scott snedeker
04-16-2007, 04:53 AM
I have read all your posts again and again In my thread "How ecumenical are you" and am most impressed with the dialogue. I originally was responding in that thread, but my reply deviated so far that I felt it was better to use this as a start of a new thread
I am still very early in my spiritual journey trying to understand myself so that I can better understand others. I find that the most important thing for me is to feel good. Everything else comes from that.
I did not intend to give the impression that directing attention away from the religious right meant putting my head in the sand. Nor would I put a smiley face sticker over my gas gauge because I saw it was near empty.
I meant more emphasis on building our own world and less countering the old one. It is hard to focus on building a new life and culture when I am stuck on what I don't like. I feel my reaction to the RR if any should be doubled efforts to grow love from within and spread it around and the contrast created will speak for itself.
Like filling my gas tank regulary rather than allowing it to empty while I fret about not finding a service station in time, I endeavor to create understanding and kindness around me today and by doing so create an alternate future where I am not defending my entitlement to live true to my nature.
If my attention is diverted to what I don't like, I am miserable, not connecting with love of self and therefore others and permitting growth of alienation around me, leading up to a crisis that could have been avoided.
This takes courage. Courage to love myself and not beat the drum in time with those who hate me. I don't extend them the privilege of being a part of my world. To oppose them directly diverts my focus from building the kinder world I know will come if I cultivate it.
I am a physician. In medicine there is heroic effort and resources thrown into intervening medical crises caused by a lifestyle centered around instant gratificatiion (food, alcohol, tobacco, etc). Where 60%+ of my job is a pathetic pharmacologic compensation for something that did not have to occur.
Where instead if people could focus on their connection to unconditional love and entitlement to the healthiest happiest life possible. In large part people feel an emptiness and attempt to fill this void with gratification.
I now have a choice in my career. I only have a finite amount of professional time. How much of it I spend intervening the results of the past poor spiritual hygiene and gratification, and how much I prepare for a healthier brighter future is up to me.
I think the spiritual parallel is also clear. The contrast that the Equality Riders are creating tell of this power. Resembles turning the other cheek to me. A phrase that I felt to be powerless until recently.
I am still very early in my spiritual journey trying to understand myself so that I can better understand others. I find that the most important thing for me is to feel good. Everything else comes from that.
I did not intend to give the impression that directing attention away from the religious right meant putting my head in the sand. Nor would I put a smiley face sticker over my gas gauge because I saw it was near empty.
I meant more emphasis on building our own world and less countering the old one. It is hard to focus on building a new life and culture when I am stuck on what I don't like. I feel my reaction to the RR if any should be doubled efforts to grow love from within and spread it around and the contrast created will speak for itself.
Like filling my gas tank regulary rather than allowing it to empty while I fret about not finding a service station in time, I endeavor to create understanding and kindness around me today and by doing so create an alternate future where I am not defending my entitlement to live true to my nature.
If my attention is diverted to what I don't like, I am miserable, not connecting with love of self and therefore others and permitting growth of alienation around me, leading up to a crisis that could have been avoided.
This takes courage. Courage to love myself and not beat the drum in time with those who hate me. I don't extend them the privilege of being a part of my world. To oppose them directly diverts my focus from building the kinder world I know will come if I cultivate it.
I am a physician. In medicine there is heroic effort and resources thrown into intervening medical crises caused by a lifestyle centered around instant gratificatiion (food, alcohol, tobacco, etc). Where 60%+ of my job is a pathetic pharmacologic compensation for something that did not have to occur.
Where instead if people could focus on their connection to unconditional love and entitlement to the healthiest happiest life possible. In large part people feel an emptiness and attempt to fill this void with gratification.
I now have a choice in my career. I only have a finite amount of professional time. How much of it I spend intervening the results of the past poor spiritual hygiene and gratification, and how much I prepare for a healthier brighter future is up to me.
I think the spiritual parallel is also clear. The contrast that the Equality Riders are creating tell of this power. Resembles turning the other cheek to me. A phrase that I felt to be powerless until recently.