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  • Beware of ‘enlightment’ that requires
    you to remain loyal to a single group

    The is the second part of an extended series of explorations on “enlightenment” as a human experience. The first entry in this series may be found in the archives.

    At the conclusion of Part One I said that the danger of this business of enlightenment is two-fold.  The first danger is thinking that there is something specific that you have to do in order go get there.  And that if you don’t do that, you can’t get there.  The second danger is thinking that your way to get there is the fastest, the best way to do it.

    Now if you think that your way to get there is the fastest and best way, you are going to spend the rest of your life trying to convince me of that, because you believe that and you want to share this wonderful gift that you have gotten.

    Many years ago I was approached by people in the est movement.   How many of you know what the est movement is?  Most of you do.  “est” was an acronym for the Erhard Seminar Trainings.  The name was always presented in lower case letters, because “est” is also a German word meaning ‘to be’.  So it was a happy coincidence.  And Werner Erhard created the Erhard Seminar Trainings.

    The est movement was huge in the New Thought community in this country and around the world around 25 years ago or so.  And the people who were involved in the est movement were absolutely convinced that this was the fastest way to enlightenment.  You needed to take est!  And so they began recruiting people to take est and they became very engaged in the process.

    It was almost an urgent matter with them.  And they couldn’t understand why you didn’t get the urgency.  If you didn’t get it, they would look at you and say, “You just don’t get it, do you?  You just don’t get it.”  They had found something that changed their whole life virtually overnight, and they wanted to give that to you, and they knew that this was the way.

    There were many ways, they said.  This wasn’t the only way, but this was probably the best way.  Or certainly, if not the best way, among the fastest ways.

    And I enrolled in the est program and I took est and I, too, became enlightened.  In fact, I became so enlightened that I realized that I did not need est to be enlightened—which really upset some of the est people, because they wanted me to take the next level and the next level and the next level.

    You see, est was a program that had multitudinous levels. You could take level one, level two, level three—they had very fancy names for them.  And once you got in the program you could virtually never get out of it. I mean, not with grace. Not with ease. You had to almost extract yourself out of it. And if you did get out of it, you were made to feel by many of those who were inside of it that you had done something desperately sad. Not wrong, but very sad. Because you just didn’t “get it.”

    If you really got how powerful est was you would have stayed in it forever and gone all the way to the top and become an est trainer.  Then you could train other people in how to become trainers by enrolling them in the est program.

    What I realized was that my whole life could be caught up in the est program very quickly and very easily, doing virtually nothing else.  I actually met people in the est training and in the est program who did virtually nothing else but that.  They had literally turned their lives over to this process called est.

    Now I want you to know that the process called est was very powerful and I could understand how people could become so attached to it, because it did change people’s lives. In fact, it was so powerful in my life, as I said, that I realized that I didn’t need est anymore — and probably never needed it. AND, having said that, it was very helpful to me in leading me to an understanding that I did not need it, or anything else outside of myself, to be fully Who I Really Am.

    I don’t think some of est trainers intended it to be quite that powerful, because if everyone, after taking the basic est training, realized that they didn’t need est, there would be no more est training!

    Some religions have the very same problem. They convince you of the wonder of God, but then when you get in touch with the wonder of God, you realize you don’t need the religion anymore. So some religions do whatever they can to hold you within the confines of membership, by telling you that only through the ways that the particular religion has established can you remain in the good graces of God.

    All of this is natural. It’s understandable. Who wants to start of movement that convinces people you don’t need the movement? Yet this is the ultimate purpose of all religions and of all movements—or should be. With 7 billion humans on the earth, there are enough people to continue introducing the highest truth to, and one doesn’t, or shouldn’t, need to hang onto all the old members in order to create a power structure that supports itself in continuing itself.

    This is the problem with most organizations and movements. They tend to need to be self-perpetuating. Yet, I repeat: the true purpose of every religion and every movement that would bring you to “enlightenment” should be to render itself obsolete, should it not?

    Many years ago Paramahansa Yogananda gave birth to the Self-Realization Fellowship.  This is now back in the late 30’s or early 40’s, I don’t know the exact time, but it was somewhere in there.  When Paramahansa Yogananda, or Master, as he was called, came to America he brought with him a technique for self-realization, which was his phrase meaning enlightenment.  It was called self-realization.

    When you realize who the Self, is you become enlightened.  And Master described himself as being enlightened.  And, by the way, he was enlightened.  He was enlightened because he said he was. I hate to break the spell that someone may be under, but to be enlightened is to say that you are.  It is quite as simple as that. And we will talk more about that as we move forward with this series of entries.

  • Kombucha Crazy

    Kombucha is a fermented probiotic health beverage made from sweetened tea, yeast, and bacteria. It is considered to be a longetivity drink and has been consumed globally for thousands of years. Kombucha has been growing in popularity in the western world because of its health benefits:

    – Acids and B vitamins which assist the body in the detoxification process

    – Beneficial bacteria which assists the gastrointestinal process

    The specific benefits that you will receive from drinking kombucha result from the body working more efficiently and healing itself, but people I know who drink kombucha have reported that it helps with digestion, acne, immune system, allergies, and more! If your gut flora is lacking, this is the perfect way to increase the good bacteria and get your body in shape to heal itself.

    If your gut flora is compromised, you may experience symptoms such as digestive issues, immune system weakness, infections, and even neurological or psychological issues. Our gut flora becomes low from drinking baby formula instead of human breast milk, antibiotics and other drugs, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. Improving your gut flora can make you feel much better in a short time. By the way, kombucha is not an alcoholic drink even though some people believe it is. Kombucha can contain trace amounts of alcohol, but never more than .5% because it is brewed open to the air. Any alcohol that forms in the brew evaporates.

    You can buy kombucha in most health food stores and some groceries, but it can get a bit expensive. I recommend brewing your own – it’s not difficult. You can brew a continuous batch and add flavors when you pour or bottle it – ginger, fruits, and greens add great taste and variety.

    I grew my own SCOBY from three ingredients – one bottle of store-bought original plain raw kombucha, a cup of strong tea, and a tablespoon of organic raw unprocessed sugar! I covered it with a cloth and left it undisturbed for two weeks. When I discovered that my SCOBY had grown successfully, I felt like I had given birth.

    I started my first batch with 2 gallons of brewed organic black tea and 4 cups of raw organic cane sugar. After brewing the tea, I added the sugar and stirred until it was dissolved. Then I let the tea reach room temperature before pouring it into my brewing jar. I added my SCOBY with its liquid, covered the top with a cloth, and let it brew away for a little over a week. Now I regularly take 3-4 16-ounce bottles of the brew, cover tightly, age at room temperature for 2-3 days, and refrigerate. I also replace whatever tea I remove with new room-temperature sweet tea. I keep the tea between 70 and 80 degrees with a 10-watt heater, and I test the pH of the tea before drinking to make sure it is between 2.5 and 3.5.

    It’s hard to believe that one drink can change your health, but I recommend trying kombucha if you haven’t yet. Drink 8-16 ounces every day for a week and then let me know what you notice. You can drink it before or with breakfast every day. You can sip on it from a wine glass in the evening. Kombucha is great anywhere or anytime.

    (Beth Anderson is a certified Holistic Health Coach and founder of the Holistic Health Hotspot in Evansville, Indiana. She is also the author of The Holistic Diet: Achieve Your Ideal Weight, Be Happy and Healthy for Life.Beth received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Beth is helping people improve their lives through nutrition and lifestyle education, health coaching, and by helping others to learn to make informed choices. Beth continues to spread understanding of the connection between body, mind, and spirit and encourages all to discern the truth about food, consumer products, environment, and life choices. You can find Beth on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HolisticHealthHotspot or email her at beth@holistichealthhotspot.com)

     

  • All of It

    I stepped out of the hotel we were staying in and onto the city sidewalk that was already filled with people, even though it wasn’t yet ten in the morning. But it was Saturday, and the sun was out again, and the temperature was nearing what felt like “my kind of perfect” and so immediately my spirit was buoyed as I set off in the opposite direction than the one I had taken the day before, eager to discover new sights and experiences in the cosmopolitan city we were visiting, and today it would be without dodging raindrops and a cold wind.

    Only a few minutes from our hotel, I turned right, following the concierge’s directions and it was as if I had entered a new city altogether:  I was standing in a wide, cobblestoned street with quaint shops on either side as far as the eye could see, and everything was alive with early morning sunlight. The cold sidewalks shaded by skyscrapers, and the noise of the taxis and buses and cars, and the pinched faces and vacant eyes of people used to surviving in a big city disappeared as I entered the spacious promenade.

    There were couples strolling, and people reading newspapers while relaxing on benches, or leaning contentedly against a storefront as the sun warmed them. There were young parents, one managing lattes and pastries, the other pushing a stroller and holding a small hand. Pairs of teenage girls giggled and walked arm in arm and older couples moved briskly along in athletic clothing, or sat, sharing a small meal at an outside restaurant. It was beautiful, and it was just what I needed.

    Soon, I became aware of music coming from somewhere farther down the walk and so I slowly made my way to where it was and found myself standing in an open space where a middle-aged man dressed in a classy tuxedo and red bow tie was playing a cello. The music swelled, coursing through those of us who had come to a pause to listen, drawing us all together for a few moments in time.

    Turning my face toward the sun, I stood for many minutes with eyes closed, listening, and soon warm, full tears were brimming my lashes, making their way quietly down my cheeks.

    It had been a rough trip. We had taken my mother and father with us on the road to enjoy a few weeks together while we worked, as well as having planned in time for play. But my father’s Dementia had progressed much faster than any of us had expected, and to make matters worse, we were mostly in denial that he even had something really going on, because he hadn’t yet been diagnosed and, having never been there before, none of us could recognize the territory we were in.

    But the trip had been harrowing. Each day, my parents looked more stressed, more strained, and my father more disoriented and anxious. My heart felt as if it had been broken into a million pieces, and strewn across the universe, and as if it would take a hundred years or more to gather it together again. And so I wept, finally. Soothed for just a few moments by what felt like Goodness, I didn’t care that I stood in a sea of strangers and I didn’t lift a hand to wipe tears away…

    When I opened my eyes again I noticed a few smiling, or appreciative faces on the other side of the open space, and followed a bystander’s gaze.

    It was an older man, dressed in a very worn, and outdated suit. It was yellowed and tarnished, having perhaps once been a minty-gold with light plaid, and on his head he wore a hat from the same era. He must have been eighty years old, and as the middle-aged man played the cello and the notes rose and fell, the older man danced.

    He danced by himself, swaying this way and that, making his way across the expanse of cobblestones without a partner, but as gracefully as the memory he still held, his fingers knotted with arthritis, and knees that didn’t any longer allow him to totally straighten them. And at the end of the music, the older man would lay his hat out for tourists to drop coins into, and as tourists, we were faced with the reality that we were his livelihood. He didn’t spend his mornings out here dancing merely for the joy of it, and to make us smile, but to survive. And neither did the Asian man, playing the cello while his wife and small son helped to sell CDs during his breaks. My heart began to sink, as I took it all in.

    Just then, a loud clapping and banging sound began to happen about fifty feet away. I looked up to see a boy about the age of ten on a skateboard. He was performing skate boarding tricks with his friends and would use his feet to make one, and then the other end of the board rise up into the air and then would bring both feet down on top of it as it hit the ground, over and over again, the loud clap and bang, carried through the air to our ears, shattering the soft of the music and the warmth of the sun and the ease and the grace of what felt like harmony for just one moment in time.

    Anger rose in my throat and I wanted to shout; I wanted to plead; I wanted to bargain with the boy and with Life itself to make everything Good again—make suffering non-existent for All of us. For my father and my mother and my family; for the 80-year old man who danced for mere coins and for the accomplished musician who played the cello on a Saturday to keep his family safe and dry.

    But then I got it. I understood.

    It’s All of It. You can’t keep Bad out and you can’t keep Good in, and in fact there’s no such thing as either one, ultimately. There’s just Life. And without Dad’s dementia, maybe I wouldn’t have heard the music that morning, but would have hurried on by, eager to see what else was around the next corner…

    And so I put money in the old man’s hat, and I bought two CDs from the musician’s wife and son, and I walked on. Smiling. Grateful. Heartbroken. Heartopened.

     

     

     

    Life is Mostly Quiet

    Believe me, you don’t have to know.

    Not so much that you render yourself helpless.

    Helpless in the face of what Life brings next.

    So make peace with knowing very little.

    About Love.

    About Others.

    About how life should be.

    Make amends with how things are.

    Not knowing a thing,

    walk with gentle knees,

    ready to drop to them, at any moment

    that Life dictates it.

    Keep an empty hand

    so that it can be brought to your heart

    when a grief arrives.

    Make up a bed that you can fall into

    as your own, comforting arms.

    *

    We come to find that Life is mostly quiet.

    It asks us to live by our Knowing, while

    surrendering that very same thing.

    It vibrates easily around us,

    candid and benevolent.

    You see, it’s only

    when we root ourselves solid in some Knowing again,

    that Life seems to have to shout –

    rises,

    lovingly,

    from Its whisper.

    “Life Is Mostly Quiet” – em claire
    ©2008 All Rights Reserved

  • How to have a happy marriage when only one partner is on the spiritual path?

    My husband truly loves me, and I him, yet he rains on my parade sometimes and it cuts me to the quick. I can be in such a happy place and he says something that just slays me. I should tell you that I love CWG and am doing several of the Advanced Programs, but he can’t really “go there” with me. He sort of half-tries, but doesn’t follow through. He’s not one to show his emotions but I think he might be a little afraid when I step out on a limb without him. Although he is quite conservative, he isn’t religious, so he’s not afraid I’ll go to hell or anything like that. Maybe he’s just threatened? How can I stay in my joy when he says things that bring me down?… Nancy

    Dear Nancy… Oh, have I seen this before and I feel great empathy for you, knowing this is a huge Soul issue. Although it isn’t easy for some men to open up emotionally, I am a firm believer in completely open and honest dialogue. Even if he has a hard time talking about his feelings, is he a good listener? Have you tried having a sweet, loving, heart-to-heart talk with him about how you feel?

    Having been happily married for 22 years some thoughts come to mind:

    1. Whenever my hubby, Greg, and I have been at odds about something it’s helped us to remember, We’re on the same team. We are not adversaries, we are team-mates!

    2. We share everything… or at least I do! I am a completely open book and there’s nothing I won’t tell him. If there is something that might be potentially hurtful I make doubly sure to say it with great love.

    3. I should tell you that I used to embarrass Greg by my happy-go-lucky nature. He was also quite conservative and reserved, but I, like my Dad, never met a stranger, so am very outgoing. I’ll just talk with anybody and everybody and it’s always felt very natural to me. Greg wasn’t like that at all, and really didn’t know how to take me and would say things that hurt me, although he loved me very much. When I ask him now how he got over it, he’s not really sure, but says he realized that people gravitate towards me and that was more interesting than just being with boring people! Maybe over time he realized that there is nothing to be afraid of, by my being happy and outgoing. I certainly wasn’t flirting with other men or anything. I was just enjoying life and all it has to offer.

    And that brings up perhaps the most important point: What is your husband afraid of? Does he think he’ll lose you if you go down the spiritual path alone? If you are firm in your conviction to stay committed to your marriage regardless of whether he “goes there” with you, then you need to tell him that in clear, loving language so that he really gets it. I recommend a little getaway in a romantic place for a few days where you can just focus on each other without all the distractions of home. Just doing this important talk over dinner out someplace, then going back home, isn’t enough, in my opinion.

    Go somewhere for several days and home in on why you fell in love and got married in the first place. Focus on each other’s positive aspects, not any perceived negative ones. Come back together and re-commit to sharing your lives in the most positive way possible. When the moment feels right, hold his hand, look deeply into his eyes and share very briefly that it feels bad when he rains on your parade. Say it in a sentence or two but don’t dwell on it. Immediately tell him, “I know you don’t mean to hurt me, so I just wanted you to know I’ll feel a lot better if you don’t do that anymore.” Then smile and tell him, “I love you.” Those three little words have the power to change everything.

    (Annie Sims is the Global Director of CWG Advanced Programs, is a Conversations With God Life Coach and author/instructor of the CWG Online School. To connect with Annie, please email her at Annie@TheGlobalConversation.com

    (If you would like a question considered for publication, please submit your request to:  Advice@TheGlobalConversation.com where our team is waiting to hear from you.)

     

  • Being Full of Yourself – The Greatest Gift You Can Give

    I have a counseling practice, and I help a lot of people on a day to day basis.  I’ve followed the Conversations with God material for years and incorporate it in my work at every opportunity.  Part of my job is to show my clients how wonderful they are, what a gift they are to the world, and that they are not their “problems.”  What I’m having trouble with is getting myself to believe that about myself.  I seem to have this resistance to accepting anything good about me, and every time a client thanks me for changing their life, tells me how great I am, I am quick to turn it back to them, make it about them.  I just have such a hard time acknowledging the good things about myself, no matter where they come from, without feeling conceited or arrogant.  I know there’s some learning for me here, and I’m more than open to hearing your thoughts, please!

    Savannah, N. Carolina

     

    Hi Savannah,

    Bless your heart for the work you do.  I know you do much more than what you’ve just outlined for us but that part is perhaps one of the most important gifts you can give to others.  And you’re very wise for recognizing that you haven’t yet given it to yourself, and that there is some “learning” here for you.

    We have been conditioned for years by our parents, grandparents, churches, and all sorts of sources to not speak well of ourselves, to not brag or boast, etc.  Along with that we all know a person or two who can’t seem to get enough of talking about themselves and how great they are, which can often be received as annoying and we say that person is “full of him/herself”.  Between those two factors and probably many others, it’s quite normal for you to have this resistance to acknowledging yourself and owning your own magnificence, and you’re certainly not alone in that (just think of all the clients that come to you!).  But it doesn’t have to be that way, and the other side of the coin holds gifts and opportunities beyond measure, and not just for you.

    In my experience and observations a person who brags all the time and comes across as arrogant and conceited is actually overcompensating for something, and you can smell it a mile away.  However, it is quite a beautiful thing to witness someone who is indeed “full of him/herself” in the way I believe God intended for us to be, in such a way that couldn’t possibly be interpreted as arrogance or conceit, but instead a joyful experience of a person owning and loving who they are without apology.  I’m guessing you know a person or two who has accomplished this as well, yes?  And, being that you’ve undoubtedly helped facilitate this process in others, you’ve seen the incredible impact this kind of self-love and appreciation has not only in the individual’s life, but the lives of their loved ones and even the world at large. You see, Savannah, it is not only in our best interest to acknowledge and own the beauty and brilliance that each of is, it is our responsibility.  It is our gift to the world.

    So this begs the question, what on earth are you waiting for?

    Here’s an exercise to help you:

    ~ Make a list of your own magnificence.  List as many things you can think of that are great, wonderful, and extraordinary about you, and do so without a thought towards sounding arrogant.

    ~ Write or talk about 3 examples where your magnificence really came in and brought about something very powerful for another soul.

    ~ Also, from a future perspective, ask yourself the following: what will it mean for you to fully engage your magnificence?  What will it mean for your life, the lives of the people you’re in contact with, and the world at large?

    This is a profound exercise.  In fact, my own coach just gave it to me as my homework recently, and I have already given it to two of my own clients.  So complete it first for yourself, Savanna, and then pass it on.  Let’s see just how many people we can get to own their own magnificence, to see and live the very best parts of themselves freely and with joy.  The benefits of this are literally endless.

    — “Accept yourself. Love yourself just as you are. Your finest work, your best moments, your joy, peace, and healing come when you love yourself. You give a great gift to the world when you do that. You give others permission to do the same: to love themselves. Revel in self love. Roll in it. Bask in it, as you would the sunshine.” ~ Melody Beattie —

     

    (Nova Wightman is a CWG Life Coach, as well as the owner and operator of Go Within Life Coaching, www.gowithincoaching.com, specializing in helping individuals blend their spirituality with their humanity in a way that makes life more enjoyable, easy, and fulfilling.  She can be reached at Nova@theglobalconversation.com. )

    (If you would like a question considered for publication, please submit your request to: Advice@TheGlobalConversation.com, where our team is waiting to hear from you.)

  • More than just a Hallmark Holiday

    Whether we have bought our cards or not, St. Valentine’s Day is here once again. If you’re on your second date or second year, this day seems more often than not an exercise in anxiety. To impress our significant other, a wide array of rituals must be followed without fault. This usually requires an intensive pilgrimage to the florist, the grocer, and of course, Hallmark. We may be creating the ‘perfect’ date, but are we really creating the ‘perfect’ state of love?  

    On most days, but especially February 14, we attempt to do everything perfectly for our spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend. But, in doing so, we often forget to give the only gift that matters. Unconditional love, for your partner, for your community, for yourself, is the gift that is given directly to the soul. In a day that is dedicated to be a celebration of love, there is nothing we need to do but express that love for everything and everyone. Love people for who they are, instead of what they have done (or rather, what they have not done). Let it show, and let it be known unconditionally.

    With Valentine’s Day, unconditional love is at the origin of the holiday itself. According to popular legend, St. Valentine was a priest in Rome under the reign of Emperor Claudius II. To enlist more soldiers into the Roman army, Claudius II banned marriages from occurring in the empire as to remove the emotional attachment of husbands leaving their wives for war. However, St. Valentine continued to hold marriages in secret, and then became a martyr for his cause. As St. Valentine’s love of love was truly unconditional, he had no fear even in the face of death itself. By loving without condition, without concern, the world is truly made a lovelier place to be.     

    So yes, the cardboard cherubs and the sugar hearts are a nice, but unnecessary, addition. What makes Valentine’s Day more than just a commercialized holiday is our choice to express our love in a form that doesn’t come with a warranty or the hopes of a return offer. Simply loving unconditionally will bring more love, light, and life into your relationship than any Hallmark card will. It is the gold crown of the soul.

    (Lauren is a Feature Editor of The Global Conversation. She lives in Wood Dale, IL, and can be reached at Lauren@TheGlobalConversation.com)

  • Pope Benedict XVI’s Legacy

    It was a breath of fresh air to hear that the pope has chosen to step down, the first pope in 7 centuries to do so.  What he and his predecessor wrought to the Catholic Church as we know it is nothing short of devastation.  But as a Christian I see their 42 year reign as so destroying the church we know that now the Holy Spirit can give birth to a community far more attuned to the revolutionary Gospel of Jesus than the current and dying structures ever could be.  Those structures are as passe as the Berlin Wall.

    Thinking of Benedict the man, I think this was a very wise decision indeed for before he “meets his Maker” he surely has a lot of soul work to accomplish.  Below is a short list of some of the issues history will hold him accountable for both as cardinal and as pope.  Were I his confessor, I would start work on them very soon.  (Since this is a list, I offer page numbers of my study on his life and papacy to see the back up evidence.)

    1. His silence for years about the notorious pedophile priest Father Maciel who was so close to Pope John Paul II that he was invited on his plane often and was feted to a mass ordination of his seminarians by the pope in St Peter’s Square.  This man, who sexually abused dozens of his seminarians and had two wives on the side and sexually abused his own children (though a priest with vows of celibacy), was not fully investigated until 2005 even though a New York bishop wrote Ratzinger’s office in 1995.  (125-130)

    2. His and the previous pope’s unwillingness to divorce themselves from the politics of Father Maciel who was a great admirers of the blood-soaked dictator Pinochet in Chile.

    3. His attacks when head of the CDF (formerly “Office of the Holy Inquisition”) on theologians the world over who dared to do their job which is to think.  He denounced, fired, hounded, at least 105 theologians not only from his chair of CDF but also as pope (they are listed on page 238-241 of my book The Pope’s War ).

    4. He and his predecessor brought back the Inquisition and in fact killed theology, reducing it to 1) a catechism and 2) Saying Yes to whatever the pope (or his curia) said.

    5. His unrelenting attacks on base communities and Liberation Theology (thus fulfilling Ronald Reagan’s plans to “split the church” in Latin America) even though this movement, like the civil rights movement of the U.S., was the most Christ-like movement for democracy and justice and freedom in centuries.  One side light of these attacks has been a void of genuine Christianity in Latin America, a void being filled by Pentecostal (and right wing political) churches there. (pp. 41-62)

    6. His (and the previous pope’s) complete pushing of neo-fascist sects as the new “religious order” and shock troops of the pope beginning with the secret “Opus Dei” which is embedded in places of great power including cardinals and bishops all over the world and also financial headquarters of EU, the US Supreme Court, the CIA (especially under George Bush the first), FBI, and the US mainstream media. (pp. 106-124)

    7. His and the previous pope’s rushing the founder of Opus Dei, Fr. Escriva, a card-carrying fascist who actually praised Hitler, into canonization faster than any saint in history (and destroying the age-old process of canonization in the process by eliminating the “devil’s advocate’s” role which is to bring up the shadow side of the candidate). Books by former Opus Dei members include his personal secretary of 7 years were completely ignored and their testimony was never asked for.

    8. The cover-up of pedophile clergy in the US, in Ireland and elsewhere.  The recent HBO film tells the facts about some of these horrors and how the buck stopped with Ratzinger.  All the cover up put an Institution ahead of the rights of young children.  (pp. 134-174)

    9. His and the previous pope’s putting wind in the sails of extreme right wing groups from Maciel’s Legion of Christ to Communion and Liberation to Opus Dei and their support of zealots such as neo con and theo con George Weigel. (pp. 130-144)

    10. The end of religious ecumenism.  Ratzinger as pope managed to insult Islam; Judaism; all Protestant churches (he says they are not churches); also as cardinal Thich Naht Hahn (whom the Vatican called “the anti-Christ”) and yoga—wrote Ratzinger—Christians should not do it because it “puts you too much in touch with your body.”

    11. The dumbing down of the church not only by condemning thinkers but by appointing  Bishops and cardinals world-wide whose only qualification for the job is to be a loyal Yes man, thus the loading down of church decision makers for generations who don’t have a conscience, an intellect or a clue about the spiritual needs of people.

    12. A complete reaffirmation of a “morality” of Sexism (no women priests ever; Catholic sisters in America are now subject to investigations like theologians have been); and of  Homophobia—Ratzinger composed not one but two documents as head of CDF that were mean-spirited and spiteful about gay persons and ignored scientific research even as pope that has created another Galileo moment in church history.  He stuck by his “no condoms even in an age of AIDS” position that is all about St Augustine’s silly sexual ethic and not anything Jesus ever taught.  Even birth control in a time of excessive human population on a crowded planet remains, in his rigid world view, the law of the church and any theologian (or bishop) who questions such matters is suspect.

    13. The interference in the presidential election of 2004 wherein Ratzinger instructed American bishops to read his declaration that any “catholic politician” (i.e. Kerry) who did not denounce gays and abortion could not receive communion.  The result was three states had very unusual Republican votes from Catholics—if just one of them had had more normal Catholic vote, Kerry, not Bush, would have been president.

    With such a trail of devastation as this, Father Ratzinger, ex-pope and ex-Inquisitor, is right to retire.  Hopefully, beginning in this time of Lent, he will do some soul searching and asking for forgiveness.  Unfortunately, because he and his predecessor appointed only Yes Men as cardinals, one should not expect any improvement in the next pope.  Instead we should recognize that history has passed the papacy by and that now is the time for the Holy Spirit to push the restart button on Christianity, both Catholic and Protestant versions, so as to strip down to the essence of Jesus’ teaching and the Cosmic Christ tradition.

    Toward this end, Andrew Harvey and myself are starting up a series of “Christ Path” seminars available on line or in person (see info@christpathseminar.org)  This restart of Christianity can be done without basilicas on our backs but mere backpacks.  Travel lightly.  Walk humbly.  Do justice.  And peace will follow.

    (Matthew Fox is a former Catholic priest who is the author of Original Blessing and the creator of the “techno-mass” he developed at the University of Creation Spirituality. His newest book, The Pope’s War: How Ratzinger’s Crusade Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved, details much of what he has summarized above. Fox is a member of the Advisory Board of the interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives — www.spiritualprogressives.org)

    (We recognize that the above opinion offers a controversial point of view. If you have an opposing point of view (or a different topic altogether that you wish to explore) and would like to contribute an article you have authored to the Guest Column, please submit it to our Managing Editor, Lisa McCormack, for possible publication in this space. Not all submissions can be published, due to the number of submissions and sometimes because of other content considerations, but all are encouraged. Send submissions to Lisa@TheGlobalConversation.com. Please label the topic: “Guest Column.”)

  • DO AMERICANS DESERVE A
    CONGRESS THAT ACTUALLY VOTES?

    U.S. President Barack Obama issued a public dare to members of Congress in his State of the Union address that rang a bell with fair-minded people everywhere  — even those who oppose his points of view. And it certainly rang a bell with people who embrace the New Spirituality as articulated in books like Conversations with God.

    CWG, of course, speaks of truthfulness and “transparency” in all areas of life, from politics to economics to our social interactions and our most personal choices, actions, and decisions. Speaking from his global podium (people around the world were watching his address, with millions of Americans paying particular interest), the President put forth a simple, eloquent plea regarding gun control legislation: just take a vote.

    When citizens vote, their vote is private, of course. But when members of Congress vote on an issue, their vote is publicly recorded — and that’s where the problem lies. On issues such as this, many politicians hate the suggestion in Conversations with God to live a life of complete and total transparency. Yet the refusal of Republicans in the U.S. Congress to even vote on what many have called “common sense reform” through gun control legislation is a travesty in a country that prides itself on its democracy.

    The first and most important and most highly touted aspect of its democracy, U.S. citizens will tell you, is the right and the ability to vote. Yet in Washington, D.C. — which is supposed to be the seat of America’s government — there is apparently a rush to run away from voting on any issue where doing so might cause politicians to lose votes among the electorate.

    It seems clear that in the U.S. House of Representative, Speaker of the House John Boehner is in no way willing to put his fellow Republicans in the uncomfortable position of having to vote ‘No’ on common sense gun control proposals that public opinion polls show an overwhelming majority of the American people (including moderate Republicans) favor.

    If such a majority of citizens favor the proposals, why will most Republicans in Congress not vote ‘Yes’? Simple. It is elections that keep politicians in office, not public opinion polls. And in elections, the National Rifle Association and other conservative political activist groups exert massive power within the Republican Party’s far right wing element (the Tea Party faction, etc.) — and it is the far right wing of the GOP which plays a huge role in deciding who wins GOP primary elections (which, of course, determines which candidate then runs in the general election against a Democratic opponent).

    So in Congress, the situation as seen by GOP office holders is: “Heads you lose, tails you lose.” If you vote for reasonable gun control legislation — such as making high capacity ammunition magazines illegal, or requiring background checks for gun purchasers — you lose the support of the far right wing element in the U.S., and you lose the next primary election, taking you out of office. If, on the other hand, you vote against reasonable gun control legislation, you lose the support of the rest of the American people, and you lose the general election, also taking you out of office!

    What to do, what to do…

    The Republican-majority House of Representatives has figured that out. Do nothing. Simply use whatever legislative tactics are available to avoid taking a vote on gun control measures, no matter how reasonable or how well supported by the general public. (To be fair, a handful of right-leaning Democrats, elected in conservative home districts, also join in the game, called Whatever You Do, Don’t Be Transparent! Do NOT Vote Your Conscience!)

    Now, President Obama has made this tactic much more difficult to get away with, without looking like what one critic called “gutless, lilly-livered politicians who claim to be the country’s leaders.” Mr. Obama said that if members of Congress feel they have to vote ‘No,’ then they should stand up and do so. But, he said, at least vote. The American people, he declared, deserve that.

    As he gave his speech the President turned to the upper gallery, where parents of a slain Chicago teenager who performed at last month’s inauguration were seated, and said: “They deserve a vote!” Then he pointed to a former member of Congress, also seated in the gallery, who was shot by a crazed gunman while making a speech in Arizona. “Gabby Giffords deserves a vote!” he said, and the positive reaction in the chamber swelled.

    “The families of Newtown deserve a vote!”, the President went on, and now the applause and cheers were deafening. His voice rising above the clamor, Mr. Obama would not stop. “The families of Aurora deserve a vote!” he hammered on. “The families of Oak Creek and Tucson and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence –- they deserve a simple vote.”

    Of course, the President is right. The obstructionists in Congress who won’t even let the matter come up for a vote are ignoring the first and most basic right of a democracy — and making a mockery of what they, themselves, say is what makes America great. And the Right To Vote does make America great…except when you have to do it with courage and visibility, apparently.

  • From a New Spirituality point of view, what was your impression of U.S. President Obama’s State of the Union message?

  • Is there really no such thing as “right” and “wrong”?

    (Editor’s note: This series of articles has moved from the top of page headline position to this space, providing this important dialogue its own unique location as the headline position is used for topical stories in the news.)
    ==================================================

    Has humanity lost True North on its moral compass?

    The whole idea of  “wrong doing” is part of humanity’s cosmology of life. We really do think that there is such a thing as Right and Wrong. After all, God has told us so. Our religions have told us so. Our parents have told us so. Our culture has told us so. Our societies around the world have made it clear that some things are Right and some things are Wrong.

    Yet now here comes a new theology arising out of the Conversations with God series of books which tells us, in one of its most provocative statements, that “there is no such thing as Right and Wrong.” And the Mind begs to know, how can this be true? Are we to simply abandon all of the understandings that all of humanity holds all of the time?

    No, my own Mind said, when I first heard this: Surely Right and Wrong must exist at some level. Surely there must be some guidepost, some yardstick, some standard or criterion with which we can measure or determine whether particular choices and behaviors are appropriate or inappropriate, are good or bad, are best taken or best ignored.

    A remarkable post here a while ago from a reader named Carol Bass has ignited this series of articles about the state of humanity’s spirituality today.

    In this series, I am attempting to respond directly to what Carol had to say in a striking entry that, to me, seemed to perfectly frame the way so many people are holding their reality today. I believe that Carol’s comments deserve serious and complete responses. So Carol, here we go again…as we continue to look deeply at the observations you offered.

    In my last entry here in reply to you, I quoted your comment that…

    “It seems that so many have turned their back on what is right and what is wrong. The ten commandments according to the bible have become just another thing to cast off as just someone’s religious beliefs but not necessarily truth.”

    The human race seems to agree, Carol. People have stuck to their guns about this—and I mean that quite literally—for many, many years. We are absolutely certain that there is such a thing as Right and Wrong, and we are absolutely sure that we are right about that.

    The difficulty and the problem has been that our ideas of Right and Wrong change from time to time, from place to place, and from culture to culture. The result: what one person or culture says is Right, another person or culture says is Wrong. And this is the source of more than a small or trivial amount of the conflict and violence, killing and war that we have seen on the planet—much of it, ironically, in God’s name.

    This article is Part V of an ongoing series:
    LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR TOMORROW

    Not only can we not seem to be able to agree on what is Right and Wrong, we can’t even agree to disagree about this. We don’t seem capable of observing our differences and calling them simply that. We apparently feel the need to make each other wrong for holding views different from ours.

    We can’t even agree to openly explore the topics on which our beliefs diverge, with all possibilities on the table, with compromises at least considered. No, there can be no compromises when we are right. One does not compromise one’s principles, one does not bargain with the devil—and we have already demonized each other, not just each other’s views, so there you have it. We are left with our disagreements and our absolute inability to overcome them.

    Worse yet, we are left with our righteousness about them. We imagine we are so right about what is Right and Wrong that we are willing to belittle others, to criticize others, to persecute others, to judge and punish others, to attack others and even to kill others—all of which we would consider Wrong if others did it to us. The interesting thing about Right is that it is always on our side.

    The problem here, of course, is with the model of the world. CWG famously made the statement that “no one does anything inappropriate, given their model of the world.” It is this model that tells us that things are morally right and morally wrong—and, billions believe, that it is God who has said so. If God says that something is Right or Wrong, who are we to contradict that, or even to question it?

    So our model of the world leaves no room for discussion, no room for debate, no room for exploration of any possibility other than what we have been told and commanded by the God of our understanding.

    There would be no problem with this if we could be certain that our understanding of what God has said is Right and Wrong is “right.” But what if it’s “wrong”? Or, at least, incomplete?

    Even casual observation informs us, Carol, that,with regard to What God Said about what’s Right and what’s Wrong, we can’t get things straight on this planet from one culture to the next, or even from one moment in history to the next. What, then, to do? How to resolve this problem?

    The answer is to build a new model of the world, based on a new understanding, brought to us by Tomorrow’s God. And that new understanding is that there is no such thing as Right and Wrong, there is only What Works and What Does Not Work, given what it is we are trying to do.

    Dare we? Dare we use this New Model as a universal device for determining our actions, for making our choices, for taking particular decisions?

    I want to explore more of what Carol Bass had to say in her post, and will do so in our next entry here, as The Carol Bass Dialogue continues…

    (EDITOR’S NOTE: Much of the commentary in the column above comes from What God Said, the latest book from Neale Donald Walsch, to be published by Penguin Putnam in October.)