Why do monotheistic religions assign gender to G*d? If there's only one individual, ever, then by definition it's an it! (@zakey Oct 11, 2010)

 

Except where noted, below is from between 2007 to Jan 2009...

 

Spirituality is harmony with the natural world and our relative places in it,
acceptance of an un-knowablity of the divine,
a "down to earth" value system
based on understanding the interconnected web of existence and a
being able to view one's self with an existential third-eye;
religion is based on blind faith -
a self-promulgating power system that at its best provides a path to spirituality.
- Zake Stahl, 2008

 

 

Tiny excerpt from Jill Bolte Taylor interviewed on NPR's Terry Gross' Fresh Air, from 34:00 to 35:05 in the podcasted .mp3: "I do think that my experience of that right hemisphere bliss is what other populations would describe as a spiritual experience. And I think we're wired to have spirituality; I think that's why so many of us have an experience of spituality. To me, religion is the story that different people tell themselves because ultimately whether you're Christian based or you're Buddhist based or whatever your choice of religion is there's a story that you tell yourself that gets you (allows you to quiet your mind, whether it's through mantra or whether it's through prayer) to quiet that left hemisphere language center in order for you to be able to feel that you are in relationship with something that is greater than you are as a single individual. I do think all religions are the left hemisphere story that helps us get into the right hemisphere experience."

 

The original Pledge of Allegiance had no G*d reference - this was added by congress in the sixties (?) as post Sputnik anti-communist FUD.

 

Isn't interesting that "In G*d We Trust in on the (US) money?

 

The (US constitution's) intention of separation of church and state is equally as much to protect organized religion as it is to protect government. The various organized religions can not co-exist ideologically without contradiction and our great county is founded on the notion of governance free of any specific ideological based opinions. Actually (and ironically when taken from the right wing point of view) the actions of the Supreme Court and organizations like the ACLU serve to protect our constitutional religious rights.

 

[Need the Einstein science without religion is blank, religion without science is lame quote.]

 

[Need the /. sig about hypothetically relignion recreating itself differently each time whereas science would come out mostly the same.]

 

[Need to muse about (from Vonnegut?) that almost by definition not of the religions can be right as there are so many and they obviously contridict each other.]