Response to Biological Repression

Original post here

Do Christians have any spiritual practices available to them besides prayer, celebrating mass, and applying the moral teachings of their faith? The entire point of Buddhism is the path, the metaphysical stuff comes second to that. In Christianity it seems like you affirm your beliefs and are done with it. Fasting seems more like a physical act of self hatred of the body, and I don't quite understand what that has to do with Jesus' message. Maybe this acquaintance of yours is trying to achieve union with Brahma through self denial?

I have a vague understanding of religious history in Europe and it seems that beleif in biological repression comes from Manichaeism, which thought that the flesh was evil and humans should instead try to side with God and affirm their souls supremacy. Considering we are made of flesh and I think there is little doubt that consciousness is a byproduct of flesh, there is a clear danger in accepting this doctrine.

NTC Bans Religions Parties from Running

Al Jazeera reported today that the National Transitional Counsel in Libya is banning parties based on religion. This is a very surprising and interesting move. The Arab spring was set off by young college educated citizens who where extremely liberal compared with the rest of society. Now that elections are being held, it is clear that the rest of the population is still deeply conservative. The question on the table is weather Islam can be compatible with a liberal democratic state like the young protesters have demanded. In Tunisia the moderate Islamic party that won a plurality of seats in the government, Ennahda, is very promising in this respect.

The article on Al Jazeera can be found here.

Mohamed in Medina

Very glad to be reading this Armstrong book. My understanding the life of the prophet Muhammad and Medina was that Mohamed left Mecca and returned with an army to capture Mecca after several decades. This sheds allot more light on that period, and I'm interested to see what actually does happen when Islam gains control of Mecca.

I also found it very interesting the Islam grows and modifies itself over the life of the Prophet. Very distinctly when he changes the direction of prayer for Muslims from Jerusalem to Mecca.

Armstrong's Aproach

Karen Armstrong's approach to understanding Mohamed and Islam heavily relies on economic and social information of the time. Of course, this is just the beginning o the book and she may change her strategy as the book goes on. I was hoping for a discussion of modern Muslim practices and modern Muslim beliefs, but I suppose we will get this indirectly as the book goes on.

Reading The Book of Mormon

When I went to Utah during vacation one summer (don't ask) I was intrigued to find hotel rooms stocked with The Book of Mormon instead of the requisite Gideon's Bible. Of course I took one of these free copies, being the last person to pass up a free book, and The Book of Mormon has been sitting on my shelf ever since.

I have made a few abortive attempts to start it in the past, and while it is infinitely more readable than the Old Testament, I never quite developed the taste for it. Despite my misgivings it seems eminently clear that Mormonism is one of the most important minority religions in America, it would be wise to make an attempt to understand it. With a possible Mormon president around the corner, Mormonism is here to stay and will certainty become an increasingly important social and political force in the United States over the course of our life times.

I will also admit a certain amount of fear. While the predominant secular ideology's of mainstream Catholics, protestants, and persons of no faith have provided an atmosphere of incredible religious and social tolerance, it seems that Mormonism goes hand in hand with a sort of intrusive social conservatism imposed by legislation.

Does the Dhammapada Make Sense?

I've heard extramly mixed responses to the Dhammapada over the last week or so. I've heard from some classmates that it's contradictory, and Buddhism just doesn't make sense. When talking it over with JonDavid (blog here) he said he had exactly the opposite problem, the Dhammapada made so much sense he didn't have anything to blog about.

I suppose I can see where both groups are coming from. I know I was certainly knocking my head of a wall when I first read the Dhammapada because of the seemingly esoteric doctrines of Buddhism. The Dhammapada isn't a book that lays out some systematized doctrine, it can be taken line by line and you'll still get something out of it.

On Rerererererereading the Dhammapada

I got a copy of Thanissaro Bikkhu's translation of the Dhammapada in the mail the other day. This translator is a Theravada monk based out of the Metta Forest Monastery in California. Reading and rereading the Dhammapada always impresses on me the importance of practice.

I think that is the thing that attracted me to Buddhism that I didn't see in any religion at the time. It's the practice that matters, and when you practice it will actually do something for you. It is not affirming your belief in dogma or prayer, it's a real thing, even if like in any religion it's not for sure. In Buddhism revelation and mystery isn't something to be handed to you, in fact, it can never be handed to you. You can be told about it, to a certain extent, then you have to get there yourself. The Dhamma is latent in the very nature of existence.