• 882 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    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.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • marye
    Joined:
    Trifecta...
    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.
  • 00
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Ask himself if it's him or them that's really insane
    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.
  • 00
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Old School
    Ok please explain.
  • 00
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Ok
    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.
  • c_c
    Joined:
    thanks
    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.
  • marye
    Joined:
    TOS=Terms of Service
    The fine link at the bottom of the page...
  • c_c
    Joined:
    TOS??
    TOS? marye, sorry, can't figure that one out.
  • Hal R
    Joined:
    today as the spirit moves, whatever and wherever it is
    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
  • littlebri
    Joined:
    Couldn't have...
    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
  • marye
    Joined:
    it could be reasonably argued
    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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Forums
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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Excellent composition CCJ not sure if you researched all that but my hats off to you for sharing it for the masses Peace on the Increase Mark
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

That's lots of food for thought or nonthought if I put my Zen hat on. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

thanks to CCj for the inspiration, to Robert Hunter for the tune and all of you folks hereSung to the tune of Boys in The Barroom Heads In The Deadnet Does God look down on the heads in the Deadnet Mainly forsaken all slightly deranged? Dead, Pigpen, Ace, their ears in the vines In music to free our minds From Tapers Section, Vault, Roadtrips and box sets Dick’s Picks and studio the songs that we love Many’s the day spent on tour and listening Searching for the Sound of bliss and The Other One Jerry’s sweet guitar to Phil’s shaking bombs Who loves this music, loves it to the bone I love this bands tunes like some love who knows what One thing we wonder sometimes Does God look down on the heads in the Deadnet Mainly forsaken all slightly deranged? From Chatroom to Dark Star, Dead Hour, Forums, Truckin’ In music to free our minds
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

it was really easy to get those song quotes using the link I put at the bottom of that post. be kind of cool to see them all together, and take it in as one reading, I thought. Thank God, Buddha, Allah, et al. for the good O'l Grateful Dead!! love and peace.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Sirius radio Bluegrass channel 65 plays 6 hours of good bluegrass gospel music every Sunday morning .
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Not much going on here lately. If ,like littlebri, folks would write their thoughts in a respectful and loving manner we like reading them. Even those of us who have searched everywhere and know there is only one thing we CAN believe in. We who believe in Jesus are told by him that we will be hated. Maybe we should be put in our own little box,say, "The Promised Land: A Christian Forum". We're all in this together. Peace.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

After thinking about it, I think "Sisters & Brothers: the Christians forum,would be a better name. Almost everyone here has been very kind so far, I just think it would be nice if we had a place where we could pray for each other in Jesus name. Bless you all.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

are you asking for a topic for Deadhead Christians? Not saying yes or no, just making sure that's what you want before I make inquiries. Thanks!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

hi marye, that's what I was thinking about. Just thought I'd see if the idea had any support before I'd ask you. Whatever is decided is fine with me. Thanks for all the work you've done for this website.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Sometimes the light's all shinin on meOther times I can barely see Lately it occurs to me What a long, strange trip it's been
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

and LEAVE IT ON!
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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.
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

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
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

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

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

is what could safely be termed a genre movie, set in one of those bars (probably in Texas) where the band plays behinds a chain-link backstop because of all the flying bottles and the general culture is one of drunken head-bashing. Swayze, as the new boss, training the bouncers in the new regime: "Be nice. Until it's time to not be nice."
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

and there I was thinking the Roadhouse thing had something to do with Dirty Dancing, the authority figure, the 'repressed' youths brought up in strict up-bringings... finally getting to cut loose. man, was I way off base. next time I'm in the world, I'll look for that Swayze film in the 'straight to video' video shop. ( -; though I do dig that line, 'be nice until it's time to not be nice' peace.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

in context, it works. I have severely mixed feelings about Dirty Dancing. Keep in mind I haven't seen either movie for like 20 years, so filter accordingly.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Well said marye. July 12 post. Again showing a very well thought out perspective. A welcome change on issue's these days. Well worth reading,maybe bookmarking. Proud you are the mod :) peace and love,pk
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

... if every group offended by a certain previous correspondent got their own forum, poor Marye would be busy for month setting them up! And even if they did there's nothing stopping mean people posting there too. I would venture to suggest that there has been quite a lot of peer moderation here, but not necessarily in the form of telling people how they should behave. As I see it, the site is pretty tolerant of anyone having a bit of a rant and pushing the limits from time to time so long as they don't go on and on; by and large we have managed to calm down by ourselves ;-). Now and then people have been gently asked to take it easy and more often than not have apologised. A common response to emerging nastiness and fights has been to flood the forum with humour and weirdness, which has often done the trick. Only occasionally has Marye had to intervene and then in a way that has been polite, firm and whenever possible constructive. I'd say we were doing quite well really.
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

Let's give ourselves collective pat on the back :) Thanks for all of your patience & coolness Marye ~ PEACE
user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Blessed to see there are others out there. May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Jesus Loves You The Best! greateststoryevertold.org
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

also, nice tie-dye.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Yes, welcome gset-ben! And also yes,Marye you are way cool ( and indelibly patient) .Thanks for your efforts here. They are greatly appreciated. peace,pk
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Good to see you gset-ben. Nice website. Had time to check out the gospel of the grateful dead,nice. Will have to go back for more.
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

I'm not particularily religious but I do love to learn, think and philosophize. It could be a safe area for everyone to be vocal about their beliefs and a great tool for folks like me who just want to know more. I believe there are practices from each religion that we can all learn from and appreciate in order to better understand ourselves and others just a 'lil better! Hugs, ~littlebri
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

hey now! greetings folks, just want to pop in and say hey now! I took a quick peek at this website, and will look at it in more detail in a few days when I will have about 5 hours to kill in an airport in a far away land... I am not a religious person, but from what I saw here, it looks pretty cool regardless of what someone believes or not. it certainly contains plenty of 'grateful' philosophy that I try to live my life by. thanks for sharing, Ben. greateststoryevertold.org if anyone knows of a similar site that combines Buddhism or Islam or Judaism or Hinduism or whatever with 'grateful' philosophy, please post it up, too. love and peace, cc
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

I believe God wants your faith to come from your heart, not your head.
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

my question is what is faith and where does it really come from? there are two main definitions. the first is that it is our trust and confidence in something, and the second is that faith is the belief in god or the teachings of a religion. so does faith come from our hearts (trust) or is it in our head (teachings). anyone that has the will to believe really has to look inside of themselves and determine first what faith is to them, and there they will find the answer. In the end, any decisions you make come from your values and virtues not your faith. I believe that this life is part of a series of lives and we ultimitely have to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror at the end of the day and determine what it is that we cherish, what we value and what we can vision. To do this, is a combination of both trust in something (ourselves, religion) and our teachings. ~littlebri
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Very nice observation littlebri, for me faith is a grounding force that comes from those things which speak true to my heart and help me keep on keepin on.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

I have also spent "a lot" of time in the wilderness and have seen things in the sky a few times that I know were "not of this world". I have no doubt that humans are not the "sharpest tools in the shed". There is only one "Book" I know of that has given me a reasonable explanation of what these things might be. Boy, I'll bet everyone thinks I'm nuts now! Bless you all.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

the thing about faith, be it God, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu or whoever or whatever you believe in and have faith in... my faith in God is not nearly as important as God's faith in me, in my humble opinion. love and peace
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

faith in yourself is probably the most important kind of faith. it has the ability to make the most significant difference in your life, sometimes you just have to trust yourself. essentially, if someone has the power to believe, then that person also has faith. i think it's safe to say that we all put our faith in the Grateful Dead and can come by that honestly. in a way, it's kinda like putting faith in yourself. the music and lyrics all have a significant meaning to each individual that believes in the dead. i wouldn't call myself a very religious person, but i do listen and learn religiously, a lot of times through music. love and hugs to all ~littlebri
user picture

Member for

17 years 2 months
Permalink

a good friend of mine always said, "Sunday night witht the Grateful Dead is a religious experience".........we had alot of fun........Gypsy Cowgirl
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

i know the fact that the GD have used many religious in lyrics in their songs but i also believe that this was not a kind of missionary thing.believe it if you need it,if you dont just pass it on....well i made the mistake of takin a look at "greateststoryevertold.org"man i have to say that i am not too happy about the fact that i cannot get this page out from my screen anymore,and i also wonder who gave you the right to use SYF with across instead of the bolt.i do not like missionaries because they have been the reason of indigenous people being wiped out,were forbidden to talk their language(because it came from satan),and i would be happy to get this page out of my comp. again.i am sure you can help me.............................
user picture

Member for

17 years 2 months
Permalink

Hey Frankly-I totally agree with you on the missionary thing-it was the reason indigenous people were wiped out & still are oppressed. Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is the poorest place in the USA.........don't know what else about the "greateststoryevertold.org" but I'll be sure & not go there-think I saw his writings on here somewhere........thanks for the tip!Gypsy Cowgirl
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

In my travels I have met, worked with and heard about missionaries and transparently Christian organisations who work hard to help poor people and to defend the rights and traditions of indigenous groups without trying to persuade or induce people to convert. The approach appears to be to do good works because that is a Christian thing to do. Of course folks who want to convert are welcomed but that does not seem to be the agenda of those involved. These are good people. In contrast to these worthy groups and individuals are the hordes of evangelical missionaries sweeping though Asia with their fierce conviction, intense zeal and stunning ignorance and insensitivity. Their methods are not quite those of the conquistadors but not far off. Much of what they do is in my view not only unethical, it is also against the interests of the people concerned. These missionaries are so convinced they are right they do not take the trouble to learn or understand what people need or want, they wade in with their cash and their crosses and do far more harm than good. Hundreds of years ago missionaries burnt almost all the written records of the Mayan people and today they continue to desecrate cultures more ancient than theirs and far more complex and sophisticated than they know or can be bothered to find out. But as I said, they are not all like that..... in the end being a righteous person is not about what we believe but how we behave. that's my missionary position anyway ;-)
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

i do agree with you.there are people who want to help and there are people who want to conquer.so i get a catch on your sentence about desecrating cultures.i know that the cultural movement that is represented by the Grateful Dead is young,but i also know that it is for sure incredibly complex and sophisticated,as it leaves to anybody the possibility to interpret freely the lyrics and to place them on whatever place in each persons spiritual context.the greatest thing is that the SYF is something like a secret symbol that shows that you are part of a BIG community which does not judge you about your believes,philosophies of life etc.but includes you because we are jerrys kids.seeing this symbol with the cross,shows me clearly that these group sees itself as something special..which gives me the idea that they might be part of the second kind of missionaries.peace:-)(-:Frankly
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I understand your point and tend to share your view of missionaries, but, c'mon. Given the cheerful abandon with which the stealie has been adapted for personal artwork of all stripes, and some of it even becoming part of the official offerings (e.g. Space Your Face), I'm not exactly surprised if Deadhead Christians fuse their two most important symbols. I'm sure, for example, I've seen Star of David stealies over the years. (Disclaimer: I do not speak for Grateful Dead Productions here...) And let him who has never dragged a reluctant friend or family member to a Dead show cast the first stone, re missionary zeal. The whole One True Path thing is a big trouble vector, whoever's preaching it.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

"the greatest story ever told" was used as a Bible/Jesus term long, long before the song Hunter insists is actually called "Moses" was written, and indeed that's part of the song's resonance.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

for example the line "ashes ,ashes all fall down"is a recitation of the revelation of st.john also known as the apocalypse...and i am aware of the tons of recitations of this kind appearing in the lyrics.but thats what i am trying to say,everybody is free to place this words in his/her model of believe.the side i saw appeared to me like fishing for new customers..thats only my opinion and i think i have the freedom to share it on this site.likewise everybody else has the freedom to agree with me or not.thats all!!!:-)(-:Peace anyway..Frankly
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.