ORDINARY LIFE - Thoughts and Ideas to Help You Live a Happier Life
* * *
Summary for November 3, 2019
* * *
Dear Folks -
We had a very large group attend the viewing of the first part of the film “American Heretics.” I would say it was enthusiastically received. It certainly is well done. Several people have asked how they might be able to view it if they were unable to attend the viewing. All I can say now is that we are working on that. This film is still in distribution and has not yet been released through any streaming service such as Netflix or Amazon. We rented the film as a non-profit group and agreed to show it as an educational service. I think that the session was live-streamed this Sunday. I will try to make sure the subsequent sessions are as well. They will be at 11 a.m. on the next three consecutive Sundays.
In Ordinary Life this week I did more on trying to show how "cosmological dualism" and "individual salvation" are concepts that actually impede our growth as people who can be set free to love and care for all who are and all that is. To put these two things aside can be very disturbing for some people. My contention is that in spiritual work it is good to be disturbed. In the text of the talk you can read the piece I wrote years ago on the importance of being disturbed.
There is a new story that is emerging that is telling us that once all places were one place and all things were one thing. Further, this new story says that this entanglement is still true - ongoing, but true. Our cultural addiction to the notion of a “separate self” keeps us from entering into this story. Further, it causes us to see the world as a hostile place. In terms of the Christian religion the question I want to raise and explore as we go forward is, “What would it mean if Jesus were a model for being rather than an object for belief?”
Near the end of this talk I introduce the statement issued by a group of prominent religious leaders. It is titled “Reclaiming Jesus.” In the Summary on the Ordinary Life website is a link to this document. I called the talk -
A More Beautiful Love Story
That is a very brief summary of the talk I offered this week in Ordinary Life. As is often the case, I think the audio version is better than the text from which I spoke.
You can read or download the text from which I spoke, view the presentation slides, listen to the audio of the talk and/or watch the video of the talk using the links below.
If you are reading this, I want you to know how grateful I am for and to you.
Be well and much love,
Bill Kerley
In order to read or download the text of the talk, click here.
In order to listen to or download the presentation slides, click here.
In order to read or download the document “Reclaiming Jesus,” click here.
In order to listen to or download the audio version of the talk, use the link below.
To watch the video of the talk, use the player below.