Home
Its a long way to Tipperary
- Details
- Published: 01 June 2013
- Hits: 9295
I would offer that whether or not there is any truth underlying any of the vast number of spiritual offerings that are available to us today is somewhat academic. The simple fact of the matter is that part of the human condition is to seek meaning beyond the confines of this physical world. It may be nature, it may be nurture. The hunger that most of us feel for a spiritual connection defies logic and reasoning. While the dreadful condition of the North American/Western European Christian experience has driven legions from its membership does not mean that a search for meaning has been abandoned. There would appear to be enough native interest in the matter that at least of goodly number of people, while discarding the spiritual traditions of their ancestors, have nonetheless undertaken spiritual journeys of their own. Some find satisfaction in their quest, while most others flounder as purposelessly as they did in the camp of their spiritual origin.
The primary reason for defeat however, is not the basic tenets of the belief systems we encounter, but the rigid accretions of dogma and doctrine that have no root in the core philosophy but have been the constructions of human systems that exploit the spiritual hunger that most of us feel for their own personal agendas.
This is not new, and unfortunately there is no belief system that comes complete with a teflon coating to shed attempts by the unscrupulous to twist and pervert the underlying system.
But with a thoughtful review of faith, we can develop a relationship with the divine that will hold up very well in this modern age. If we examine the writings and practices of our spiritual forebears in the context of when they were developed (rather than what is most often urged now... applying ancient thoughts and practices to a modern world) we can discover new insights that will allow us to succeed in attempting to fashion our own spiritual journey.
While much of what I have to say applies to the Christian faith, I know enough about a variety of belief systems that are out there, to maintain that most of what I have to say can be applied with equal success to any belief system. On the other hand, I am too much a captive of my own culture to expect any success with any belief system other than the Christian faith, as there are so many cultural inferences and signposts that I have been subjected to since birth that are available to me, not as obstacles, but as aides in my journey.
So those of you who wish to enliven your faith, and enbolden your spirituality let us proceed with a rehabilitation of the Christian faith.
One Plus One is ALWAYS Two
- Details
- Published: 29 May 2013
- Hits: 4936
You can save yourself a lot of time and effort, and perhaps even save yourself a little money if you believe that one plus one can sometimes equal three, or zero, or four, or whatever other value you like. Even though the topic of these ramblings is centered about spirituality and faith, the conversation is rooted in the belief that logic trumps all. In classic syllogistic form:
if A and B then C
is a true statement, then it will always be a true statement, and I expect the reader to not only be bound by that, but that the reader hold me equally accountable to the same. So if it is true that only dogs bark and it is true that your animal is barking then your animal is a dog, or formally:
if (A) only dogs bark and (B) your animal is barking then (C) your animal is a dog.
Now if your animal is not a dog, and it is barking then the statement only dogs bark is invalid, and so it is not true that only dogs bark, which means the argument is invalid, but it does not invalidate logic itself.
To some readers this may be staggeringly straightforward, and yet to many others this seem somewhat tricky. However, for those of you who think the original claim if only dogs bark and your animal is barking then your animal is a dog can be true but you believe its still possible to have a barking animal that is not a dog, then you can stop reading right now. While it is true that spirituality and faith often wander into less than rigorous empirical science, we are at sea without a paddle if we feel there's a need or even a necessity to abandon simple logical constructions, arguments and conclusions.
Truth & Fact
- Details
- Published: 21 April 2013
- Hits: 5113
My great uncle Ronald was, in a manner too rare in my family, rather talented with money and investing. He lived his later years in a prestigious hotel in a large suite of rooms until the time of his death. In various drawers and cartons through the suite his executors found large sums of cash and investment instruments which unfortunately were squandered long before I was able to benefit, and in addition the following items: three dozen First World War German Luger handguns (this was in Canada where the most threatening weapon most citizens possess is a rolling pin), three dozen transistor radios (back when transistor radios were a big thing -- both figuratively and literally), three sets of golf clubs and eighteen small outboard motors (although he did not own a single boat).
Whenever my family exchanges notes on family history, Uncle Ronald's name is invariably mentioned and the inventory of his hotel room at the time of is death is recited once again. However, each time this is done, an interesting thing happens. Then number of Luger pistols increases, a couple more transistor radios are added, a file full of second and third mortgages appears, and somehow or or two more outboard motors are found hiding in the clothes closet.
Today, I cannot say with any certainty just how many guns, radios and motors my great uncle had at the time of his death, but I do know that to determine with any kind of certainty the actual contents of that hotel suite would be complete beside the point. We don't tell the tale to reveal the facts of his life, but to illuminate the truth that Uncle Ronald, although a successful and accomplished business man was more than a little bit eccentric.
So each time this tale is trotted out to entertain each succeeding generation the stockpile of odd items grow because the mission of our family lore is to transmit Ronald's wackiness. So we add a pistol or a radio precisely because with don't want the facts to interfere with the truth. If at the time of his death Ronald only had a couple of radios and a single outboard motor how convincing is that as evidence of his oddness? We add to the inventory because in our family lore the truth is more important that the facts. Granted, on could simply say "one of your uncles was as mad as a hatter" but family history like that is quickly forgotten. Those few embellishments to the tale ensure that Ronald will be remember for generations to come.
The Elephant in the Room
- Details
- Published: 01 June 2013
- Hits: 5132
We can't hope to move forward without talking about the elephant in the room. The Holy Bible. There is so much misinformation and fiction surrounding this artifact of the Christian faith the most valuable thing you can do is forget absolutely everything you've read and everything you've ever heard on the subject. The bible's claim to the most popular book in the world is marred only by the irony that it is the least read. It has gotten such a bad rap that many people just toss it out as a potential resource making the reasonable conclusion that if the bible's anything at all what people claim it is then it would be best to give it a wide berth.
If however, you can forget what you've heard, the Bible has a fast amount of truth and insight that we can explore and use in our own spiritual journey.
The bible is short on fact, but long on truth.