tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post2380727166282551857..comments2023-08-14T07:09:57.263-04:00Comments on anything&everything: PART 3, Athena, St. Therese, and faithkaren lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905540909994791438noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-50260947226042765882011-05-24T15:52:56.694-04:002011-05-24T15:52:56.694-04:00Very thought provoking Karen, at the very least. A...Very thought provoking Karen, at the very least. And before I go further, I think it's really neat Baysage reads and mentioned Richard Rohr. So do I! I'm not Catholic, but a friend of mine turned me onto his daily devotional and it is really insightful.<br />As far as your thoughts on eternity, the mind, etc...here is where my thoughts lie (at least at this moment in time. They are always changing, growing...). For me, as you know Karen, I do believe in the Divinity and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ. I haven't always and actually grew up in the Baha'i Faith. Long story I can share later. My curiosity with the connection to Easter eggs, bunnies and the "Christian" holiday Easter began a few years ago when I heard a very unconventional preacher (by most conservative evangelical standards) bring up the fact that Easter is rooted in paganism. It sparked my curiosity and I investigated it myself. Now being a history major, I looked even deeper into it considering there is MUCH history behind most holidays, Easter being no exception. What I found astounded me. Christians of long ago decided to "adopt" the term Easter deeming a connection to what it truly represented in the fertility ritual and celebration. A far cry from Holy Scripture. I have seen this as a pattern, looking through history, in relation to religion and not just Christianity, but it definitely being at the top of the list. It has made it difficult for me to remain faithful to any "denomination" when I see so much of what is being taught and/or practiced man-made, not God-made. Not to place judgement or say it's all "bad", just that it has given me a more skeptical approach to organized religion and has also given me a hunger to know Truth. Some say Truth is relative, I say it is absolute. But that is me. As far as the mind goes, my personal interpretation of the spirit/soul is your mind, will and emotions. Not too far from how you equated mind and soul. I do agree; the mind and brain are separate. The brain is just an organ that gives us this amazing ability to think and reason. Our minds, I believe, are much more spiritual in nature, just as our souls are. They ARE eternal. No doubt. It's just a matter of someone's belief in what that eternity is, and where we look for answers. I haven't always, but the last 13 1/2years I have looked to the Bible. And even then, my curiosity of Bible history and translations/transliterations always is a factor in my study. One reason I hope to be schooled in the Greek and Hebrew someday so I can translate better on my own. For now, I use the tools I have. One other thought on the mind/soul - it is so fascinating, so capable, so beyond an accident I truly believe. No matter how hard I try, I am completely unable to understand how we (life, any life), the stars, the sun, the moon, the trees, the ocean, the mountains, how our hearts beat by the electricity produced on its own, how atoms make up all matter, our ability to procreate, our ablity to love and produce many emotions, the ability to have connections with other people and to make decisions, and on and on...could all be an accident. Even the snowflake you mentioned, which is a great example. How is it that no two are alike? And no two fingerprints or the shape of a human ear are alike? DNA? It's beyond my comprehension. I see the evidence of a Creator all around me, and in me, and in others. Which leads me to where I am spiritually, yet I respect and openly listen (with curiosity) to those who don't believe the same, or see life the same. That's why I enjoy our conversations, and listening to your ideas Karen. Thanks for posting this! :)Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12406684517835272011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-56215482765650993712011-05-06T10:29:39.841-04:002011-05-06T10:29:39.841-04:00i'll check him out.....i'll check him out.....karen lindseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905540909994791438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-30630398760979249202011-05-04T17:07:28.670-04:002011-05-04T17:07:28.670-04:00Every day I read a short reflection by a Francisca...Every day I read a short reflection by a Franciscan priest named Richard Rohr. Have you heard of him? He's a Catholic mystic, which is a misnomer because mystics of any stripe arrive always at the same conclusions. Anyway I think you might find his views congenial.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00111660094586126379noreply@blogger.com