After more work then I expected it to be, the new Spiritgeek.com website is finally up and running.
It came out absolutely beautifully. We still have a few issues to work out regarding the lack of standard compliance that a few browsers have, but it is workable and can be read until I get a chance to address them.
Enjoy!
September 30, 2007
August 30, 2007
Morality, What or Why?
The following is a post I made this morning on InterfaithForums। I thought you might like to comment on it as well.
Enjoy the holiday!
I was reading another thread here earlier today and ran into one of those arguments that just makes my blood boil sometimes. Maybe it was just a touch too close to home, but as much as part of it had to do with closed-mindedness regarding something that is an integrated part of my life, it brought up a question that I run into on a regular basis.
In the dictionary, Webster defines morality as:
Lets start with the example of killing another person. If my nation-state or recognized group is at war with your nation-state and I kill you in the execution of that war, I am not only moral, I may well be a hero, unless I break some rule of engagement. On the other hand, if I kill you because you looked at me the wrong way and I felt you had slighted (dissed) me, I am not only immoral, but likely to become incarcerated if I am found out. So the morality is not about the act of killing, but in the why I performed it.
We run into similar arguments regarding sexual orientation which is a much stickier subject. Some feel that if you are attracted to someone of the same gender as yourself, that you are by definition an immoral person. Somehow I suspect that God, who has been claimed to have chimed in with agreement to this position depending on whose interpretation you follow, is likely to be more concerned with why I am sleeping with someone rather than if they have an X or Y chromosome.
If I, a male, go to a bar and pick up another guy and we go home to get it on, am I immoral? If so, would I still be immoral if I had picked up a girl instead? I tend to think the morality come in the why. If I use you as a life-sized 98.6 degree sex toy for the purpose of getting my rocks off, I would say their are likely to be moral issues there, especially if I have alluded to having something more than a hook-up in mind as my intention.
So the questions I am putting out there are these:
Enjoy the holiday!
I was reading another thread here earlier today and ran into one of those arguments that just makes my blood boil sometimes. Maybe it was just a touch too close to home, but as much as part of it had to do with closed-mindedness regarding something that is an integrated part of my life, it brought up a question that I run into on a regular basis.
Morality, is it about What or Why?
In the dictionary, Webster defines morality as:
Most moralists claim to believe that morality is some combination of 2 through 4 but they tend to be most closely tied to definition #3. Traditionally, moralists think that they have a set of rules, divinely inspired or otherwise, and as long as you abide by them you are a good and moral person. I seriously question that since if that were the case, it would seem that the act that is immoral in one situation would be immoral in all situations.
- a : a moral discourse, statement, or lesson b : a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
- a : a doctrine or system of moral conduct b plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
- : conformity to ideals of right human conduct
- : moral conduct : VIRTUE
Merriam-Webster
Lets start with the example of killing another person. If my nation-state or recognized group is at war with your nation-state and I kill you in the execution of that war, I am not only moral, I may well be a hero, unless I break some rule of engagement. On the other hand, if I kill you because you looked at me the wrong way and I felt you had slighted (dissed) me, I am not only immoral, but likely to become incarcerated if I am found out. So the morality is not about the act of killing, but in the why I performed it.
We run into similar arguments regarding sexual orientation which is a much stickier subject. Some feel that if you are attracted to someone of the same gender as yourself, that you are by definition an immoral person. Somehow I suspect that God, who has been claimed to have chimed in with agreement to this position depending on whose interpretation you follow, is likely to be more concerned with why I am sleeping with someone rather than if they have an X or Y chromosome.
If I, a male, go to a bar and pick up another guy and we go home to get it on, am I immoral? If so, would I still be immoral if I had picked up a girl instead? I tend to think the morality come in the why. If I use you as a life-sized 98.6 degree sex toy for the purpose of getting my rocks off, I would say their are likely to be moral issues there, especially if I have alluded to having something more than a hook-up in mind as my intention.
So the questions I am putting out there are these:
- Is morality about what or why?
- If morality is about what, how can something be moral in one sense but immoral in another?
- If Why, by what basis do you determine the morality of a situation
August 10, 2007
Life Update #2
Well, it has been a productive week. 1st, I decided that I hated the way the Spiritgeek.com site was looking and decided to scrap it and redo the imagery and color scheme. I have been working in Photoshop and have a design that I am much happier with.
I finally set a job change date in that I gave notice to the limo company last Monday that Friday, August 31, would be my last day. My boss took it surprisingly well and seems to be quite supportive of what I am planning on doing.
Things are getting better on a day to day basis and I should be quite ready to go full-time on Spiritgeek.com by the beginning of September.
I finally set a job change date in that I gave notice to the limo company last Monday that Friday, August 31, would be my last day. My boss took it surprisingly well and seems to be quite supportive of what I am planning on doing.
Things are getting better on a day to day basis and I should be quite ready to go full-time on Spiritgeek.com by the beginning of September.
August 3, 2007
Narcism, Einstein and a Little Extra
The other day, a friend sent me a joke that goes as follows:
I read a few ears ago about a respected child psychologist that believed that children should never be reprimanded since it could, and likely would, damage their little egos. When we look around us at some of the stories that inundate us on the news about young and pretty people who seem to think that they are above the standards that are required of the rest of us. Some say it has to do with their celebrity, or as Stephanie Miller puts it "Celebu-tard", status.
We have created a world in Western Culture that cannot sustain itself without learning to become aware that the selfish, vain and single-minded view will lead to our destruction. We praise and adore those who are basically distract us from what we need to become aware of, truth and Truth. It's not hard to understand, but we can only run for so long. Like an alcoholic or drug addict, we can sedate ourselves into forgetfulness but eventually we have to deal with what issues were there in the first place.
The good news is that we, as the children of God, have the ability to change the reality when we are truly ready. Our Father created us in His image or so scripture says, unless we are not his children but just a toy, part of our birthright is the ability to create.
Einstein once said that if we learned to use our complete capacity of mind, we would no longer require physical bodies to interact with.
Let's learn to find the Truth that lies within and truly make the promises of the Messiahs a reality, Jesus reminded us by quoting Isaiah when he said, "Do you not know that ye are Gods?" but he also commanded us to "be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is Perfect." I happen to believe he meant this, not as some lofty and unattainable goal but as a literal idea.
Being in fascination with ones self only becomes a problem when we forget that it's not our outer self, the body and position within society, that should be the subject of that fascination, but that which outlives the body it manifests that we are to look toward. In finding our REAL self, do we find Truth.
And now for something completely strange and different.
As many know, I am a Star Trek geek as well as a huge fan of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and when I saw this this afternoon, I just had to put it on here as an s&g (for those who don't know, s&g is S@!ts and Giggles). As I have said on many occasions, life is supposed to be fun, so have some! Here's a little something to start you off on the right foot.
Q: How many narcissists does it take to change a light-bulb?Narcism is defined basically as "inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity." Now anyone who has seen Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt's movie "Se7en" knows that vanity, as pride, is one of the "Seven Deadly Sins" along with lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath and envy.
A: One, he holds the bulb while the world revolves around him.
I read a few ears ago about a respected child psychologist that believed that children should never be reprimanded since it could, and likely would, damage their little egos. When we look around us at some of the stories that inundate us on the news about young and pretty people who seem to think that they are above the standards that are required of the rest of us. Some say it has to do with their celebrity, or as Stephanie Miller puts it "Celebu-tard", status.
We have created a world in Western Culture that cannot sustain itself without learning to become aware that the selfish, vain and single-minded view will lead to our destruction. We praise and adore those who are basically distract us from what we need to become aware of, truth and Truth. It's not hard to understand, but we can only run for so long. Like an alcoholic or drug addict, we can sedate ourselves into forgetfulness but eventually we have to deal with what issues were there in the first place.
The good news is that we, as the children of God, have the ability to change the reality when we are truly ready. Our Father created us in His image or so scripture says, unless we are not his children but just a toy, part of our birthright is the ability to create.
Einstein once said that if we learned to use our complete capacity of mind, we would no longer require physical bodies to interact with.
Let's learn to find the Truth that lies within and truly make the promises of the Messiahs a reality, Jesus reminded us by quoting Isaiah when he said, "Do you not know that ye are Gods?" but he also commanded us to "be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is Perfect." I happen to believe he meant this, not as some lofty and unattainable goal but as a literal idea.
Being in fascination with ones self only becomes a problem when we forget that it's not our outer self, the body and position within society, that should be the subject of that fascination, but that which outlives the body it manifests that we are to look toward. In finding our REAL self, do we find Truth.
And now for something completely strange and different.
As many know, I am a Star Trek geek as well as a huge fan of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and when I saw this this afternoon, I just had to put it on here as an s&g (for those who don't know, s&g is S@!ts and Giggles). As I have said on many occasions, life is supposed to be fun, so have some! Here's a little something to start you off on the right foot.
July 8, 2007
"Who Are You?" and "What Do You Want?"
There have been a few posts as of late where I have been whining a bit about my life and certain things within it. I got a good smacking today from Richard Bach. I am just finishing re-reading his "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" when I came to pages 110 and 130 which say the following as excerpts from the "Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul"
There is a person with whom I currently do business that has truly become completely toxic for me. I really needed this slap in the face to remind me that I am the creator of my reality and if I want it to change, that's up to me to decide as well as put into action and whining about it is a complete waste of time and energy.
A few years ago, J. Michael Straczynski created a 5 year epic television series called "Babylon 5" that I have been a fan of since the original pilot was shown on TV. Personally, I found the idea of a series that had a long term story in mind from its inception to be a great one.
One of the ongoing story arcs involved two of the ancient races called the Vorlons and the Shadows. The Vorlons seemed to be about a strongly spiritual path and they appeared as beings of light when we finally get to see one without their encounter suits (though someone really needs to tell them that even Krystle Carrington wouldn't wear that much shoulder padding during the early 80's). The Shadows on the other hand were not as pleasant and the conflict between the two races was basically our religious idea of the battle between good and evil. As many of our religions would agree with, the Vorlons are always asking "Who are you?" while the Shadows ask "What do you want?"
As simple as these questions appear to be, they are actually quite profound in their scope and complexity. Depending on how you view and relate to them, they could be as simple as "I am Robert and I want a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich." My life has NEVER been that straightforward and I suspect it would be pretty boring if it were.
As to the Vorlon's question of "Who are You?" I would answer:
Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there.
What you choose to do with them is up to you.
In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom.
It is not always an easy sacrifice.
A few years ago, J. Michael Straczynski created a 5 year epic television series called "Babylon 5" that I have been a fan of since the original pilot was shown on TV. Personally, I found the idea of a series that had a long term story in mind from its inception to be a great one.
One of the ongoing story arcs involved two of the ancient races called the Vorlons and the Shadows. The Vorlons seemed to be about a strongly spiritual path and they appeared as beings of light when we finally get to see one without their encounter suits (though someone really needs to tell them that even Krystle Carrington wouldn't wear that much shoulder padding during the early 80's). The Shadows on the other hand were not as pleasant and the conflict between the two races was basically our religious idea of the battle between good and evil. As many of our religions would agree with, the Vorlons are always asking "Who are you?" while the Shadows ask "What do you want?"
As simple as these questions appear to be, they are actually quite profound in their scope and complexity. Depending on how you view and relate to them, they could be as simple as "I am Robert and I want a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich." My life has NEVER been that straightforward and I suspect it would be pretty boring if it were.
As to the Vorlon's question of "Who are You?" I would answer:
- I am an eternal spiritual entity that is currently referenced as Robert and am currently manifesting in this world to learn from and help those around me as a part and parcel of the totality that many refer to as God.
- I want many things depending on how the question is meant:
- I want to spend my life doing what brings me joy and that seems to be passing on what knowledge I have while learning from others both directly and indirectly.
- I want to be the joyful entity that God keeps dropping me glimpses of.
- As far as what I want from this world, since I am inclined to believe that it is all an illusion of perception, the majority of "things" that those around me think will give them joy I find to be entertaining but not a "want." The only thing in this world that I would say that I honestly want would be to have someone to share it all with. Someone to share my life with, have companionship and love.
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