Geordon

That is correct. Youbcan Buy the book for the Master of Religion separately for like $10.00. Its title is something like "Univeraal Life Church in the 21st Century" or some such.

I'm in the process of reading his Universal Life in the 21st Century right now and I can only say that more than a few ULC ministers these days would call him a heretic and are about as far from his vision as can be. He was not well educated, and that comes through in this book, though he was a leader (though unrecognized) in the realm of spiritual evolution... And more than a few ministers of the ULC probably don't even realize it.

In my worldview, the animating element and self awarenesssl is the part that defines what is still "you". So, while the toe in question was part of you while it eas attached, once is was removed, it is no longer "part" of you but it is still "yours". Does that make sense? Definitiins: yep! In order to have any productive discourse, all parties need to have a common starting point. Metaphysically speaking what you have said is precisely what i was trying to convey, though with mugh distraction on my end (training on my new job this week). The physical parts that make up "you" only make it you when taken as a whole. Change any of the essebtial components and the physical "you" is different. The same goes for the "soul" and personality. Nithing is constant and unchanging. Eveeyrhing depends on thia very moment and could reasonably be vert different in the next moment.

I have gotten several notifications that “somebody likes your post on...” but I don’t see any indication of who it could be or any flag on the post. is this working as expected?

Thank you

The you that you are now (kind meta, don't you agree?) is no longer the you that you were when you had all 10 toes. Also, the toe that you lost to illness is no longer part of you, so it is NOT you. Does that make sense?

Welcome to the club! I like the Weddings, Funerals, and Rites of Passage book for starting points to use to build my own ceremonies. I just ordered the More... book as well. I did the Chaplaincy program a couple of years ago, and found it to be useful, but very basic. There are a lot of places where I wanted more information, but then again, I'm something of an information whore.

I am grateful to Hekate for opening the door to new employment for me. She has allowed me to find a job that is something of a dream come true and is in my field. I start training today in a couple of hours, and I am so excited that I'm about to bounce out of my skin. Io Hekate!

In some Pagan circles, this is currently known as "Unverified Personal Gnosis" or UPG. There is some debate around the Pagan world about how legitimate UPG might be, but in my experience, it is no different than when "God speaks to me!" in Christian circles. In neither case can the knowledge gained be "proven" in the larger context, but it is no less legitimate FOR THE INDIVIDUAL than accepted doctrine. At least, that's my tuppence!

That is how I conceive of it, myself. Tibetan Buddhists conceive of some sort of ghost or soul that leaves the body at the moment of death, and, to my understanding, that entity sticks around in a sort of afterlife between this life and the next, called Bardo (Wikipedia again, as a jumping off point). This is outlined in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. However, once the spirit enters into the next life, regardless of what realm it is reborn into (paragraph 8), depending on the state of the being's karma, the only essence that remains is the karma. Intellect, memory, morality, etc, are all things that are tied to the present life and do not transfer to the next one. So, the essential "You" is a one-shot deal in my worldview. It's like taking a cup of coffee and dumping it into a swimming pool. The coffee is still technically there, but it is functionally gone and no longer useful as coffee. Does that analogy make sense?

Shalom, rabbi! There are times when someone is too entrenched in their own point of view to consider that there are other ways to see things. I, too, see my role as something of a mentor in general terms, and try to use what Buddhist call upaya or "skillful means" in order to advise people or offer them a different way to think about things, since I see that is the best way to meet them where they are, rather than where I am. Sometimes, though, there are people who refuse to accept the possibility that their way is not the only way. My beloved wife has said for decades that "God is the ultimate marketing genius" in that she views all peaceful religious practice to be leading to the same end, be it Christian Heaven, Islamic Jannah or the Jewish Shamayim. As a Buddhist, I'm not sure that entering Nirvana is quite equivalent, but it is similar in concept. Also, speaking from a Buddhist perspective, it is not uncommon for great discomfort being necessary for growth and change. Speaking as an emergency manager, I see a lot of "Terror Management Theory" (I know, I generally dislike using Wikipedia as a reference, but in this case, it is an excellent jumping off point) being a significant part of some interfaith dialogue, particularly among conservatives of whatever branch.

Granted and agreed. Tact and civility are sorely missing in modern America. I'm not sure about the rest of the world, since I don't have much interaction with other countries' citizens. Rudeness is gross. However, being blunt is not (necessarily) the same as being rude. As my sainted mother often says, "You can disagree without being disagreeable." I'd like to add that sometimes you need to be very blunt and plain to help someone who wants to understand. That's not rudeness.

This is particularly problematical from a Buddhist perspective. Per the Buddhadarma, there is no essential "I" but only a conglomeration of dependent conditions. So, there was never really any "I" to begin with! Only a flawed perception.

Hipsterish irony asside, the world would be much easier if people would speak directly, rather than hiding in euphemism, weasel words, and couched references. Many people do not understand how to deal with someone who speaks plainly and directly.

I came to the same conclusion and I have learned how the "block/ignore" function works here.

Welcome to the board, JP! I finished the Master of Chaplaincy studies a couple of years ago. I found that it left me thirsty for more knowledge, but served as a wonderful intellectual appetizer for the various aspects of Chaplaincy work. I look forward to seeing you around!

No. Statements like : and: and: or: and: All when related to the monotheistic God of Christianity are all precluding the possibility that other faiths are ALSO just as valid. Abrahamic scriptures have no relevance to me, because I do not follow them, nor do I have faith in them. The same holds for Santeria, any number of indigenous religions, and, frankly, most of the religious concepts from all throughout time. They are not mine, I don't follow them, and I don't bother with them one way or another. My faith is not for everyone, and in fact there are many people who I would recommend to avoid my faith, because it is not a good fit for them or they are only interested in the popular aspects of it. See all of the use of "zen" in popular culture... "Zen Crafters: total enlightenment in about an hour" No, what upsets me is someone, ANYONE (I have taken more than a few Pagans to task for this in my time) tries to put their own faith system out as the only legitimate or accurate one. I don't come up to you to share the Good News About Our Lord Buddha, so please do me the same courtesy. Invite people to ask questions if they so choose. Make statements from your own belief and be willing to discuss them. Don't stand on a street corner with a loudspeaker and decry the evils of this or that which you see to be against your own faith. Do that which is right. Pushing your views onto others while denying that their own ways are not valid, only yours are... That is not right.

That's called faith. It is not science.

Thats a common but incorrect impression of Zen. It is definitely a path, but it is nearly entirely experiential, meaning that while a teacher can help you find the path and accompany you through the struggles that you WILL encounter, you have to walk it yourself. The teacher that I am currently working with, Meido Moore Roshi, has recently published a text written specifically for the neophyte, the beginner, the person who wants to study Zen in general and Rinzai Zen in particular. I'm still working my way through it, but the writing is very accessible. The Rinzai Zen Way (Amazon non-affiliate link). One of the things that I like about Zen is that it not only accepts that you don't know, but it encourages you to realize that condition.

Which God, though? I have dedicated myself to Hekate as my patroness. Others may follow Ahura Mazda, or Mithras, or Allah, or Pelé or any of thousands of other gods. Or they may be Satanists, or they may be directed by human consciousness, or they may be agnostics or atheists. Who are you to say what they see is false? Are *you* a god? To claim that your personal god and faith are the only true and legitimate ones is the hight of conceit (1). You say your eyes are open. But do they see that there are other paths that are just as legitimate as your own? You can't make people see with their own spirit. And there is nothing to say that, even if you could, that what they would see is entirely different than what you see. Who are you to say that the images that they see (or, that which I see, as an example. I reject Christianity on it's face but I have no problem with someone else cleaving to it... As long as they leave me to my own path without let or hindrance). Other than as a form of coercion, why do you want to force people who have no interest to come to the throne of your god? And who are you to say that their beliefs are less precise and correct than your own, merely because they are different? Finally, please, for the love of all that you hold sacred, start using the established rules of English, such as capital letters for proper names and to begin sentences, and a single period, followed by either one or two (pick but be consistent) between sentences, and use paragraphs to separate concepts. Not doing so makes it difficult to read your postings.

(chanting in obscure dead language, waving hands above the motionless body of the thread) RISE AND BE REBORN! An interesting question. In my personal experience, it's a chicken and egg problem: Are you noticing things more because you are more open to the possibility, or are you noticing thing more because they are on the rise? For what it's worth, there is really no objective way to tell. That's why it's called faith. Anecdotally, I have heard reports of increasing levels of "supernatural" (for lack of a better overarching term) activity for years.... I've been involved in Pagan practices since about 1990, so I've been around a little while. It is also important to note that the plural of anecdote is not "data." I'm also a (poorly) practicing Druid, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist, and a Devotee of Hekate. Hekate is, by no stretch, an up close and personal goddess (titaness, technically, but we'll leave that distinction to the historians and academics). Most reports of UPG that I have heard regarding her indicate that she is not one who often gets all up in your face and business. Then again, one of her epithets means "Worker from Afar." In my experience, she tends to linger in the background and watch you make a fool of yourself, but if you come to her with hat in hand, she will provide guidance or assistance. But she's always watching. You and me both. I've been around since before "online" was a thing, and I agree: Most of the online communities rapidly descend into what amounts to mutual admiration societies. Practically no critical thinking. The Facebook group The Witches Voice is a good one, which is the Facebook group for a website of the same name (http://witchvox.com). Quality writing, often intellectually critical, not usually given to flights of fancy. Another reliable community is Patheos Pagan, which is mostly a collection of intelligent, thoughtful, academically- and spiritually- based, and critically written blog posts that cover a huge variety of segments of the Pagan population. You sound like a good Zen Buddhist to me. It is said that a Zen student must have great faith, great doubt, and great determination. Words matter. That's why it is very important to define terms and concepts, and come to an agreed meaning when discussing complex ideas with people from other cultures (including regional variation and social differences).

Insert massive existential crisis here!

And where are you going to store enough herbivore feed? Which animals will be fed to the carnivores? (uh, whoops...) I see you are a professional gadfly and iconoclast. I like you!

Gods and monsters, yes! I was only picking the low hanging fruit at that! Those things that I mentioned are usually enough to make some peoples' heads implode. Also: That's a game that the whole family can play! (duck and run)

Don't forget your towel!