Comment Archives: Stories: Books
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
It is nice to hear of someone who professes to be an atheist but isn't an anti-theist. Chris Stedman could undo my opinion that all well-known atheists are just as intellectually challenged and hateful as their fundamentalist/evangelical counterparts.
I've worked hard at reconciling my Christian faith to being gay for a number of years now. It is possible to do, given a willingness to excise chunks of evangelical belief. At a certain point, it becomes questionable whether it's worth the time and effort. I would love to throw out Paul while retaining Jesus, but that begs the question of whether such an attempt is valid or honest when undertaken by someone who calls himself a "Christian".
I don't think the correct answer is to abandon spirituality. That sounds like a tragedy -- an amputation. Currently, I'm reading "Seeing, Knowing, Being" by Memphian John Greer. It's Buddhist, and yes, that seems to be the direction I'm headed. But I'm never giving up Jesus, whatever happens.
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
Flyer, where is your humanity? If CHG reads this, his head is going to explode, and upon your heads be it. Which is gross, as well as evil.
It has been my experience that there is very little real common ground. There's a good deal of pleasant, polite ground upon which to exchange essentially meaningless ideas and try to work together to build bridges to nowhere and pat ourselves on the back for setting such a shining civic example of bridgebuilding.
But at the end of the day, one side thinks the other side richly deserves to be tortured by demons for all eternity in the blackest pit of hell, and the other side thinks the first side are willfully blind mental and emotional children who never got over their fear of the dark.
Kumbaya!
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
@life
That is a great utopian ideal, but it's never going to happen.
I've spoken about that before with regard to race. We probably are 500 years away at most from the majority of the world's population being some form of mixed race.
If the vast majority of people are racially unidentifiable, racial discrimination will be next to impossible.
Let's say the same was able to happen with religion. Let's say that there was some concrete form of proof of the origins of life, heaven/hell, all those concepts, and no one could dispute the proof. I know that's impossible, but if it were possible, it would in theory eliminate the ability to divide based on religious.
However, human nature even in absence of those tried and true divisions would seek other ways to divide ourselves We feel more comfortable being able to divide ourselves into groups of "like" people. It's in our nature.
I don't think it's a bad thing either necessarily. What's bad is hating others because they don't belong to your group.
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
It's rather amusing somewhat, that a decade ago Chris might have been labeled nothing more than a moderate.........I think the world needs more young men like Chris. I long for the day we can do away with the labels that divide us.........."believer, non-believer, atheist, agnostic, faitheist..... it's all "tribal" speak.
Personally,, I prefer the human being tribe.........we're all encompassing.
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
Refreshing to read this perspective.
I hope we can get to the point where the religious and non-religious can find common ground and the same can happen between religions.
Hate never helped anyone. I'm not saying we all have to agree, but you can find common ground with anyone and at least not hate those you may disagree with the most.
Personally, I don't care what anyone believes religiously, as long as you have a solid moral compass.
Re: “Chris Stedman: Interfaith Activist — and Faitheist”
I'd love to get a hold of the RFAA, but I can't seem to find them anywhere online. In any case, way to bring in an excellent speaker! I'm sure the event is going to be very interesting.
Re: “Advice to Writers: Just Do It”
I would love to read "Six Flags Over Jesus". I saw the Pastor attacked in the pulpit once, when it was still a Midtown church. But I never saw a body in the baptistry. Interestingly, the former minister of baptism was fond of telling hesitant people, "I've never lost anyone in the baptistry."
Re: “A Novel Idea”
Working with other writers is the hair-pulling-out part, not writing novels.
Re: “David Williams: Under the Spell”
I need to learn more of the notes and notes names and where they are on the staff. I really don't know any notes. If I could learn the notes I would be so happy and excited. I want to jazz so much. I hope you can understand me and help me in my guitar lessons...Do visit:
http://www.guitarists.net/guitar_lessons/
many thanks!!
Re: “"Ground Zero Imam" To Speak”
This is a Can't Miss!!
Re: “"Ground Zero Imam" To Speak”
I've always enjoyed the speakers that Rhodes brings on campus as well as their opening them to the public. Starting with Lawrence Graham we've taken our children to hear them and observe the interaction within an academic setting.
Re: “Al Gore's Future”
I can't believe no one has mentioned how fat Al is. Come on, Flyer commontaters, y'all got to brush up your hippie-punching skillz. Watch and learn.
How are we supposed to take Gore seriously when he sits there breathing out carbon dioxide every time he exhales? If he was serious about global warming, he'd hold his breath.
Re: “Al Gore's Future”
That ol Al feller is a real hoot. Ima glad he went and invented that thar ethernet thing. And he did not take no money for it all neither. He invented it for free. I hear tell thata hes agonna invented thet teleportationer thing from that movie show star tractor or sompin like that. Sos we can sends our kids clear across the state in just a coupla hogs breaths. I done now heard he already got one of them ther perpetious motion machineys. Ma says if'n we gets one of them thingys we wont be need'n them dag blame candles. We done burn down 3 of our houses in the las 8 years because of them thangs. Even went and burned them tires rite off'n rims of the house. That musta be what he be taling about globle warning. They oughts to warn people that thar fire is dag blame hot.
Re: “Al Gore's Future”
Al Gore preaches little energy use to save the earth. How much energy does it take to heat and cool his large mansion? Does he travel on regular airlines (which use a tremendous amount of energy), or does he travel on private jets (which use an off the scale amount of energy)? Is Al Gore a hypocrite? Not likely we'll get a true answer from his liberal comrades at the Commercial Appeal or Memphis Flyer.
Re: “Al Gore's Future”
Just knowing I won't be reading Al-Gore's book makes me feel more informed and ready to face the future. Did I mention if he wanted help picking a good pen-name for this book, I would have suggested George Borewell?
Re: “Welcome to Screwpulp”
Wonderful write up Richard. So proud of you!
Re: “Welcome to Screwpulp”
I'd change the name of the business.
Re: “Welcome to Screwpulp”
Such a nice write-up from my favorite Memphis publication!
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Re: “Photographer Nell Dickerson Talks Fluent "Dog"”
I saw some fine examples of her work in..
http://gardenandgun.com/