Good to know

Worried about germs when kissing a Mezuzah, particularly in a hospital?

Study: Kissing Mezuzahs Will Not Make You Sick

Wondering what a Mezuzah is? Mezuzah - from our friends at Wikipedia...

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Heh.

When Is Religion a Religion? Canada's Rights Laws Continue to Astound

While I'm sure some Atheists will be happy to be considered on a par with organized religions, others will be dismayed that their beliefs are lumped in with other groups that are considered being based on 'faith'. I'll just capitalize the words 'Atheist' and 'Atheism' for now...

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I am very frightened

by politicians who take Ayn Rand seriously...

The Paul Ryan-Ayn Rand Connection: What’s a Catholic to Think?

"To be perfectly frank, I find Ayn Rand to be deeply repulsive — the dark side is, again, really dark. So, if Paul Ryan wants to attract Catholic voters, he’s going to have to make much clearer what he’s taking — and even more, what he’s leaving behind."

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Not just what you believe...

A Conversation with Robert Bellah

...but what you do...

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Not the right graphic

but I haven't got a good one for Vietnam. Where are all the good ones of the right size of Ho Chi Minh when you want them?

Vietnamese authorities replace chapel items with images of Ho Chi Minh

As long as humans are involved this whole Communism thing won't work any better than Capitalism does. One day you're praying in front of a Cross in your nice Lutheran church and the next day, poof!, a photo of Stephen Harper.

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Another

great beginning image for the article. This time photographic work.

Dusting Off GOD

"A new science of religion says God has gotten a bad rap."

Hmmmmm... I guess the study of religion can be considered as much a science as psychology or other 'social sciences'...

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On prayer

Saying your prayers versus praying your prayers

The average person may pray in a rote manner and not engage their whole self in their prayer. Have you ever noticed, in prayer, just how many levels of though and mental exercise can go on at one time? And a person with OCD or religious scrupulosity often struggles with prayer as sometimes prayer becomes rote in order to crowd out other thoughts and images. It becomes 'magical' in a way, a protection against those other things. Learning to truly pray is a lifetime of work. And it is tiring work for some...

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History

A Legacy of Activism

A short, but interesting, slideshow about Black religious activism in the U.S. and their effects on U.S. history, a lot of which is so recent that a lot of us can remember it...

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It's done?

Atheism vs Religion: The Final Countdown?

Is it all over, then? Are those of faith finished? Will atheism deal the final blow?

Nah.

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Become a success

You, too, can become a successful writer in a niche market!

Vatican reprimand sends American nun’s book up bestseller lists

Just get the Vatican to condemn your book and you're off to the races!

Seriously, some years ago a condemnation or a warning would prevent sincere Catholics from even considering reading a book. Now the Church believes people are more mature and responsible for their faith so it leaves the faithful alone to make up their own minds, but gives them a warning.

Alas, I think that most people still need to be led by the Church, and given more counsel than they get.

"All we like sheep..."

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Occupying ourselves

No Revolution Without Religion: Why the Occupy movement needs to Occupy faith.

I don't think I posted this article yet...

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Probably not

Can ultra-orthodox Jews live with the web?

The Ultra-Orthodox can't live with many, many things that have come about since the industrial revolution, at least part of the time. I don't think that the internet will be that easy for them to open up to...

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We've missed it

I'll have to watch for this to see if it is on another time. I'd like to see it.

Bruce Cockburn and his longing for home

I've always loved his music, and even though his music doesn't have specifically religious lyrics, there's a spiritual element to it that has caused his music to be listed on lists of contemporary Christian artists (probably much to his chagrin, given the industry).

He has been doing this for so many years. He came through my city on a tour, singing in school auditioriums, when I was a senior in high school, I think I was just a couple of years younger than him. I've always thought that he was incredible as a musician and lyricist...

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What you don't know,

or what you thing you know but are wrong about, may suprise you.

Amish 101: What You Probably Don't Know About the Amish

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"In a thousand ways he was saying that God comes to you disguised as your life!" - Richard Rohr, Things Hidden: Scripture As Spirituality, pp. 126

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A treehouse




A huge, huge, huge tree house!


The World's Biggest Tree House by Horace Burgess

God told him to build it. Yep. And you know, for some reason, as much as I have read, in the years since starting blogging, so many bizarre and weird stories about what God has told people to do, more than anyone else I believe his story. His home is a work of beauty, a construction of faith and a sign to unbelievers, in a sense. And that's what true requests from God are most often, when our feeble faith and faculties acknowledge them, signs that God exists and that God is involved in people's lives in a real way. I like this. God bless you, Mr. Burgess. And I think God already has...

Happy Easter, everyone!

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He is Risen!




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A story about awareness

which might just include an angel...

Message from an angel

There are lots of things to consider, but I think angels are more active in our world than we think (And I'm not one of those angel folk who believe in them but can't seem to believe in God somehow. I do try to keep angels in their proper place in my mind and beliefs).

I mean, what more likely a place to see an angel but in a hospital?

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Even though

these things can't be explained, I can believe in them.

St. George's Orthodox Church myrrh-seeping icons attract hundreds of believers

The very core of the idea of 'miracle' is the inexplicable nature. Along with it is not just the 'how', but also the 'why'. God doesn't work the way we do. Alas, there have been too many fakers over the years to take things on faith automatically without using a bit of reason.

Still, people are looking for something to pin their hopes on, and faith, also by its nature, very often overrides reason...

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We all have stories

that could be called 'Angel stories' if we think back on our lives.

Angel to the Rescue

Angel stories transcend religious boundaries. They seem to be found in most cultures and most faiths. There must be a reason for that. Angels seem to be the usual way that God interacts directly with humans. Still, so many people focus on angels that there's a danger that they will lose sight of the necessary focus of their faith. It's something to guard against...

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