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Recent content by MountainHumanist

  1. MountainHumanist

    The Ethical Implications of Failing to Teach Christian History

    Just as troubling is the fact that most children (of all religions) are never taught HOW their religion came about. If someone had told me when I was a child that the Bible was a political document formed by a committee to bolster a religious faction, I would have never accepted it later as a...
  2. MountainHumanist

    Zen Beginner

    There are several online sources as well like Mountains and Rivers Order, The Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, etc. Some podcasts I have found helpful are WZEN, Zencast, Dharma Field Center and San Francisco Zen Center.
  3. MountainHumanist

    Zen Beginner

    I echo Sunstone's sentiment — having an actual group nearby would really be helpful (speaking as someone who doesn't have such a thing).
  4. MountainHumanist

    in lieu of a teacher

    Many of you may be like me — you "practice" (to the degree you can) Zen Buddhism yet you are not affiliated with a sangha or sitting group because one does not exist in your area. What practices do you incorporate in lieu of a one-on-one relationship with a teacher? For me, this includes...
  5. MountainHumanist

    Zen and Brewing Beer (?)

    We can talk about brewing beer and drinking beer all we want and create stylized words about what we think about such matters. In the end, none of this (including my post) will replace the actual experience of brewing beer or drinking beer. In short, let's cut the discussion and try the beer...
  6. MountainHumanist

    Bruce lee & zen

    Even though the concept of death is not ultimate reality, there seems to be nothing unskillful about acknowledging its reality in a conventional sense. In a conventional way, Bruce Lee did indeed die just as we will all conventionally die. No reason to gloss this fact over. Here is an...
  7. MountainHumanist

    Deep meditation with sacred Zen music

    You can download a free meditation timer on the Podcast section of iTunes by searching for Zen Cast and downloading Episodes 1, 2 and 3 (10, 20 and 30 minutes). The timer only features music at the beginning and the end for those who may find the music throughout distracting or who may attach to...
  8. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    Why is my view simplistic? I am simply saying: Follow the evidence. Again, you fail to provide evidence that Revelation is finely tuned. As far as I can tell, the author new some Pauline Christianity and may have been familiar with Daniel. In fact, his view of Warrior Jesus seems very at odds...
  9. MountainHumanist

    Where is God?

    If "he shared experiences of people over thousands of years" is a standard for determining truth than that means Buddhism, Hindusim, pantheism, ancestor worship and other ancient practices be considered as valid as Christianity. It also means that Britney Spears and Reality TV must be of the...
  10. MountainHumanist

    Debate on Abortion.

    It was sarcasm and, as such, a compliment from one hopefully rational thinker to another.
  11. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    Again..it does not answer the posed question and seems to be a bit of a rhetorical rhubarb.
  12. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    Why? Plus, I never said I refuse to believe. I simply ask questions. I ask you to set aside your pre-conceptions and look at Revelation as an anthropologist would. Your Jello/brick wall analogy does not make sense to me. Are you saying I refuse to believe new data? Certainly not. I have studied...
  13. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    Wouldn't you expect something written by a Christian zealot to fit the Bible (albeit IMperfectly)? The novel "Scarlett" fits perfectly with the novel "Gone with the Wind." Does that mean either are factual chronicles of the Civil War South? Beyond that, I cannot see how your rejoinder has...
  14. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    Is there any reason to believe Revelation is anything more than the writings of someone who experienced some kind of subjective, mental fugue state brought on by any number of external forces — hallucinogens, epilepsy, brain sickness, temporal lobe malfunction, intense religious fervor...
  15. MountainHumanist

    My attempt at the Book of Revelations

    A Thought Experiment: What if we never knew Revelation had existed. We had never read it or knew of its existence. Now, imagine someone comes up to you, some guy named John who had been living on a Greek island for awhile. He hands you a neat, typewritten copy that matches what is currently...
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