Where Are You … Spiritually?

To many, this may seem to be a strange question. Let me explain. It was prompted by a recent blog post by Jim entitled Physics and Mysticism.

According to Jim, there is definitely a connection between the two and, as I interpret his remarks, he feels one “explains” the other. It’s all a bit deep, but it prompted the question I’ve asked in the title of this post.

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I’ve found that most people that read/visit my blog are non-believers. They may be out-and-out atheists, or they may be “borderline.” That is, they haven’t completely dismissed the idea of a Supreme Being, but they don’t feel the need for attending religious services or carrying out any other religious obligations.

There is also a sprinkling of visitors who tend to reject the idea of “religion” altogether and speak more from a “mystic” point of view. (I recognize the term, in itself, is rather “mystical,” but those who identify with it will know what I mean.)

I guess what I’m actually asking is … how do YOU see the world? Is it all cut and dried? That is … We live. We die. Life moves on. Nothing to see here, folks.

Or do you view life as being more than meets the eye? That is, do you see yourself more as a “transcendental” being?

>>>P.S. I would prefer that individuals who identify as “Christian” refrain from commenting on this post. I know –and most of my regular visitors know– exactly where you’re coming from so anything you offer in response would be superfluous (and may be deleted). Thanks for your cooperation. 😊

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Image by Nicolás Damián Visceglio from Pixabay

Science and Christian Faith

Just came across this article written by an individual who was educated at a conservative seminary, trained as a minister, and served as a pastor. 

To get an idea why I found the article worth sharing, here is one of the author’s leading statements:

From Darwin to COVID the church has been wrong. 

Wow! That statement … coming from a believer? Will wonders never cease!

Here is what he says towards the end of the article: 

There is nothing to fear from scientific data and proper research. There is something to fear from the fearful and ignorant. Anyone who is not willing to question their own belief structure, or anyone that remains in their own echo chamber, is dangerous. That is why there is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. It is expressing the fear of people who claim to have none.

If you are a person who recognizes the dangers of COVID-19 and its variants — and finds it mind-boggling that Christians refuse vaccines (!) — I think you will find this article very refreshing. 

Take a gander …

Evangelicals, science and the vaccine:
Refusal is built on deep-seated fear

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Image by Jeyaratnam Caniceus from Pixabay

Religion to the Rescue

A month or so back, a local couple, after spending time on the Oregon coast and becoming engaged, were on their way home when they were involved in a car accident.  Tragically, the accident took the life of the newly-engaged young woman. Her new husband-to-be suffered neck and brain injuries and was nearly paralyzed. He has now recovered enough that he’s been able to return to work (finance manager), but has several surgeries still in store for him.

In a follow-up article about the incident, a news reporter from the local paper interviewed the young man. He is unable to remember driving home or anything about the accident. The reports are that he entered the center turn lane, apparently to pull into a small community located off the highway, and crashed head-on into an oncoming car. Some people who happened upon the crash pulled the couple out of the burning vehicle and reported each reached out and grabbed the other’s hand as they lay on the ground. Both were transported to the closest hospital, where the young lady was pronounced dead.

In the interview, the fellow reported that although he’s getting better physically, it’s been much harder to mend emotionally.

And then he commented (and this is the point of my post) that while growing up, life for him was very matter of fact and logical. He felt no need for religion or faith. However, after the accident, he said he felt faith was his only real option. Rather than find comfort in, say, alcoholism or drugs, he chose to find strength and comfort from God.

Such a transition in worldview is not unusual because this is how the religious world paints the portrait of “God” – the helper, the comforter, the one who takes away the pain of life. What most fail to recognize is the power to heal (emotionally and physically) is within ourselves. We don’t need some supernatural power to step in and make it all better (besides, in reality, it can’t).

Certainly, circumstances often make this life a very rough road to travel, but as many, many others have proven (my mind goes to Zoe, Victoria, and Ruth), it can be done. I just find it sad that so many fail to recognize this.

From Atheist to Believer

Just read an article entitled, “Your atheism isn’t going to keep your kids from believing in God.”

I was not raised an atheist. It was more that religion simply wasn’t that big a deal. My father was a lapsed Catholic, my mother was essentially a non-believer. As a young child, I was “taken” to church (Catholic due to my father’s Basque, very religious, family) and later I was enrolled in catechism classes (which I left … another story, another time).

As I grew older (12? 13?), for reasons I don’t recall, I purchased a red-letter edition bible. I was in a stationery store (where I used to love to hang out) and saw this bible with a white leather-like cover and gold lettering, “Holy Bible.”  I thought it was so pretty … which, now that I think about it, was most likely my motivation for buying it. Once I got home I placed it on my headboard in a conspicuous location (remember, I thought it was pretty).

On occasion, I do remember taking it down from its exalted spot and thumbing through the pages. Of course the red letters grabbed my attention but mostly I stopped at Psalms to read a few lines … because they made me “feel good.”

At this point in my life, I think I had a vague feeling there was a god but that’s about as far as it went. It wasn’t until many years later, after I was married, that circumstances in my life turned me towards (big-G) God (also a story for another time).

Anyway, the above-mentioned article intrigued me since it reminded me of my own situation. In one place, it asked: “Do kids raised without religion actively seek it out and convert all that often?” The answer surprised me. A 2008 Pew survey indicated only 46 percent of those raised in religiously unaffiliated families (which includes atheists, agnostics, and those who say they’re “nothing in particular”) remain unaffiliated as adults. Another study using the same data found that only 30 percent of people explicitly raised as atheists (excluding other unaffiliateds) remain so as adults. An updated study (2012) raised the unaffiliated rate to 53 percent. The article does state these measurements are not perfect, but they do indicate somewhat of a trend towards religion vs. irreligion.

I have my own thoughts on why this happens, but would be interested in hearing the opinions of others. Especially those who are in or have experienced this in their own families.

Neuroscience Explanations For ‘Spiritual’ Experiences – Part 1

For those who favor the verity of religious experience over the credibility of science.

Victoria NeuroNotes

Note:

  People of faith who appoint themselves protectors of “true knowledge” may find this information disquieting.  From a personal perspective, I found it not only liberating but empowering. The Dalia Lama, who’s been

working with neuroscientists at MIT

, has given a thumbs up regarding this research I’m going to present here. He states that what has been discovered about the brain’s role in mystic, and religious experiences is illuminating.

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