bonar crump

bonar crump
husband - father - reader - runner - picker - grinner - lover - sinner

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Atheist author urges believers: Grow up

Must "anti-religion" ALWAYS equal "atheism"? Does it ALWAYS have to be a question of either black or white? What about the grey? Aren't both sides scared of the grey?

[article]
British author Richard Dawkins

Why religious people can be more tolerant than secularists

["the myth of detached objectivity"]

Friday, September 10, 2010

Clarity

LIFE—
  • condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.
  • The sum of the distinguishing phenomena of organisms, esp. metabolism, growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment.
  • The animate existence or period of animate existence of an individual: to risk one's life; a short life and a merry one.
  • A corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived of as belonging to the soul: eternal life.
  • The general or universal condition of human existence: Too bad, but life is like that.
  • Any specified period of animate existence: a man in middle life.
  • The period of existence, activity, or effectiveness of something inanimate, as a machine, lease, or play: The life of the car may be ten years.
  • A living being: Several lives were lost.
  • Living things collectively: the hope of discovering life on other planets; insect life.
  • A particular aspect of existence: He enjoys an active physical life. 
  • The course of existence or sum of experiences and actions that constitute a person's existence: His business has been his entire life. 
  • A biography: a newly published life of Willa Cather.
  • Animation; liveliness; spirit: a speech full of life.
  • Resilience; elasticity.
  • The force that makes or keeps something alive; the vivifying or quickening principle: The life of the treaty has been an increase of mutual understanding and respect.
  • A mode or manner of existence, as in the world of affairs or society: So far her business life has not overlapped her social life.
  • The period or extent of authority, popularity, approval, etc.: the life of the committee; the life of a bestseller.
  • A prison sentence covering the remaining portion of the offender's animate existence: The judge gave him life.
  • Anything or anyone considered to be as precious as life: She was his life.
  • A person or thing that enlivens: the life of the party.
  • Effervescence or sparkle, as of wines.
  • Pungency or strong, sharp flavor, as of substances when fresh or in good condition.
  • Nature or any of the forms of nature as the model or subject of a work of art: drawn from life.
  • Baseball. Another opportunity given to a batter to bat because of a misplay by a fielder.
  • (In English pool) one of a limited number
 Life is confusing. Life is hard. Life is full of choices. Life will beat you down. Life isn’t fair. While these statements are indisputably accurate, they are only true

Monday, September 6, 2010

Has Religion Run Its Course?

By Martha Woodroof

Have organized religions simply run their course?

We're not stuck with them, you know, just because they've been around for thousands of years, employ masses of people, convene community, exercise formidable political clout, declare dominion over science, control valuable real estate, and claim their sacred texts to be direct from God.

As a person of faith who is not religious, I do honor religions for offering us ways to come together in recognition that God is, and I fully acknowledge the good work these institutions do. But organized religions also generate a sense of arrogant entitlement and false righteousness in followers that, in God's name, excuses discord and violence - as well as making followers vulnerable to political, social and sexual exploitation by the diverse likes of Glenn Beck, Pope Benedict XVI, and Osama bin Laden.

Isn't it time we ask ourselves if organized religions, as they are currently at work in the world, are still the best ways for us to come together in God's presence--or are they are simply the way we're most used to? [...]