Relational Spirituality

In a former life, or at least an earlier part of my current life, I was what the Germans refer to as a literary scientist.  We would dissect literature, and find all sorts of things inside that made the stories take on deeper and deeper meaning that the majority of humans look at and simply think that we’re crazy.

Sparks and Fire

Last night I was reading in second Nephi 7, which mirrors Isaiah 50, and I came across a verse that seemed to hit me in a couple of ways.

Surprise, Surprise

As it turns out, my worst fear was not realized.  In fact, courage led to things getting easier, rather than harder.  Was it difficult, sure, but as the initial reactions faded, life started to take less energy, and I was able to move on.

If that all seems vague, it is.  Allow me to explain.

Labels – Rationalization of terms

People have been asking about meaning as long as we have had any records. We wonder if the apple (never actually mentioned in scripture as an apple) in the garden of Eden was sexual sin (no real doctrinal basis for this one in the bible), if it was the acquisition of godly knowledge (more likely, though not entirely doctrinally sound, since it was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil), whether it was an actual tree or if it was simply an allegorical symbol.

Aufklärung vs. Addiction

Kant speaks of das Unvermögen sich seines Verstandes ohne des Leiten eines anderen zu bedienen. What if the other he references is not always another person?  We often think of those who serve as Vormünder as being those authority figures who demand blind obedience, sacrificing the rational thought that is the hallmark of Kantian enlightenment.  Kant speaks of Priests who serve as our conscience, Doctors who prescribe out diets, Professors who tell us how to write and what we should think about certain things. (OK, I added that last one, but it does fit.)