"In this multimedia presentation, McCane and Mathewson reveal how the equally toothless performances of New Atheists like Richard Dawkins and creationists like Ken Ham share more with the garish world of Hulk Hogan and the Iron Sheik than with serious scholarship." (Religion Dispatches)
Watch the video here.
Though I'm not much of a professional wrestling fan, this presentation not only brought me further insight into the science and religion "debate" it also shed a new light on the creativity and artistic quality of professional wrestling that I surely never had thought of before.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
New Merton Book Controversial
Daniel Burke of the Religion News Service has recently written about a new biography by Mark Shaw out entitled Beneath the Mask of Holiness about Thomas Merton, the inspirational contemplative Trappist monk who has been influential to many contemplatives (Christian and beyond) after him. However, this book has brought with it much controversy since it deals with the romantic relationship between Merton and Margie Smith, a student-nurse at a nearby hospital in Louisville, KY. This biography treats this taboo love encounter and chronicles Merton's internal struggles of a life of self-discipline and celibacy with the romance and love he felt with Margie.
It should be an engaging read regardless of your acquaintance with Merton or interest in the religious life.
Read Burke's article at RNS.
It should be an engaging read regardless of your acquaintance with Merton or interest in the religious life.
Read Burke's article at RNS.
"Advent Conspiracy" movement
Though it is a bit on the late side, my friend and Unity minister, Rev. Thomas Shepherd, over at his "Theo-blog" has notified me of an intriguing new movement among Christians concerning the Christmas season and the meaning behind Jesus' birth. It's called "Advent Conspiracy":"The story of (Jesus) Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas? What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? Welcome to Advent Conspiracy." (Excerpt from http://www.adventconspiracy.org )
As Rev. Shepherd has stated, though the language of this movement is worded in more "traditional" Christian vocabulary, nonetheless, I believe many Unity and New Thought devotees will be interested and moved by such practices.
The Advent Conspiracy movement is grounded in 4 fundamental ideas that promote the revolution of practicing the Christmas season:
1. Worship fully - Focus on a renewing celebration of God-with-us (Immanuel), which is the underlying message of the birth of Christ.
2. Spend less - Draw back on spending lavishly on expensive gifts. Dial in on the meaningfulness of the gift, the personalization of the gift, rather than how much it costs. Moderation, prudence, and self-discipline is key here, all qualities upheld by Jesus.
3. Give more - Though the gifts may not be expensive, one can still offer more to those in need. Give more time, energy, and service to more people more often.
4. Love all - The greatest gift of all is the gift of paying attention to friends and family. This is really the essence of love and compassion - paying attention to those for whom you care.
If put into practice even moderately, these values could revolutionize the way we understand and draw meaning from Christmas. In fact, I further suggest we practice these principles every day throughout the year as much as we are able.
Peace and blessings!
(Image from Advent Conspiracy website.)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Harvey Cox and Thomas Dyer on Interfaith Voices
This week's program of Interfaith Voices ("a public radio show promoting religious harmony and interfaith understanding") includes a feature of Harvard theologian, Harvey Cox, and Buddhist military chaplain, Thomas Dyer.
Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of Divinity at Harvard University, looks inside the idea of ‘spritual but not religious’, and discovers that modern believers are abandoning creeds and doctrine for practices that emphasize a direct experience with the divine in his new book The Future of Faith. He speaks of this current development as Christianity, and religion in general, entering the "age of the Spirit." This is an idea that would resonate significantly with Unity ministers, students, and churchgoers of all stripes. One of the central tenets within Unity circles is that creeds, dogmatic statements, and static belief are not the cornerstones of authentic faith. Rather, it is first-hand experience of the Divine or Sacred or Spirit that promotes faith and engenders spiritual growth.
And Thomas Dyer is the first Buddhist military chaplain. A former Southern Baptist minister, Dyer is now a practicing Buddhist that has entered the military as as spiritual guide and counselor for Buddhist and non-Buddhist soldiers alike. With the increasing number of Americans becoming interested in Buddhism it is completely understandable how eventually a representative of the growing American Buddhist traditions would be included in military chaplaincy. Interfaith Voices conducts an intriguing interview with chaplain Dyer.
Check out these features and more at Interfaith Voices.
Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of Divinity at Harvard University, looks inside the idea of ‘spritual but not religious’, and discovers that modern believers are abandoning creeds and doctrine for practices that emphasize a direct experience with the divine in his new book The Future of Faith. He speaks of this current development as Christianity, and religion in general, entering the "age of the Spirit." This is an idea that would resonate significantly with Unity ministers, students, and churchgoers of all stripes. One of the central tenets within Unity circles is that creeds, dogmatic statements, and static belief are not the cornerstones of authentic faith. Rather, it is first-hand experience of the Divine or Sacred or Spirit that promotes faith and engenders spiritual growth.
And Thomas Dyer is the first Buddhist military chaplain. A former Southern Baptist minister, Dyer is now a practicing Buddhist that has entered the military as as spiritual guide and counselor for Buddhist and non-Buddhist soldiers alike. With the increasing number of Americans becoming interested in Buddhism it is completely understandable how eventually a representative of the growing American Buddhist traditions would be included in military chaplaincy. Interfaith Voices conducts an intriguing interview with chaplain Dyer.
Check out these features and more at Interfaith Voices.
New Pew Forum Poll on Religious Belief in America
Americans are widely known now for our rather mix-and-match tendencies in religious approach and identity. Many people attend services of other religions than our own and blend Christianity with other religious practices like Buddhist meditation and New Age techniques.
This is no doubt a prominent approach within my denomination, Unity. We have always drawn inspiration and influence from other religious traditions from the very start when Charles and Myrtle Fillmore were reading about Indian religion and taking metaphysical cues from Emerson and other Transcendentalists. While Unity is not New Age, it is New Thought, which is a tradition that feels free to draw on New Age methods and beliefs to forward people on their spiritual journey, while often retaining much language, scripture, and culture from Christianity.
So this new Pew Forum poll is relevant to all Americans, but Unity occupies a unique place in American religious practice since it stands within the predominant Christian tradition yet draws on and incorporates much from other religions that constitute the rich plurality of religion and culture within the U.S.
The Pew Forum poll generally states that although the U.S. is an overwhelmingly Christian country, significant minorities say they hold beliefs of the sort found at Buddhist temples or New Age gatherings. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed overall and 22 percent of Christians say they believe in reincarnation, the idea that people will be reborn in this world again and again. Also, another piece in the poll relates that 1/4 of Americans say they sometimes attend services of a faith different from their own. (I am part of this 25% since, though I'm a progressive Unity Christian, attend Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christian services often and I participate in Buddhist temple ceremonies and meditation gatherings from time to time as well.)
This is no doubt a prominent approach within my denomination, Unity. We have always drawn inspiration and influence from other religious traditions from the very start when Charles and Myrtle Fillmore were reading about Indian religion and taking metaphysical cues from Emerson and other Transcendentalists. While Unity is not New Age, it is New Thought, which is a tradition that feels free to draw on New Age methods and beliefs to forward people on their spiritual journey, while often retaining much language, scripture, and culture from Christianity.
So this new Pew Forum poll is relevant to all Americans, but Unity occupies a unique place in American religious practice since it stands within the predominant Christian tradition yet draws on and incorporates much from other religions that constitute the rich plurality of religion and culture within the U.S.
The Pew Forum poll generally states that although the U.S. is an overwhelmingly Christian country, significant minorities say they hold beliefs of the sort found at Buddhist temples or New Age gatherings. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed overall and 22 percent of Christians say they believe in reincarnation, the idea that people will be reborn in this world again and again. Also, another piece in the poll relates that 1/4 of Americans say they sometimes attend services of a faith different from their own. (I am part of this 25% since, though I'm a progressive Unity Christian, attend Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christian services often and I participate in Buddhist temple ceremonies and meditation gatherings from time to time as well.)
Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum, says, ''It is as much now the norm as it is the exception for Americans to blend multiple religious beliefs and practices." (Faith in Public Life)
This rather new but increasingly present phenomenon of multiple religious belonging is becoming a permanent and interesting feature of the American religious situation. Within Unity circles, multiple religious belonging is probably more common than in other denominations and is very much welcomed, which can be witnessed in public statements of the Association of Unity Churches and Unity Institute as well as local Unity congregational statements.
This is all a testament to the openness and inclusivity of the Unity movement (regardless of the internal disputes about Unity's "identity") and to the influence of the wonderful religious diversity of our current religious context in the U.S.
Morality Not Necessarily Good?
Philosopher Hans-Georg Moeller has a new book out, The Moral Fool: A Case for Amorality (Columbia University Press, 2009), that interestingly argues that the language of morality or ethical rectitude distorts and hinders our abilities to address the most fundamentally important social and political issues of our times.
Dr. Moeller answers 10 interesting questions concerning these issues in his book in a recent post on Religion Dispatches. Some of the questions are: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your topic?; What’s the most important take-home message for readers?; Are you hoping to just inform readers? Give them pleasure? Piss them off?
Check out the entire article at Religion Dispatches.