Blog Comments

Talking about God is a third-person activity. Encountering God, or talking to God, is a second-person activity.

Thanks for the post. I just want to share some of my reaction to your points.

2. In light of the above, I enjoy talking to people who think differently to me. Not the dumb ones of course, there's nothing to be gained by that. But people of good character who are articulate and civil but who have reached different conclusions to me are worth their weight in gold. Other people might be right and I might be wrong.

One of my favorite musicals is 1776. In it, one of the characters says "I haven't met anything that can't be discussed." Like you I enjoy a good civil conversation. I wish there were more of them.

5. I think God and spirituality are best approached sideways. I think poetry, music and art communicate God to us much better than theology.

I find music and art communicate the existence and presence of God to me better than theology. However, find I need theology to help understand who God is. I think any relationship with God needs both.

6. I think life is fundamentally relational. We are all in this together, you, me, other creatures and the Earth. The more we improve and respect the bonds between us all the closer we get to God. You can't love God and hate your neighbour by the broadest definition of 'neighbour'.

I agree. I just wish when people talk about a relationship with God, they weren't so narrow. A man is in relationship both when he bows before his king and when he talks with a friend. Those are just different forms of the same activity.

7. There isn't a sacred and a profane. Every action can be sacred. It depends on our intent. Sex is good. Happiness is fine. Life is meant to be enjoyed but not held onto. The Buddhists are right: much of our suffering comes from clinging. Let go.

Don't think I can fully agree with the Buddhists. I see too much genuine suffering that gets inflicted on people.

8. All of us can add to the beauty of the world in large and small ways by loving our children and partners, by small acts of kindness, by advocacy for the poor and the oppressed. There are so many ways to be of service. Isn't that great?

Yes.

10. There are heaps of things I don't have strong opinions on: afterlife, reincarnation, eating pork, pool enclosures.

Must make you much more enjoyable to talk with when every discussion doesn't become a debate over positions.

Blessings.

Originally posted by Carrikature

I'm curious what you think there is. Better yet, why you think it's there.

Remember it's a very vague 'I think' mixed with some 'I hope'. I suspect mystical experience is pointing to something. I don't have many clues what that something is, but I suspect that it is ultimately nourishing. I think beauty and art might give us clues. I'm really struggling for words here and I'm sure it shows.

Thank you for the excellent exposition.

Originally posted by pancreasman

I am not an atheist. I toyed with it for a while but it didn't take. I suspect there is much more to the cosmos than we know.

I'm curious what you think there is. Better yet, why you think it's there.