The Yule Tree of Life

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What Really Matters

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 This piece isn't fiction. But it is a little bit flashy!

What Really Matters

The biggest mistake I’ve made in life is berating myself mercilessly for being at odds with certain dogmas and tenets, or failing to live up to certain arbitrary social standards, when there is only one rule which really matters in the scheme of things:

 Image found on this blog, which everyone should go read, right after they finish reading this!

My actions matter, not my system of belief or my appearance.

~The Cheese Hath Spoken~

Cross-Posted to:

The Cheese Whines

One Love

Biblical Theology: The Book of Acts

Presented by Pastor Robert Herrgott of Queensland Theological College.

This video is shared for informational purposes to help students of religion or spiritual seekers. It is not shared with the intent of telling anyone what to believe or not believe.

~Spectra~

The Challenges of Modern Orthodoxy by Dr. Barry Freundel

~

Note: I am not Jewish, and I don't claim to understand all that is being discussed or the importance it might have to an Orthodox Jew. I was raised in a liberal Catholic household. I ended up an agnostic who believes in a higher power but doesn't claim to understand its nature. In my search for what truths there may be, I have enjoyed studying various faiths.

What the Rabbi discusses in this video seems to me to be more cultural than having to do with particular spiritual beliefs. He discusses the need to find common ground and the need for evolution within the culture. Extremism benefits nobody, and his arguments seem well thought out. The video is long, but I found it worthwhile.

~Wanda~

Relaxing Fireplace Video

Set this on full screen. Meditate. If you're like me, you'll probably end up...

ZZZZZZZZZZ!

~Lily~

Think About It

Here's what I like about Greg:
He doesn't tell you what you should or shouldn't believe.
He simply tells you to think about what you believe.
He has a number of ebooks and articles on his website that you can check out. Not all of them are religious in nature.

Cross-Posted to:
One Love
Sly Fawkes

Mind Reading or Not?

Did he really read her mind? Who knows? I keep an open mind.

If someone read my mind, there's a good chance I'd get slapped!

Hateful Fundamentalists

This is a response to a post at Triangulations.

The sort of holier than thou Christians (or whatever religion) who claim that only by believing just as they do can lead to salvation are truly insufferable people. They don't care if those who would suffer in accordance with their terrible beliefs are helpless children. They so badly want themselves to be special snowflakes that they are willing to become vile, hateful, intolerant people to achieve that goal.

If deities there be, then they are much more evolved than humans. They would not have egos which require worship from said humans. Fundamentalist Christians believe in a cosmic abusive parent: the Demiurge.

I had nightmares about hellfire and damnation from a vengeful God until I was nearly thirty years old. It took many years to get rid of the fears that were put into my psyche during my childhood.

He Shall Feed His Flock

Although I have become poorly disposed towards organized religion, I still find songs like this one comforting.

Brief Movie Review: The Man from Earth

This 2007 American film by Jerome Bixby is a dialogue-based dramatization of a story by Gordon R. Dickson about a man claiming to be a 14,000 year old caveman. While his friends/former colleagues initially believe that John is pulling their legs and go along for the ride just for fun, they eventually begin to believe that what he says might be true. This causes anger in several of his guests as they are forced to question the validity of the things they have always believed to be absolute truths.

Questions are raised about the validity of both science and religion. Things that are thought to be absolute truths one day may be refuted the next, replaced by new beliefs. People want something that they can believe in and when it seems that one's comforting belief may be taken away, a person can have irrational, even violent reactions.

I have had discussions about belief with my son, who is, in my opinion, one of the wisest people I have known, although he is only 23 years old. He said that while he has certain spiritual ideas which he on some occasions holds to be true and on other occasions hopes are true, in general he feels that the only way to be a true scientist and a true seeker is to conduct oneself as an agnostic. Thus, one does not reject possibilities, nor embrace anything as absolute. One is always open to discovery and change.

As to the nature of questions such as life, death, and salvation of the soul should there be a soul, we are not in a position to know the absolute truth in these matters. This being the case, it is best to keep an open mind and an open heart. We must, as Dr. Martin Luther King Junior said, learn to disagree without becoming violently disagreeable.

~Cie~

Cross-posted to:

One Love

Sly Fawkes

Black Dot on Chem Cloud

Unsure what caused this phenomenon. I tend to suspect film glitches and dust or tricks of the light with "Spirit Orbs," and this is probably something similar. Nonetheless, it is interesting.
To explain my position with "supernatural phenomenon," I don't believe in the supernatural. If entities such as ghosts, angels, and demons exist (which I believe they very likely do,) they are natural and not supernatural.
I am a skeptic as opposed to a cynic. I look for proof of things that I theoretically believe to be possible or that I have encountered but can't prove the existence of using current scientific method.
I don't believe in the existence of Niburu, because the way it is describe completely defies physical laws. At any rate, even if by some strange chance it should exist, it gave us a miss in December 2012. On bad days, I think that's kind of a pity.

~Rose~

Cross-Posted to:

One Love

The Sunday Picture

Kumbh Mela Festival Bathing Day

The Paradoxy of Orthodoxy

Although time and observation have led me to believe that the God worshiped in the Christian Bible (Jehovah/Yaweh) is the Demiurge, I still enjoy religious studies. I enjoyed listening to this fellow's speech. He's very genial and charismatic.
The Universe is full of paradoxes. When does one fight, and when does one go with the flow? It's hard to know. Generally, I prefer to go with the flow, but there are some things worth fighting for.

Theravada Buddhism

An animated monk on a blue background explains some of the tenets of Theravada.
The temple I go to is a Shin temple. They are community oriented. I'm rather new to it all, so I'm learning everything I can!

~Gretyll~

 

Milarepa's How To Gain Happiness and Avoid Suffering

Wonderful words and thoughts to consider in this one.
I am still struggling with my meditation. The Monkey Mind tends to take over. Also, if I relax too much, I fall asleep!

Why Biblical Literalism is Erroneous

I'm not for saying that everyone who practices a given religion is 'fucked up.'
However, I am for using your mind when it comes to anything you read.
Any tome is human interpretation.

Walk On by Dogmatic

Hillsong: Unending Love

I find it distressing that I can't simply like a song like this without people demanding to know why I like it.

I grew up in a Christian household. By the time I got into high school, I was strongly questioning the dogma. Still, I liked a lot of the spiritual songs, and I liked Jesus. 

I don't think Jesus would be keen on a lot of the things that were done in his name.

I think that Jesus was a highly enlightened soul, and I think there is nothing better than trying to follow the example that he set. This doesn't mean that I need to reject the teachings of other enlightened souls, such as Siddhartha. 

I do reject the religion calling itself Christianity at this point in my life. I think that for many people calling themselves Christians, their take on things goes something like this:

Whatever the case, I enjoy listening to songs like the one above. Even when I was in turmoil because I was rejecting a lot of the ideas the church postulated, I still enjoyed the music. I find it soothing, and often more filled with truly Christian ideas than the fire and brimstone dogma of the sermons.

Peace,

Ursula

It Gets Better: Joe Pang

We don't believe that a person's sexual orientation is a "sin." We believe that bi, gay, or straight is normal and okay.

To Take To the Sky

 I used to love flying. It's horrible now and I try never to do it. The older I get, the less I need stress, and airports have become places of stress rather than joy. I need music like this more than ever these days. Much love.

~Rose~

Artist Empath

You Scored as Artist You are an Artist Empath, one who creates their own reality and infuses the realities of others with your energy & emotions. You are poetic and sensitive. You turn your feelings into creations and share them with the world. Everything you touch turns to song and is freed by the color of your eyes. Your spirit dances with the winds and paints delight in the evening sky. (from the "Book of Storms" by Jad Alexander at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Empaths/)

No surprise there.
It's hard being that way in this world. Nobody gets it.
I'm constantly told to just stop being this way. Just stop with the stupid creativity, it will never get you anywhere. You aren't really very good at it anyway. Stop being so foolish and flighty. Turn yourself to practical pursuits.
Just stop being this way.
Just stop being this.
Just stop being.

I'll tell you this. I think my tendency to suicide ideation has a lot less to do with my bipolar disorder than it has to do with constantly being told to JUST STOP BEING who I am.

Cross-posted to:
The Cheese Whines
One Love
Undead in the Netherworld

So, why would I post this to Undead in the Netherworld?
Because it's MY BLOG, dammit! I'm the one who created it. Granted, it's the one that gets the most traffic, so we should pander to our audience, yada yada.
It's my fucking blog.
If I want to share my feelings about being a creative empathic reject, I damn well will.

Here's the link to take the quiz

A Contradiction?

So here is the thing I find contradictory in what people like this are saying. Are they saying that the non-believer ceases to exist following the death of the body? If this is so, then what need is there for ye olde fiery lake?

I like this video better. It has a snappier beat!

Beautiful Solitude Theme

Perfect for meditation.

A Call to Anguish

While I don't agree with all of this guy's ideas, and he's a bit fire and brimstone for my liking, he does have some good points.

People are way too shallow and self-absorbed these days, and there is indeed an addiction to entertainment, an obsession with celebrity. Ideas such as spirituality and devotion are ridiculed. Western culture is becoming more and more shallow.

I appreciate that he addresses the problem of pedophilia in the church. 

He's certainly very demonstrative, emotionally speaking.

The Immortal Soul by Camden Christadelphia

So the fellow in the video postulates that there is no immortal soul to survive death.
Fine, you might say. Thus, he is an atheist. He doesn't believe in life after death.
This is where the WTF comes in.
He is not an atheist.
He is a Christian.
He states that the idea of the immortal soul comes from Greek beliefs.
Fine, but...
If there is no immortal soul...
Then why should anyone give a rat's behind about worshiping God, Satan, Cthulhu, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or anything else?
(Although worshiping the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Cthulhu is pretty cool regardless of whether or not we have souls.)
This guy says, "the man is the soul," and "a live dog is better than a dead lion."
He is using the word "soul" in the context of "person," i.e. "Spectra is a good soul."
(Well, actually he wouldn't think I'm a good soul. I'm a heathen, Pagan blasphemer.)
But if the "soul" is the body and the consciousness all wrapped in one, and when it dies, poof, we're gone...
THEN WHO GIVES A FLYING CRAP WHETHER OR NOT WE WORSHIP THE GOD THAT THIS GUY SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORSHIPING?
What difference does it make if we are exalted or damned if we have ceased to exist?

Admissibly, I haven't listened to any of the guy's other stuff. My soul is too befuddled to even consider it at the moment.