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    marye
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    In one of the other topics, one of the folks seemed not to be so sure of the reception he'd get for saying he was a youth minister at his church. In my experience, Deadheads span the full spectrum from Agnostic to Zoroastrian. I've met atheist Deadheads, Muslim Deadheads, Buddhist Deadheads, Catholic Deadheads, Jewish Deadheads, and Wiccan Deadheads. My Deadhead friends are all over the map on this stuff, and as far as I'm concerned one of the real richnesses of the scene is the ability to see how things look to other folks and, sometimes, experience it from their world. Believe it if you need it, if you don't, just pass it on. But talk about it here, and please maintain a safe respectful place to do so.

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  • tphokie1
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    It's not about conversion, it's about growth
    This forum sounds like it's right up my alley. The Dead have been a huge part of my spiritual life for over 20 years. I am the son of a fundamentalist Christian preacher and at one point came close to becoming an Episcopal priest myself. Over the years there is less and less about which I am certain. I do believe in God, but have few preconceptions at this point about exactly what that means. I also believe that whether or not we believe in God is not important to God. The important thing is that we are growing as human beings and being kind to each other along the way. I do know that I have experienced what I call God numerous times at Dead shows and while listening to their recorded music. "Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right." Actually the experience has been far more frequent than just once in a while! I recently talked to the church I attend about my spiritual life related to the Grateful Dead and have actually generated much interest in their music among my fellow parishoners. Anyway, I'm excited about this forum and look forward to the exchange of views and experiences.
  • izzie
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    do as you will, save harm you none....
    and all acts of love are Her rituals. (izzie's a Witch, in case you couldn't tell.)
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In one of the other topics, one of the folks seemed not to be so sure of the reception he'd get for saying he was a youth minister at his church. In my experience, Deadheads span the full spectrum from Agnostic to Zoroastrian. I've met atheist Deadheads, Muslim Deadheads, Buddhist Deadheads, Catholic Deadheads, Jewish Deadheads, and Wiccan Deadheads. My Deadhead friends are all over the map on this stuff, and as far as I'm concerned one of the real richnesses of the scene is the ability to see how things look to other folks and, sometimes, experience it from their world. Believe it if you need it, if you don't, just pass it on. But talk about it here, and please maintain a safe respectful place to do so.
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but just wanted that to be said out loud, Badger. Where IS heathaafeathaa anyhow? She was fun to read! sugarcreek reads like she is from the Carribbean islands somehow.********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens
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Whatever gets you through the night, it's alright. 2000 years after he walked this Earth, Jesus continues to give hope to the poor, the outcasts, and the broken-hearted. There was no T.V. or radio back in those days and I think if someone had come up to those historians you mentioned and said," hey theres a poor Jew and his followers wandering around and hanging out with sinners and it's claimed he does miracles and is the Messiah" they probably would have laughed and said "yeah, right, tell me another one". They also had plenty of chances to interview the apostles who were starting churches all over place and at least one even went before the King of the Romans but as far as I can tell they didn't. To them it was but foolishness. A few hundred years later the rich and powerful figured out this Jesus fellows teachings could be twisted to give them a reason to rape and pillage "in the name of God". That's been going on ever since. I happen to find the words attributed to Jesus to be the wisest and most comforting words ever written. Pretty good for a bunch of nobodies. Peace to you and Lord have mercy on a sinner like me.
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The "why" thing has been done to death so suffice to say that there is a purpose for everything under heaven (apologies to Ecclesiastes) and please turn turn turn away from so-called logic if you want what faith has to offer. If you think a book other than The Bible can help you understand where Life came from, that's cool - but do try reading The Bible. There is a reason it's the all-time Best Seller. What's even cooler, you can get one for free lots of places. Try a local faith-based thrift shop. As a rule, I have found that the self-proclaimed "logical" naysayers with regard to faith in Jesus and the One True God are the most closed-minded folk there be. That's not to sit in judgment of such folk, only to share my humble opinion. It's all "cool" until you are held to account at the end, asked why you worshipped "the sun" instead of "The Son." Then it may get ugly. But it's never too late to get the real TRIFECTA. Just cautions in regards to two things - best not to worship or "deify" such as Jerry or any parts of nature. They are and can create beautiful things, but are just the expression of the One True God. Do not confuse the made (or the maid) with The Maker. If you want to read a really great book try "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge. It will not preach at you but it will talk about a man's search for his identity and his true name. Oh yeah, and The Dead deserve capital letters - cuz thurr da bets we gotz on dis hur erth. D
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Thank you for your kind thoughts and i respect your views but of course I would like to add my two cents. There are no records from the time "Jesus" was out turning water into wine and rising from the dead. There are detailed records from both the Romans and the Jews who lived in the area at the time. So do we just discredit all these people? All of our ancestors? What about before the year 0? Do we discredit over 10,000 years of human life? All our ancestors and their entire Children’s Children’s Children? (these are our true roots) I think the modern religions make us forget about all those people who roamed the earth and how they have given us what we have evolved into today? Before the story of the "Son" there was the Sun and the Moon and the constellations and the seasons and there were rituals based on all of these realities. How can we discredit our ancestors because of the modern religions (which are certainly man made and borrowed from ancient Jewish texts and which were borrowed from Pagan religions). I have read the Old Testament and it is full of blood, Incest, and gore. Abraham who murdered his own son for God! Well guess what, if someone murdered their son today they would go away forever. The modern religions glorify a sick and twisted individual who heard voices in his head that told him to murder his 2 year old son!!! Imagine if CNN got a hold of that story! Do me a favor (this is something we all learned as children) tell your friend or girlfriend or husband etc. a sentence something from the headlines of the news. You know, something with details, and then ask this person to pass the story onto 10 other people and the 10th person will repeat this story back to you. When you finally receive the original sentence, the original sentence will have completely changed. Remember people could not read or write back in those days. Most of this stuff was passed down by word of mouth and then when the Gospels got a hold of it (400 or so years later) they wrote their versions of the story as if they were there! I am openly looking for evidence of Jesus and unfortunately even the Israeli government who has torn up all of Jerusalem looking for evidence has not found anything. They have found thousands if not millions of artifacts of the way people lived 3-4000 years ago in Israel and we even know their diets, habits, rituals, etc but there is no evidence of Jesus, or any of the other characters we read in modern religions. Religion is a skull cap on ones thoughts. You guys have proved it, I should stop asking why and stop studying this interesting part of life and stop reading about the origins and just accept the Bible (New Testament or Old Testament?). I respect religion as force of history and tradition and I even practice my catholic traditions and certainly celebrate the holidays (I love Christmas) and have had my daughter baptized and give respect to all religious places that I go to (mosques, Buddhist temples, churches) and the reason why I do this is because I think of the people who were a part of building these places just as if I visit ancient pyramids in Eritrea or ancient Indian burial grounds in North America. (Upstate NY has many). When Westerners first went to China they informed the Chinese about Jesus etc and their reply was something like, we have been around for 5000 years why has this Jesus never reveled himself to us? Then they made them koutou to their emperor who was given by their god!!! “God bless us crazies down here” Dan the Man: I will check the book out. Can you do me a favor? I am traveling right now, can you send me in a private message the name of this book and when i am back in Europe in a couple of days i will look for it. I am always looking for some more information. I like the concept of man trying to find his own identity and his true name because that’s what i am in the process of doing. I broke away from chains of organized religion and all the stories and now i have been and am looking for the truth and i can say that i am going in the right direction. When you remove the fiction from the equation and starting throwing in protons and neutrons and the various elements that we are made up of it really makes you view all of this in a new light.
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"I happen to find the words attributed to Jesus to be the wisest and most comforting words ever written. Pretty good for a bunch of nobodies. Peace to you and Lord have mercy on a sinner like me." Fair enough!!!! and "lord have mercy on all us crazies down here!"
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I also am glad to know that thier are other Christian Deadheads .''LOVE IT''!''Duality is the nature of all things''.
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I also am glad to know that thier are other Christian Deadheads.''LOVE IT''!''Duality is the nature of all things''.
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Whatever you believe about historical fact, in this regard, I see Jesus in opposition to dualism, personally. For me Old Testament = Dualism. Then again, I'm just a speculator in these realms. Ironically, Egypt seems to hold some secrets to many of these mysteries historically, as do Mayan and Hopi tradition. Emerging nano technologies are also contradicting key elements of dualism, as the ultimate explaination of our observations of the universe. Even Einstein couldn't apply dualism to the Holy Grail of physics which he called, The Theory of Everything, which ultimately failed as a theory, much to his chagrin. I'm not up to going any "furthur" with the discussion, at the moment. "You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
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GRTUD: i had to look up the word Dualism in order to fit it into the context of your post. Dualism: denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical discourse but has been diluted in general usage. Got it thanks. On my flight back to London from Sierra Leone we took a 3 hour grueling drive through the African Bush (i mean i hit my head on the ceiling of the 4 Wheel Drive too many times and thought the tires were going to fall off but that’s another story) and by the time we reached the airport it was about 9pm and the flight was departing at 2am. So I was pretty much standing in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity (at night) for about 5 hours with a group of Missionaries just coming back from the Bush as they were setting up churches building wells and schools etc in the jungles. It’s funny how i end up in such interesting situations in my life. I mean come on!!! These girls and guys were from Southern Oregon and since i lived in Portland for about 4-5 years we had something to start talking about. I met a very nice guy who was about 45 years old and worked for HP etc etc. We talked about our experiences in SL and really hit if off and he was introducing me to his son and his friends who where there etc etc. We talked about just about everything (politics, GD, Oregon, SL, each others stories, etc) then we started showing our family pictures etc. Great Guy with a very good heart. He had 8 Children and all but one had brown hair and he went on to give me the reason why his newest (beautiful) son had brown hair. He gave me the creationists’ view that we all come from Noah etc etc. So i let him go on and i listened but of course i was thinking how someone can honestly think such a thing, Noah’s ark? Lions and Elephants in the dessert???? But i let him go on and now i know his view and that’s ok. Then right before we parted for the gates to pick up our tickets he said he had to do something and i said no no you don’t have to. (Because i knew at some point, but towards the end was not sure if he actually would start preaching to me). I must have confused him because i was talking about how my daughter was born on Christmas and where we had her baptized in Shanghai etc. (oldest church in China and a beautiful place). So he went on to tell me the word of God and ask, so you are catholic? and of course, in that split second I said I’m an Atheist. And he said he would say a prayer for me anyway i said ok you do that and we parted ways. (There’s more but i just wanted to share this much). GRTUD: I think the point is that we are on a never ending search for Knowledge, Answers, and Reasons. I think TOE (Theory of Everything) was a theory to bring to 2 schools of thought together in Physics. Quantum Physics explained by Steven Hawkins is what we go by now and most of his theories are mathematically proven. This is the guy who discovered Dark Matter and Black Holes, well he explained them. I am in the process of reading into all this and i think it is all mind blowing. I always freak about about the question: When we are all gone and the earth is sucked up into the our Suns demise (black hole), then whose to say that we were here at all. Are we really here or is this........................... wow
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Thanks Trifecta! Grate story and isn't life ironic? You're correct in regards to dualism (I think - I'm no expert on these issues, by any means). I always think of The Flaming Lips song, "Do You Realize" when Jesus is used as a weapon against "sinners" for everything from free thinking to making mistakes in our attempt to understand ourselves and the universe, in general. The song references the fact that there is no "night", (the sun doesn't go 'down') because "it's just an illusion caused by the Earth spinning 'round". The sun keeps shinning (for now, anyways ; - ). Whatever or whoever Jesus was, that's how the message resonates with me. "Take the good, leave the rest" is my philosophy. In science, all minds are utilized to make achievements, even those folks that are ultimately "wrong". "You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
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See this is what i mean. I have a good friend and he was one of my closest friends (both Shane and his twine Shawn were both my closet friends) when i was living in Portland Oregon. Shane used to work for Phish and both Shawn and Shane are very good friends and i still consider them to be family. We have been back in contact recently which is very cool. Thanks to these 2 wonderful individuals i was able to spend a lot of time in the Clinic (Phish back stage) and had comped tickets for all the shows and just had to walk up to the ticket office with my ID. This went on for a few years until i had to walk away from it all. Ah those were the good old days!!!! We have had some very testing times together and have seen the other side together so to speak. Well Shane now works for the Flaming Lips and he has sent me some very strong emails on how the Flaming Lips are such a good bunch of people and that their music is inspirational. Honestly i took his word but never really listened to the music and as i have tried to meet up with him on tour in Europe (but has not worked out) have never seen them live. Ok i will check these guys out. They have been around for about 10 years or so right? GRTUD: I love this discussion!!!!!!
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Growing up in the Bible Belt, going to church everytime the doors were opened,(which I stopped doing when my Free Will counted for something). I've always asked myself & others " How do we know "We're" right?" After much reading on multitudes of Relgions ~ & still having plenty more to learn about them. The Answer for me is, Faith & is Faith.Your Higher Power is just that, put a name on it, fine, but I think in the End words are just Words. BTW ~ Abraham did not Kill his Son for God, I think you misunderstood those verses. "Believe it if you need it If you don't, just Pass it On....." PEACE
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Please then who did he kill his 2 year old sun for? The crazy voices he heard? Yes the so called voices told him to murder his 2 year old sun for what.....................? I will let you tell the rest Iknowyourider. Maybe is was not for "GOD" personally, but this crazy voice in his head told him to kill kill and draw blood from his own child. To me this is a crime and should be punished and anyone who condons such an act should be questioned. I was brought up a catholic and was in church every Sunday and when i went to my grandparents house (on my fathers side) and misbehaved i would have to kneel and pray until i repented my sins!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is why i do truly believe that Religion is a form of child abuse. My case is miner and laughable but what about being stoned or whipped? This happens still today in many religions. I am in a very good mood so I do not want to go into this to much right now.
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This is what caused me to turn away from organized religion. What iknowyourider stated in the above post is completely true!!! But all of the versions of this story are different. They were all borrowed from the ancient Hebrew texts and from the Pagans before them. The story has changed and morphed into iknowyourider saying that i misunderstood the verses. Check out the Koran on this story and you will find a different son and hints at what i am stating above.
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thank you for your post and thanks for your insight. All are welcome. i have to catch a flight now. peace
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Bible scholar I ain't but I am sure Abraham did not kill his son. He was willing to for sure but God backed down at the last minute and they killed a ram instead. The OT is great reading if you can set aside all the baggage attached to it and treat it as a book of legends like the Iliad or King Arthur or Beowolf.
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I'm not trying to ruin your mood in the least, I'm just saying that Abraham did NOT kill any of his children. Isaac ( the boy you were talking about) lived to be 180 years old & had two sons of his own. Esau & Jacob. I was only saying you misunderstood what you read. Read it again if your still not following me. Now have a Lovely day!
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Trifecta - They're awesome in concert so check them out if you get an opportunity. I saw them at Bonnaroo last year and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. My arms were exhausted from batting these huge (the size of VW's) orange balloons that rained on the crowd the ENTIRE show. They also passed out these lasers and, on cue, thousands of crazed audience members shot them into this disc Wayne Coyne was holding and he morphed into a psychedelic creature of some kind ; - ) All this on top of a "sound check" an hour before their show actually started of "War Pigs" that was totally off the HOOK. I'm so jealous you have access to these guys but I will say that Wayne is one of the most approachable guys in this business. "You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
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well, not really but this picture is close! (I received this pic attached to a "chain" type email - not my "dogs" but I wish) Photobucket "You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
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we are all the chosen one's, it just depends on where you are born as to what religion you are indoctorated in, when it comes down to it, do not all religions TEACH the basic principles of good and evil. so why is one better than another? CONTROL of the masses is what organized religion is all about to me, personally i don't like to be controlled, but some do and thats fine, whatever gets you through life, but please, practice what you preach. be kind peace, love and understanding tc
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Can i get an Amen to that!!! Iknowyourider: Yes you’re right sorry i misread and had to reread and refresh my memory. But what i meant by the last entry is that all the monotheisms have a different story about this special occasion. (Lunatic ridge comes to mind) Anyway there is a good point here: "The shedding of blood, which is insisted upon at circumcision ceremonies, is most probably a symbolic survival from the animal and human sacrifices which were such a feature of the gore-soaked landscape of the Old Testament. By adhering to the practice, parents could offer to sacrifice a part of the child as a stand in for the whole. (Thanks to the story of Abraham) Abraham’s decision to circumcise his SLAVES as well as his male household was a side issue or perhaps an effect of enthusiasm, since these non-Jews were not part of the covenant. But he did circumcise his son Ishmael (which according to the Koran was the son offered up for sacrifice to God and i also thought was terminated but spared) who was then 13. (Ishmael only had to part with half of his foreskin: According to the Old Testament, his younger brother Isaac-oddly described as Abraham's "only" son in Genesis 22 was circumcised when he was eight days old but later offered as a sacrifice in his whole person. Contradictions and of course only man can contradict himself. I give both the Old Testament and New Testament a big stamp. MADE BY MAN TO CONTROL OTHER MAN.
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With northern Irish tonight, who were telling me that Americans were stupid!! Fuck the Irish!!! (only from experience my friends) Had a Religious conversation with a bunch of Northern Irish fucks tonight and this only proves that religion or faith is man mad. There is no doubt in my being that this religious shit is completely man made!! These ass holes where so off course that they should have there words spoke into a public Sphere but of course they did not want to do such a thing. Religion is man made and if you have a story then lets you and me sit face to face and we will find the truth!!! We are here and now and should be proud of it!!!!!!!!! and there are many stories to be told and not to be dictated!!
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I kind of agree when you say that religion is man made. When you think of it, we all came from the same place, plants, animals, humans whatever, we are all connected as we all started out the same. The only thing that seperates us from other mammals is that we are the only ones to come up with the idea of a future, thus, the human race grew. There were more ideas like this one to come along as a sort of subsystem for the future. To me, religion is just another little subsystem that make up the future. It's like that one atom that multiplied to create the human race. Because of this, I have always thought that the idea of religion is not really about any sort of God. To me it is what you believe in the end that is true and you follow one God because that's what you saw somebody else believe to be true. So in a sense, religion is just your own idea, or the idea of another. For example, if you believe that life after death is to go to Heaven, than you will end up in your own sort of idea of Heaven. If you believe that life after death is to come back in another life, then you would do just that. Maybe you think that it is a combination of the two ideas, and your idea of Heaven is just to live the life of cat, then that is where you will ultimately be. It is also with this idea that we have to be kind to the earth as we are all just a subsystem in another subsystem in another subsystem... The earth is seamless, meaning that everything we do as an individual affects everything else on this pretty 'lil planet of ours... Peace and love to all, ~littlebri
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During a Papal audience, a business man approached the Pope with this offer: Change the last line of the Lord's prayer from "Give us this day our daily bread" to "Give us this day our daily chicken." and KFC will donate 10 million dollars to Catholic charities every year. The Pope declined. Two weeks later the man approached the Pope with a yearly 50 million dollar offer. Again the Pope declined. A month later the man offers a yearly 100 million to charities. This time the Pope accepts. At a meeting of the Cardinals, The Pope announces his decision. "The good news is we have 100 million dollars for our charities every year. The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
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Godisnowhere (God is now here) and always is. God is in the trees, the wind , the snow, you know where I'm going with this right? I have never found God in a building (ie a Church) I know he's there , I've seen other people find him there, I found him in nature, every day so that where I go to church now, every day.
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Sorry I was a bit intoxicated during that last entry and maybe I should go visit the Wharf Rats after than one. woooooooo. Anyway I think I need to put this to bed as it is following me everywhere I go and I am hearing the most ridicules stories and interpretations on all fronts. I had another conversation with this lady the other night who said that God saved her father’s life and her brothers. She named the priest who gave her family the blessings but could not remember the doctor’s name!! Well sorry if there was a god then he brought the horrible disease on to her family. God controls everything right? And it was the individual doctors who saved her family's life. And I am glad he did. We forget what is in front of our face and veer off in some mystical dream state because of Religion. Religion poisons everything. (God is not Great, How Religion Poisons Everything, Chris Hitchens) US best seller all of last year.This is what I mean. This way of thinking in 2008 is completely up surd and needs to be corrected. CCJ I loved that as it is so true. The Vatican is the biggest land holder in the world and is a shareholder in many companies who we would proclaim to be immoral. Diamond minds ring a bell? Little Bri "The only thing that separates us from other mammals is that we are the only ones to come up with the idea of a future, thus, the human race grew." Right! We are also the only living organisms who know we are going to die. And of course this is not comfortable and I myself am not comfortable with this and I try to ponder the thought of me not being here and then come to the thought that there will be no thought so who’s to say I thought!!!!! Wow!! We need to always have a reason and a way to explain. That’s us Humans for ya. But this causes problems when we make up our own reality. Man Made Religion has caused the human race to focus on something that is unattainable and to forget that what gave us life is that polluted river over there, or the smog filled air that we are breathing, or the climate that we evolved in. Sorry that river over there that we polluted gave us life and the air which was clean at one time gave us life not some fictional character out of a man made and absurd book! This shit is killing me because I really had more hope that people had come to their senses. I mean come on. I am not content that I will just die and then there is nothing. I wish there was as I would love to hang out in a cloud and feel euphoria etc. I am still looking for something solid to believe in and am in search for more Mayan foundations etc because they were right!! Not the slaughtering part, but they were right that our star that we call the sun is GOD as it has given us life. Kinich Ahau I am here bro and thank you for looking down on me and causing the molecules to bounce at such speeds that my form is visible. But then again many societies had their Sun gods and we should probably have our own, but then us crazy humans would probably try to …………………………………… Ok enough. Peace.
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zig zag man! PEACE
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Trifecta, dude, saying 'fuck the Irish' or any group of people, for that matter is totally un-cool. drunk or not, in my world, you would get a sock in the mouth for that. (not a punch 'sock', but a stinky, disgusting, dirty old sweat sock to shut up comments like that) good you apologized. I ain't even Irish, and it was pretty beat to read that kind of crap. peace.
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My father’s sides of the family are Irish. My grandmother is a Conway!!! I also have Carraways in the house as well. CCJ, i am talking about a conversation i had with people actually from Ireland. Irish people=people from Iraland who i was getting plastard with the other night. This is not the first time that i have heard just how stupid Americans are coming out of an Irish person’s mouth. Actually they have a point because most Irish nationals work as computer programmers in the States or for American companies around the world because "Americans are too stupid to fill the job requests." Yes they have a point but after a lot of Whisky i just had to vent. Trust me i said my piece that night with all smiles and bad irish music etc etc. Please dont take me so serious as i like to push buttons somtimes and say what is on my mind without thinking twice sometimes. Shit losen up.
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I guess I am too old school to enjoy 'pushing buttons' or dealing with people who do. I am from the old school of acceptance and tolerance of whoever and whatever people want to get through the night, if your bag is pushing buttons, cool for you. if a guy calls me a fucking asshole hippie freak, I say 'so what' if people say blah blah blah, I say, 'cool' I never say I am from America when meeting people in other lands, I always say I am from DarkStar. Where is that?? it is at the end of Shakedown Street, near Terrapin Station. peace.
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You are indeed, and thank goodness for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think is even the first time have seen you question anybody about their post.********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens
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that pushing people's buttons and saying the first thing that pops into your head is disrespectful behavior and inconsistent with the goals of having a safe and civil place to hang out. There are plenty of places on the net that thrive on that stuff. This is not one of them. Particularly the spirituality topic. It could more than reasonably be argued that bashing other people's beliefs while insisting on the correctness and Truth of one's own views in the matter is on even thinner Ice. Some recent posts in these parts have not only been out of sync with the stated goals and groundrules of this topic, but with the TOS as well. I mention this in passing. Please chill. Thank you. Taking off mod hat now.
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marye, I couldn't have said it better myself. It's so easy and understandable to wander into other issues regarding the topic of spirituality, but that is no excuse. "Believe it if you need it, if you don't, just pass it on. But talk about it here, and please maintain a safe respectful place to do so." ~littlebri
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Religion, Spirituality and Deadheads A photo of a spotted owl looks down at me from the top shelf of my bookshelf, the sky is pure blue, the leaves are bright spring green, flowers blossoming everywhere, someone just showed me a funny cartoon, I was just joking and laughing with some children and the sound of Dickey Betts guitar is coming out of my speakers. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake
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TOS? marye, sorry, can't figure that one out.
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thanks for the clarification, marye AND, may I say, thank God, Buddha, Allah, Jehova, Varuna, Atua I Kafika, Bo Hsian, etc. et al that we have such a cool Mod as marye.
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Ok Gals and Guys i understand your view, but when buttons are pushed the brains of others tend to veer from the norm. I am not saying I am not serious, but I am not going to fight over it. This is what I mean. I have seen threats, from Socks and other bull shit, but have never sent any negative threats. Where actually do you come from because you have not told us? I was born I Westchester and lived there for a while and went to high school in upstate. Hung out on Canal for a bit. Sock, come on. This is what I mean. Sorry i have heard some pretty vulgar language here and complete absurd childish behavior completely on the lines of pungent childish squander. I have read some of the most childish shit that has been posted with complete disregard for what others are viewing and in fact at one point I thought to myself, that this is language of a kitchen hand in a third rate restaurant!!! But I dealt with it. I would never think about calling my wife or any women “my old lady” sorry that is absurd. This is bullshit. Sorry, I have to say that i have been misrepresented. In an effort to back up what i said the other night, i had many conversations with Brits, Scots, French , Aficans, etc and they all agreed that the Irish are !@#$. If you only travel once a year or once every 10 years outside the US, (sorry the TJtaj mahal is like going to any other tourist trap around the world. Every one has been there and it is so worn out and nothing to really brag about.) Then you have some other way to understand, but when your passport is thicker than a brick and your experiences thicker than anything you ever expected, then you tend to know to proclaim where you are from and where your feet are planted and in turn what is on the tip of your t.........etc . 7years ago i said i was Canadian but learned that Yanks travel everywhere and more than anyone else, and if today I said i was not, then i would cause trouble for the next enlightened yank who was following in my footsteps. I am an American and I am proud!! I shed light, as I am an ambassador for all the rest. A Deadhead American who grew up in a middle class family and hating my government but loving my country!! Hey that’s me. I guess CCJ has no problem with saying he is not an American, but i do. I want to leave a positive trail and saying I am not, is leavening only the meatheads to translate who Americans are. As I have seen the American flag on amps and other equipment on the Wall, I would not say that this means nothing. Only in the States my friend, could I live a life style that I did... Excuse me. You need to start reading in between the lines. Buttons were pushed and we now have questions and dialog. If they are not, then there is just this bull shit gloss over of what is acutely going on and we would have to return to the childish uneducated bull shit that we were seeing earlier with the movies and the Japanese girls etc... Please you need to get out more often. Marye, you have misrepresented me and i am not sure what you mean by the word “inconsistent.” I want your interpretation. This has completely made me want to ask many questions. I have deleted four sentences from here because I thought I may have been asking too much from you. I hope you can share such answers before the questions are asked. My god I have seen so much ungrateful and uneducated garbage here and you point me out. Ok please I look for your response. Now I feel like this is FOX news.
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Ain't it just like the night to play tricks when you're tryin' to be so quiet ? We sit here stranded, though we're all doin our best to deny it And Louise holds a handfull of rain, tempting you to defy it Lights flicker from the opposite loft In this room the heat pipes just cough The country music station plays soft But there's nothing really nothing to turn off Just Louise and her lover so entwined And these visions of Johanna that conquer my mind. In the empty lot where the ladies play blindman's bluff with the key chain And the all-night girls they whisper of escapades out on the D-train We can hear the night watcman click his flashlight Ask himself if it's him or them that's really insane Louise she's all right she's just near She's delicate and seems like veneer But she just makes it all too concise and too clear That Johanna's not here The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face Where these visions of Johanna have now taken my place. Now, little boy lost, he takes himself so seriously He brags of his misery, he likes to live dangerously And when bringing her name up He speaks of a farewell kiss to me He's sure got a lotta gall to be so useless and all Muttering small talk at the wall while I'm in the hall Oh, how can I explain ? It's so hard to get on And these visions of Johanna they kept me up past the dawn. Inside the museums, Infinity goes up on trial Voices echo this is what salvation must be like after a while But Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues You can tell by the way she smiles See the primitive wallflower frieze When the jelly-faced women all sneeze Hear the one with the mustache say, "Jeeze I can't find my knees" Oh, jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule But these visions of Johanna, they make it all seem so cruel. The peddler now speaks to the countess who's pretending to care for him Saying, "Name me someone that's not a parasite and I'll go out and say a prayer for him" But like Louise always says "Ya can't look at much, can ya man " As she, herself prepares for him And Madonna, she still has not showed We see this empty cage now corrode Where her cape of the stage once had flowed The fiddler, he now steps to the road He writes ev'rything's been returned which was owed On the back of the fish truck that loads While my conscience explodes The harmonicas play the skeleton key's in the rain And these visions of Johanna are now all that remain.
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It may just be a matter of clashing styles. But I question that the general tone (to say nothing of length) of some of your posts is conducive to people who are religious believers being able to post their viewpoints freely, or to open respectful dialogue. Nobody has to agree with anybody here. But they have to behave as if everyone else here is just as important or valid as they are. The culture is an evolving work in progress, but I think there's a pretty broad consensus that good-natured goofing (however profane) is one thing (even though it startles the more tender souls) and abuse is another. So if people are sending you threats, that's out of line and if it persists please send me a PM with the details so I can deal with it. But enough with the finding fault with people for the content of their posts, their beliefs, their nationality, etc. By anybody. And, to make it absolutely clear, it is okay to say in this topic that one does not hold with religion, but it is not okay to go on and on about the evils of religion and those who believe therein when you know full well that the company here includes many such. That's not "dialogue," that's polemic. And calling existing conversations with which people seem perfectly happy "childish uneducated bull shit" is not helpful. I hope this clarifies it somewhat. If you're so unhappy with the prevailing tone of discourse here, maybe this isn't the place for you. It would be a drag to lose you, but the place isn't going to change for you, and only you can decide if it feels like home. Thank you.
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old school if Ihave to explain, you wouldn't understand is my first response. but, ok, one example, First, please try to understand the use of vocabulary from a different age or time period, there was a period of time that the term 'old man' and 'old lady' were about as endearing as you could possibly be in our world. (hers and mine) far more loving than the term wife in OUR opinion... if SHE (my old lady) don't mind and prefers to be called that, that is what I do. SO: (here is the lesson, trifecta--pretty please with sugar on top, please read carefully) the old school notion, would be, 'if they are happy with that, why should I care or disagree?' is there something wrong with being a kitchen hand?? if a person does their job well, and has self respect for doing so; than that is a wonderful thing in my book. this is also an old school idea. if a person chooses a path in life, or accepts their fate with dignity,r and does what they do well and in earnest, I respect that. something wrong with 'bad words'? did I ever say 'fuck you' or fuck those people?? nope. and if you go back and re-read the 'sock' post, you might discover that I said sock, not a punch sock. 'to shut up comments like that' talking about the 'fuck the Irish' you wrote. truth be told, I never read what you write, Trifecta, I stopped reading what you say long ago before on the old board. again, my way of thinking was, 'if he is happy thinking that, why should I care or disagree?' if others want to debate, or whatever, cool for them. now I regret I saw what you said, -- but skimming down I could not help but see that, 'fuck the Irish' and yeah, like I said, it was totally beat to see that, and totally un-cool. and 'fuck the Irish from Ireland, and I am a Conway so it is ok to say that about those people because my ancestors came from there... sheesh. I was reading The Teaching of Buddha, (893rd edition published by the Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) and I will quote from that: "We must not let wild words pass our lips lest they arouse feelings of anger and hatred." to everyone else: I apologize for putting this shit here in the religion thread because it is not directly related to religion, though I did get my cool Buddha quote which was right on target me thinks. ( I was also gonna say 'is there something wrong with being a carpenter".... but didn't want to confuse the issues more) ( -; peace
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Vincent Vega: Jules, did you ever hear the philosophy that once a man admits that he is wrong, that he is immediately forgiven for all wrongdoings? Zen Story: "Is that so?" Hakuin was a famous Zen master in Japan. He lived in a remote village and was often praised by his neighbours as a man of pure living. Once, a beautiful, unwedded girl in the village was found pregnant. Being a very conservative village, the family was furious. The girl refused to confess who the man was, but after much beating and harasssment by her parents, she finally named the master Hakuin. In great anger, the girl's family confronted the master, but all he would do was calmly say, "Is that so?". After the baby was born, it was brought to Hakuin and he took very good care of the child. He begged for milk and other things the little one needed from his neighbours. By this time, Hakuin's reputation was completely destroyed, but that didn't trouble him. He was often scorned by the villagers, but that didn't bother him, either. A year later, the girl-mother finally broke down and confessed the truth. The baby's father was not Hakuin, but a young man who worked nearby. The girl's parents went to Hakuin at once and begged profusely for his forgiveness, and to get the baby back. Hakuin willingly gave back the baby and all he said was, "Don't worry about it. Go home". source: http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Stories/is.tt.so.html
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Sunday, June 1st
'Saint Stephen with a Rose': Ritual, Rapture and the Grateful Dead Experience

Guest Speaker: Mary Goodenough
Guest musician: David Gans
Worship Leader: David Dodd

Drawing on mythologist Joseph Campbell's lecture: "Ritual and Rapture: From Dionysus to the Grateful Dead," Goodenough will discuss ritual and rapture as they relate to the Grateful Dead experience. Grateful Dead concerts were, as Campbell discovered first hand, a container for religious experience characterized by an opening of the heart. The music, dancing and participation of all present created a ritual performance that brought about a catharsis of mind, heart and senses, thus opening one both into full awareness of the self and one's relationship with the natural world. Goodenough will also consider a few lyrical images (from Grateful Dead anthem "Saint Stephen," and others), then briefly describe their personal signifiance as well as their centrality to the Grateful Dead experience.

Mary Goodenough, a member of UUP, is a published scholar on the topic of Grateful Dead spirituality. David Gans, guest musician, is a long-time authority on the band and a wonderful musician in his own right. UUP member David Dodd has published three books about the band, and runs the Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics website. Gans/GD Hour blog
GD Hour station list

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Small wheel turn by the fire and rodBig wheel turn by the grace of God Jerry sure played a lot of Gospel music, and I am grateful for that Jerry jammin for Jesus, let your lovelight shine
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I look up at the sky, sitting here watching the universe go byWe're born, we live, we die. Fill what's between with Love, and learn to fly Ane take the time to see, life's reality, there's only one way to be free, and that's to Love I walk and wonder why, we let the chance at Heaven here just pass us by We fight and then we cry, and though it seems we can't go on but still we try So take the time to see, God's diversity, there's only one way to be free And that's to Love
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thank heaven for the Grateful Dead, Hunter, Barlow, Dylan, and every other lyric and song writer in this grate big wide world!! Better Bad Luck When the sun hangs low in the heaven and the cold clear dew Celebration Speak it from the pits or from heaven above China Doll A pistol shot at five o'clock; the bells of heaven ring Cortical Five The boat is small, it rolls to Heaven, at a crawl Did I Mention (I Want Your Love) I want your rainbow in my sky, your Heaven in my blue Drunkard's Carol Another cup for Heaven's sake Fair To Even Odds Hear the hot sweet winds of heaven, thick and red as blood to me Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet Surely it's so, for in heaven's own way Hard Time That shines from heaven through the roof of my car They say that Heaven ain't so far away Heaven Help The Fool Heaven help the fool; guess I showed the sons of bitches Heaven help the fool, professional gimme-fiver High Timberline So close to heaven, up high timberline If I Had The World To Give Or ask for the moon and heaven too? Jack Straw Took his rings, four bucks in change, ain't that heaven sent Jacob Baum (Water Witch) All the wells were long gone dry--heaven presented no sign Knockin' on Heaven's Door I feel like I'm knocking on heaven's door The Last Song Stars in the heaven, birds in the nest Let It Be Me Don't take this heaven from one Love Doesn't Have To Be Pretty It's a long climb to heaven this way Money Money Lovely to look upon, heaven to touch New Orleans And you ain't been to heaven if you ain't been there No More Do I Let me live in your blue heaven when I die, when I die One More Saturday Night I looked up into heaven, lord I saw a mighty sign Writ in fire across the heaven, plain as black and white Then God way up in heaven, for whatever it was worth The Pits Of Thunder Here in the whirlwind pits of thunder where the hounds of Heaven bay Prodigal Town If heaven has sent it or hell has just lent it Rock-n-Roll Blues God・スs in his heaven, it's like I said Rosa Lee McFall Then God way up in heaven, for her one day did call Roving Sign I may go straight to heaven when I kick this mortal shell Saint Of Circumstance This must be heaven, tonight I crossed the line This must be heaven, 'cause here's where the rainbow ends Well it's been heaven, but even rainbow's will end Sangre De Cristo Halfway to Heaven, call your name Simply Nowhere I took a trip to heaven, and I clambered down to hell The Song Remains Trying to forget the days when heaven met the world below Standing on the Moon Just looking up to heaven at this crescent in the sky A lovely view of heaven but I'd rather be with you Star Baby Gap You know I love you in heaven, I love you in hell Swing Low Sweet Chariot If you get to heaven before I do Tiger Rose Tiger Rose, Heaven knows, I just love you so Tough Changes Could it be heaven hanging low, now or never, who's to know Track 6 Track Six to heaven, baby, wouldn't that be nice Tumblin' Oh baby, you know it can be just like heaven It was heaven before, yes it was Upside Down My whole world turned for heaven's sake A Voice From On High It's coming from heaven on high Way to Go Home Like the moon in high heaven, you're just going through a phase thank God for the Grateful Dead: The Rub Said, Ive had no lovin・ since God knows when Amagamalin Street You can load up that gun but God help you, Chet Arizona Lightning You broke every law of God and man Ballad of Casey Jones Put their trust in the hands of God Ballad Of A Thin Man And you say, "Oh my God, am I here all alone?" Barbed Wire Whipping Party The other day I went to Mars and talked to God Book Of Daniel Drinking glory to himself as though he were a god Boys In The Barroom Does God look down on the boys in the barroom Brown-Eyed Women Delilah Jones went to meet her God Copper Mother of God, he didn't spend much time as a child Cupful Of Rain God bless you and keep you from harm The Devil Rode Out were it not already sold to God above and Christ below Dice With The Universe God don't play dice with the universe With the universe God don't play dice God with the universe don't play dice God don't roll no dice around here End Of The Road God knows for one time in my life, I acted with reserve Eva God knows it may shrink to fit Face Me I pray to God you find someone else, even if it isn't me Franklin's Tower God save the child who rings that bell Friday Hand God only knows what he's talking about, God only knows but he tries Games People Play God grant me the serenity to remember who I am I'll Sing Again Of busted dreams and god-forsaken men I'm A Loving Man I'll make you shout Great God Almighty Independence Day My God, you would have sworn it from the sound It Doesn't Matter Whenever Man plans, it makes God laugh Ivory Wheels/Rosewood Track Swore to God in lightning storm he'd catch her, too John Henry's Burial God rest that steel drivin' boy Jordan So let us keep in touch with Jesus and in the special love of God Just Passin' Through This little old morsel of God's sweet batter Keep Your Day Job God bless the child with his own stash Key To Your Room God damn, Buddy, whatcha talking about? Last Flash Of Rock And Roll Singing Nearer My God but Not Just Yet Let The Mountain Be My Home God writes testament in stars, believe no words you read Maggie's Farm Well she talks to all the servants about man and God and law Me And My Uncle Love my uncle, God rest his soul Morgan Montague But they wrote, here lies Montague, God got the final laugh Northeast By West If it had not of been for you, God knows how it would end One More Saturday Night Then God way up in heaven, for whatever it was worth Red Car If you run as fine as you look, God knows you must run all right Rosa Lee McFall Then God way up in heaven, for her one day did call Samson and Delilah She had good looks - God knows - and coal black hair Stagger Lee Three piece band on the corner played "nearer my God to thee" Tioga Pass Glory in the morning and God bless you Tons Of Steel Well I have prayed to God this ain't the day we meet Uncle John's Band God damn, well I declare, have you seen the like? We Can Run Like hammering blow from God's left hand The Wheel Big wheel turning by the grace of God and, thank Allah, too! Blues For Allah Lyrics: Robert Hunter Music: Jerry Garcia In "Box Of Rain" Robert Hunter notes: "This lyric is a requiem for King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, a progressive and democratically inclined ruler (and, incidentally, a fan of the Grateful Dead) whose assassination in 1975 shocked us personally. The lyrics were printed in Arabic on the jacket of te Middle Eastern release of the album." Arabian wind The Needle's Eye is thin The Ships of State sail on mirage And drown in sand Out in no man's land Where Allah does command What good is spilling blood? It will not grow a thing "Taste Eternity", the swords sing Blues for Allah, Insh'Allah They lie where they fall There's nothing more to say The desert stars are bright tonight Let's meet as friends The flower of Islam The fruit of Abraham The thousand stories Have come round to one again Arabian Night Our gods pursue their fight What fatal flowers of darkness Bloom from seeds of light Bird of Paradise Fly in the white sky Blues for Allah, Insh'Allah Let's see with our heart These things our eyes have seen And know the truth must still Lie somewhere in between Unusual Occurrences In The Desert Under eternity Under eternity Under eternity blue (note 3) Under eternity Under eternity Under eternity blue [repeat] Bird of Paradise Fly in white sky Blues for Allah, Insh'Allah and religion: Desolation Row Her profession's her religion; her sin is her lifelessness special kudos and muchas gracias to http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/intro.htm for making the lyric searches so easy. love and peace.