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msnbc : Life-after-death debate rises again - Researcher catalogs memories registered during ‘brain death’Very interesting article about Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) by MSNBC. Frankly, I'm surprised that it was published there and not on a more right-leaning online publication. This is the very thing I've been hoping to see in the near future...researchers seriously examining the phenomenon of remembering events after one's death and later resuscitation that millions upon millions have experienced from ancient times to now.
But it stands to reason when you think about it. If the body is, as scientists say, a mere collection of atoms bound together by electrical forces, then what's to say that the spirit or sould isn't some kind of subset energy, like photons bound together by forces unknown to us at this time? Many forms of scripture from many religions around the world describe the spirit in terms of "light", both metaphorically and literally.
I especially like the analogy of the TV set and that it is simply the medium through which the TV signal, which is just photons broadcast through space, is made manifest. Our bodies are simply a physical manifestation of our spiritual selves.
posted by Robert Watson 6/29/2001 10:34:42 AM
wired : ACLU to Defend Pedophile GroupI'm sorry, but this one really gets my hackles up.
I have a few comments I'd like the ACLU to consider when
defending the "rights" of known (not alleged) criminal
pedophiles."For us, it is a fundamental First Amendment case," John
Roberts, executive director of the Massachusetts branch of the
ACLU, told Boston Globe Wednesday. "It has to do with
communications on a website, and material that does not promote
any kind of criminal behavior whatsoever."WHAT??? You've got to be kidding me. Sodomizing and killing a
child IS criminal behavior. Has everybody at the ACLU
completely lost every fragment of common sense remaining? Or
have they locked themselves in their ivory towers and completely
forgotten the reasons for their existence...to protect those who
can't protect themselves? Let's all remind them that CHILDREN
CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM PEDOPHILES.This is a perfect example of defending "loose talk" rather
than "free speech". In the former, there is nothing worth
saying because the expressions involved serve only to degrade,
mutilate, and destroy the ideal human condition. The latter
elevates human beings and encourages them toward actions that
benefit each other and make the world a better place to live
for everyone.Don't get me wrong. The ACLU did wonderful things for my mother when her job was in jeopardy because of her employer's reluctance to accomodate her disability. For that, I thank them graciously.
But in this, I believe that the ACLU has clearly crossed over the boundaries of common sense.
Also stated in the article: "The ACLU also will act as a
surrogate for NAMBLA, allowing its members to defend themselves
in court while remaining anonymous."Why should these individuals be able to remain anonymous in
their defense when the children who they have murdered cannot
defend themselves at all?When the ACLU lawyers defend the rights and speech of pedophile animals who murder little children for sexual pleasure, they're putting the blood of those children on their own hands. Any "idealism" they
had in mind while doing it is null and void. They have become
as depraved and murderous as the criminals who committed the
acts. In fact, they have become an accomplice to those acts and
any future acts that occur.There is no excuse for the ACLU's stand on this matter. Sometimes
wrong is just wrong.
posted by Robert Watson 8/31/2000 11:05:42 AM
wired news : Bible to Descend From NetI'll be interested to see if they can pull this one off in 15 years and still find a viable market on the Internet for it. Fifteen years is certainly a long time by Internet standards. Who knows but that some genius somewhere will discover a way to peer into the past and see the events as they actually occurred? (See "The Redemption of Christopher Columbus" by Orson Scott Card). But, if they do it, I'd definitely be interested to see some of it, though I don't know that I'd be particularly eager to fork over that kind of dough for something I can read for free.
I also find it somewhat ominous that they're still not sure which version of the Bible to use so that it will be the most "authoritative". The word on the street from most evangelical soapboxes is that all versions of the Bible are authoritative and that God has placed them in their various forms to challenge us to find His truth. Well, I don't know that I believe that either. But it sure will be interesting to see the holy wars that come out of this as to who's copyright is God's copyright.
posted by Robert Watson 8/14/2000 10:04:34 AM
TheStandard.com: Gateway to High-Tech Heaven?Being from Utah, of course I found this article to be of high interest. Having worked for The Leavitt Group's Internet startup InsureWorld.com at its headquarters in Cedar City, I had the opportunity to get to know his family and how they think about business, technology, and about spirituality's role in everyday life. They integrated their core spiritual beliefs with the way they conducted business on every level, as far as I was able to tell.
The cultural divide between Silicon Valley lifestyles and those of Utah "Mormons" was represented somewhat fairly in this article. A classic example of how Valley-ite's perceptions of us can be turned around is Rob Simmon's quote: "Actually, I think the Valley should look to Utah as more of a model for how to balance work and family. The reason I missed your call last night was that I was at my son's baseball game, which is something that most Silicon Valley executives would probably miss. Look, the entrepreneurial spirit is about working hard and being aggressive, but it's not about neglecting your family," he says.
I think that instead of Silicon Valley looking at how they can change LDS culture to fit their needs, they should be looking at how integrating LDS culture into their businesses can maximize their long-term returns and minimize employee turnover.
posted by Robert Watson 8/8/2000 12:55:23 PM
msnbc : Is music part of our genetic past?Wow. I really like this article. It's something I have wondered about myself whenever I hear Gaelic music or songs from Denmark (both are very prominent origins in my family tree). I appreciate all types of music (though I like some more than others), but whenever I hear a Gaelic or Danish tune, something happens inside that I can't quite explain. It's almost like a cold chill when you think of home after being away for a long time and not having thought of home that whole time. At the risk of sounding corny, I would even describe it as a "longing".
Could this be? Could we all be programmed genetically to have an affinity towards music that played a prominent role in our ancestor's lives? From a spiritual Christian perspective, this is particularly appealing to me because it tells me that God thought of everything when He created us.
In my belief system, positive, uplifting music is one of the many ways to communicate with God. If we won't write letters home by getting on our knees to talk to Him, at least He built a "check-in" mechanism into our bodies so that we could keep in touch...even if we don't realize it ourselves.
posted by Robert Watson 8/1/2000 02:14:27 PM
wired news : The Agony of EcstasyEcstasy is popular among the tech crowds (as well as other demographic groups, mostly upper-class youth between 18 and 25). That's why I'm including this article in Spirituality and Technology.
I find it interesting that despite all of the information available to youth on a daily basis, we're still falling behind on the war against substance abuse. It doesn't help that Internet culture tells young people that since anything goes, it's okay to use Ecstasy. I imagine in the coming months after this study we'll see a hailstorm of sites dedicated to 'debunking' this study and fighting for the 'rights' of people to burn up their brains and kill themselves.
Many of us think this will 'go away' or that the government will swoop in to 'save us' from these plagues on humanity. I'm not as optimistic on that count, but I am on others. I think it will take a determined effort on the part of local legislation (local ordinances cracking down on raves, for instance), individual interest groups such as Families Against Drugs, D.A.R.E., and any new groups people can think of.
posted by Robert Watson 7/26/2000 10:53:29 AM
wired news : More 'Miracles' for E-AuthorsThis is a good example of how technology can help spirituality grow. I would especially encourage that you read this sample story from the e-Book "HeavenlyMiracles.com" that was mentioned in the article. Quite startling and a lot easier to believe than the e-mails that get forwarded to me from unknown sources.
posted by Robert Watson 7/25/2000 12:06:49 PM
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