Th-eism, Ath-eism, Trans-eism

 I guess you could call it a rant of sorts. Definitely fits that description. It's also my intake on the atheism/theism debate that's going on in our culture right now, and a heartfelt attempt to dig little integral bits from the ideological wreckage that's going on between both sides. I wrote this after watching a debate between Hitchens and D'Souza. No matter how this fight will turn out, I think we need a call for integralists to start offering, if only subtly, a 'third' way of sorts.Posing a question to everyone: Should I attempt to host a 'debate' at my university, in which an integral "side" (hehe) would also be represented? What do you think?

Q: The Universe is too perfect, too intricately constructed to simply just "appear" out of nowhere. Where do you, a non-believer, think it came from?

A: Why are you so sure that the absence my reason is the presence of yours? Are you sure that your interpretation is correct? Couldn't it be man's attempt to interpret the apparent void we came from? The mythic god in the bible is no different than the mythic deities of Ancient greece, in that they were both imagined to explain spiritual experiences and the world.  Emerging from a patriarchal civilization and thus bearing such royal names such as "King of Kings," "Lord of Lords," with such honorary titles and reverence are common in Judeo-Christian culture. This made monarchal society reflected in their own view of the universe, kingly, divine and monotheistic. Is it any wonder that a culture ruled by a single, dominant male figure who is the king of all the realm, divinely appointed, would create a religion which also has a monarchy on top? This is not some ultimate truth, but a reflection of monarchal worldview. Other cultures of the east, north, south, shamanic, oriental - have dramatically different worldviews and their religious beliefs were effected in a dramatically different way.

If we must pose the question: What did all this come from, then? If not from God?

I would ask to first define which interpretation of God you have?

A monotheistic, biblical deity?
A non-dual, "Big-Mind?"
"Suchness?"
"Noumenon?"
"Witness?"
"Great Spirit?"
"Brahman?"
"Void?"

What interpretation, what level? What depth? To answer you directly,

I denounce the reality of the mythical, Biblical God
I reject the atheist vs. theist war of ideologies
I embrace the possibility of spirituality, but only question the interpretation of it by religious groups.

We attempt to understand the divine, but we interpret it depending on our own background and conditioning. Can we appreciate this? Can we sort through, beyond the boundaries of conditioning, to touch the divine without claiming it for our culture? 

The Presidential Debates - A Review

Hey everyone. Just finished watching the Republican and Democratic Debates in New Hampshire. The actual numbers aside, I'd like to just take a few minutes to review and summarize the general mentality of each party, what was said, what was not said, and who was left out. 

The Democratic Debate

To bring this up because it needs mentioning: Dennis Kucinich was excluded from this debate by ABC, raising a great deal of controversy and an official file of complaint by Kucinich. He argues that such an act is unfair, and not in the best interest of the people. I'm going to have to agree with him here - It's not surprise that ABC, like any other major news corporation acts with a bias and utilizes its power to hold sway on how an election, or for the moment this race, will turn out. It's a shame that Kucinich was excluded, as he missed valuable airtime and the chance to discuss his values with the American public. He has proven to be more than a worthy candidate in the previous debates. I guess we'll see how this ends up - but for now here is a video by Kucinich's news site concerning the ABC exclusion.

Moving along, and taking a look at the actual debate.... There were quite alot of accusations. Obama accused Hillary, Hillary accused Obama. Edwards made a call for a crusade against interest groups. They were kept in the spotlight for the majority of the debate. Issues centered around healthcare, terrorism and more worldcentric policies. This, generally speaking, is good. Unfortunately it seems alot of the debate was kept on trivial differences - each candidate attempting to one-up the other in, "I'm more progressive than you are." This is a major turn off to me, and perhaps my sharpest criticism. We want individuals who will can lay specific plans on the table without constant bickering with other candidates - an individual who can make his or her own stand without needing to attack others in desperation. Unfortunately, it seems one of the few who were able to do this - Kucinich, was excluded. There's more to my rant on Kucinich's exclusion, but I think that one deserves another blog. My apologies to the readers if they've heard enough. Please, feel free to skip that future blog.

Republican Debate

There is a stark contrast between this debate and the Democratic one. First off, I don't see the appeal in any of the candidates - except Ron Paul. A majority of the candidates agreed on some central issues: That Bush had the right idea, but didn't execute it completely correctly. They believe that the primary issues are security, border control and nostalgic principles of honor, duty, military background and loyalty. Candidates like Huckabee also seemed to support a strongly religious undertone.  One of the most shocking statements in this debates was Giuliani's, "We have the best health care system in the world." I nearly choked up a mouthful of chinese food at this point. It seems the majority of the candidates support sentimentality and ideals over realities and facts. If they merely looked at some of the facts, such as this one on digg.com : 10 Myths About Iraq - They might have something more valuable to say. I hope that the American people can see through these general myth-based beliefs and sentimentalities, and realize it takes true courage to embrace the issues of the modern age- and the responsibility to take on new perspectives. 

Republican Debate Part 1

Democratic Debate Part 1

Dennis Kucinich Speaks at Cosm

Dennis Kucinich recently spoke for Alex Grey's birthday at Cosm. For those of who have not heard of Cosm,
It's a neat place localed in NYC, right by Penn Station. What is it, you ask? One of the most innovative and transformative places you'll find in the city. Alex Grey is a world famous artist, producing inspirational and original forms of art that depict both man and spirit, organic and divine nature as one. He has done album artwork for bands such as Nirvana and Tool.

That being said, it's remarkable that a presidential candidate not only acknowledges him, but is also friendly enough to speak on his behalf at Cosm. Kucinich is often the odd one out in the democratic candidates. You may recognize him due to the "controversy," risen out of him confirming to have seen a UFO. He joked about this during his speech, saying something like,

You know, he could have asked me anything else. Any important issue. Global warming? Terrorism? The crumbling US economy? The threat of our constitution being destroyed - but no. What did he ask? 'DID YOU SEE A UFO?'

The audience broke out in laughter. Indeed, what's more bizarre? The one who directs the questions, or the one who answers them? He answered yes, and you can see it here:



At any rate. As unimportant a question it was, it just goes to show the immature mentality of the media, quietly and subtly pushing out all that is questionable, alternative and thought provoking. Dennis continued by saying, "I question intelligent life in the White House."
Amen.

Alex Grey sat quietly and modestly to the side, listening in attentively for the speech. His artwork was set up all around, making the room resonate with a vibrant energy, hopefully elevating and inspiring everyone there to listen and connect.

Kucinich is one of the few folks who are not afraid to be different, not afraid to have their own path, and are quite open, willing and able to communicate with others authentically. Check out his site.

He's a vegan. He's seen a UFO. He has a plan for universal health care. The list goes on, and I encourage anybody interested to inform themselves. Especially for a candidate who barely gets the limelight, as it is blatantly wasted on celebrity candidates (Clinton and Obama) mudslinging each other into the primaries.

What are we looking for in a president? As a leader of a nation? Integrally speaking, don't we seek an individual who can talk to the varying levels and lines, states and traits that make up a nation? A president who is at least thinking at a worldcentric level. Someone who will not shine for himself in the spotlight, but serve as a beacon for transforming consciousness. During the speech, Kucinich often spoke of unity - not just theoretically, but literally - that we are all one. Art, he believed, was one medium to express this truth, and nations could not be transformed through war and fear, but communication and peace. Indeed, his campaign slogan is, "Strength through Peace."

I'll end with a little video on Alex Grey's art: