Jonathan H. B. Lobl

Yes. By all means, let us avoid conflict. A workable prayer for the departed should be -- "May your Heavenly Father reward you with everything that you have earned."

On a positive note: The Rev. Mr. Phelps has managed to make the world a better place -- just by leaving it.

I should explain something. For three miserable years, I was a substitute NYC Public School Teacher. For me, there is nothing hypothetical about Religious pressure on the curriculum. I was there. I talked with the Science teachers on the front lines. This is very personal for me. There is nothing amusing or cute about Genesis as a Science text. Or the pious twits * who want to change the curriculum. * I'm being nice.

I have no problem with Genesis as a source of Spiritual wisdom. When it is brought into the classroom to replace or correct Science, the war is on. When Genesis is inserted into Science textbooks, the war is on. That is the problem. The people who insist that Genesis is "right" and Science is "wrong." As a source of wisdom, spiritual insight, what ever -- I have no problem with the book at all. Or the Vedic Scriptures for that matter, which also should not be in the Science class.

"Credibility" is an interesting word. For whom do you wish to be more credible? Considering the disdain that many established churches have for each other -- and the history of religious persecution -- "credibility" is subject to interpretation. Only a few years back, the Pope Emeritus said that only the Catholic Church had apostolic succession. All the other churches were nothing more than "ecclesiastic communities." When Romney was running for President, he found out a few things about how well the Mormon church is not loved by the Evangelicals. The Jehovah's Witnesses have much to say about why they have the only true church. Likewise, the Seventh Day Adventists. The Quakers have a rich history of being persecuted by the main stream churches. So do the Christian Scientists. The Baptist Churches don't like any of them. That's just the Christian groups. I have not even mentioned all the different pagan groups; which get no respect at all. Or the Atheist and Agnostic groups that get nothing but resentment. Or the Muslim groups being spied on by the police. Or the............ Again, for whom do you seek greater credibility?

I understood the quote. It was cute. Ha Ha. I stand by my comments.

Science and Religion don't have to be in opposition. When Genesis is brought into the Science class, they are in opposition. When the forces of Religion oppose the teaching of evolution, then they are opposed. If we can keep Science in the classroom and religion in the church -- nothing is in opposition.

The people who ran the Crusades and Inquisition took themselves very seriously. So do the current terrorists. A little mockery is good.

Rowan, Back in 1978, all I did was to ask what the ordination requirements were. I was astonished to receive my certificate of ordination by return mail. Nobody was more astonished than I -- when I found myself growing into it. I was not looking for my path at that time. My path found me. Who is to say who has "spiritual Leanings?"

Nobody has suggested "wizard." The word means "wise one." As distinct from "dull-ard" or"drunk-ard"

That describes the singularity that produced the Big Bang.

Who will be the gatekeeper and who will get left out? The Atheists? The Agnostics? The Pagans? The Muslims? The Hindus? The Jews? The Satanists? The Buddhists? The Christians? No. I want no gatekeeper and no gate. It would stop being the Universal Life Church.

I think that it makes just as much sense to say that we were created for their pleasure.

That actually brings us to the Universal Life Church.

I don't know why this is drifting into physics. Still, if we must..... It is the positive and negative charges within the atom -- the electrostatic charges -- that hold matter together; thereby producing gravity.

Love holds lives together. Gravity holds the Universe together.

The only Gnostic Gospel I've read is St. John.

This I understand It's what I would call internal. What would be an external source which is not supernatural?

Such as?

Can there be an external source without invoking the supernatural?

To a point, yes. When our unconscious minds notice something, it is because our own minds find it worth while. There is plenty of stuff that our minds simply ignore. Yes. There is a message. It is from within. Not without. IMO.

Hello Lordie: You did not lose your faith. You out grew it. You are becoming more than you were. You are "becoming."

Synchronicity is interesting. Assuming that it is real; I see no reason to suppose that angels are involved.

To my observation, the strongest force in the Universe is entropy.

Just a thought. Have you tried "Free Thinker?" It's a little old fashioned, but it still works.