Jonathan H. B. Lobl

No therapy is perfect for all conditions, in all people, at all times. I find Therapeutic Touch useful for stress relief and pain reduction. If we want it to cure cancer or diabetes or Parkinson's -- it will disappoint. It's not everything. It's also not nothing.

The problem is that once "the Word" becomes the printed word -- it's all there and it doesn't go away. Over time, an oral tradition can be self correcting. The Bible is now frozen in time. Traditional Orthodox Judaism has it's own way of dealing with this. It's the Talmudic system. In each generation, a layer of interpretation is added, so that a rabbi can say -- "I know what the text seems to say. Here is what it actually means." More recently, we have Humanistic Judaism. The foundation book for this movement is "Judaism beyond God". The theme here, is that Jews have changed over the past 5,000 years -- and the past does not control the present. That includes 5,000 year old ideas about God. Things change.

There are many ways to be self righteous. It is not limited to one passage. Even here, Jesus does not say that he is the only source of truth. It depends on the source of that statement. Was it Jesus the man speaking? Or the enlightend state within him?

For all the diversity of American religion, there is the bedrock assumption that all religion, all spirituality, all morality and decency are aspects of Monotheism. The standard Monotheist understands Atheism to be a rejection of God. They do not understand the distinction between -- "I don't believe in God" -- and -- "I believe there is no God."' It is one reason I have come to dislike using the Atheist label. I got into way too many stupid arguments that I didn't care about. I would be at a party. Someone would make small talk by asking me what my religion was. I would say "Atheist". Next thing I would know, I would be getting a pleading for mutual tolerance. It's not my idea of party small talk. When I say "Agnostic" I use it in the traditional way. Some things are not known or Knowable. In particular, God. Pious Monotheists and Hard line Atheists tend to twist that in the same way. It is not that God's existence is not knowable. It is that I don't know. That I can't make up my mind. That I need to grow a spine. That I'm hedging my bets. I catch the same crap from both sides. It doesn't help things along that I am often inconsistent. In the course of my Reiki studies, I took an initiation to Sekhmet, the Lion headed goddess of the Egyptian pantheon. I have used my Reiki -- and related training -- when I look at the Sekhmet statues. It's like a book of theology to anybody who can look at her and see the obvious. She sits, with a straight spine. A serpent emerges from her third eye. The ajna chakra. She is engaged in a kundalini type exercise and her third eye is open. Behind her head is the Sun disc. In Western symbolism, it would be a halo. Her crown chakra is open. In her left hand, she holds the Ankh. She is pulling in power from her symbol. Her right hand rests flat on her right thigh. She is sending energy into her root chakra. All so obvious. All on the level of mythology and not to be taken literally. She is stiff. Ridged. Distant. Not to be touched. Then we look at Bast. All soft, curvy sensual lines. This is the one we snuggle with. Not Sekhmet. The difference between lioness and cat. I have also been initiated to Quan Yin. She started off as Quan Yang. A male figure, who became Quan Yin, after deciding that a female form was more conducive to mercy, comfort, compassion and healing. I also have initiations to Medicine Buddha and White Tara. I am not Buddhist and I'm not Pagan -- but I understand a lot more than people expect. I also have a Jewish background. My family religion and ethnicity. I developed my own understanding. "There is no God and we are his people.". Before I forget -- long time visitors to this site will remember when I advocated for Pantheism. I have been through changes. Try and stuff all that into a simple label. It doesn't work. This much I can say. I do not suffer fools gladly. Life is short. I can't be bothered.

For me, "Logos" is the "Word" from John. "In the beginning was the word......." Not Universal at all. Very Christian. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations There is another possibility. I remember a Hindu/Vedic teacher applying the "word" to the original sound. The original sound was A.U.M. (OM)

Yes. The search for the perfect label. Good luck with that.

Alas, no. It exists only on the Net. Agnostic churches are different. We don't have to assemble in one place, to proclaim that we don't know. We also don't get excited by credentials. It's not like like being ordained as an Agnostic minister caries any authority. Even we don't care. Truly, like herding cats.

Apatheism is the term I know. For the people who don't care whether or not God exists -- and refuse to argue about it. We combine it with Agnostic. Apathetic Agnostic. It's a simple position. We will talk about anything. We're done arguing. It doesn't matter. "We don't know and we don't care." At least they have a sense of humor. Have you noticed that? Religious people don't like to laugh.

I think it is the nature of Humanity. Atheists -- the people who don't believe -- don't like nuance. Agnostics -- the people who don't know -- get hung up on intellectual purity. I am convinced that there is no label that won't bring out the haters. My Agnostic ordination is from the Apathetic Agnostic Church. The motto is "We don't know and we don't care". I should add that they never got incorporated. The Church isn't looking for a tax dodge and we don't care what the government thinks of us.

I have been in too many stupid arguments about what Atheism means. For instance, "hard" vs. "soft". I find that it makes for arguments instead of conversation. The passions run deep.

Thank you. I take kind thoughts where I find them.

Have you considered just saying "Stoic"? You might have more intelligent conversations. At least, less annoying ones.

Something similar happened to me in a few Atheist groups. I said "Agnostic". Next thing I new, they were piling on. They thought I needed "educating." Such snide, condescending, rude, know-it-alls. I left.

I regard physical existence as my base of operations. I don't get homesick. I'm here. Be it ever so humble -- it sure is.

I had to leave a few Skeptic groups. I told them that I had taken classes in Therapeutic Touch. They turned it into Holy War.

I have an authentic Tibetan Buddhist initiation to Medicine Buddha. It's one of the advantages to life in New York City. There are opportunities here, not found elsewhere. To my understanding, Medicine Buddha is a personification of healing. I was given a mantra and a ceremony so that I might self identify with Medicine Buddha. In this way, becoming a focal point for healing. Part of my instruction was that physical healing is low level. To truly reduce the amount of suffering in the world, I was to spread Dharma.

Searching my memory, I recall cosign, sign and valence. I think those were the words. I don't remember what they mean. Yet, I passed the tests. I was right about one thing. I insisted that I was never going to need any of it. I was right.

Just so. A strongly held opinion. Worth no more and no less than any other opinion. Opinions are like ass holes. Everybody has one.

I know I passed the standard High School math courses. I don't even remember what some of the terms mean.

There is always room for improvement. You, me and everybody else. Gently does it.

I never said that it was an accomplishment at all. Only an ordeal and a torment. If I had it to do all over again, I would pursue my education at the Public Library. It would have been so much less expensive -- and a lot more enjoyable. In point of fact, my school (C.C.N.Y.) wanted to know what I had done with my B.A. in Jewish Studies (1977) -- so that they could write up my bio for the 40th anniversary reunion of my class. I reported my U.L.C. ordination (1978); and my U.L.C. honorary D.D. (1996). Such is the value I place on my B.A. At the time, it was important to me. What was I thinking? How could I have been so stupid?

I think it was Mark Twain -- or Will Rodgers -- who said -- "Never let your education get in the way of your learning."

Be patient. The full picture does emerge: The kind, mean, wise and foolish. It all emerges., over time.

Thinking back on it, I did sign the TOS without reading them. Not an issue. I think the filter is silly, but I have no problem dealing with it. It just means I say bull crap instead of bull **. No nuance is actually lost.

If you want to frame it in those terms -- I still think that it's the owners right to be silly. It goes with paying the bills.