The journey is the destination. Zen is more of a philosophy than a religion. It is more experiential than intellectual. Zen is not creedal or speculative or theistic. Ask a Zen teacher, “Is there a God? What is the meaning of life? Where do we go when you die?” He or she might respond, “Who knows? Do you realize your connection to everyone and everything? Are you here now?” Dogen Zenji, founder of the Soto school of Zen, stressed the... Read more
Ultimate Reality is not far removed from everyday reality. In fact, Ultimate Reality permeates everyday reality. For the last few weeks, I have been talking about Ultimate Reality, and some of it might have seemed abstract or heady or intellectual. When I write about Ultimate Reality, I am choosing my terms carefully. For some, the term “God” assumes a personal, supernatural being. For others, the term “Universe” assumes an impersonal, natural force. I would rather not assume anything about Ultimate... Read more
Today, fewer people imagine Ultimate Reality in purely personal terms or in purely supernatural terms. Increasingly, Ultimate Reality is imagined in impersonal, natural terms, such as consciousness, energy or love. In a previous post, I discussed the absolute and relative aspects, as well as the personal and impersonal aspects, of Ultimate Reality. Also, I suggested that those who encounter Brahman, God, the Universe, or the Void might be describing the same experience. How can we experience fullness (Brahman) and emptiness... Read more
Ultimate Reality has many names: Brahman in Hinduism, God in Christianity, the Universe in humanism and the Void in Buddhism. When we encounter people with different beliefs (or no beliefs) we have to consider notions of God that are different from our own. (Note: In the West, we usually refer to Ultimate Reality as “God,” and I use the word “God” when explaining how others describe “God.” But, this notion is NOT universal, so when I use the word “God,”... Read more
We know one thing about Ultimate Reality, namely that everyone is related, and everything is connected. The mystics of all traditions and the scientists, especially the quantum physicists, agree. This profound, but simple, realization can be life-changing. Some say that their religion is kindness or that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. Same thing. In a previous post, I said that many of our beliefs are comfortable, rather than sensible. I stated that evidence and experience do NOT confirm... Read more
Sometimes, we believe things because they are comfortable, not because they are sensible. Often, we hold these beliefs, irrespective of whether they are supported by evidence or experience. We might say things like this: “I believe that there is a God or a Supreme Being who loves me, because I would feel lonely and unloved otherwise.” “I feel that this God creates rules and monitors our behavior, because the Universe would feel unfair and unjust otherwise.” “I hope that... Read more
Surely, it seems like we have free will, but is free will an illusion? Most of us believe that we have free will, until we realize that our thoughts come to us. We do NOT decide to think thoughts, any more than we decide to breathe air or to digest food. Scientists tell us that 95 percent of our thoughts come from our subconscious minds. Most of the thoughts that come from our conscious minds derive from either nature or... Read more
Many people are leaving church over questions of belief or doctrine. How are people who are leaving church maintaining spiritual practices? In the West, most people might say that their spiritual practices consist of attending church, praying, and/or reading the Bible. According to Pew Research Center, most Americans actually have little or no spiritual practice: Almost one-third of adults seldom or never attend church, and almost two thirds attend church less than once a week. Almost one-quarter of adults seldom... Read more
Many people are leaving church because of some speculative doctrines, supernatural beliefs, and unkind practices that they found in church. Where are they finding community after leaving church? Leaving Church Churches can have some insular and parochial ideas about community. In a paper called “Sense of Community in Churches,” the author emphasized developing the notion of membership: “Churches should maintain strong boundaries to emphasize who is in and out of the community and what one needs to do to get... Read more
Christianity uniquely emphasizes creeds, exclusive claims and evangelization, compared to many other religions. Most Religions are NOT Creedal There are NOT extensive Buddhist or Hindu or Jewish or Muslim creeds: For Buddhism, Buddha is reported to have said, “Don’t blindly believe what I say; don’t believe me because others convince you of my words; don’t believe anything you see, read or hear from others, whether of authority, religious teachers or texts; don’t rely on logic alone, nor speculation; don’t infer... Read more
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