Many of the world’s religions often stand in the way in the advancement for gay rights. As churches struggle to reconcile with modern times, they often scapegoat their own queer members in order to retain influence and power.
Because of this, a lot of people feel animosity to the religions they grew up with and as adults reject it wholeheartedly.
On today’s show we’re talking to two men who are taking a fresh perspective on the core ideas behind religion- who are we, where we are going and why do terrible things happen? Ultimately, what is the meaning of my life?
We’ve got Mark Anthony Lord- the spiritual director for the Chicago Center for Spiritual Living and Jeff Stahl, a licensed therapist who counsels people in moments of terrible grief.
Listen as we talk about finding a time and space to quiet the mind, the nature of addiction- why do we seek out things to destroy ourselves and how to take concrete steps to embrace a deeper understanding of your own life.
Mark has a free daily gay affirmation that looks very promising on his site. For some more inspiration checkout these fun video daily drag queen affirmations. It will cost you $20 a year but they do have some free samples. Thanks Fred for the link and yes, I am thoroughly enjoying them!
Hallelujah, it’s Feast of Fools!
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18 Comments
Comments
OY, Fausto- your Jewish bargaining is priceless. I also like the mental image conjured by the idea of Oak trees “fucking with the squirrels” via their staggered nut release and intercommunication of the acorns.
It’s great to see religion and spirituality addressed in a frank forum like the FOF. I definitely have a “if you don’t want me I don’t want you” mentality toward Christianity so it was nice to hear so many others do as well and how they process those feelings into something positive. Plus Jesus is sexy.
I always thought that squirrels were in a symbiotic (or at least commensalistic) relationship with the Oak Trees because they tend to bury the acorns.
Thus, while they eventually dig up and eat a lot of the acorns they buried… They forget one or two of the acorns and those grow to become new trees.
They do have a symbiotic relationship. Squirrels, in fact, bury more acorns than they can ever eat.
Also, squirrels do not hibernate.
Scatter hoarding ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scatter-hoarder ) is well practiced by squirrels. They actually can bury up to 3,000 acorns and using their internal GPS can remember the exact location even after 6-8 months. Kinda cool, huh?
Here’s a link to Animal Planets explanation of their GPS navigational system. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCBfdUhrk80
I’ve also had a very bad experience with religion, and I feel that believing in intangible, unprovable, unobservable things can be very, very dangerous. I found the conversation very interesting though.
The comment about how “Oooh baby, do you know what it’s worth, heaven is a place on Earth” was to be the 8th word of Christ but couldn’t get it out in time (because He died) had me howling.
Fausto, does that mean you’re the next prophet? Time to start tithing to the Church of FOF, everybody!
Get on your knees everybody! Whoooo.
I’d join!
I would like to say that enjoyed the show. The topic was one that I think is very important for listeners to hear. I would like to mention, however; it would behoove Fausto to maybe listen more and speak less at times. It was frustrating for me to listen to him speak over his guests and make inappropriate comments throughout the show. Like my dad always used to say, “There is a reason God gave us two ears and one mouth… to listen twice as much as we talk.”
Interesting conversation. I would like to have been more convinced to, as Craig put it, “believe in intangible, unprovable, unobservable things.” I’m always leery when 12 step program members make the distinction between spirituality and religion. The the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals along with several other courts has ruled again and again that it is a religious organization. Still an interesting conversation.
I’m also surprised nobody has mentioned that the “we are damaged” paradigm was refuted during those panel programs you guys participated in a few months back. That was revalational to me at the time. The whole we are born dirty and damaged thing reeks of Christianity as well.
I’d have to agree with Craig… Every advancement mankind has ever made was stalled and thwarted by magical belief systems. No matter what the question is, the answer is never “god”.
The Greeks were aware of steam power at least from the 1st cen. Imagine if they had aggressively harnessed that power. We’d be driving flying cars. Flying cars! Instead we have faith. I’d be happy with just a jet pack:-/
Good episode today. Growing up in a traditional catholic home in Mexico made me feel ashamed and even scared me to death believing that being gay was a one-way ticket to hell. Religion has pushed many gay people away, including myself because frankly, why would I believe in a G-d that’s unforgiving or hateful, as some of these religious freaks portray him/her? I consider myself spiritual though. I like to think that there is a higher purpose and a higher entity that is watching us, and seeing what we make of our lives and how we overcome adversity and many other obstacles in life.
Fausto you are so insightful and then other times you just make me raise my eyebrow, how is self hared (self homophobia) productive?
Yeah our creativity and way of life has been impacted by the rejection of homosexuality by society at large, but when you were a small kid, don’t you wish it was okay a non-issue? :\
Creativity, can come from many places, not just sad and dark ones.
Great shows, I finally got my password back!
Spirituality often just seems like a dippy-trippy version of philosophy to me, one not based in rationality but purely in feeling. I’ll stick to philosophy.