Tag Archives: religion

PENTECOST: ECSTATIC UTTERANCES IN A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Posted on May 27, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

Today is Pentecost.  Pentecost is more meaningful to me than either Christmas or Easter.  To me, the meaning of the Pentecost story universalizes the experience of the divine world intersecting with the material world.  In the story, at a gathering … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, individualism, Pentecost, Religion, spirit, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

EARTH DAY 2016: BREAKING THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING (starting with anthropocentrism)

Posted on April 21, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

(For the last few years, I’ve published most of the blog below on Earth Day.  I’m newly inspired after seeing “The Jungle Book” a few days ago.  It touched me and  it was lots of fun!  So I’m posting it … Continue reading →

Posted in anthropocentrism, belief, body, Earth Day, nature, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Easter Message from Obi-Wan Kenobi: “The Force will be with you, always.”

Posted on April 7, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

Several years ago during Easter dinner, a young friend asked, “What’s up with Easter?”  This particular Easter celebration was a secular one and my friend was unschooled in religious stories and symbols.  I think her curiosity was sincere and that … Continue reading →

Posted in atheism, belief, Christ, despair, Easter, faith, hope, Jesus, Love, Religion, Science, Star Wars, Taoism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CAN THERE BE EASTER WITHOUT GOOD FRIDAY?

Posted on April 6, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

A wise Rabbi (thanks Zari Weiss) once asked: “Can you reach the promised land without slavery?  Can there be Easter without Good Friday?”  Can there? “The impossibility of religious faith has been a theme in the work of Edward Hirsch … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, Easter, faith, Good Friday, hope, MYSTICISM, nature, paradox, Passover, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I’M GIVING UP GUILT FOR LENT

Posted on March 11, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

Lent is the season of penitence and many people sacrifice something as a nod toward their notion of holiness – something they might feel guilty about.  I’ve been guilty of scrupulosity, so as a Lenten discipline I’m trying to abstain.  What … Continue reading →

Posted in attachment, guilt, humility, Kenosis, Lent, Penitence, scrupulosity, shadow, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

ASH WEDNESDAY AND THE THIRD EYE

Posted on February 21, 2012 by nancyjfinleysd

On Ash Wednesday many of us will have ashes put on our forehead, on our “third eye,” if you will.  Why do we engage in this pagan-like behavior?  (Yes, this ceremony, like others practiced by many Christians, has pagan roots.)  Why … Continue reading →

Posted in Ash Wednesday, body, intellience, mind, MYSTICISM, nature, pagan, paradox, Religion, Spirituality, Taoism, Third eye chakra, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Christopher Hitchens: R.I.P.?

Posted on December 17, 2011 by nancyjfinleysd

If you haven’t yet heard, Christopher Hitchens died at the young age of 62.  He’s the guy who wrote God is Not Great and was a celebrated essayist railing against religion and for rationalism.  He really knew how to piss … Continue reading →

Posted in atheism, belief, Hitchens, intellience, mind, Religion, Science, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I LOVE THE EUCHARIST

Posted on November 2, 2011 by nancyjfinleysd

Here’s another gem from Joseph Campbell: “A ritual is the enactment of a myth. And, by participating in the ritual, you are participating in the myth. And since myth is a projection of the depth wisdom of the psyche, by … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Jung, Christ, eucharist, Jesus, Joseph Campbell, MYSTICISM, passion, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

WHAT DID MARX REALLY SAY?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by nancyjfinleysd

Most of us are familiar with Karl Marx’s famous quote: “Religion is the opiate of the masses.”  If we believe this, we might feel smugly superior that we are not of “the masses.”  We feel “special.”  We feel more intelligent and … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, despair, faith, hope, humility, individualism, intellience, Love, paradox, Religion, Science, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

A NEW MYTHOLOGY?

Posted on August 16, 2011 by nancyjfinleysd

Here’s a quote from Joseph Campbell that some might find interesting: “One cannot predict the next mythology any more than one can predict tonight’s dream; for a mythology is not an ideology. It is not something projected from the brain, … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Campbell, Love, nature, Religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments