“The only thing that truly defines Friends as a distinct group and not just a bunch of Unitarians or Christians or a secular social club is that all True Quakers are committed to the process of gettin’ naked as a step in the longer path of being clothed in righteousness, which means a return to right order, or the Gospel Order, or the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Garden or Eden, or total Liberation, or WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.” Maggie Harrison…

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(Note: this blog posting was originally written for the integrallife.com site, which is focused on what is known as "integral life practice" a synthesis of Eastern and Western mystical traditions. I am something of an outlier there as I am here, being a nontheist in the midst of theists. However, the threads there drew me into reflection on the story of Jesus and what…

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Everyday a new horror arises to haunt one’s soul. Death, suffering, and powerlessness challenge even the strongest hearts. The struggle to hold on to hope, courage, and life itself must be won anew against each shocking sorrow.



It is no wonder that many turn from facing the depths of the abyss. Seeking for some relief from constant sadness, a once-sensitive person retreats into private pleasures. It is so tempting to let the truth drift away over the far-off horizon.



A… Continue

A basic assumption of a pacifist radical philosophy is that violence and warfare are not limited to the actions of established militaries and their enemies. Violence…

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It's not a secret that I am an ex-Christian liberal Quaker. I didn't leave the faith as a wounded soul with a grudge against every believer, though I acknowledge that there are many out there with that sort of experience. I was raised in a very dysfunctional Pentecostal family and escaped from that drama in my early 20s to a Mennonite intentional community for 10 years. Continue