Heartfires

I Wonder If God Prays to Us

2008-07-05T17:50:00.009-04:00

If this is a clockwork universe (see the last post), then god can only work in this world through the hearts of sentient beings, which I believe to be humanity.

I don't know about you, but when I talk to god, I'm not always asking for stuff. I don't use Thees and Thous as a general rule. I think he's a big guy and isn't fazed by my bad language and personal insults and doubts as to whether I'm just talking to the ceiling. My conversations (from the Latin conversari, to associate with) are just that, and if that is a kind of prayer, then aren't god's responses back to me be a form of prayer too?.

Prayer is derived from the Latin precārī, which means to entreat. But it's also the same root word as precarious, maybe because any association with god is precarious, whether we speak to him in entreaty and/or in conversation, “Is he listening?” or “What will be his answer?”. So mightn't god's conversation with us be equally precarious from his point of view?

What can god do, if not through us? Is he powerless? Does he sit his metaphorical butt on his metaphorical throne and see what needs to be done and cry because there is no surcease to the pain and suffering here. Or maybe he does whisper each of our names and say, "Please bring my love into the world. There is something that needs to be done, perhaps even something that can only be done by you, some capability born into you." Is this whisper a prayer? Part of our conversation with god? Why wouldn't god entreat us to do his will? "Please," I can hear him say, "I've given you the power, so just DO it."

I believe that the "still small voice" of the bible is god's prayer, his precarious conversation with us to do his will.

It's a conversation with God, an association with a higher power, a casting of a net into the universe, however you want to look at it. Our conversation with god involves not only speaking to him, but waiting to hear him speak.

How else will our association with him prove fruitful?

Gaia Anyone?

2008-06-28T10:59:00.043-04:00

I tend to believe that we live in a clockwork universe, where God created everything, "wound it up," and then pretty much vanished from the scene to wait for time to run out. Otherwise, I think, if God somehow actively participated in the world where natural disasters routinely take thousands of lives, she'd be complicit in murder. But she did leave us the free will to channel her love into the world.

Another idea occurred to me a few days ago. What if she does actively participate in this world? What if the Earth is alive, and has its own free will that is respected by God?

This isn't a new thought. Some believe in Gaia, the "child" of the Gaia hypothesis first posited by ecologist and environmentalist James Lovelock in the late 60's. He believed that the Earth is a superorganism, a single organism composed of other organisms such as its atmosphere, oceans, crust, polar icecaps, fauna, flora, etc. He named this superorganism Gaia, after the Greek goddess of the Earth.

Some folks ran with the spiritual/mystical aspect of the hypothesis. Many believe that not only is Gaia alive, but that it's a sentient being. Thus would Gaia have the choice to be good or bad, as do we. God's love could flow through Gaia as through us, giving God not only the power to act through our hearts, but through the heart of Gaia as well.

I know...far out stuff, but it begs the question: If there is a tragic disaster, is Gaia making a choice to be evil or just letting its systems play out according to its nature? Do we ever "let our systems play out," or do we have a choice in each action that we take? Can there be sentience without that choice?

I'll just have to wonder. Whenever a tornado diverts radically from its track towards a town - is it the Earth being kind?

Guilty Pleasures

2008-06-21T13:25:00.015-04:00

This is where I confess to reading comedy websites, either gross, politically incorrect, sarcastic, ironic, parodic or just generally -ic.

The Borowitz Report
Cracked.com
Fark.com
Mark Fiore
The Onion
Weird Universe

If you need a quick comedy fix, after carefully glancing around to make sure no one can see what you're snickering at, these should do it for you. Some are brilliant satire, while some are just demented. Enjoy!

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

2008-06-07T11:03:00.010-04:00

Spencer Johnson asked that in his thoughtful and clever (and unread by me) 1998 book Who Moved My Cheese?. But even the implications of that question frighten me. I've always been afraid, clutching my fear to me, afraid to lose what I'm so familiar with, even though it's mostly shaped my life for ill.

I've always been discouraged easily. I'll start or plan to do something and either get paralysis by analysis, or I tell folks I got depressed and just couldn't go on (back of hand to forehead as I gaze stoically into the distance). The depression part is true some of the time, but mostly I'm just afraid to change anything: being fat, being physically & emotionally disabled, being diabetic, being a host to several other diseases and disorders. It's what I'm used to.

I could change most of these things for the better by pursuing weight loss by way of the gastric bypass surgery I wrote about in the last post. But instead I dick around telling people I'm in an depressive episode and/or I'm trying to deal with more pain issues that usual. They're both true at the moment, but how am I to pursue the surgery to the end if I even balk at the beginning?

What would I do if I wasn't afraid? I might be thinner...many of my physical and emotional problems might be partly or fully resolved. I might be an author, a poet, a musician, a teacher. There's no telling what beauty might find expression through me, or what unfamiliar fears will come to challenge me. Perhaps I'll be strong enough then to face them fearlessly, learning what lessons they bring, and then moving past them.

What would I do if I wasn't afraid? I might probably, finally, be alive.

Stomach Stitching

2008-05-30T15:21:00.012-04:00

I have a lot of medical issues. I won't beat you over the head with the list, but obesity is by far the worst, being the root of so many others. I weigh 360 lbs and I'm about 5'-8". Obesity adversely affects most of the other maladies: arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, back problems and even depression. Losing weight could lead to these and other issues being at least partially resolved.

Recently I found out that that bariatric (obesity) surgeons were taking Medicare again. They'd stopped taking it for a while. Needless to say, I was quite pleased. But I have a lot of things I have to do to get the pre-op process in motion, like a six month physician monitored diet. There's also a requirement for psychiatric certification. Given that psych issues have been a lifelong destructive presence in my life, this could be a bit sticky.But I'm having a mild depressive episode right now and, as my grandmother used to say, my get up and go just got up and went. Maybe I'm afraid of change to the extent that I won't do what I need to do to radically change my life, which is what I suspect is happening. But I WILL come up with a plan to do what I need to do, and then just DO it..."doing" has always been the hard part for me.I've had a meeting with one surgeon, but I didn't feel like he was really interested in helping me get through the Medicare mill. So I want to see at least one or two more surgeons to see if I'll feel more supported by them and their staffs. Anyway, that's it for now.

I'm back (sort of)

2008-05-21T14:00:00.011-04:00

I have returned. I don't know how often I'll be posting, but I will be here from time to time. I've also changed the focus of this blog from a political and spiritually progressive focus to a lighter format, more in keeping with where I want to be now.

That said, I'm still a big Obama fan...I have thrown my hat in the metaphorical ring to become, behatted, an agent of change in my own small way. I wear my official Obama baseball cap every day to testify to my devotion. I suppose I could put a bumper sticker on my butt, but the paper would come off in the washer and make me pick little pieces of paper off all my clothes.

These are the issues that with myself I too much discuss.

Taking a Break (sort of)

2006-08-26T13:46:00.000-04:00

I think I've burned out on this blog. I can't keep up with politics like I could anymore...it actually seems to be increasing my anxiety level and sense of helplessness. I'll still be posting as I find things that appeal to me, they're just likely to be few and far between.

Besides that, I don't get the visitors I'd hoped. Hard to write for next to no audience, even if I am a motormouth. LOL

Public Stoning: Not Just for the Taliban Anymore

2006-08-15T10:34:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I don't know why I keep reading newsfeeds. So many only upset me. I don't know what kind of numbers are involved, so I don't want to overreact, but I've heard this kind of stuff before and it scares the shit out of me.

Further confusion as to how men are supposed to act.

2006-08-14T08:51:00.000-04:00

So "real men" don't cry anymore? I have no idea how I'm supposed to act towards women now. I guess I'll just follow my admittedly dinosaur instincts and hope I don't get berated.

Ketamine for Depression

2006-08-12T14:25:00.000-04:00

This is good news! An extremely rapid acting antidepressant medication reported by NIH to fill in during the usual six to eight week delay before traditional antidepressants begin to work.

The only problem I can see is the potential for abuse for this popular street drug. I'm still excited though. Six weeks (six hours) is too long to wait to begin to have hope restored with the perception of life as full of possibilities rather than obstacles.

Criminal Administration

2006-08-12T12:13:00.000-04:00

I applaud John Conyers and his staff for preparing this document on the crimes committed by the Bush administration. I am saddened that these egregious violations are permitted to continue and/or go unpunished. There is no democracy where the rule of law is not enforced for the select few.

Jewish Magazine Calls For Peace

2006-08-01T16:09:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Rabbi Michael Lerner for leading the movement to publish this ad. He also wants to publish the same ad in Israeli and Lebanese papers and requires more financial support to do so.

In the Supermarket Line

2006-08-01T11:23:00.000-04:00

This article is right on in my opinion, but fails to cover how I can go through the lines to briefly avoid living my own life by living through the lives of celebrities.

What could be more important?

With Ineptitude on Full Display, the Party's Over for Republicans

2006-07-30T16:04:00.000-04:00

Garrison Keillor's comments on the Republican Party.

Welcome to the Police State

2006-07-29T18:22:00.000-04:00

Oh my dear God! Just when I can't imagine things getting any worse.

I Am a Liberal Airhead

2006-07-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

Try this Authoritarian Personality test. Is it wrong to LIKE being an airhead? LOL

Why universal health care is MORAL

2006-07-13T14:24:00.000-04:00

An excellent article on single-payer health care. The provision of health care for everyone is as much a right as education. There are many ways to implement universal health care, but I believe the single-payer method to be the least costly and most effective.

Street Prophets' Interview With Barack Obama

2006-07-12T17:27:00.000-04:00

This is my third post on the Obama speech to the Spiritual Renewal Conference:

First Article: Text of Speech
Second Article: Clarification

I hope this clears up the misunderstandings, but I doubt it. I welcome the chance to read more about Senator Obama's vision for the religious left.

Religious Left is Coming Alive

2006-07-12T08:39:00.000-04:00

Maybe we won't have hate, but will anger applied in love do? Maybe it'll be easier to get behind the issues of those who don't cast stones to be divisive, but apply reason to persuade instead. Anyway, what will people choose when offered a choice between hatred and love?

The Politics of American Greed

2006-07-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

"It seems to me that we've seen enough evidence over the years that the capitalist system is not going to be destroyed by an outside challenger like communism -- it will be destroyed by its own internal greed."

This is shameful. What would happen if we let ALL the people speak, rather than just the rich and the powerful?

Nobody Expects The Spanish Inquisition!

2006-07-10T20:33:00.000-04:00

I didn't read Brooks' column, but reading this gave me a good shot of humor for the day. Thankee pastordan.

The title of this post is also the title of a skit by Monty Python, shown at right. As in most things Pythonesque, the transcript does little to convey the delightful silliness, unless you're like my youngest daughter, who looks at me incredulously and asks, "This is funny?"

How often I despair of our youth!

Is Duck, Duck, Goose Next?

2006-07-10T18:16:00.000-04:00

Oh for crying out loud! Maybe they should just abolish fun altogether and get it over with!

Hugo Chavez in His Own Words

2006-07-10T15:48:00.000-04:00

From the interview with Hugo Chavez:

"They [the U.S.] have interfered [with Venezuela] for 200 years. They have tried to prevent us from winning the elections, they supported the coup d'état, they gave millions of dollars to the coup plotters, they supported the media, newspapers, outlaw movements, military intervention, and espionage. But here the empire is finished, and I believe that before the end of this century, it will be finished in the rest of the world. We will see the burial of the empire of the eagle. (emphasis mine)"

Sad to say, we are no longer a vital, self-renewing democracy, but instead a rapidly growing shadow on the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. If we are not able to reverse this trend, I believe that our becoming an increasingly authoritarian, nationalistic and imperial power will indeed cause us, as Chavez said, to be brought down. We will topple under the weight of our own arrogance, corruption and the scandalous neglect of those for whom the American Dream is out of reach, or for whom it is rapidly slipping away.

Critiquing the Religious Left

2006-07-09T13:56:00.000-04:00

This thought provoking article talks about transforming the religious left, currently not very organized and lacking a cohesive philosophy other than expressing a desire to "help," into a force for action on "...political, social and economic justice..."

Wiccan Soldier Denied Memorial

2006-07-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

"Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I believe this soldier gave his life in part to protect and defend religious freedoms"

Blessed be!