On Democrats and spirituality
Surveys show that people who (say they) attend church services regularly usually vote Republican. People who don't, vote Democratic.
So does that mean Democrats can't talk about spirituality? And if they don't, will they continue to lose elections in a nation more and more being forced into a quasi-theocratic mold?
In Bill Moyers' On America, the author talks about aging and how the most successful and happy older people maintain "a capacity for wonder, surprise, and joy -- especially the joy of the present experience."
He talks about his last televised conversation with Joseph Campbell, the longtime teacher of comparative mythology at Sarah Lawrence College, and how Campbell talked about the "guiding idea of his work: to find the commonality of themes in world myths, pointing to a constant requirement in the human psyche for a centering in terms of deep principles."
"You're talking about a search for the meaning of life," I [Moyers] said.World (or national myths), deep principles, and the rapture of being alive -- being connected to something bigger than ourselves. America has just such a tradition and it isn't about religion. Democrats would do well to think about that some more."No, no, no," he answered. "I'm talking about the experience of being alive!" He explained: "People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is the experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive."
Comments
Testing one two.
Posted by: Tim_the_Soldier
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March 3, 2006 04:26 PM
I find it sadly ironic that perhaps one of the biggest liberal and radical activist in history (Jesus of Nazereth) would hardly feel at home in the Republican Party that is so quick to invoke His name.
My observation is that social conservatives and fiscal conservatives are often very opposite creatures. When we're talking about social conservatives, we are almost always talking about sexuality. This phenomena is almost entirely and American issue as we tend to be the most uncomfortable dealing with issues of sexuality. Hell, we impeached a President over sex. (And don't say it was perjury...that dog won't hunt.)
Posted by: Tim_the_Soldier
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March 3, 2006 04:33 PM
You've reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of The West Wing. In it, President Bartlett confronts a right-wing radio "Doctor" who has expressed some rather homophobic views:
Posted by: Ara Rubyan
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March 4, 2006 03:56 PM
”I find it sadly ironic that perhaps one of the biggest liberal and radical activist in history (Jesus of Nazereth) would hardly feel at home in the Republican Party that is so quick to invoke His name.”
One measure of the true godliness of a group is how doctrinaire and ritualistic, and always how prideful, are the religions they practice. People who don’t understand (those who expect to), frequently turn to doctrine and ritual to find the spiritual meaning they can only find within themselves. This makes them ripe for manipulation by others. They also tend toward the most paradoxical actions to prove that their faith (usually, only their faith) is worthy.
Posted by: shep
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March 4, 2006 05:26 PM
BTW, good to hear from you again, Tim.
Noticed you've taken up beating your head against the wall for fun ;-)
Posted by: shep
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March 4, 2006 05:29 PM
And apologies to President Bartlett (if only) but American-style “footballs” have never actually been made of pigskin. And the Skins still can’t play football.
Posted by: shep
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March 4, 2006 05:33 PM
Granted, but can I still burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?
Posted by: Ara Rubyan
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March 5, 2006 02:45 PM
"Granted, but can I still burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?"
Did she show your "bath time pics" to your friends?
Posted by: shep
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March 5, 2006 09:16 PM
Hmmm, no. She actually had nothing to do with the most embarassing moment of my life.
Posted by: Ara Rubyan
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March 6, 2006 12:47 AM