Grateful Dead

didn't see that coming,marye:) though i'd more perfer the sam elliott doctrine:)

Am curious too about the Patrick Swayze Roadhouse School! ;-) Tell us more about this please marye. My two cents about a Christian thread is am torn. We have threads for all kinds of things, so theoretically such a thread should fit and be welcome, as well as what Hal said about being able to read people's different views. But is also a potential hotbed, as someone's religious beliefs are a highly private and personal thing. Guess I tend to think that THIS thread, for speaking generally about religion and spirituality is just perfect for this forum, and should suffice. ********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens

here visiting in the land of Zen nothingness... enjoying the sights and sounds of places visited long ago; memories have faded, but beauty and tranquility remain eternal. the fountain of life, the water of love... may it wash over all of us as we bathe together in our love of grateful philosophy, no matter what 'name' religion may have, I am quite certain that somewhere, someplace, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Vishnu, et al are all hanging around together listening to some shows. marye, dare I ask? The Patrick Swayze Roadhouse School??! A Swayze with any other hairstyle would smell as ____________ (please fill in the blank) yuk yuk yuk... ( -; There is INDEED, plenty of room for diversity here. Diversity in Swayze's hairstyles notwithstanding... love and peace.

I couldn't agree more. As mod, I generally don't like to come in and start smacking people around except as a really last and desperate resort. I come from the world of CC's Old School, though as a relative latecomer. Or maybe the Patrick Swayze Roadhouse School, depending on the moment. However, the aforementioned screeds were over the top, and they're also a pretty classic example of stuff that happens every now and then, and how community standards develop. If, as I would fondly hope, we're going to have this kind and congenial and welcoming outpost out here, it takes community members standing up and saying "we don't put up with that kind of shit on this website," rather than just me putting on the mod hat. This time it's about religion-bashing, but next time maybe it's Obama. Or Cuba. Or Israel. Or child-rearing philosophy. Or corporate employers. There is never going to be any shortage of things we disagree about. One of the remarkable things about the whole GD thing is that for several decades it brought together millions of people who would otherwise never have crossed paths, in this seriously intense and life-changing experience, and exposed them to adventures and viewpoints they never would have had otherwise. And by all accounts from the tours of the individual bandmembers' bands of late, it still goes on. I would hate to blow this rare gift by getting bogged down in the things that divide us, and I think finding the balance between feeling free and safe in speaking one's mind and exercising the necessary restraint so one's fellow conversationalists feel likewise--that's essential. It's also real hard to do, and I appreciate the fact.

Christianity wasn't the only religion that was having negative comments made about it here; there were also some about Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. I don't mind having my belief system questioned, it was just kind of relentless, like someone was on a campaign and wouldn't stop even after he had made his point. But that hasn't happened for awhile. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

I would like to keep us all together too. I enjoy hearing other people's views too. It just seems there's always someone who has to come out and trash the Bible or Christianity in a very negative and hostile way. You don't see that kind of anger about other religions. After the last exchange nobody came here for a month. It would be nice if someone who isn't a Christian but sees someone attacking us here would post a comment saying "Hey, I'm not a Christian, but we don't put up with that kind of shit on this website, learn to love or take a hike." Let's all get along.

and free flowing exchange of ideas in this topic as it exists right now in this time and space. I want to hear about other peoples thoughts on sprituality even though they may differ from mine in ways, we also have common ground and that is fun to explore and grow with. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

i think CB is correct in thinking that one space fits us all. do we really want to splinter apart, like the GREAT nations of the world, i would cross the border of differing thoughts, would i be welcome? world without borders

Surely the unifying factor here is and should be a love for the Grateful Dead! I like the mix up here with so many beliefs in the same space linked by the dead family, maybe like the crowd at a show. We had a bit of a bumpy start to this forum but now its found a considerate and interested level. No disrespect intended but I find it a bit sad if the Christians (or any other group) feel they really really need their own space separate from everyone else.If that's what you really want and need then that's OK with me I suppose, but please think first; what is that saying to everyone else? There must be lots of websites where Christians or other groups can have some exclusive space if they need that.

I'm not opposed to the idea; after all, the Wharf Rats topic is a particular branch of the spirituality tree as far as I'm concerned, and other branches could function in a similar manner. What I'm a bit worried about, aside from addressing any legal endorsement-of-a-particular-religion issues (which may or may not exist), is drawing energy away from a topic of diverse perspectives and the insight that entails into more or less enclaves of believers (or unbelievers, as I'm sure the agnostics, atheists, anti-theists, etc., would perfectly reasonably want THEIR topic too). I don't think the two are necessarily incompatible; think of all the different parts of our lives that run concurrently, as it were. But in practice, people only have so much energy and some discussions thrive at the expense of others. All of which is, I admit, pretty meta. But let's brainstorm this a bit if we want to pursue it, in the full understanding that any principles that evolve will also apply to topics for Wicca, tribal religion, divergent strains of Buddhism, etc. Do we want to do this, and if so, how? (Assume for the moment that the system is what it is and works the way it works now.) Might some of this need, for example, be addressed by formally scheduled chats? E.g. Christian Deadhead chats Tuesday 7 p.m.? (We've done a little experimenting with special-event chats, so this might be doable without disrupting the main chat room.) Anyway, thoughts welcome; no fast moves contemplated.