I MUST LIKE TO MAKE MYSELF NUTS

Otherwise how come I would read so widely and so disparately about everything including the meaning of life?

I'll answer that. Because I hate to read and write about what I already know.

Anyway, I just finished reading LIVING THE SECULAR LIFE by Phil Zuckerman which argues well for leading a moral life without the necessity of having God involved.

The 'nones'--those non affiliated people with no specific connection to any religion is growing by leaps and bounds. Many are looking for a place for spiritual sustenance that makes sense to them. But most are not. Most just don't care and never think about the sacred. Life is sacred enough. 
AND they have a kind of manifesto of kindness, care of the planet, justice,    caring for those who are in need, raising decent children. Hooray.

And the Humanist Secularists are organizing and creating a community to 
support their purpose and to create social connections with one another.
Hooray again. 

And I do mean 'hooray'. But it made me wonder about my desire for something transcendent. Is awe of the mystery of our wonderful world not enough?
Not yet. Not yet. I pray anyway.

ALL THAT WE DON'T KNOW

I am struck by all that we don't know. And the important decisions we make
while dumb. Two things remind me of this. One is the recent US election.
People on both sides decided their vote without knowing much about the issues.
Because it is so hard to know (and trust) the facts, we make decisions on goofy stuff. The other thing that reminded me of how little we know is a book I just read--UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT. Now this book is a tome, but my daughter in Oregon was reading it for a class and I said I would too. I loved it.
(mostly--with brain breaks) It clarified the structure of the Old Testament, it's contextual history, politics, important people, and what was literal history and what was passed down theology. Yes, it changed my perspective on many things. Yes, I don't always like that. But, boy am I under educated on so many things.

OFF THE GRID IN RANGELEY

Life does go on with no internet signal.
I'll be back next week.
What if prayer is the real signal?

FOR MY NORTH AMERICAN READERS

Vote Please

Democracy is a relatively new bold and brave social experiment.
It was designed on the principles of tolerance and balance of power.
We forget that it is fragile
Support it. 

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