Grateful Dead

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that's really lovely.

This has been a very insightful thread. A thank you to all involved. peace,pk

peakin, you still with us?

Tiger Lily Great post as is everyones Peakins response was a response and maybe an attempt to understand more about his own beliefs. To me religion is man made and encompasses the structure and administration of philosophies. It always and always without fail, brokers a power sharing agreement with gov't officials and security forces. This is a symbiotic relationship-one cannot stay in power without the other. Spirituality is the essence of our souls relationship with the world, both physical and metaphysical. It is the bond we feel with one another, an animal a plant whatever.. Let me give you an example. Two summers ago I was hiking in the Grand Tetons with my son David. It was early June snow still on the ground (yeah! we are from Miami) and few people in the park. We were making our way around Jenny Lake and were walking in a deep forest area on the western side of the lake. My son and I are experienced hikers and back pack quite a lot. We also practice "walking meditations" where we try to be as silent as possible while keeping our minds free of any outside thoughts. Living the Now we call it. I felt we were being watched intently however not in a harmful way. I signaled David to pause and we began to slowly lower our selves to the ground. There ahead of us almost directly on the trail was a mother mule deer and a very very young new born. Probably born during the night. The mother stared at us -Her love of her baby and the desire to protect was a force I could actually feel. I as all parents know that emotion. I whispered a slow greeting to the Mama to let her know we meant no harm and slowly backed off about 100 feet. We moved around her while she kept an eye on us. It was a wonderful spiritual moment. I have felt the same feeling in cathedrals, concerts, natural settings, beds and even automobiles while driving. Human beings are connected to the universe through our souls. I hope they are eternal. And the road goes on forever.... BobbaLee

Interesting thread indeed, but I can’t help but feel a little sorry for peakin here. The ‘yawn’ comment may have been a little intemperate, but really we’ve seen a lot worse here and I for one am curious as to why he used that word (was it ‘intolerance’ or something else perhaps?). It's also interesting how one slightly pointed remark has provoked such a rush of creative and fascinating posts. Maybe a bit of edginess can be a positive thing sometimes? Anyway, I think it would be a shame if peakin has now been driven away. I don't share his faith and often disagree with what he says, but imo he has been a fair minded correspondent here. Just because he is an open Christian does not mean he that has to be a paragon of virtue or that his actions should be judged as representative of his faith. If I have any 'faith' it is as an environmentalist and I sure get weary of being expected to act like a green saint the whole time! It's even harder now that I have discovered just how much fun snowmobiling can be. Oops

Walkup Wear!!! Thank goodness for freedom of thought and expression!!!********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens

a dear old friend of mine, who is now departed to the great beyond always said "Sunday night with the Grateful Dead is a religious experience" At least @ Winterland back in the '70's it seemed like it to all of us on the catering crew........as for me, I fought going to Sunday school with mom when I was a kid-just didn't want to go-it all seemed like brain washing & I must've wanted a free mind even as a child- I do think there's a force or a God of some sorts, but it sure seems like everyone should be able to decide for them selves & not have religion shoved down your throat-any religion-It all seems about $, control of the people & power---but that's my own thoughts on it.......Gypsy Cowgirlps-dad had religion shoved on him & he didn't want that for me-so that was cool

It takes courage to lay open our deep beliefs and share with others, we all grow together when we can openly talk about the great mysteries. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

Thanks for sharing that with us tigerlilly it was a good thing to read right before bed. You were deffinitly lucky to have such a wonderfull dad. Peace and Love to you all, Trevor "You know the one thing we need is a left handed monkey wrench....."

When I was a little girl, my Dad was a Baptist minister. But he gave it up when I was about 10, to become a psychiatric social worker. He said that he prefered to work WITH people rather than preachin' AT em from a high pulpit. Always thought that was ultra cool, and feel blessed that was allowed to have such an open-minded upbringing about religion. I remember my dad telling me that based on his studies in seminary, he believed that the Bible was a collection of stories to make a point. To teach us how to live peacefully amongst others. For example he told me that he thinks that is quite likely that Jesus was born in the spring, from all of the references to lambs and baby animals, and that early Christians celebrated Jesus' birth when they did, to coincide with a Roman Festival (solstice I think, but sadly don't remember exactly) to avoid persecution. My Dad was also sending young men to a pastor friend of his in Canada, who did not want to go fight in Viet Nam. This made for my first fistfight actually-a kid in school was calling my dad a "communist". Had no idea at the time what a communist was, just knew sounded like an insult to my Daddy. So I pounded the guy. Then when I got sent home, and Dad was talking to me about what had happened-he said that the next time that someone called him a communist, I could answer that Jesus lived a communal lifestyle, and so we considered that word no insult. We visited all sorts of other churches, and learned in Sunday school in my dad's church about other religious beliefs. End result of all of this openness, is that am relatively unconflicted about religion. Was allowed to say that I am not sure whether I believe in God, in the Christian sense of the word, but that I believed that God was a term to lable forces and a spirituality that don't understand, nor necessarily need to. Same feeling for western organized religions in general. I am eternally grateful to my Dad that I grew up learning tolerance, and being allowed and encouraged to discuss what I thought and felt. Think that is what religion is all about. Can admit am conflicted about God, and such complicated terms and structure that most religions bring, but have a deep belief in faith and spirituality. Has given me a freedom to find spirituality in nature, or when dancing at a show, or .... And while I personally find most religions to be too "confining" for lack of a better word-have a hefty respect and appreciation for how important faith is to many others. In a way I sometimes wish I had this deep belief, to help with the harshness that life can bring. Personal Faith is a powerful thing, and should never be criticized. Oy-was trying to keep a very long flow in my head brief here, and is first thing in the morning. Hope is at least a little bit understandable what am trying to say! :-) ********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens