I see that Tenzin Gyatsu, the fourteenth Dalai Lama turns seventy-five today. His Holiness certainly is one of the more attractive figures on the public stage today. Well deserving of his Nobel Peace prize, no doubt. Here in the west those who don’t pay attention to such things often consider him the Buddhist pope. Which, of course, is absolutely not so. Buddhism, while about five hundred years older than Christianity has never had a central authority or one that claims... Read more
The sister reveals my mind during practice, well, except mine features a man cave. Bless the barcalounger and its moral equivalents which some can find even on a zafu… Read more
Spam, not the annoying email, but rather the cultural icon and mystery meat concoction some claim features ham was introduced on this day in 1937. I remember it as a ubiquitous part of my childhood, and associate it with poverty. And in many circles it continues to be considered “poor people’s food.” Although I am pleased in some strange part of my heart to learn that it appears to be wildly popular in Hawaii, where it has been called the... Read more
It has been recently announced that the Blogisattva awards, Buddhist blogging awards established by blogger Tom Armstrong. Tom has moved on to other things, but a new crew has taken on the job. Now, they’ve generated some controversy around the web for various reasons. Personally I like such things. So long as one doesn’t make too much of them, they can acknowledge good work, and as long as they throw the net wide, can point out new or more obscure... Read more
On this day in 1860, some seven months after Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was published, John Draper of the New York University delivered a talk on the intellectual development of Europe in the light of Darwin’s theory. People don’t talk about the paper & from what one can glean of the subject matter addressed, and the justly earned ill repute of “social Darwinism,” that may all be for the best. What is remembered is what is now... Read more
Beliefnet has been sold. At one time Beliefnet aspired to be the premier spiritual portal on the web. And gave that aspiration a pretty good run. But it’s had hard times for a while now. In fact not all that long ago it was purchased by the media dark lord himself, Rupert Murdoch. And so having a new overlord is hardly surprising. ‘Tis the way of all flesh. And apparently websites… Frankly, my only concern about this is that they... Read more
This was the second year that our church had a “float,” a decked out pickup truck for children and those for whom the walk was difficult at the Providence Gay Pride parade. This is one part of a big deal in our congregation, the celebration of our GBLTQ members, and part of our public stance in favor of full civil rights for all, symbolized, actually more than symbolized by the quest for marriage equality. The Gay Pride parades that happen... Read more
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