Comments for Toast for All

Comment on lyke omfg michael jackson is ded!!!!!111!!oneone! by Wow

Wow — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:21:21 +0000

Like it or not, this is going to be talked about for a long time. Why don’t you go do something about Iran in the mean time.

Comment on The world needs soldiers by Dis Domnu

Dis Domnu — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:47:47 +0000

Not quite. That sort of thing wouldn’t be very well tolerated in the United States, but remaining passive isn’t good either. I know plenty of people who think that all that needs to happen is a few more government regulations. I know people who are perfectly prepared to repair damage, but not prepared to go out and stop it.

In the case of Western culture, including America and Europe, soldiers have the ability to use words to greater effect than bombs and bullets.

Comment on The world needs soldiers by Bryson Nitta

Bryson Nitta — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:17:25 +0000

Hmm…what do you mean by “soldiers?”

Are you advocating for militant environmentalism?

Comment on Loyalty, wut by Lake Rhode

Lake Rhode — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:55:42 +0000

I like that you talk about character. We don’t teach our children and youth character education, and it shows in our culture. You are absolutely correct when you point out that loyalty is from within the person, not the labels that society places on them. Well said….

Comment on Trust by Lake Rhode

Lake Rhode — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:08:09 +0000

It takes courage and fortitude to trust something, or someone. I admire your willingness to take the leap. Even if it doesn’t work out between you and the one you love, you will have learned along the way. No person is perfect, so trust with consciousness of that…. and don’t let a disappointment stop you from trusting again. Trust in the good of people, and learn to work with their weaknesses… that’s humanity.

Comment on Five Free Food Sources for College Students by Amber Stone

Amber Stone — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:54:02 +0000

Great list. College students love to get free food wherever they can. Family is the best one for me… nothing like mooching.

Comment on To be a Jew by rabbilawrence

rabbilawrence — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:29:51 +0000

To be a light is to be set apart, day 1 of creation. Continue to do so through your sharing.

Shalom,
Lawrence

Comment on Religion vs. Spirituality by toastforall

toastforall — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:44:22 +0000

Lea, I’ve read your article, and I have to admit that I find it a bit strange. There are certainly valid points to it, you seem to be doing exactly what you argue against, and trying to cast all religion in the same mold. Not all religion discourages meditation, or going outside the box and expanding. Not all religion tries to force someone to conform to a strict set of rules, while ignoring spirituality. I certainly used to feel the same way about religion, but that was before I dove into some of the more “liberal” religions, and started learning about them.

Zacharias, feel free to discuss it here. I don’t mind at all. Mitzvot are Commandments, the plural version of mitzvah. When a Jew talks about fulfilling a mitzvah, or mitzvot, he or she is talking about fulfilling a Commandment. We have group prayers that require a minyan, a group of ten Jewish men, to perform. We also encourage individual prayer, especially outside of Synagogue.

Comment on Religion vs. Spirituality by Zacharias

Zacharias — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:04:00 +0000

@toastforall: No, actually I agree with everything in there! When religion loses its aim, its heart, then it is nothing but a set of laws and prohibitions. Your Mitzvot for example, would be no more than perhaps some altruistic motions without the spirituality behind them (then again, I’m not sure what any of the Mitzvot are really so I could be way off base, but you get my point, right?).

That’s why I think it’s really important for organized religion to have its corporate as well as its personal segments. I go to Divine Liturgy to hear the word of God, to learn the tenets of my faith, and to worship G-d in as a community. But it’s in my personal life, my personal prayer where the spirituality is cultivated. It’s easy enough to join in worship when you’re surrounded by it, but you have to really believe in what you’re doing to pray and worship consistently outside of that communal setting.

@Lea: Let me just say right away that if you’re looking for a Christian church without flaws then you’ll never ever find it. That’s one of the things I think that has given Christians a bad name among some people, we preach about how people are supposed to act, condemn those who act contrary, and then become hypocrites when we ourselves act in a way that goes against the perfected image we’ve created. The fact of the matter is though that while we might have been created perfected, due to our free will we’ve corrupted our nature in such a way that we will never reach that state of perfection in this lifetime again. It is the greatest of Saints, the ones we look up to and admire for their seeming perfection, that will often times describe themselves as the worst of persons.

If you don’t mind me asking, but what tradition have you been looking into? Protestantism? Catholicism? Orthodoxy?

(And out of respect for you, Toastforall, if you’d rather we not carry on this conversation here, just say so!)

Comment on Religion vs. Spirituality by Lea

Lea — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:19:18 +0000

Personally I’ve been unable to find any traditional Christian church who helped me progress in developing my spirituality and I saw humanized flaws in other world religions when living in Asia as well. Instead of dividing people like religions tend to do, spirituality teaches unity among all people regardless of who they are, their beliefs or where they come from. Religions can be of guidance to the unenlightened, but too often its used to control others. I wrote about my experiences and perceptions in “Do You Believe Religions Suffocate Spirituality?” Its at http://www.oceanofperspectives.com/2008/06/24/do-you-believe…e-spirituality/ if you would like to read it.