I’ve found a new blogger I like. Well, I found him a while ago, but I find I keep dipping into his posts. He’s a Christian thinker, by my best read an anarcho-pacifist of some sort. So, what’s not to like, one might ask? Well, he casually throws around the term the “empire” to mean not just America and American culture, but near as I can tell for life in this world where harsh choices are the stuff of life.... Read more

Vladimir K, who runs the amazing Zensite, has just reviewed If You’re Lucky. He says… “James Ishmael Ford is a Zen teacher with Boundless Way Zen and a senior minister at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, Rhode Island. I have to confess here that I am suspicious of Zen teachers that mix Zen Buddhism with other religions, especially Christianity. While some have expounded an ecumenical meeting of religions (Robert Aitken Roshi tried hard to bring Zen and Christianity together,... Read more

Here are the aspirations… Read more

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There was some sort of mix up and I was designated doshi, or chief celebrant at the 2012 Dharma Heritage ceremony at the bi-annual gathering of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association. Sadly, they didn’t let me keep the lovely kesa used by the doshi… Read more

THE DORR REBELLION An Election Day Sermon James Ishmael Ford 4 November 2012 Text Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech… First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States When the History committee released its new booklet, Pastor’s Rest: The Burial Ground of the First Unitarian Church of Providence at Swan Point Cemetery, despite the less than grab your lapel’s and yell buy me... Read more

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ON this day in the year 361, the Emperor Constantius died. Before he died he had a hasty baptism. And, he named his cousin Julian as his successor. I find those what if moments in history, where the whole thing could have gone another way, interesting. And there are few as fascinating, at least for me, in what would have come of Julian, the so-called apostate living a long life? With his interest in giving the pagan traditions structure and... Read more

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Now a study shows how the legalization of marijuana use in the US could cut the throats of the Mexican drug cartels. Let’s get real here. I’m no fan of drugs. Leaves people stupid. Wrecks lives. But that’s not the end of the story. The criminalization of drug use has torn countries apart, left drug cartels in the driver’s seat of vastly too much. I’ve held forth on this before. Now in a half dozen states there are votes scheduled... Read more