often intellectual-only approach to Buddhism the academics are often accused of. As for me, I agree and disagree with both sides. For the sake of those who are interested in training their minds effectively and efficiently and receiving the proper teachings of the Buddha and his practice, perhaps some sort of a worldwide certification or recognition process needs to be instated. This would ensure a level of integrity with regards to Buddhist teachers. Perhaps it's time for another Buddhist council involving all the three schools of Buddhism and their denominations from around the world to address this issue, as well as that of the ordination of women?

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, I've been physically, though mildly, assaulted as well as being the victim of vandalism as a result of people being ignorant and intolerant of things they don't understand. Although this was quite a long time ago before Buddhism was seen as not so esoteric.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. It's a training of the mind!

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Buddhism accepts what is commonly called in English, rebirth. This is to distinguish itself from reincarnation, though it doesn't do a very good job of it. Reincarnation is some sort of entity or soul that is transmigrating from one life to the next. Buddhism doesn't recognize any sort of unchanging and impermanent entity.
Whereas rebirth is the process of the idea of a soul, this sense of 'I'. When it arises in your mind "you" are born, and likewise when there is no grasping at this sense of Self, "you" die. It's a mental process that is the crux of the practice. When a practitioner reaches a point where they've seen the fallacy of the Self so the phenomenon no longer arises in the mind, he will have fulfilled perhaps one of the most difficult hurdles to realizing enlightenment.

Salman Rushdie Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Salman Rushdie:


What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.




There'll be a new post this Saturday, so be sure to check back!

January

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here's a sneak peek into January's interviews!

We'll hear from Ebtesam who is a Muslim, Alan Jones who is a Rational Mystic, Irving Karchmar who is a Sufi Darvish, Beth Chapman who is Non-denominational/Buddhist and Carina who is a Christian.

All excellent interviews that you are not going to want to miss!

Mystic Tourist

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Joanna Tzortzis for her very interesting post last week. I definitely enjoyed reading her answers. Thank you so much Joanna!

Today we have a new post so please welcome Mystic Tourist. Mystic Tourist is a Secular Mystic and I know you will enjoy his post as well.

Here Is Mystic Tourist's Introduction:


I am a Secular Mystic. My life is dominated by God, no matter what I do. I live a life of singular devotion, to God. I accept that what is absolute is of God. Devotion to what is absolute assures that whatever I have to do is done. Every and any responsibility is met. I expect, God does make an example, does express and represent Gods-self. I am comfortable with whatever that is. I believe in no religion and am certain that no man speaks for God. I have greater confidence in God than that.

I have a website http://mystictourist.com

1) What religion do you practice?
I practice no religion.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was born Roman Catholic.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
You left out liberal.

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I have liberal sensibilities. I believe the only qualification to being right is to think you are. I do not think so, and, so I am moderate.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I could write a post about that, but, this is not that.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
Not there yet.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Trying does get you there. It is in the doing. It is, or, it is not.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Not having one.

9)What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Aside from everyday; Equinox and Solstice.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I do not believe in faith and it does not affect whether or not I consider a person a friend.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I would join in celebration. Every day is holy.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
An affront against humanity and every good thing. The same could be expected of many religions. The required ingredient is political power.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
Some activities are gender specific but the priesthood is not one of them. The prohibition against women is a slight against women and thereby a slight against humanity.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Where I worship it is not possible to segregate.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I am a secularist. My singular devotion to God, is what I do.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
It is their life. I want for them to be happy the best way they can.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Hell is a temporal, human state. It exists only in such places.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
No religion.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No. Unless you include my ex wife.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
I think religion devalues; as much as it does anything else.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Religion can not do that.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I do. It has been my experience that it is true.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Laura Ingalls Wilder:

The real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong



There'll be a new post this weekend, so be sure to check back!

Joanna Tzortzis

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Peter Clothier for sharing his journey with us. It was great to learn more of the Buddhist faith. A fascinating piece. Thank you Peter!

Today we have a new post. Please welcome Joanna Tzortzis.
Joanna is Non-Denominational and I know you will enjoy her interview!


Here Is Joanna Tzortzis's Introduction:

I’m a 19-year-old freelance-writer, “new age hippie” and an artist currently living in Finland. I’m half Greek so I’ve kind of grown up in between two cultures here in Helsinki and back in Rhodes. Music is my salvation, and so is any other form of art.

http://joannaxoxo.blogspot.com

http://johndoeweb.com



1) What religion do you practice?
My own, I guess. Today I’m not part of any certain church. I haven't found a church that I would agree with 100% and I don't think that religion is like a buffet where you can pick out what works for you and leave the rest. I think it’s quite hypocritical to do so. I do believe in God or in some higher force but in my own corky way.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was born into Evangelical Lutheran church but converted into Greek Orthodox later. If I ever loved being part of any church it has to be the Orthodox one, I felt it was more ‘mine’ than EvLu church ever was.

I never questioned being part of the Orthodox Church and changing back to EvLu, but once I turned 18 I started questioning being part of any church at all. A lot of people seem to part from the church because of outer reasons like the taxes but my own reasons were never external. I just didn’t think that being part of a church was something I needed to do any longer. I felt that I needed to separate from the church to figure out which religious path would be right for me. I’m still searching and won’t join back to any church before I find my place.

3&4&5) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other? In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other? In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I’m quite liberal, I believe in peace and love and good things, I believe that people are good and if they aren’t they can turn into good. I believe that we’re all one no matter what religion we’re part of and I believe in being free instead of making strict rules and definitions and sticking to them.

I believe a conservative person is someone who sticks to old habits and traditions no matter what. They want to be good people so badly that they stick to the old habits and traditions so hard it sometimes makes them do bad things. It seems unfortunate and idiotic to me, sometimes even hypocritical. Imagine someone who doesn’t belong to church and swears a lot and isn’t a virgin when getting married and stuff like that, that person would automatically go to hell in the eyes of the conservative people because they don’t stick to the traditions, it doesn’t matter if the person is actually good or not. On the other hand there might be a person who’s like one of the worst people ever but if that person lives by ‘the rules’ and strongly believes in God in theory that person would be forgiven. That to me seems hypocritical.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
Many people seem to try to drag heaven on earth by storing money and searching lust and all these other things that won’t last beyond the grave. I don’t know about afterlife but I think true happiness lies in things that you can’t set a prize on, that you can savour through your life and than die as a happy person.

To me true heaven is being a good person, I see that God is good and we need to get as close to being good as well. You don’t need to work miracles to do so, even the little things count.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Can anyone be a good person? Everyone has the tools to be one but not everyone uses them right. People also make mistakes whether you’re a good person or not and some people tend to take that too harshly. Doing a bad thing doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person, it’s more about why you did the bad thing, did you do it on purpose and do you regret what you did. Even a bad person can turn into a good one, change can happen but it’s hard and happens slowly. I believe that people are good to begin with.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Being free religion-wise doesn’t set me any boundaries and that is the great part of it. I’m staying true to myself and to everyone else by staying far away from the things that I don’t believe in. Why would I want to marry to God’s name if it doesn’t mean a shit to me? I take full responsibility from everything I act on and as long as I don’t label myself as a part of any religion I can be anything I want to be. Religion-wise.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Officially I don’t have any, but I do celebrate Christmas for instance. I don’t necessarily celebrate it in the name of the birth of Jesus Christ but it is a season I want to spend with my family and loved ones, find some sort of inner peace in myself and calm myself.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I think that if anything you believe in starts to affect being friends with other people, something’s definitely wrong. I would never ignore someone just because of what they believe in. Religion is a very private thing and it’s not my place to tell other people what they should or shouldn’t believe in, neither is it theirs to say what I should believe in.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Sure, why not. It may not be what suits me but at least the experience would teach me something new for sure. I definitely respect what other people believe in even if I didn’t share that same belief.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I’m not that familiar with the Shariah Law but the burka is a very two-sided matter. On the other hand some women who wear it do so to respect their religion and culture but then again it’s extremely subjugate and derogatory thing to hide most of your body just because you’re a woman and you have to do so if you don’t want to get pelted with stones.

The more you’re afraid the less you have freedom in your life and taking that away from someone is one of the biggest severities that can be done. So I think the controversy behind the burka is in the fact if you wear it to respect something or out of fear.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I think it’s more a matter of tradition than justice. The Orthodox Church for example doesn’t ordain women as priests but it’s mainly just because there’s no record of woman priests in the past either and the Orthodox Church can’t measure theological matters separate from that tradition. To them it’s not even a matter of equality or human rights. So I understand the church’s view but then again I don’t think that anyone would make a less good priest just because of being a woman.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My thoughts on abortion, gay marriage and decisions on a daily basis affect on what I believe in rather than another way around. I couldn’t imagine living a life in where I’d go “Hey, I believe in this now and I’m a part of this religion now so I have to live according to their traditions and please other people that share my religion and then I have this book that defines my opinions on most of global issues.” Sure it works for some people and I’m not here to judge, those people seem to get a lot of strength and other things back from living their life like that and I’m happy for them but I couldn’t do that myself.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I only carry the responsibility of my own beliefs and religion, what other people believe in is their personal decision. That includes my possible offspring.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
It’s not my place to judge or even think about things like that. Like I said I see religion as a very private issue so it’s really not my place to define if someone else goes to hell or not. I can live my life according to what I believe in and if someone else wants to bow towards Mecca more than once a day that doesn’t make them any less of a better person, that just makes him different from me.

17) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
My new-found freedom from the church definitely does lay off a lot of pressure on me. Can you imagine going to a place dedicated to something you’re not sure you believe in when absolutely everyone in the room thinks you’re certain that you share their beliefs and show the same dedication they do?

Sure I kind of miss going to church but not here in Finland. I miss the little churches in Greece en route to the store where you could just pop by and light a candle. No pressure, no less, no necessity, just passion and pure belief. Let it be secondary if you believed in God ‘the same way as others do’, you still believed in some higher force as strongly as other people did.

Stephen Hawking Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Stephen Hawking:

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.


New post coming Saturday, so be sure to check back!

Thank You!

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

I wish to send a huge thanks to YMR participants:

Jake Collyer, Chanan, Rand, Rachel, AnOceanofJoy, Ruby Sara and Peter Clothier.

All unique, all interesting and you made for a very thought-provoking and enjoyable Autumn! Thank you all for sharing your journey with us and for taking a chance on this blog!

Thank you all so much!

Peter Clothier

Hello and Happy Saturday Everyone!

I wish to thank Ruby Sara for sharing her journey with us last week. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Thank you Ruby!

This week we have a new interview, so please welcome Peter Clothier.
Peter is a Buddhist and I know you will enjoy his post as well!


Here Is Peter Clothier's Introduction:


PETER CLOTHIER is a meditation practitioner who writes chiefly about art and artists in Southern California. His daily writing practice includes two blogs, “The Buddha Diaries” (http://thebuddhadiaries.blogspot.com/) and “Persist: The Blog” (http://pcpersist.blogspot.com/ ); and his latest publication is “Persist: In Praise of the Creative Spirit in a World Gone Mad with Commerce” (Parami Press, 2010.). He has published widely in national magazines, and is the author of DAVID HOCKNEY in the Abbeville Modern Masters series. A former academic, now twenty years in recovery, he is currently a full-time free-lance writer. He has published two novels, two books of poetry and a memoir, “While I Am Not Afraid.”


1) What religion do you practice?
I have a daily meditation practice and I join with a sitting group each Sunday. I follow the teaching of The Buddha but I do not call myself a Buddhist.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I came to the meditation practice late in life. I was born and raised as an Anglican by my father who was an Anglican minister. I practiced no religion for the greater part of my adult life and found in Buddhism a sane and rational religious teaching which I could follow without resorting to magical thinking.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
I would consider myself a liberal. Perhaps even a Socialist!

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
My concern for social justice and the well being of the human species.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Conservatism as it is practiced and preached in our culture today, seems to attract those whose self-interest is the primary goal. To be a moderate in my view is to take others into consideration.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
I have no vision of heaven or paradise. Nor do I believe in either.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, there is no heaven or paradise to go to. It surprises and disappoints me that those who do believe in heaven or paradise take such a proprietary view and wish to exclude others.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It’s sane, it’s rational, it’s practical, with an emphasis on the practical. I am a pragmatist at heart.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I believe that The Buddha would see no day and every day to be a holy day. It’s always a matter of the here and now. Since my wife is Jewish we observe the Jewish festivals, but more as a matter of ritual and tradition than as religion.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Sure.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I do it all the time. See above.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
My gut response is that these are the relics of a medieval way of practicing religion. At this level I find them to be barbaric. My more compassionate self reminds me to be tolerant of the belief of others, but in this case I find that to be hard.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
Again, medieval and barbaric. Have we learned nothing?

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. My little sangha or sitting group does not segregate. I would not go there if it did.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I find the teaching of The Buddha to be an indispensible guide to a healthy and compassionate life. I do everything I can to learn from this wisdom and apply it in my daily life and every aspect of my thought. In this light, it certainly affects my opinions on controversial subjects.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
It would not concern me in the least.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I certainly hope so. Just kidding. What a question.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
How about the Dalai Lama? I am not a Tibetan Buddhist but in many respects he represents my views especially those on compassion and the search for happiness. There are many populists spokespersons for Buddhism, some tend to water it down or Westernize it in ways I am not entirely comfortable with, but the core message is usually pretty clear; do no harm, have compassion for others, and don’t forget to breathe.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
This is a very hard question and one that stands between me and an unreserved embrace of Buddhism. My rational, doubting self finds it impossible to conceive of returning to this life in another form. Perhaps, if it’s no more than a transmutation of energy…

Nellie McClung Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Nellie McClung:

Never retract, never explain, never apologize - get the thing done and let them howl.


There's a new interview coming up on Saturday, so be sure to check back!

Featured Religion Update

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Below is the list of the religions/belief systems that YMR has featured or will feature in the near future:

Agnostics: 2
Apikoros: 1
Atheists/Objectivists: 10
Bahai: 1
Buddhists: 3
Christians: 8
Druid: 1
Feri Witchcraft: 1
Hindu: 1
Jews: 6
Messianic Jews: 2
Muslims: 7
Mystics: 2
Non-Denominationals: 2
Pagans/Wiccans: 7
Pantheist: 1
Polytheist: 1
Sufi Darvish: 1
Taoist: 1
Womanist: 1

Thank you to all who have participated!
We always need more participants, so if you're interested please email ymr@bell.net.

Have a great day everyone!

Ruby Sara

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you so much to AnOceanofJoy for sharing his journey with us. I enjoyed learning more about the Buddhist faith. Thank you AnOceanofJoy!

Today we have a new post, so please welcome Ruby Sara.
Ruby is a Pagan and I know you will enjoy her journey as well!

Here Is Ruby Sara's Introduction:


Poet, essayist, theologian, and performance artist, Ruby Sara is currently a member of the Chicago performance collective Terra Mysterium, a regular columnist for Witches and Pagans magazine, and the author of the blog Pagan Godspell. Some of her most recent writing can be found in the anthologies Datura: An Anthology of Esoteric Poesis, and Devoted, both published by Scarlet Imprint. Ms. Sara holds a Masters degree in Theological Studies, and has academic interests in poetry, ecotheology, and comparative mysticism. She lives in the pretty-damn-wild urban midwest with her intrepid spouse and their demon-monkey-cat, Pinky.

Pagan Godspell - www.gospelpagan.wordpress.com
Terra Mysterium - www.terramysterium.com
Witches and Pagans - www.witchesandpagans.com
Scarlet Imprint - www.scarletimprint.com



1) What religion do you practice?
I practice an Earth-centered religion, one of a set of religions that are often called Pagan, or Neo-Pagan. My personal theology is animist and polytheist, and posits a living, sentient and divine planet that is so beautiful, complex, mysterious, awe-inspiring, engaging and full of wonder that it is only natural to put it at the center of one's praise and worship. I am also a syncretist, and therefore my personal spirituality is further influenced by protestant Christianity, Gnosticism, Hellenic Paganism, bioregional animism, Feraferia, and land-based witchcraft and folk magic.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was not born into my religion per se, though I have felt a deep connection with the natural world since I was very young. I discovered Pagan religions when I was an adolescent, experienced a profound and intimate sense of "coming home" at that time, and I have identified that way ever since. I was raised in an atheist / secular humanist home, and my parents fully supported my spiritual searching, even though they do not subscribe to my beliefs themselves.


3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
If you mean theologically, I would say that I am more liberal than not - I believe that syncretism happens and is a natural part of engaged relationship with spirituality and with the world. I believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are not static items, and they should be challenged and struggled with, naturally evolving in response to changing ideals and new information. However, I also believe in the incredible importance of tradition and the continuity of cultural integrity, especially in its role as a "binding agent" for authentic community. So...maybe that makes me a theological moderate.

If you mean politically, I am an anarchist and an eco-feminist.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Theologically, I think the prime marker of conservatism is the desire to conserve the tradition as it either is now or was once in a "golden" past (whether this longed-for past is real, exaggerated, or entirely fictional). Towards this end, one might employ methods such as literal or static interpretations of a scripture, strict behavioral codes and social norms, clearly delineated boundaries between what is correct and what is incorrect, etc.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral posits the idea that the four pillars of theological authority in a religious life are scripture, experience, tradition, and reason. This is a useful theory when talking about what makes a conservative and/or a moderate. In my opinion, theological conservatism places the locus of authority in tradition and unchanging sources such as set scriptures. A theological moderate then might acknowledge the authority of individual experience more and tradition less than the conservative, and may take a more flexible approach to the interpretation of scripture and/or have differing approaches to the use of reason in theological discernment.

Pagans in my experience tend to give the most weight to the authority of individual experience. I probably fall somewhere in between moderate and liberal according to these definitions, as I think the empowering of individual experience is important, but I also believe that it should be balanced by tradition and authentic community - i.e. I think an individualism that is not rooted in engaged relationship with the Other leads to the unhinging of community.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
I don't have a ready answer for that, as the question assumes that I believe in a heaven/paradise, and I don't know that I do. I don't presume to know what the afterlife is like. I do believe in some kind of afterlife, only because I really cannot personally imagine the no-afterlife Full Stop, and I'd like to imagine that good people experience good things after they die - to be reunited with loved ones, etc. But, I'm not against the idea of the Full Stop either, and I will readily admit that it certainly could be exactly that. Truthfully, I'm fine not knowing what it's like after we die. I don't want to die anytime soon, but I try to consider it an inevitable adventure, and concentrate on where and who I am right now, here on this planet in this body and in this time and space.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
As I said, I don't know. There's a lot to unpack in a question like that. I suppose, like I said above, I'd like to believe that those who have lived lives in service to love, giving, joy, art, and authentic relationship will experience an afterlife that is peaceful and joyous, and that those who have committed wrongs go somewhere where they are made to realize what they've done, are made whole, and that restorative justice, if not served here, is served in the afterlife. But again, I don't know. And I am much more interested in how people interact here and now, in this life on this ground.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It gives me a form of expression for the Beauty I see in the natural world all around me, and the sense of awe, fear and trembling I feel in the face of the enormous, amazing complexity of the planet and the universe. It celebrates the body as the miraculous communicator, mediator and information receiver that it is (i.e. body as priest), and it affirms my belief in the existence of real magic, the divinity inherent in mystery and unknowing, in the miraculous and the fantastic. It holds art, relationship and ritual as some of the highest functions of the human animal, and it sees storytelling as the bedrock of being. It's also messy, colorful, anarchic, ecstatic, and emotional...like me.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I generally recognize the "Pagan Wheel of the Year," which is a combination of a set of days celebrating the agricultural cycle, as well as the solstices and equinoxes, for a total of 8 holy days a year. I spend them usually with my community, either in a large open ritual setting or in a private observance with a small group I practice with. I also have a growing number of feast days for what I and my co-ritualist Johnny Rapture call the "People's Saints," and I personally observe some other holidays from the folk calendar, like Michaelmas.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends who are of other faiths and I believe strongly in the importance of interfaith dialogue.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, and I have done so on many occasions. I find all religions to be deeply interesting, so I enjoy seeing how others celebrate their faith. Also, if a friend of mine invites me to their religious gathering, I am happy to attend, because I want to honor their hospitality in inviting me.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
These are both intensely complicated questions having to do with religions that are not my own, so I do not feel that I have the authority, experience or knowledge-base to comment on them, though I can say that I respect the opinions and work of women in these religions in regards to these issues, and as a feminist I unequivocally support the movements of women toward the realization of their rights to make empowered choices and live full and authentic lives.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, the groups that I practice with do not segregate on the basis of race, class, gender, or sexual orientation. There are some Pagan groups and organizations that are gender-specific, or that serve communities that are of specific genders and sexual orientations, and I support their right to create those safe and supportive communities, especially in a world that continues to restrict their rights to, as I said above, live full and authentic lives.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision?
My religion deeply affects the choices that I make, and the choices I make deeply affect my religion - the two are inextricably tied. My political opinions inform my religious opinions and vice versa. For example, my belief in a sentient divine planet informs my views regarding the environment, and the more I engage with my landbase through environmental practices such as composting and other activities, the closer I feel to Her.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If I had a child, and that child found a good partner and was happy with them, the religion of that partner would be of no consequence to me. Interfaith relationships can be complicated, I am well aware, but in my own personal experience (I married outside my religion), if both partners are committed to the relationship, those complications can be incredibly educational, interesting, and dynamic.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Even presupposing that I believe in "hell," which I am not sure I do depending on the definition of such a place, the answer would be no, absolutely not. If I believed in a hell, I'd probably have ideas about who would be going there that would have little to do with their religion of choice/upbringing, and a lot more to do with their actions.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Those who claim identities in Pagan religions are an incredibly diverse and complicated lot. No one can say that they speak for all of us. In some of my recent writing, I have questioned whether or not one can even say there is an "us," at least in terms of talking about "Paganism" as any one thing. So there are those I agree with in the public sphere and those I do not, and the question of "who is Pagan" is actually much less relevant to me than the question of "what is Paganism" and whether or not it is useful to use the term as a religious identity since there is no single unitive story or even shared set of values to which one could say even most of us adhere. I'm still working out my thoughts on it.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Nope.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Sometimes. I think one function of religion is to give solace and comfort in times of need, but I also think that another function of religion is to challenge us to continuously evaluate ourselves in relationship to each other, our world, and all the Others in it. This latter function doesn't always lead to "peace of mind," but is in my opinion an incredibly important, if uncomfortable, aspect to living an engaged spirituality.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I neither believe or disbelieve in reincarnation. I find it to be a pretty reasonable idea, and a fascinating one, but like my previous thoughts regarding the afterlife, I simply don't know, and my beliefs regarding embodiment and theology necessitate that I concentrate much more on this life and my relationships with Others on this planet at this time in this body than on what may or may not happen after I die.

Winston Churchill Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Winston Churchill:

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.


Be sure to check back this Saturday, YMR will have a new post!

AnOceanofJoy

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Rachel for her very interesting interview last week- thank you for sharing your journey with us Rachel!

This week we have a new interview, so please welcome AnOceanofJoy.
AnOceanofJoy is Buddhist and I know you will enjoy his post as well!

Here Is AnOceanofJoy's Introduction:


I am a 28 year old guy living in London. In 2007 I underwent a Near Death Experience and spiritual transformation which has since led to me becoming a Buddhist. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Studies and currently work as a Policy Officer for a Cancer Charity. I am very interested in world religions, in particular Buddhist traditions, and would like to hear from other people who have gone through similar spiritual emergences. email: anoceanofjoy@gmail.com

http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/


1) What religion do you practice?
Buddhism

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
For most of my life I was an atheist and shared most, if not all of the views shared by the fellow atheists who have contributed to this blog. I was incredibly anti most religions, I thought the concepts of heaven and hell were utterly ridiculous and subscribed fervently to Shakespeare’s old adage that “Life is a tale told by an idiot full of sounds and fury signifying absolutely nothing.”

Boy was I given a big wake up call.

When I was 27 I went out with a group of friends one night and I ingested a large
amount of the drug ketamine, an anaesthetic known to produce strong disassociation and the collapse of the ego in higher doses. What happened to me was quite simply beyond words, beyond anything I could have even begin to have conceived of in my wildest dreams. Basically I experienced the death of my ego and an enormous spiritual awakening. I have since had the opportunity to do a lot of reading on the power of different entheogens, many of which have been used by tribes, shamans and as part of religious ceremonies throughout history. I was the most ardent disbeliever in anything spiritual before I had this experience. To this day I cannot believe just how powerful what happened to me was. Overnight, my entire perspective on my innner most nature, and the nature of existence was completely and irrevocably changed.

Since that time I have been seeking some kind of explanation - both scientific and spiritual - about what happened to me. I have been in contact with shamans in south America, ketamine researchers in Russia, monks, theologists, quantam physicists and anyone who may be able to help me understand the experience. What really blew me away was my discovery that once you dig below the surfence you start to realise that there are thousands if not millions of people who have been able to break through the human ego and into the spiritual realm through the use of different types of entheogens. I should make a point here that I am not talking about simply getting high on drugs – which I am by no means condoning. Entheogens are not recreational drugs, they are substances often found in nature such as in flowers, cacti and plants, and in my opinion they exist for a reason. Put quite simply, until you have experienced the spirutual state these plants are capable of producing, it is unfortunately impossible to have an opinion on this type of experience. It's completely ineffable. If somebody had of tried to explain it to me before I had this experience I would have told them that they were nuts. In any case a more detailed account of my near death experience is available here.

http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-does-it-feel-like-to-die.html

Since my near death experience I have been using Buddhism as a way of exploring two things I have taken for granted for most of my life – my mind and human consciousness. You don’t necessarily have to formally convert to become a Buddhist, you merely need to start adopting Buddhist practices in your life. Should you feel the need to take part in a ceremony, the ceremony involved is called ‘Taking Refuge’. The refuge ceremony centres on what are referred to the three jewels (or refuges) of Buddhism:

-the Buddha

-the Dharma, his teachings;

-the Sangha, the Buddhist community

In going to refuge you surrender yourself to these three jewels.


3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
Having only just adopted Buddhism in my life in the past few years I would say that I am still quite new to the practice, and not entirely devoted to it. I have adopted what I find useful from Buddhist philosophy, but happily read the philosophy of other religions such as Hinduism and the Vedas (ancient Indian texts written in Vedic Sanskrit) which form the basis for much eastern thought.)

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I consider myself to be quite moderate and open because I am not dogmatic about the way in which I use Buddhism in my life, and I certainly don't try to impose the pathway I have chosen on others. I also do not adhere to Buddhism to the exclusion of all other religions and I believe that all religions are ways in which mankind tries to put into words and narratives something that is ultimately ineffable. To use a metaphor, I imagine the religions of the world as camps of men and women standing around an enormous bonfire which we might term ‘god’ or ‘existence’ or the ‘universe’ etc. One group might claim that the fire they see is orange, others from their perspective may say it as red, others yellow. No doubt each group will have its own take on the fire and its characteristics – i.e. its size, its purpose, its meaning etc. But the most important thing we must always keep in mind when we engage in pan-religious dialogues; is that we are all still talking about the same fire… and each of us who has chosen to pursue a spiritual path in life feels it burning deeply inside and knows its existence to be real. Thus we can appreciate how for each of those groups of men and women standing around the fire of creation, that their perspective, their narrative, their way of coming to terms with this enormous phenomenon is true for them, regardless of whether or not it is true from an ontological perspective. The ultimate truth of the universe and of our inner most nature is, in my opinion, not static. It is multifaceted, intertwined, multidimensional, and no doubt quite beyond our ability as humans to comprehend. Even if we were told what the true nature of god was, odds are we would probably we incapable of understanding it . There are many truths regarding god and I believe that the ineffability of the divine is one of the main reasons why we should remain humble and respectful of the diversity of all of the narratives (religions) that have been passed down throughout the eons of human existence.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I think these terms are for the most part quite unhelpful since they are used in so many different contexts. 'Conservative' seems to point towards a strict adherence and literal interpretations of the doctrines of the religion, whereas 'moderate' would seem to indicate a more liberal approach. I think before I could judge somebody on their claim to one of these classfications I would have to hear their position in greater detail.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
The Buddhist perspective of paradise is known as ‘nirvana’ or 'enlightenment', although it would be quite reasonable to assert that the narratives expounded by all religions of what this place/state may be like are essentially describing the same thing. Enlightenment, nirvana, heaven, whatever you want to call it, is not a place, it is a spiritual realisation, a level a consciousness reached once we have learnt what we are meant to learn as human beings. In Buddhism this would be qualities such as selflessness, abundant compassion for sentient beings, the separation of ego and self, detachment from emotions etc. We cannot move beyond our earthly existence until we are a truly weary with what Buddhist’s refer to as Samsara (the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth). Release from this cycle is said to occur through deep introspection, meditation and then the ultimate realisation that reality as we know it is created by the ego, which incessantly affirms the notion that we are individuals; fractured shards of a mirror which cannot be placed back together. The mind itself is like a dusty shard of this fractured mirror clouded by thoughts and emotions. But in silence and meditation the mind is capable of becoming like a brightly polished mirror capable of reflecting back on itself and ultimately realising the true nature of human existence.

The philosopher Alan Watts, speaking on the true nature of the divine said:

“God likes to play hide-and-seek, but because there is nothing outside God, he has no one but himself to play with. But he gets over this difficulty by pretending that he is not himself. This is his way of hiding from himself. He pretends that he is you and I and all the people in the world, all the animals, all the plants, all the rocks, and all the stars. In this way he has strange and wonderful adventures, some of which are terrible and frightening. But these are just like bad dreams, for when he wakes up they will disappear.

Now when God plays hide and pretends that he is you and I, he does it so well that it takes him a long time to remember where and how he hid himself. But that's the whole fun of it—just what he wanted to do. He doesn't want to find himself too quickly, for that would spoil the game. That is why it is so difficult for you and me to find out that we are God in disguise, pretending not to be himself. But when the game has gone on long enough, all of us will wake up, stop pretending, and remember that we are all one single Self—the God who is all that there is and who lives for ever and ever.

-- Alan Watts, 'On the taboo of knowing who you are'

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Buddhists would say that the place where your consciousness evolves to depends on your past actions (karma). Since every action, no matter how small, has a resulting reaction, where we end up after this life greatly depends on what the sum of all our actions are. Since Buddhists believe that heaven and hell and spiritual states rather than physical places, it stands to order that we ourselves are the ones who condemn ourselves to lower forms of rebirth through our own ignorance – not understanding our true nature, and clinging to our ego. The notion that heaven is like some sort of club which we either “make it into” or not seems to me an oversimplification of a far more complex process. For example, how could I as a Buddhist, whose primary concern is developing compassion for all sentient beings, be content with achieving a state of nirvana and then leaving all my fellow human beings left to wander through Samsaric existence (the illusion of reality.) All human beings, regardless of whether or not they have lived a good life or a very evil have a right to break free from suffering. I can think of no crime, no action, no deed so evil that it could warrant an eternity of suffering in a place such as hell. I can however conceive of a state of mind where the human being would be forced to come to terms with the affects that his or her actions had. If many evil acts were committed in a lifetime this realisation after death may be a very painful and protracted one which we might describe as a form of hell. It would not be a permanent state of being though since even a large amount of negative karma can eventually be exhausted through wisdom and the realisation of our errors.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I personally do not celebrate any holy days, although many exist in Buddism.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Because not everyone has the same inclinations and interests, Buddha taught various methods to different people. Citing this example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that it is wonderful that so many different religions exist in the world. Just as one food will not appeal to everybody, one religion or one set of beliefs will not satisfy everyone's needs. Therefore, it is extremely beneficial that a variety of different religions are available from which to choose.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I would as I think that all religions are precious and that we can learn something from each and every one of them. Joining in on their holy days would be a very special experience indeed.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
This is definitely quite a topical area for discussion. Personally I am against any form of oppression, such as the idea that women need to cover up to help men avoid physical lust. I understand however that many Muslim women choose to cover up to show their devotion to their religion. I think any form of religious fundamentalism is dangerous. It’s almost as though people get so caught up in the finer details of the religion that they forget the most important tenets, love, respect, compassion, and loving thy neighbour regardless of his or her differences. A person’s spiritual journey should not be imposed on them by another. Spiritual development is a process and we must all be free to develop at our own pace. In the same way that one would not rip apart the petals of a flower had it not yet begun to bloom, one should not force the hand of a person who is not ready to contemplate spiritual matters. This included by imposing cultures, customs, and ways of dressing.

With regards to Shariah Law, I feel it important to note that many people speak of Shariah law without realising that the term describes many different ways of ruling Islamic society. There are in fact many different schools of Shariah Law which include:

Hanbali: This is the most conservative school of Shari'a. It is used in Saudi Arabia and some states in Northern Nigeria.

Hanifi: This is the most liberal school, and is relatively open to modern ideas.

Maliki: This is based on the practices of the people of Medina during Muhammad's lifetime.

Shafi'i: This is a conservative school that emphasizes on the opinions of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.

From http://www.religioustolerance.org/islsharia.htm

Muslims say the Western world misrepresents Shariah by focusing on beheadings in Saudi Arabia and other gruesome punishments. The equivalent, they say, would be a debate about the history of Western law focused on America's electric chair.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I believe that men and women are equal and therefore would have no problem with a woman becoming a priest.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, Buddhism is open to any person regardless of their gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation etc.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I think the entire point of religion is to give us guidelines, morals, ethics, principles etc by which to live our life. It has been said that Buddhism is more than a religion - it is a philosophy of life, a way of choosing to view human existence. Since the meaning of the word Buddha is “awakened one”, a Buddhist spends most of his or her life trying to achieve this state of spiritual awakening. This means cultivating a very high level of self awareness and learning not to let negative human emotions such as anger and hatred consume oneself.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I do not believe that love and religions are coterminous. All human beings should be free to love the person most dear to them regardless of their religion, gender, race etc.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I do not believe hell is a place, I believe it is a state we condemn ourselves to through clinging, ignorance and hatred. As I previously mentioned I believe that all religions are narratives – ways of explaining and developing an awareness of something that is, in essence, completely beyond the ability of language to articulate. There is a very good documentary which elaborates on this which can be found here.
http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/07/consciousness-drives-universe.html

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Most Buddhists would agree that the Dalai Lama is the highest authority on Buddhism in the world today. His message of peace, love and tolerance has won him the respect not just of Buddhists but of people from all religions and walks of life across the globe. He is also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
I don’t think it gives me peace of mind but it gives me the drive to be a better person and to develop the wisdom I believe we all need as humans to evolve to a higher spiritual state of being.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Reincarnation is one the principal tenets of Buddhism. It centres on the idea of impermanency, and that everything in the universe is cyclical. In recent times scientific enquiry, through quantum physics, had also proven many of the ideas underpinning the Buddhist concept of reincarnation – i.e. that energy can never cease to exist, the uncertainty principle etc.

Here is a quote from a very good article discussing the quantam physics perspective on reincarnation

We, ourselves, consist entirely of quantum stings. Our identities, our names, our personalities, our beliefs, opinions, senses of humor-indeed, what we think of as our minds. We consist of one-dimensional bits of the cosmic total. And we might just as well be different bits--elsewhere--because the "self" is essentially an organizing principle which we have imposed upon this chaos. If you were to stand back far away from us, we would appear to be a no-dimensional point, but as you draw closer, we are revealed to be a great deal more than that.

Therefore, our identities were assembled from this quantum material, or Ether, by the organizing principle of our conception of ourselves. We bring ourselves into being. Our consciousness is the gravitation. We came from whirling nothing, we return to whirling nothing. The dust we came from and the dust to which we return are not really there, but thinking makes it so.

These bits might as comfortably be at the other end of the universe as where they are. Only by the act of regarding them do we hold them together. You assemble your bits, I assemble mine, and when we cease thinking they all fly back into the general pool of Everything, Everywhere. So you and I temporarily consist of ourselves, and someday may well consist of other selves. We will be back, but a precious lot of good it will do us, because we won't know it. So, yes, reincarnation is possible from a rationalist, scientific point of view. We have been and will be reincarnated as part of the vast store of everything there is. We will be suns, moon, stars, rain. Look for us in the weather reports.