Antisemitism in the US Today
Antisemitism, like any form of prejudice, is alive and ‘well’ in the USA. Being raised Jewish in the 60’s I encountered this disturbing phenomenon first hand. Things have progressed from …
What is Zionism from a Secular Humanism Point of View
“O Jerusalem of gold, of brass and of light, For all your songs I will be your harp.” Traditional Hebrew song “Zionism” is an emotionally loaded word, and like other …
Role of the resurrection of Jesus
There are a number of biblical events that stand out in the minds of people. Creation, the parting of the Red Sea, the instantaneous destruction of the walls of the …
Coming back to the church
Some Catholics become alienated from the Church at times in their lives. This separation can occur for various reasons. As children, most go along with what parents teach, but with …
Meditation Neuroscience Brain Contemplative Neuroscience Ken Wilber Buddhism Philosophy
Before examining some of the research in contemplative neuroscience, it is important to discuss what contemplative neuroscience is and what relevance, if at all, it has to the study of …
Sadhus Holy Men of India
Sadhu is a common name for an ascetic or someone that practices intense yoga. The word “sadhu” comes from the Sanskrit meaning “to practice.” Sadhus are often referred to as …
The historicity of the Bible
These are two interesting questions. There are many ancient documents that have been determined to be historically accurate but would not be considered a reliable guide to morality. Josephus and …
Faith is Dangerous a Response to Dinesh Dsouza
Anybody who has ever perused the “Religion” section of the local bookstore has undoubtedly seen that the sheer volume of available apologetics material is most certainly not in danger of …
Zen Koan Case of Pa Lings Snow
Case: A monk asked Pa Ling, “What is the school of Kanadeva?” Pa Ling said, “Piling up snow in a silver bowl.” Pointer: Some called the Buddha “Tathagata.” This is …
Who really wants the Dalai Lama Dead
The recent threat against the life of the Dalai Lama was attributed to a number of news sources to Osama bin Laden. This is far from the whole picture. While …
Maintaining a Free People
Behaviors prohibited by biblical morality cannot always wisely be incorporated into national laws in a free society. The more immoral behaviors a society wishes to prohibit via society’s legal system …
Meaning of Life
Atheists have long been condemned to the idea of a meaningless existence. Religious people find the idea of atheism absurd and unbearable. Without a god to serve, what do you …
Jesus is salvation
Reducing salvation to a doctrine regulates it to a religious tenant rather than a lifesaving encounter with God. The Church specializes in the “doctrine of salvation” despite the various doctrines …
How Religion can Incite Homophobia
Religion can incite homophobia if the people of that religion have homophobic issues. Such a religion is that of the Westboro Baptist Church. God hates fags theme is plastered all …
Getting what we deserve
“You got what you deserved,” or statements that have similar meanings, have been standard sayings for centuries, showing up in literature and common language. Everyone who hears it knows what …
The Importance of the Festival of Holi in Hinduism
HOLI Holi is a popular Hindu festival, known as “the festival of colors“. Holi is also called Phagwah, derived from the word Phalgun, the month of the full moon. Holi …
Understanding the Basics of Zen Practice
What Is This Zen Stuff? Zen is a word that gets thrown around a lot in popular media. Most people have heard of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, …
The Basics of Buddhism
Buddhism is a philosophy, a way of life, a religion to some but to others mainly a system of ethics. The more than 300 million Buddhists in the world follow …
How to have an intimate connection with the Divine through prayer.
The popular image of prayer found in Western culture is that of a person kneeling with their hands clasped before them and their heads bowed as they mentally commune with …
Zen Koan Wash your Bowl
Case: A new monk at the monastery asked Joshu Roshi, “What is the secret of Zen?” Joshu answered, “Have you eaten breakfast?” “Yes,” the new monk said. Joshu answered, “Wash …
Reflections my Hejab my Crown
Hijab: In Arabic, meaning barrier or partition In Islam, however, it has a broader meaning. It is the principle of modesty and includes behavior as well as dress for both …
Profile of a Rebel Buddhist Lama Chogyam Trungpa
In 1970, a Tibetan Buddhist Lama who once endured extreme thirst rather than drink fermented spirits came to America. Chogyam Trungpa never turned down a drink again. He’s defying the …
Your own road to the meaning of life
Begin by acknowledging that there is much diversity in thoughts about the meaning of life and how to find it. All of the answers are based on speculation, beliefs and …
The central role of forgiveness in the Christian faith
Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. Since the time that Adam’s disobedience introduced sin and death into the world, forgiveness became a necessity for people made in …
Buddhism and Morality
As with other major religions, Buddhism has an established moral code, or system of ethical dos and don’ts. For laypeople (Buddhists who are not monks or nuns) this is encapsulated …
Relevance of Religion Today
Has religion become obsolete? Religion is the equation between God and man. Those who appreciate this concept have no difficulty in relating man’s existence to the will of God. For …
The redemption of creation
God created the world out of nothing created, but He did create out of His own eternal good nature. This is why all that He created, He called good. He …
Do Atheist have a Spirit Tarot for the Atheist might help them in some way
Atheists don’t believe in god, so it is up to them whether they want to believe in tarot or not. Atheists are usually very well educated people. They usually have …
Explaining the Symbols used in Jainism
The Jain Symbol is a collection of several symbols, each having a deeper meaning. In its comprehensive form, it consists of a moon crescent, three dots, Swastika, the palm of …
How can I be saved
God’s plan for salvation is clearly stated in John 14:6 when Jesus answers ” I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except …
God is a necessity to some but not all
God is real to those who choose to believe in him/her/it. To people who choose not to believe, then God might be classed as an invention. As it is neither possible …
To Believe or Not Believe
The reason Atheists are right is due to the fact that what we believe becomes our reality. Thoughts become things that create what we believe, whether you believe in God …