If Not Religion, Then What?

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patty-kogutek/if-not-religion-what_b_2536772.html


Patty KogutekAuthor, 'A Change of Habit: A Spiritual Journey from Sister Mary Kateri to Sister Mary Vodka'
Posted: 01/23/2013 5:36 pm

Why is it that we can be "friends" with thousands on Facebook and literally find the answers to unfathomable questions, and still be searching? People today are exploring every avenue looking to add meaning and resolution to their lives.

It used to be religion that provided the sense of a caring community to "benches full" of pious listeners with the insights and direction as to what this existence is all about.

I just returned from the New England book festival discussing these very same concerns with people prompted by my book "A Change of Habit; A Spiritual Journey From Sister May Kateri to Sister Mary Vodka." Writers, readers and attendees pelted me with their "confessions," sharing their guilt of not being a "practicing Catholic" any longer, maybe a "cafeteria Catholic" or a "fallen away Catholic." I have been approached by peoples of all faiths with these same concerns. No matter what they called it, the relationship with religion was in the rear view mirror with heavy hearts and questionable minds.

A fellow winner at the Festival, Dr. Neal Hall, (author of "Nigger For Life&quot writes a moving poem called "No Faith in Faith." For me, I interpret his "faith" as my term "religion." He pens, "Faith is the ... system of beliefs and ideals that rob men of their capacity to think rationally and objectively about and beyond their circumstances."

more at link

[tama]

1. In the same boat

It used to be religion that provided the sense of a caring community

What has changed? From earlier local caring communities of in-group empathy, most of us have become dependent members of globally interdependent community, that alas does not feel very caring, but full of fear and mistrust, injustice and violence.

Atheist and secular criticism of the divisive aspect of several religions and belief systems claiming to be more right than others, leading to us-against-them tribalism and lack of empathy and compassion toward perceived others, is well founded and IMHO based on sound ethics and conscience. But of course it's not just religions, but other symbolic and emotional in-group structures as well. We are having this discussion on political forum where we constantly dehumanize and demonize perceived political enemies, mostly Republicans but also many others. So in terms of tribal behavior, we as Internet community can't really afford to "throw the first stone".

But also there is much positive going on in the worlds of religions, many peoples from various religious backgrounds coming together and seeking what unites and connects them and what each tradition can contribute to common good and more comprehensive picture and experience. We don't have to follow their traditions or believe their belief systems to be able to value their contributions and/or to learn from their mistakes.

There is a saying in English, "Hearts and Minds". When group of of Western neuroscientists went to give presentations to Tibetan Buddhists about their findings about how 'loving kindness' meditation affects brain, and started putting electrodes on the head of the test subject, the audience started laughing. It took a while for the scientists to realize that the audience was laughing because they not only believe, but sense that compassion comes from heart, not from head. It is clear sensation, warm and comfortable feeling in the region of heart, that can be developed through practice and become and stay conscious of. And in fact scientists in further studies found out that 'loving kindness' meditation strengthens the activity of neural paths between heart and brain and brain areas responsible for heart, and has also other physical consequences. And that the whole compassion thing is not either-or, but uniting both, heart and mind.

With our intelligence we can understand our problems and their causes and "think global", as the saying goes. And as we widen our sense of in-group, our circle of empathy, becoming more open to suffering of all who suffer, we need positive response to feeling the pain of others on intelligent and mindful level, so that we don't burn out from worry over others and our common future. We need strength of our heart, compassion. And it is not complicated or difficult, but very simple, just warm feeling in the heart region that we can develop consciousness off. There are various contemplative practices that can be used, e.g. what Buddhists call metta bhavana and life can offer other teachings and experiences. Perhaps science will come up with even more efficient and beneficial scientific methods.

The gradual process of uniting heart and mind can bring about very strong emotions and experiences, I had few years ago a period when I cried a lot, first my own losses and problems and fears. Those where short and efficient cryings, boohoo, that issue cleared out in tears, and that's that. Several issues in consecutive nights, seemed very systematic. And then after a while one afternoon I started to think about a very dear friend and her loss, and started crying. And once that gate was opened, there was no end, I sobbed trembling for hours, for all mothers that have lost a child, for every loss of a close one, on and on all sorrows of world. And then finally, worn out, there was some sensation or thought hard to explain, as if an answer: "We all love you too".

[cbayer]

2. I had an experience similar to the one you describe this past week.

I won't go into details, but I felt that my grief over a specific event turned into something much greater - an indescribable sorrow for so many.

It was greatly painful, but cathartic as well. It felt like it was much bigger than me.

[tama]

3. <3 :)

[trotsky]

4. The author says: "Since there are no coincidences in life..."

Really? That sounds like an absolutist, fundamentalist type of person who would make such a universal, self-assured, declaration.

Let's be quite honest here. Any non-believer making the statement "there are no gods" in this group would be vilified as a closed-minded, fundamentalist atheist. Why shouldn't this author be attacked the same way? And cbayer, by posting this, why are you promoting the words of a fundamentalist?

Is there any consistency whatsoever? Or is this yet another example of the ridiculous double standards - it's fine and dandy to be resolute and make blanket declarations about the universe when one is a theist, but NOT when one is an atheist?

[Fumesucker]

7. That's going to upset a lot of people, given that DU is overrun with coincidence theorists

[pinto]

5. Patty Kogutek's book looks like an interesting read. Amazon / Kindle snip here ->

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006N4Q8GM#reader_B006N4Q8GM

[cbayer]

6. I'm not usually a fan of these kinds of books, but it does look good

and I like what she has to say in this article.