I often act like what author Parker Palmer might call a "functional atheist," I wrote in my October newsletter. (My measure of love for a book is reading it again and again, and Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak feels new each time because I am different.) Humans have many names for God, including a nameless but benevolent force at work in the Universe. Spiritual paths such as Buddhism, with its concept of non-doing, recognize a larger-than-us Doer. For me, God is more than a force of … [Read more...] about ‘Functional Atheism’ at Work
Hinduism
Google My Business for Churches, Synagogues, Temples and Mosques
You can get prominent, powerful, free publicity for your faith-based organization through a Google My Business listing, also known as a Business Profile. I call this public relations communication "SERP-PR." (SERPs are Search Engine Result Pages.) When you read about Google My Business, substitute "my church," synagogue, temple or mosque, for "my business." Remember when search results were just a list of links and brief descriptions? Now you may see maps, short lists of local businesses that … [Read more...] about Google My Business for Churches, Synagogues, Temples and Mosques
Silence on Holy Saturday
I sat cross-legged on a basement floor one evening each week for three years in a class on the Upanishads, a holy text from India. As the only non-Hindu student, I was a resource for questions about related Bible verses and Christianity. The latter topic was the most challenging. Most of my youth was spent in either Southern Baptist or Independent congregations. When venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd include the disclaimer that Christianity diversifies some of its dogma across roughly … [Read more...] about Silence on Holy Saturday