The Way: Meaningful Spirituality for a Modern World
"Turn Out the Light, So We Can See!"
Every year, we “unplug” for a month in the spring and a month in the fall. Our unplugged life is more essential, joyful, meaningful, and natural.
The Way of Life, Not Just the Way of Belief
The Way, common to many religions, is a way of life, grounded in the Golden Rule, not a way of belief.
The Dismantling Doctrine podcast (09/29/2024)
I appeared on The Dismantling Doctrine podcast with Clint Heacock.
Why Churches Should Focus on Values, Not Just Beliefs
Some people want churches to focus on values, not just beliefs.
The Spiritual Brewpub podcast (09/20/2024)
I appeared on The Spiritual Brewpub podcast with Michael Camp.
What if Seeking Truth Means Letting Go of Beliefs?
Our spiritual practice should focus on our interrelatedness.
I'm Awake! Now What? podcast (09/15/2024)
I appeared on the I'm Awake! Now What? podcast with Krista Xiomara.
Can Understanding Opposing Views Lead to Greater Compassion?
Do we consider the other side of the story? Sometimes, we feel pretty strongly about our political and religious beliefs if we do not consider the legitimacy of other beliefs.
Do We Really Believe What We Think?
“Don’t believe everything you think.” Do we have good reasons for our beliefs? Sometimes, people make pretty strong statements without having objective evidence or subjective experience.
How Do We Distinguish Between Beliefs and Fact?
Everyone has beliefs, and beliefs are not inherently good or bad, in and of themselves. Beliefs can be problematic when we confuse our beliefs with facts or when we impose our beliefs on others.
We Should Hold Our Beliefs More Loosely
In The Way, I suggest that we should hold our political and religious beliefs more loosely.
Liminal Living podcast (07/27/2024)
I appeared on the Liminal Living podcast with Tom Rundel, a contemplative pastor and podcaster.
What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?
Recall that there are 45,000 Christian denominations, who almost never agree. Imagine that all 2.4 billion Christians agree that we should follow Jesus. What does it mean to follow Jesus?
How Are We to Treat Others?
Ramana Maharshi, a Hindu mystic, had the following exchange with a student: “Q: How are we to treat others? A: There are no others.”
The Future of Christianity
What is the future of Christianity? Can Christianity be more experiential, more nuanced, and more respectful of science?
The Benefits of Exploring Other Traditions
The benefits of exploring other traditions are numerous. So, it is helpful to understand both the similarities and the differences in religious beliefs and practices.
Zen and Spiritual Practice
Zen is not concerned with prescription or speculation. Buddhism is mostly concerned with practice, not belief.
Zen and Interdependence
Dogen Zenji encourages us to remove the barrier between self and other.
Zen and the Self
Buddhism does not believe in a permanent, unchanging self. Of course, each of us has forms, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and awareness.
