John Dewey's "A Common Faith" has an in-depth exploration of similar themes to what you're sharing here. It was part of the curriculum for one of my most interesting theology courses. A further recommendation might be "The Sacred Depths of Nature" by Ursula Goodenough.
I resonate with how Phillip Pullman's philosophy was formative!
When Jesus talked about how a rich man trying to get into heaven is like a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle, I think he meant that until we put down the baggage of our egos and all the behaviors driven by our belief in the myth of our own separateness, we'll keep failing to understand that the kingdom of god is right here, right now.
Also, this is a really nice thought: "I’m coming to believe that they return other things, too—memories, feelings, essences, things that can be sensed or perceived if one pays close enough attention."
I grew up in a fairly fundamentalist Christian world, and it really has been a blessing to meet people who view scripture as metaphor rather than take it so literally.
What you wrote here (and what you write about frequently) also pairs well with what I've heard called the Five Remembrances in Buddhism: I'm of the nature to get old, I'm of the nature to get sick, I'm of the nature to die, I'm of the nature to be separated from all that I love, and... the present moment is the ground I stand on.
I appreciate how often you return to the notion that death is precisely what makes life so precious.
John Dewey's "A Common Faith" has an in-depth exploration of similar themes to what you're sharing here. It was part of the curriculum for one of my most interesting theology courses. A further recommendation might be "The Sacred Depths of Nature" by Ursula Goodenough.
I resonate with how Phillip Pullman's philosophy was formative!
Thanks for the recs! I will check these out
Your vision is existential and your understanding of life is wizardly, but without magic or mystical powers. Your writing is Holy shit! Awesome.
This is really kind, thanks Jeff
When Jesus talked about how a rich man trying to get into heaven is like a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle, I think he meant that until we put down the baggage of our egos and all the behaviors driven by our belief in the myth of our own separateness, we'll keep failing to understand that the kingdom of god is right here, right now.
Also, this is a really nice thought: "I’m coming to believe that they return other things, too—memories, feelings, essences, things that can be sensed or perceived if one pays close enough attention."
Spot on, I like that analysis
I grew up in a fairly fundamentalist Christian world, and it really has been a blessing to meet people who view scripture as metaphor rather than take it so literally.
What you wrote here (and what you write about frequently) also pairs well with what I've heard called the Five Remembrances in Buddhism: I'm of the nature to get old, I'm of the nature to get sick, I'm of the nature to die, I'm of the nature to be separated from all that I love, and... the present moment is the ground I stand on.
I appreciate how often you return to the notion that death is precisely what makes life so precious.
I hadn't heard of those remembrances. Really nice way to center yourself in the moment!