Victory! The people of Ireland legalize honesty in an historic vote, amending their constitution to legalize blasphemy. Votes matter. If you are an American, your vote matters too. Please vote Tuesday, November 6th. As we hoped for, we got our…
Read moreBlasphemy! by Starstuff, Contemplating
Blasphemy laws are one of the most egregious and severe forms of religious privilege. It is the use of state-sponsored violence to attack someone for speaking in ways that religious leaders don’t like. Yet many countries, including the United States,…
Read moreThe Moon Steps Aside to give us the Perseid Meteor Shower! by Starstuff, Contemplating
She thought she could now actually feel the Earth turn–not just imagine it in her head, but really feel it in the pit of her stomach. It was like descending in a fast elevator. She craned her neck back further,…
Read moreSpirituality Without Politics Is Lame
A politics without spirituality is blind, but a spirituality without politics is lame. And that is why I worry about an apolitical spirituality. I worry that individual spiritual practice in isolation from engagement with the world will never lead to real personal development and thus never lead to positive social change. And I worry about an apolitical spirituality which tells us that we need to accept the world as it is because we are powerless to change it. Finally, sitting back and practicing equanimity and a contemplative attitude is a privilege that many people do not have. It is not a option for many people of color. It is not a option for many gay, lesbian, queer or transgendered people have. It is not an option for many poor people or for many women.
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