Contemplating Wisdom

Got coffee? Then let's get started. A third stream of similarity for religious ideas is related to the popular inquiry in several new books reflecting in-depth studies of the brain that ask the question: "Is there a physical location in our bodies that serves as a connecting point to God?" The newest medical techniques, that weren't available even ten years ago, allow us to study specific brain activity and provide research opportunity in mapping the brain during spiritual activity. This research brings us to the brink of possibly determining if there is a part of the our anatomy that is responsible for our God awareness. For those who are purely scientist, the location of this brain activity gives credence to the discussion that religion, and therefore God, is no more than a natural function of our bodies, thus, there is nothing beyond our humanness. For those persons at the other end of the debate the location of brain activity during spiritual experiences gives ri

I’ve been thinking about this second similarity of religions for a few days and it just so happens that I’m away this week in Santa Fe, NM. The local coffee is superb and I’ve already had more than I need. So, grab whatever it is you have and let’s talk more about religious similarities. Given that the God we speak of transcends existence and being, then such ideas transcend language as well. That means our language is limited to the point we cannot speak directly about God. The best we can do is use words that are bound to our existence, our being (not God’s), and our ability to comprehend. Therefore, we must accept that all speech about God is going to be severely limited. No matter what or how we say it our words will always fall short of the totality of what can be meant when we say God. That leaves us with the alternative: to use metaphor and symbol to convey our limited knowledge of God. And because metaphors and symbols are open to wide interpretation so that no single one

While this title may sound theological, it is really about coffee. One day I’ll open a coffee shop for those who desire to simply hang-out and share their experiences of life and the truths they have learned. Okay, got coffee now where was I? Oh, yes, the three similarities in world religions. Perhaps I should clarify for I don't want to give the impression that it is the religious ideas that are similar but rather the general principles under which we operate in our search for that which we call God—by whatever name or title. Ancient worshipers understood there to be an energy or force at the very core of creation that was responsible for holding everything together and empowering nature’s ability to regenerate itself. The seasons of the year, the birthing of off-spring, and the precise repetition in the movement of the stars, moon, and sun were a witness of that invisible force which kept creation in constant renewal. As language became more sophisticated the record

This may take a while so grab your cup. I've been reading for the past two years on the subject of religious development. Archaeological discoveries in the last year allows us to now date religious development as far back as 17,000 years. Though the actual site under examination was uncovered 55 years ago it has taken that many years to begin, literally, mining the artifacts. It is, as you can imagine, terribly tedious work to avoid destroying an ancient treasure that could never be replaced if damaged. Now I know some will find this information heartening while others will find it disturbing. The reason being that many who find their faith in the Judea-Christian tradition take literally the premodern, Biblical assumption that creation began around 6000 BCE. The discovery of early religious development is good but too early can cause issues with some people's faith. In the study of religious life in human existence it is clear that the roots of our tradition don't g

In the movie Avatar there is a scene near the beginning where the female lead rescues the hero by saving him from the wild, dog-like creatures that are about to overpower him. She wounds one animal then, after scattering the others, returns to the body of the dying animal to say a few ritualistic words before ceremonially ending his misery. Anthropologist, paleontologist, and archaeologists who study the paintings and carvings of premodern man suggest that the earliest of rituals were evoked by a supreme respect for all life. The traces of these rituals date back more than 17,000 years when hunting was survival. The rituals were not created for the purpose of worship but rather the expression of what the hunters came to understand as this sacred connection: life was taken that life might continue. There was a bond between the hunted and the hunter. Rites of passage were the means of determining the preparedness of young men to hunt but also how well they understood this connectednes

Got your coffee? Previously I referenced the story of Galileo whose theory on the sun being the center of our solar system contradicted the Biblical interpretation of Earth being the center. The Church forced Galileo to recant, cease his writing, and though he was not executed for his heresy he would spend the rest of his life as a prisoner. This same struggle is coming home to the Christian faith and the church in a world that has moved beyond modern to post-modern while the faith of many remains in a distant world of the past. The fastest growing segment in our population are those who indicated they are "non-religious". Being non-religious does not mean they are without a God consciousness or have no desire to develop an awareness of the part of their existence that is spiritual. Rather they are saying that the state of current religious practices and explanations of life don't work for them. The challenge of modern religious life is to do what societies have always do