The Pageless Book

Yes, I’m trying to give up the nectar of life, the sweet fruit of the coffee bean, and the only reason why Mondays don’t result in weekly mass killing sprees. I’ve realized, now after trying, that one cannot simply go cold-turkey off of caffeine in the middle of the work week. Trying to quit caffeine in the middle of the work week inflicts a caffeine addict with a mild and temporary form of narcolepsy. Luckily, I have the next five or so days off to get the monkey off my back; I’ve taken some vacation days to relax before my company goes into its busiest season.

I realized that I’ve been on a upper-downer schedule for the last few months. I’ve been drinking coffee to wake up, sometimes a Redbull for a midday jolt of energy, then drinking rum, vodka or whiskey to help me sleep. This is great for my liver, I’m sure - the effect on my finances leaves much to be desired as well. It is time for me to detox from the crap I do to my body on a regular basis, and I decided that this will be the week.

What does this have to do with spirituality? Nothing, really… Or does it? What can I say about being abusive towards my own body? If I do not care for myself, am I really fit to care for anyone else? About anything else? The downward spiral of apathy has to start somewhere; it makes sense that it might start with the body.

So… yeah, if I end up in the corner chanting the words “java joe mocha espresso” while rocking back and forth clutching an empty french press, you know why. Besides helping my brother-in-law move, I plan on focusing on blogging and meditation. And while trying to convince my doctor that a caffeine IV drip is a good idea, I’m going to try to make more rounds to other people’s blogs. God help me… I know I’ll need it.

Top Photo by Refracted Moments. Bottom Photo by The Master Shake Signal.

“Think for yourself and question authority.”
- Timothy Francis Leary (1920 – 1996)

I constantly find myself in the position of devil’s advocate. It’s an enjoyable habit to take the position of devil’s advocate - almost a hobby of mine. I’m not quite sure when it started, or what initiated this habit. Perhaps it’s because I was born a Gemini (pft!), or maybe it’s because I am a reincarnation of Socrates (unlikely). All I know is that the world would be a better place if everyone asked more questions and were willing to listen to questions.

People who ask questions aren’t generally liked very much. A question is perceived as a threat. If you question your employer’s decisions, you are soon without a job. If you question your government, you’re no longer patriotic. If you question your religion, you’re a heretic. There are very few venues where it’s acceptable to ask questions and challenge ideas. In general, the internet is one of those precious few places where questions are encouraged.

One of the things that I constantly attempt to do on this site is provide you, my readership, an uncommon view of the world we live in. This plays right into the role I cast for myself. It’s in my nature to ask questions. Questions are the answer, for me. Questions are spiritual.

Why do I believe that questions are spiritual? Take a look at every great spiritual teacher that had ever graced this earth. Jesus and Mohamad both questioned the societies in which they lived. The Buddha questioned why anyone had to suffer. Lao Tzu questioned the basic assumptions we makes concerning progress and then was audacious enough to call it “The Way”. Questions are the basis of spiritual understanding. As Jesus said “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:22, KJV). How else would you know the truth if you do not ask for it?

You wonder why I rail against mainstream religion? It isn’t because they are wrong - it’s because they don’t let others find new ways to be right. If you think for yourself and question authority, you’ll find the new and better ways that are yet to be thought of, and through those you shall truly be made free.

So, what do you question? I think I’ve rambled on enough about all the things I question; what is it that you question? I find it so interesting that most people are each too shy to ask their questions. What you have is the anonymity of the internet to question anything. Even if it isn’t a “safe” question to ask, it is safe here, yet you still hesitate. Why?

Top Photo by Alexander Henning Drachmann. Bottom Photo by Aymlis. Originally Published November 17, 2007.

Photo by Paal Leveraas

Can a person who has faith in a God claim that God has no free will? Well, I’d like to think that I have faith in a Divine Source and I certainly seem to be making that claim. As you may know that I enjoy making a shocking claim that seems contradictory or controversial and then supporting it with a well reasoned argument. Today is no different from any other, so if you please, follow me down the rabbit hole.

A common means to defining God is through three traits - omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. That is to say that the Divine knows all things, is all powerful, and is everywhere. I like this means of defining the Divine; it’s quite neat and tidy, saying more without words then what is says with words. The problem that I am faced with in accepting this definition is that it raises several significant questions. If God is all knowing, then why are we not warned of the horrific events of our past history? Being that God is all powerful, why doesn’t he heal amputees? Are serial killers in the presence of God while they commit their crimes?

The traditional Christian response to these questions is that it’s apart of God’s plan. To a point, I can sympathize with this sentiment, but let’s be honest - that’s a fancy way of saying “I don’t know.” Traditional non-theist responses to these questions are that either God doesn’t exist (the option that non-theists prefer), or God doesn’t care and is therefore not worth our time. These are both very reasonable conclusions, yet my personal experiences, as well as the experiences of other spiritual people, tell me otherwise. So I’m left with no satisfactory answers to these questions…

… That is, until I start to consider the human relationship to ants. In comparison to an ant, a human being is all powerful, all knowing, and all present. If we so choose to do so, we might control every aspect of an ant’s life, to where he lived and what he ate, to how soon he died and how he died. This would take away every choice that the ant would make on its own; the ant would have no free will. The same could be said about our relationship to God. An all knowing, all powerful, and all present Divine Source would, upon making one choice on our behalf, take away the free will we have over our own lives.

Would it not be more accurate to say that God chooses not to act in the world, rather then claim that God doesn’t have free will? I’m sorry to say, no. There is more to this issue than the subject of God’s inaction, because even God’s inaction can be interpreted as taking a choice away from humanity. Some people in this world may very well want God to take total control of their lives - they would sacrifice free will for safety without regret. As sad as this may be, you cannot deny that it is true.

God has no free will because God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. To know all things, the knowledge cannot be subjected to judgement. In order for the Divine to be all powerful, all forces must originate from the Divine - even opposing forces. For the Divine to be present in all places, it cannot hold any desire to be in one place or another, to be one thing or many. The Divine Source would have to be like water…

Does any of this sound familiar? If you’ve read the Tao Te Ching, it should. You could even go so far as to say that my understanding of God is one and the same as the Tao. It wouldn’t be so far from the truth that I’d feel compelled to argue. At the same time, I still feel that there is one stone left unturned in this discussion of God and free will. You see, I honestly have a hard time even believing that there is such an animal as free will, nor do I believe that everything is predetermined. These are terms that we humans have created to describe what we perceive to be true, and may only exist as concepts. This may well be the ultimate reason why I can sincerely say that God has no free will; you can’t possess a quality that doesn’t actually exist, now can you?

Photo by Pétursey

If you are a Buddhist, and you are on-line, you’ve probably already bounced around this website more then a few times. Perhaps, however, you are like me and are interested in Buddhism in addition to your other spiritual pursuits, in which case you may not know about this website. It’s worth a good long look.

Buddhanet is the central hub for everything related to Buddhism. Whether your interest in Buddhism is curiosity or serious study, you will find that this website can provide you with the information you need. Buddhanet began as a dial-in bulletin board and slowly evolved into the website we see today. It proudly proclaims itself to be “a non-sectarian organisation, offering its services to all Buddhist traditions. It aims to facilitate a significant Buddhist presence in the ever-expanding realm of computer communications technology, applying this technology to helping make the Buddha’s teachings freely available to all.”

If you are new to Buddhism, a good place to start would be under the Buddhist Studies link. They not only have a general over-view of what Buddhism is, but also provide a complete course study in Buddhism. If you are a teacher, the website also provides lessons for your students, as well as a guideline on how to teach Buddhism.

The next thing I would recommend checking out would be the Buddhazine Online Magazine. Most people prefer to casually browse online articles and this section of the website is custom made just for that purpose. Not only does it provide articles on Buddhist traditions, meditation, art, and wisdom, but it also boasts a section devoted to women in Buddhism as well as a section devoted to children.

The website is thorough, as well. Buddhanet provides you an entire library of Buddhist texts. In addition to this, they feature multimedia such as audio files, photos and artwork.  And what if you want to visit a temple? No matter were you might live, Buddhanet can find local Buddhist temples and schools for you. The only thing that I have found this site to be lacking is a sufficient discussion forum, which is ironic seeing as it began as BBS. Seeing as they have just about every Buddhist website available in their suggested links, wouldn’t be too hard to find a good Buddhism Discussion Forum.

Whether you have a full day to waste on one website or just a few moments, I would suggest spending your time on Buddhanet. With so much information and so much to do, it’s hard to get bored. Even if you are like me and can only find time to browse websites occasionally, it still does a soul good to be infused with the wisdom of the Buddha.

Although there has already been a number of blog articles written about Mitt Romney, none of them really grabbed me until this morning. Chris Walton, the webmaster of Philocrites, has posted an excellent article regarding Romney’s “Pluralism” speech. I highly recommend that everyone give it a look-see.

I don’t have anything to add concerning that article; politics has never been my strong suit.

Photo by Ward Levingston

I’ve recently made the decision to habitually use the word “Namaste” in my interaction with others in everyday life. It may be a touch eccentric for an awkward white guy like myself to use this word in casual conversation, but I just cannot find another word that fits what I mean to say. It’s the exactness of the word that I enjoy.“Namaste” is a Sanskrit word that is commonly translated as meaning “the divine within me honors the divine within you.”

Think about that for a moment, and you’ll realize just how intimate that sentiment can be. Not many people believe that they are divine, and among those who do not there are some who think very poorly of themselves. Some religious doctrine teach that we are each somehow broken or incomplete; the concept of “original sin” comes to mind. When I say to another person “Namaste,” not only am I recognizing them as an equal, but I am confronting the insecurities they may have.

Why choose this word over the phrases “God Bless You” or “Thank You?” First of all, neither of these are as personal.“God Bless You” has the disadvantage of being religiously charged. While saying “Namaste” may denote a recognition of spirituality, it does not suggest a particular spiritual belief. Saying “God Bless You;” however, insists upon the existence of one God - mine. Non-theists and individuals of other religions may not be comfortable with being blessed by my God. It wouldn’t be very tolerant of me to make that assumption. “Thank You,” on the other hand, is what you say to be polite; it just isn’t powerful enough for some situations.

Now, it could be argued that “Namaste” is New Age-ish and pretentious. Meh - whatever. I enjoy hanging out in New Age shops, so that really doesn’t bother me. As far as being pretentious? It’s only pretentious if I’m pretending. I try my damnest to say what I mean here on this blog. If one word is enough to shake someone’s trust in my sincerity, then that person probably didn’t think I was sincere from the start.

I am still wrestling to make this word into a habit. It doesn’t always occur to me to say that word when I should. I think the important thing is that it describes a feeling that I have on a regular basis; what is significant to me is that my heart has already made this word a habit.

Photo by Sharon Mollerus

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article debating that, while there are problems with modern religion, aspects of religion were both true and helpful, and could not be discounted as being a factor concerning the validity of religion as an institution. This was in response to Greta Christina’s article regarding the nature of the debate between atheists and theists. While I was hoping to garner the attention of the queen bee herself, she made it quite clear that she may not have the time to respond properly. No problem. I figured if she didn’t have time to respond that there was an atheist somewhere who would rise to the challenge.

It wasn’t until this past Thursday that I received a response. John B. Hodges was polite enough to comment on my lonely post and point out a few weaknesses in my argument. He wrote, “AFAICT you seem to be saying that (1) religion minus claims of Truth = Practices and values, and (2) the practices and values can be beneficial, even if the associated story is fiction… If ethics and practices are based, in any degree, upon false stories, thay (sic) are likely, to that degree, to be bad ethics.”

While I wouldn’t say he disproved my argument with this, he did manage to dent it. I hadn’t sufficiently addressed why I felt that religion and/or spirituality was “true”. The problem is that, Mr. Hodges and I are speaking about two different types of truth, neither of which are incompatible or all encompassing.

Logic, one method of understanding the universe, derives truth from a series of binary decisions. This method of inquiry has the amazing capability to allow us realize technologies and live richer then we would otherwise be able to do. Only fools dismiss the possibilities. Logic is mankind’s greatest tool for understanding the perceivable world. Yet it isn’t perfect.

The universe does not conform to logic, rather it is logic that must conform to the universe. We may only apply logic to something that we can perceive and that can be verified independently of any outside influence. Most importantly, logic does not describe the totality of the human existence.

We human beings have an emotion element, which defies logic, cannot be perceived or quantified, and yet plays an essential part in our experience. Emotional truth, found in art and spirituality, is far undervalued. It is also a type of truth, but unlike logic, does not fit nice little boxes. To be sure, emotional truth should not be applied to outside world, but by the same token, logic should not be applied to the world within us.

It is this that I am defending when I defend religion. It should be understood that religion is emotional truth, not logical truth. When I talk about the stories of the Bible being taken literally, I’m talking about applying logic to something that should remain only emotional.

Morality, however, is one of those tricky animals that deal with both emotional truths and logical truths. When logic or emotion overcomes the other as the primary deciding factor of morality, we have frightening results. Religion should not have the final say in regards to morality, but neither should science.

I conclude by saying, yet again, I don’t know how well I’ve defended my position. I like putting myself in the precarious position of agreeing and yet disagreeing with those whom I debate. Inevitably, someone will come along and find yet more holes in my argument. I personally think that’s the fun part of theist-atheist dialogue - being challenged to think.

I have plans… Oh, yes, I have plans for this little blog. I’m not satisfied being a mere blip in the blogosphere, ladies and gentlemen. You see, I’m planning world domination from my desk top. I’m going to be the new Illuminati, the puppet master behind the scenes, and bend the ear of every world leader! How am I going to accomplish this? Popsicle sticks and Bubble Gum!

Er, yeah… The plan still has a few bugs.

Somewhere between here and world domination, you can expect some changes to this site. The Pageless Book has been up for only three months or so, but already I’ve made progress towards being a great blog. Of course, this is due to my readers, without whom I would not feel motivated to write. In an attempt keep you, my readership, in the loop, I’m letting you know up front what my future plans are.

• Monetization: Yes, I am planning to monetize my blog. The truth of the matter is that seminary costs money and recently money has been getting tight for me. I don’t want you to think this means you’ll be bombarded with grotesquely flashy ads or annoyingly inappropriate suggestions about your weight, the medicine you take, or long distance phone service. This is my promise to you as well as to myself; this blog will never be just about making money.
• Book Reviews: In conjunction with monetization, I plan to doing sponsored book reviews. All of the book reviews I do will concern spirituality in some manner and will give an honest assessment of the book in question. If you buy a book based on my suggestion, I want it to be because you trust my judgment and not because I am getting paid.
• Minister Interviews: I’m interested in interviewing the Unitarian Universalist Ministers who are bouncing around in this crazy blogosphere. Soon, I’ll begin seeking them out, work on getting their attention and trust, and asking each individually if they are willing to grant me the privilege of an interview. If one such person is currently reading and would like to step forward, please feel free to do so. I really do want to hear from you!
• Daily Posting Schedule: My life is still in flux, so I cannot promise a post every day, but I am doing my best. As things settle down with my job, school, and personal life, I hope to be able to give you a detailed posting schedule. I want to continue to provide great content to you, my reader, in a more consistent way - it just isn’t realistic at this moment. Please know that I am trying.

You can help me make this blog grow, just by doing what you’ve always been doing. Visit and comment often, subscribe to my RSS feed, submit posts that you enjoy to Stumble, Digg, and Technorati, and, most important of all, act in loving kindness in your daily life, being the wonderful people I know you to be. Thank you for all that you do.

Namaste.

Photo by M.H. Johnston

Ritual is one of those things that is so intrinsic to human nature that it has been present in every society and culture since the beginning of recorded history. Whether it’s form is as primitive as dancing and singing around a bonfire, or as sophisticated as the swearing-in of the United States President, ritual speaks to the human psyche on a deeper level than words alone. Yet, in this modern day and age, we see ritual in decline. I can’t help but think that perhaps this has more to do with our present misunderstanding of what ritual is and its purpose.

I’ve had the chance to witness a Catholic Mass three time in my life. Twice, I have come away with the feeling that the priests were just going through the motions, soullessly reciting the words from rote memory like a child rambling off dates in history class. If I were to judge all ritual based on those two experiences, I would have to say that it’s dull and lifeless. The priest obviously did not invest themselves into the meaning of what they were doing.

The third time I had attended a Catholic Mass, it was a funeral for a family friend. The man had been a member of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternity of lay members of the Catholic Church. The priest who presided over the Mass and the Last Rites was a personal friend of the deceased, and meant every word he said with every fiber of his being. I still get chills thinking about the power in the father’s voice, and gravity behind every action that he took.

What was the difference? Was it the situation or was it the man? It is neither the situation or the man, and yet it was also both. Ritual, you see, is an art form. Unlike other art forms, the primary audience of this art form is the artist. If the ritual does not have meaning for the performers, then what we are left with is an empty shell - actions that have no effect, and words without definition.

Outside observers can easily see the through the veil of insincerity. So much in this society depends on appearance, that we are exposed to empty ritual on a regular basis. Eventually, anyone would get bored of hearing the same meaningless sentiments and seeing the same limp motions. Why concern yourself with something that is so obviously pretentious and vapid? The impression is that all ritual is just rote recitation.

Western society has come to distrust ritual in all forms, and yet it is still very much apart of our human nature. I think it’s time we take back ritual. I don’t mean just for religious purposes, but for our own well being.

I want you to do something meaningful for yourself - perform a ritual. You don’t have to believe anything beside the meaning inherent in the ritual. Just try it. If you have a loved one who is currently overseas, light a candle and place it in your window to light their way back home. If you have regrets that you never had the chance to share with a departed love one, take a white lilies and name each of your regrets as you place the flower upon their grave. If you have succeeded in something you never expected to, give yourself time to dance, howl, and sing in the moon light. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it has meaning to you.

Try it, then come back here and tell me how it felt to reclaim ritual for yourself. I promise you that there is nothing to lose, except some old preconceptions.

Namaste.

Part of what The Gated Emptiness calls on me to do, is teach that all people are worthy of being Priests and Prophets. That’s a pretty tall order, when you think about it. I thought I was the only one suggesting this, but then I came across this clip of Matthew Fox.

Matthew Fox, a defrocked catholic priest, has been championing such radical theological ideas since the early 1980’s. I didn’t know about this man until recently, but I’m sure to start reading up on who he is and his ideas. We need more icons of progressive spirituality like this man, and I want to do everything I can to make such ideas more mainstream.

Perhaps after I read more about Father Fox, I’ll write a more comprehensive article on him. For now, I’d like to just share this brief clip from one of his lectures.

9 Minutes and 54 Second


You can view more clips of his lectures here, and visit his website here.