[AletheiaRivers]

I'd have to say #1 -

"Have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus."

Otherwise I'd be a "progressive Buddhist" or a "progressive Pagan".

In response to October's question though, I need to say that I'm here because of a person calling himself NEOPAGAN CHRISTIAN on a Yahoo chat group about a year ago. I've been wanting to find out who that is. If you are out there and are reading, I just want to say thank you.

Question: Are you a city person or a nature person? What I mean is, would you be more at home in NYC or in Alaska?

[October's Autumn]

AletheiaRivers, on Aug 28 2005, 11:34 AM, said:

I'd have to say #1 -

"Have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus."

Otherwise I'd be a "progressive Buddhist" or a "progressive Pagan".

In response to October's question though, I need to say that I'm here because of a person calling himself NEOPAGAN CHRISTIAN on a Yahoo chat group about a year ago. I've been wanting to find out who that is. If you are out there and are reading, I just want to say thank you.

Question: Are you a city person or a nature person? What I mean is, would you be more at home in NYC or in Alaska?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been to Alaska and NYC and I'd say neither I've lived in very rural areas and cityish suburbs. I like both. I like the space of the rural areas and (with the price of gas being $2.70 a gallon) the conveince of having everything I *need* close by!

I love going to museums and art galleries and I love walking in the quiet woods. I like going to sit by a still lake and going camping. I also like to stay in hotels (and I stayed in a homeless shelter when I was in college with a class) in the city. If I had to choose? I'd probably take a cabin out in the middle of no where so long as I can take a hot shower in morning!

[October's Autumn]

des, on Aug 16 2005, 08:00 PM, said:

How many states have you lived in?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a resident: 3. Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California. But I spent a summer living in Virginia outside of Washington DC.

[XianAnarchist]

Quote

Question: Are you a city person or a nature person? What I mean is, would you be more at home in NYC or in Alaska?

I'm an indoor person. It's sad, I know. Put me in a mountain cabin, and I will soon plug in and get lost on the internet. It's safer to look at bears that way. Put me in a fancy hotel in a big city, and I'll probably fill the tub and enjoy a good book and beer before I hop into bed and watch cable. It's safer to watch crime reports on the news.

Question: What's the most significant thing you have scheduled to happen before the end of this week?

[AletheiaRivers]

I have a doctors appointment on Thursday at a "dizzy clinic" to test my brain and ears and heart, and then next week I get to have a "sleep deprived EEG" where I get to go for 24 hours with no sleep and then I have to sleep on demand for the test.

Question: Who is your favorite fictional character in either film or literature?

[flowperson]

I'm a John D. MacDonald fan. I will ALWAYS reread a book of his when I find them in thrift stores. I've probably reread some of his Travis McGhee mysteries several times over.

He's a former pro tight end and Vietnam vet-hero who lives in an ocean-going houseboat in Ft. Lauderdale that he won in a poker game. Travis earns his way, between periods of total slothfulness, by taking on salvage assignments. These usually involve undoing a wrong that the forces of darkness have imposed upon those who in Travis' opinion deserved better.

He gets to keep a share of the assets he recovers in the process, which always seem to be substantial. He's always assisted by his friend Meyer who lives in the same marina. Meyer is a retired world-class economist who adds intellectual substance to the stories. All of MacDonald's McGhee book titles have a color name in the title,eg, A Tan and Sandy Silence. MacDonald's remaining family members, he passed in the late 80's, have steadfastly refused to sell the movie rights to the books (hooray for them!!!)

When you go out to eat what kinds of foods do you usually seek out (excluding fast food)?


flow....

[BrotherRog]

When I go out to eat the kind of foods I normally seek out are the ones that I cannot make easily myself at home; e.g.

Indian food, Thai food, and authentic Mexican food.

-----------

Do you think that Roe v. Wade will actually be overturned after George Jr. installs the new members of the Supreme Court?

[curlytop]

It's hard to say.

I guess anything is possible.

Rather than overturn Roe v. Wade outright, there could probably be smaller-scale rulings that would go in an anti-abortion direction, such as states being given the power to decide on the legality of abortion within their own jurisdictions. More limitations could be placed on access to abortion -- this has actually already happened in many places.

I think it's okay if people want to try to discourage abortion or make abortions more rare, but I don't think overturning Roe v. Wade is the right way to go about it. The government should not be making these kinds of complex decisions for people.

Here's my interview question: Have you ever had a mystical experience? If so, describe it.

Peace,
M.

[mystictrek]

!

curlytop, on Nov 3 2005, 05:26 AM, said:

It's hard to say.

Here's my interview question: Have you ever had a mystical experience? If so, describe it.

Peace,
M.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. One was on a dentist chair. OK, it might have just been a "laughing gas" experience but I have never forgotten the enlightenment I experienced so I think God was using the drug to guide me on my way. I came awy believing that although there is much pain in the world (boy did that tooth hurt!), there is even more, no, far more, joy (boy did it feel good when the drilling stopped!). From time to time I feel like I access that kind of awe / awakening / awareness / connectedness in various ways.

Oh, now I have to think of a question.

Do you have a hobby which takes a lot of time and money and how would you describe it both materially and spiritually?

[October's Autumn]

I recently started sewing doll clothes. It takes up a lot of time, not exactly a lot of money -- an outfit can be made with about a 1/2 yard of fabric.

How would I describe it materially? Not sure what that means. I enjoy it. It is much better for me than sitting on a computer for hours on end. My brain likes it better.

Spiritually?

[des]

I wanted to answer the question on expensive hobbies. I had/have a hobby of saltwater fish. I don't guess they are quite pets as I dont' really have a relationship with them. But I don't feel they are things either. I used to spend hours and hours and very much money buying gizmos and critters for the tank, cleaning it, and keeping it running. It was a very cool hobby in some ways as you create (if you have a reef tank like I did) kind of mini-world which eventually becomes stable but not quite self-contained (needs food, periodic cleaning). I rarely thought of it in the same way I think of a regular hobby (I don't think I would have used the word "hobby"). I might have described it as a passion, or some other such term.

Funny thing though, I couldn't make ends with my tutoring and at some point I just could not afford it any more. I stopped all but the most minimal of maintance and stopped buying all but the minimum (no water changes, etc), and the thing is so damn stable it just refuses to die. It looks pretty awful with a type of nuisance critter growing everywhere, but the fish are very healthy. The shrimp, snails, etc. are healthy.

I have no idea what to do with it. It seems more trouble to take down, but it is an eyesore (I could sell all the stuff back to the store so nothing would need to die.


Ok, question for you'all:
Anyone else with a passion sort of hobby? If so, what is it?


--des

[XianAnarchist]

>>Anyone else with a passion sort of hobby? If so, what is it?<<

I have many, but one that is very important to me and influences everything I do is my art. What can I say? I'm an artist at heart. Generally, it isn't too expensive for me to do since my primary medium is pencil. But, it could potentially get out of hand financially if I really dove in to some bigger stuff. The most pressing issue is the time involvement. Admittedly, the longest I ever spent on a piece was 25 hours straight (which really isn't so long for a drawing). Something that I started doing some time back was contemplative mandalas as part of my prayer time. (I haven't done that for a while.) I also discovered the "stained glass" materials at Wal-Ma...that one really big store that I can't remember the name of right now. My current interest (as of last Thursday) is artistic enhancements of the sanctuary for worship.

'Nuff about me.

Question: What's the most important thing you learned from your mother/father/primary care giver?

[Carl]

Wow - this thread is cool.

I am responding to the question about very involved hobbies.

I am a very active Amateur Radio Operator. I mainly use Morse Code, but sometimes use voice as well. I have made radio contact with every continant, every US State and Canadian Province, and many countries.

I have built radios and especially like to operate older radios that were designed with Vacume Tubes. I have set aside a room in my house as my Radio Room.
I have 6 Trancievers, 3 Receivers and 4 transmitters in operation at present.
I have been a HAM since I was 14. I have taught classes on Amateur Radio, and am currently under contract with IVY TECH state college to teach again this spring.


My Question: What sorts of Clubs, Lodges, Organizations do you belong to ?

[curlytop]

My Question: What sorts of Clubs, Lodges, Organizations do you belong to ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]


Hi Carl --

I am a member of Contemplative Outreach, Thomas Keating's Centering Prayer network. I facilitate a Centering Prayer group that meets once a week.

I'm also a (not very active) member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver, a Catholic social / service organization. Kind of similar to the Knights of Columbus, except that it honors Peter Claver, a Jesuit who ministered to black slaves in South America.

I recently joined the Network of Spiritual Progressives after attending their flagship conference in Berkeley last summer. Check them out at:
http://www.spiritualprogressives.org.

There's a local informal women's spirituality group, Shekinah, that meets once a month for discussion and fellowship -- guess I should say "sistership."

And I also go to a once-a-month Ken Wilber Meetup, where we discuss Wilber's integral theory and related ideas.

Lord! That's enough groups for one person, dontcha think?



My question: Do you think of yourself as having a vocation or a mission? If so, describe it for us.

Thanks,
Mary

This post has been edited by curlytop: 13 December 2005 - 12:32 AM

[FredP]

curlytop, on Dec 13 2005, 12:31 AM, said:

And I also go to a once-a-month Ken Wilber Meetup, where we discuss Wilber's integral theory and related ideas.

I'd kill for a Ken Wilber meetup! Every couple months I seriously reconsider relocating to Boulder to join IU, but then I wonder what I'd do to buy myself things like clothes and food.

[des]

Having a mission?

I consider it teaching reading. Now that I know how to do that, and think I am very good at it. I feel stiffled that I have to do that within a public school setting (need to earn money).


Ok, my question, I'm goign to ask the same one again-- anyone else feel they have a mission or vocation?

--des

[October's Autumn]

des, on Dec 13 2005, 11:15 PM, said:

Having a mission?

I consider it teaching reading. Now that I know how to do that, and think I am very good at it. I feel stiffled that I have to do that within a public school setting (need to earn money).


Ok, my question, I'm goign to ask the same one again-- anyone else feel they have a mission or vocation?

--des

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I have a mission to change the world.

Question: How do you go about changing the world?

[Cynthia]

I'll quote the venerable Michael Jackson - "I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways..."

[XianAnarchist]

Bump!!!

What book have you read that has influenced your (spiritual?) perspective the most, and how?

[Adi Gibb]

XianAnarchist, on 21 September 2009 - 06:39 PM, said:

Bump!!!

What book have you read that has influenced your (spiritual?) perspective the most, and how?

I will have to put two: The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright) and The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris.

My question:

As someone enormously proud of my Scottish heritage, what is your family heritage?