Comments for Dance of the Mind http://arulba.com world religions, philosophy, books, film and life Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:14:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on The Isms by arulba http://arulba.com/2010/03/09/the-isms/comment-page-1/#comment-161 arulba Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:14:31 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7851#comment-161 OK. That makes a lot of sense. I've always understood the differences as being about how Reality is understood. I found some class notes several years ago that divided philosophical thought into Monism, Theism, Pantheism, and Panentheism. God and the physical cosmos weren't necessarily the basis of the categories, either. OK. That makes a lot of sense.

I’ve always understood the differences as being about how Reality is understood. I found some class notes several years ago that divided philosophical thought into Monism, Theism, Pantheism, and Panentheism. God and the physical cosmos weren’t necessarily the basis of the categories, either.

]]> Comment on The Isms by Kay http://arulba.com/2010/03/09/the-isms/comment-page-1/#comment-156 Kay Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:29:20 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7851#comment-156 Reading through this I'm seeing just how differently we are defining things. For example: The different 'theisms' (monotheism, pantheism, panentheism and polytheism) are ways of talking about God's ontological relationship to the cosmos, as well as how many gods there are. On the other hand, terms like monism are a way of saying how many different kinds of "stuff" the universe (and God) are made up of. Monism (one stuff). Dualism (two kinds of stuff). Pluralism (lots of kinds of stuff). I'm a monist. I think there is one kind of stuff that has different attributes. I'm also a panentheist. I think we exist within God, the ground of being, who created (for want of a better word) the cosmos out of 'his' own stuff. FWIW. Reading through this I’m seeing just how differently we are defining things.

For example:

The different ‘theisms’ (monotheism, pantheism, panentheism and polytheism) are ways of talking about God’s ontological relationship to the cosmos, as well as how many gods there are.

On the other hand, terms like monism are a way of saying how many different kinds of “stuff” the universe (and God) are made up of. Monism (one stuff). Dualism (two kinds of stuff). Pluralism (lots of kinds of stuff).

I’m a monist. I think there is one kind of stuff that has different attributes.

I’m also a panentheist. I think we exist within God, the ground of being, who created (for want of a better word) the cosmos out of ‘his’ own stuff.

FWIW.

]]> Comment on The Naked Now by Richard Rohr by Kay http://arulba.com/2010/03/03/the-naked-now-by-richard-rohr/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Kay Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:28:12 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7843#comment-141 There are a couple of his books on CD ... or perhaps they are not books on CD but actually direct to CD publications? He does some stuff through "Sounds True" audio (which is available via Amazon). There are a couple of his books on CD … or perhaps they are not books on CD but actually direct to CD publications? He does some stuff through “Sounds True” audio (which is available via Amazon).

]]> Comment on The Naked Now by Richard Rohr by arulba http://arulba.com/2010/03/03/the-naked-now-by-richard-rohr/comment-page-1/#comment-136 arulba Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:43:01 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7843#comment-136 Do Rohr's books get put on CD? Do Rohr’s books get put on CD?

]]> Comment on The Naked Now by Richard Rohr by Kay http://arulba.com/2010/03/03/the-naked-now-by-richard-rohr/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Kay Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:25:35 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7843#comment-130 I still haven't read this book. I keep hoping that it will come out on CD so that I can listen to it in the car on the way to work. I should probably give up on that I just buy the dang thing. :-D I have a Centering Prayer CD set from Thomas Keating that I've never listened to. (Have I told you that already?) Perhaps I shall use it as a meditation base rather than Zen. Hmmm ... Hey, I think I like that idea! I still haven’t read this book. I keep hoping that it will come out on CD so that I can listen to it in the car on the way to work. I should probably give up on that I just buy the dang thing. :-D

I have a Centering Prayer CD set from Thomas Keating that I’ve never listened to. (Have I told you that already?) Perhaps I shall use it as a meditation base rather than Zen. Hmmm … Hey, I think I like that idea!

]]> Comment on The Virgin Prayer by Kay http://arulba.com/2010/03/02/the-virgin-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Kay Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:35:57 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7841#comment-124 Wow. Just wow. And a bit synchronous because I just posted a prayer on my blog that I found because of Richard Rohr (sorta - in a roundabout way). Wow. Just wow. And a bit synchronous because I just posted a prayer on my blog that I found because of Richard Rohr (sorta – in a roundabout way).

]]> Comment on Random Thoughts on Church (and Stuff) by arulba http://arulba.com/2010/02/27/random-thoughts-on-church-and-stuff/comment-page-1/#comment-117 arulba Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:35:20 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7831#comment-117 I've loved everything I've read by Thomas Moore, too! Glad to know he has a new book! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Thomas Moore, too! Glad to know he has a new book!

]]> Comment on Random Thoughts on Church (and Stuff) by Ephemeral Thoughts http://arulba.com/2010/02/27/random-thoughts-on-church-and-stuff/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Ephemeral Thoughts Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:49:05 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7831#comment-116 I listened to an interview today with Thomas Moore about his new book "Writing in the Sand" and I'm really excited to read his take on Jesus and the stories in the Gospels. I've loved everything I've read from Moore and as a Jungian, I know he's going to bring up stuff about Jesus that will be so cool. I listened to an interview today with Thomas Moore about his new book “Writing in the Sand” and I’m really excited to read his take on Jesus and the stories in the Gospels. I’ve loved everything I’ve read from Moore and as a Jungian, I know he’s going to bring up stuff about Jesus that will be so cool.

]]> Comment on Random Thoughts on Church (and Stuff) by arulba http://arulba.com/2010/02/27/random-thoughts-on-church-and-stuff/comment-page-1/#comment-115 arulba Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:30:49 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7831#comment-115 That's a really good point, Kay!! It makes a lot of sense! Maybe attempts to re-mythologize are really about going back to what was important to begin with because it was never meant to be demythologized in the first place. That really works for me. Thanks! I have long had trouble with some of the historical commentary and have always had a very difficult time putting my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me about it. That’s a really good point, Kay!! It makes a lot of sense! Maybe attempts to re-mythologize are really about going back to what was important to begin with because it was never meant to be demythologized in the first place.

That really works for me. Thanks! I have long had trouble with some of the historical commentary and have always had a very difficult time putting my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me about it.

]]> Comment on Random Thoughts on Church (and Stuff) by Ephemeral Thoughts http://arulba.com/2010/02/27/random-thoughts-on-church-and-stuff/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Ephemeral Thoughts Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:52:41 +0000 http://arulba.com/?p=7831#comment-113 On re-mythologizing Christianity - I find myself wondering if we were supposed to de-mythologize it in the first place. What I mean is that perhaps the mythos surrounding Jesus is the most important part? Whether that is of his being God (and I don't mean Yahweh) incarnate, or perhaps a very enlightened man who was so at-one with Divinity that he could perform miracles or ... Perhaps Jesus never existed and the attempt to de-mythologize in order to find the "historical Jesus" is, well, totally missing the point? I dunno. I read Spong and I wonder why he bothers. I know he has to be read in other esoteric schools and I wonder why he can't see some of that influence in the Hebrew and Greek texts. Or, if he does see them, why he doesn't make the connections? Rambling ... On re-mythologizing Christianity – I find myself wondering if we were supposed to de-mythologize it in the first place.

What I mean is that perhaps the mythos surrounding Jesus is the most important part? Whether that is of his being God (and I don’t mean Yahweh) incarnate, or perhaps a very enlightened man who was so at-one with Divinity that he could perform miracles or …

Perhaps Jesus never existed and the attempt to de-mythologize in order to find the “historical Jesus” is, well, totally missing the point?

I dunno. I read Spong and I wonder why he bothers. I know he has to be read in other esoteric schools and I wonder why he can’t see some of that influence in the Hebrew and Greek texts. Or, if he does see them, why he doesn’t make the connections?

Rambling …

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