Sodaiho

Reply to Language as Idolatry in Religion Stardock Forums

Interesting discussion. I do not disagree that words are powerful. I actually love them and as a writer and student they are indespesable. Yet, words are the symbols we use to reference or connect with something else: always it is the "something else" that is most important. To me this is as true speaking of a tree as it is of speaking of the Infinite. Words' very power, however, can get us into trouble, in my opinion, when we focus our attention of them, as if they were the

Reply to Language as Idolatry in Religion Stardock Forums

LOL. I will pass this along to a friend in shul who is a German professor. BTW, you are doing a real service on TC blog. Thank you. Shabbat Shalom

Language as Idolatry in Religion JoeUser Forums

With palms together, Good Morning Everyone, Last night at our Temple's Journeys class, we concluded our discussions of Shabbat and the Sh'ma. Shabbat is our weekly day of rest and sanctification; Sh'ma is our understanding of the Unity or Oneness of God. These classes have been a struggle for me. I am one who comes to God without an understanding of God. I hesitate to name God "God" and prefer all inclusive terms like

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

Just as Jesus "fulfilled" the "Law" from a Christian POV, Jews shifted from sacrifice to prayer and study, moving from an externalized worship to one that integrated both the internal and external. We use these festivals not so much in the light of a commandment, but more as a remembrance and a reminder, a connection to our past and a mindful practice in our present. We were just last night talking about the fact that God talk is fairly rare in synagogues other than through

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]You can't practice these festivals as intended with no temple. There are no sacrifices anymore. Instead of a lamb some use a chicken instead. Each one of these feasts have a modern way of celebration improvising how they were once celebrated. [/quote] This is true. Improvisation over time is the key to religious survival in the face of a catastrphe such as the destruction of the Temple and exile. But we still celebrate these festivals, we still read the Torah in its entire

Reply to Swingin' in Misc Stardock Forums

[quote]My mother told me - never go to where you lived. Now you see why. Memories are often better than reality.[/quote] Great advice, with serious implications for conservatives! [e digicons]:sun:[/e] Just kidding of course, well....

Reply to Someone explain, please!!!!!! Cause I just don't get it. in Current Events Stardock Forums

Charles, it was not that lending is a problem, it was lending with the aim of gambling for a very large return that was the problem. The banking and mortgage industry got into a sort of pyramid scheme and frankly, got greedy. If banks stay with what they have, fees up the you know what, interest, and so on, no problem. But they didn't stop there. Be well.

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

With palms together, Lula, a magnificent set of replies. Too much to respond to directly. I do think you might want to post this message from your Pope as an article in itself with your own critique of Christianity and Modernity. I see the Pope as arguing an essentially Buddhist POV, the Middle Way. Progress is good, but so is resisting change for change sake. The trouble is that the Church does not rule by Middle Way, which requires a bal

Reply to Fear in Religion JoeUser Forums

Dear KFC, You certainly are a blessing. The need for Jesus to be without blemish comes from the need to make Jesus as a sacrifice acceptable. Please remember nothing in the NT is bible to me. While it is always interesting, using it as a prooftext is meaningless. As to what Christians do, I haven't a clue. What I read here at JU is a lot about belief and very little about practice. My experience with Christians, you recall, is with t

Reply to The Cost of Cars in Politics Stardock Forums

MM, hold on to that Civic. I drove two Nissans and each took me to over 250,000 miles without a single breakdown. We now have a Honda "Fit" and we love the little thing. On the other hand, the Ford trucks and Chevy trucks I've owned, as well as the Jeep Wrangler were crap needing work all the time. I am soooo glad I no longer have to have a truck! See ya. Be well.

Reply to The Cost of Cars in Politics Stardock Forums

Yes. It is interesting to me. Why the Right, so supportive of business, would not want the government to assume the burden of at least health care is beyond me. It would seriously reduce their overhead. On the other hand, they seem to want to avoid the costs themselves (more and more companies are not providing benefits) AND not have government deal with it. I guess the employee is then left with this HUGE cost to bear alone. No one wants to t

The Cost of Cars in Politics JoeUser Forums

Sunday, on ABC's "This Week," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif. , told George Stephanopoulos that workers pay and benefits were "maybe too high." "I think it's very important to not just put money in, but let's go and see if they have been fiscally responsible, and if they're really operating the right way. Because right now ... the auto workers ... the benefits and all of those things,

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

With palms together, Good Morning Lula, All, For some reason we nearly always come to this: Lula (and sometimes KFC) assert the divinity of Jesus, point out with their Christian eyes, that the Torah, Prophets and Writings are just chock full of evidence that a latter day Jesus was in the mind of all the Patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets. I, on the other hand, point out, not so. Its a Christian spin on a Hebrew text. Lula claims she knows all abo

A Corruption of Ethics in Religion JoeUser Forums

With palms together, Good Morning Everyone, When I think about what I know of practical ethics, I admit I think of the fundamentals, don't be late, pay your way, study or work hard, treat others with respect. As they go, the picture of relationships from an ethical point of view in the fifties was very simple and maybe that is why they reside in my memory as the relief against which I measure myself. Yet, in truth, I think

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]Only HE kept the law perfectly and it's only BY HIM are we made right with God....that is, those who accept his perfect sacrifice....himself. That's what the whole message was about from the beginning in Genesis to the end Revelation[/quote] Dear KFC, I think if you use biblical text to demonstrate a point such as Jesus was the Messiah by going to text that predates Jesus by centuries, you are, in fact, doing what I suggest. I don't think this is "bad" or

Reply to I am NOT Religious, I just Love G-D in Religion JoeUser Forums

MM, my sincere apologies. In my classes at Temple, Zen Center, and colleges, people have said the same thing. I forget I am one of those "pointy heads" :) and that I need to remain mindful and define terms. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy which addresses how we know what we think we know. Phenomenology is a later philosophical school that argues for the subjectivity of things and asks us to investigate the thing for itself. Empiricism is that sc

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]You say he was enlightened. How can one be enlightened and mistaken at the same time? [/quote] KFC, This is such a good question! Enlightened masters are still slave to the language of their time. It is for this reason they often speak in parables. I do think Jesus tried to redefine the messiahship to be in accordance with his experience of his true nature. Unfortunately, as with many masters, his audience was not on the same page, b

Reply to I am NOT Religious, I just Love G-D in Religion Stardock Forums

Good Morning Everyone, MM, thank you for this article and, Zoo, for that question. And thank you, as well, Leauki, for your question. How do we "know" anything? Epistemological questions are one thing when directed at the empirical world, but a wholly other when directed at the metaphysical or religious worlds. Some of would say that our experiences in the world can be held as empirical evidence of God. When we say this, however, we are still left wi

On Being Late in Religion JoeUser Forums

With palms together, Good Morning Everyone, We talked yesterday about the need for space between the match and the fuse. Opening that space is a challenge as it requires two things we are often either not equipped for or are unwilling to do. These are noticing the match is lit and a willingness not to light the fuse itself. We could add, of course, that we need to notice the fuse, as well, but here's the thing, none

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]Today, Jews crucify Him intellectually just as their forebears crucified Him physically 21 centuries ago.[/quote] With palms together, Good Morning Lula, All, Goodness, Lula, strong words. Nowhere do I kill Jesus. I simply deny he was the messiah. As to your long list of biblical prooftexts, they are based on an agenda the early church had, not of a Jewish Jesus. We have discussed the Moses reference before. If Moses had Jesus i

Reply to Fear in Religion JoeUser Forums

[quote]When John asked from prison if this was the one they had waited for or should they wait for another, Jesus answer was "go tell John all that you have seen and heard. Tell him the blind see, the deaf hear and the lame walk." [/quote] You nor I have any idea what Jesus actually said. We only know what the church reported. The church had its own agenda. I am not calling Jesus a liar. If he said he was the messiah he was clearly mistaken. Be

Reply to Fear in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]It always comes down to the fundamental. Do you believe Christ? Was he a liar, or a lunatic or was he who he claimed to be? [/quote] A.) "believe in" Christ? Do I think he was God? No. Do I believe in God, yes. Do I believe Jesus was the messiah? No. Moreover, I do not think the Jewish (original) conception of a messiah is supernatural in any sense. B.) was he a liar? No. I think Jesus' message in the main is a good Jewish

Reply to I am NOT Religious, I just Love G-D in Religion Stardock Forums

[quote]A Jewish or Islamic fundamentalist who insists that His way is the only way, is not a faithful Jew or Muslim. [/quote] I agree completely, at least about Judaism. I do think as insiders we can (and do) have a differing understanding as regards faithful Jews. Ultra-orthodox Jews and some Orthodox, hold that unless one keeps the commandments they are not following the way. Any deviation from prescribed practices is seen as a lack of faithfulnes

Reply to I am NOT Religious, I just Love G-D in Religion Stardock Forums

Here I am. :) MM, It is my understanding that the only religions that believe they have a lock on the truth (as in their way is the only Way) are Fundamentalist Christianity and Fundamentalist Islam. Judaism has its fundamentalists, but they typically apply this only to Jews, as in the ultra-orthodox among us. Many Christians, Jews, and Muslims might agree theirs is the way, but I don't think they so much judge or demonize others as do the fundies. &n

Match and Fuse in Religion JoeUser Forums

With palms together, Good Morning Everyone, This morning I woke later than usual. It was 6:30 or so. I made the coffee, offered incense, and practiced meditation. I have been studying both a text on Mindful Jewish Living and a text on Mussar, called everyday Holiness. I am impressed with how both of these texts dovetail and reference very similar practice techniques of Zen. It would seem that mindfulness, introspec