deilogos

James Ray Death Lodge? In the wake of two deaths and dozens of hospitalizations at an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony, should intense, physically demanding religious ceremonies be regulated more strictly?

“The Supreme Love and Revolutionary Funk of Dr. Cornel West, Philosopher of the Blues.” Jeff Sharlet over at Killing the Buddha attempts to unravel the enigma that is Dr. Cornel West, who’s been called “perhaps the preeminent black intellectual of our generation.”

“Our real journey is interior.” Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and author of “The Seven Storey Mountain”, was a pretty cool dude.

Found the article, Exorcist to Star in Reality Show, and am intrigued. It airs in one hour segments this Thursday (10/30) from 6-10p (central) on the Sci Fi channel. May need to sit down and watch a bit. Demon possession is one of those controversial subjects: some nod and some shake their heads. Even respected authors and psychologists nod, so maybe it something to consider seriously. I’m sure the possessed would love to be taken seriously and not just laughed at or tossed in locked (more...)

Never Say Die: Why We Can’t Imagine Death. Scientific American asks why so many of us think our minds continue on after we die. (more…)

Ran across this TED talk, entitled “Jonathan Haidt: the real difference between liberals and conservatives”. If you’ve got 18 minutes, worth a gander. I wonder if the triptych shouldn’t be a circle, if once hell is achieved, order is re-established. Boomers (of the stereotypical kind) can only watch and wince…seems they’re the harbingers of hell, something their children know firsthand…

Vatican Splendors Exhibit is at its final US stop: St Paul. Went there today and encountered the Mandylion of Edessa, which is a holy relic of a shroud of the face of Jesus that purportedly healed the king of Edessa shortly after the resurrection of Christ. The picture doesn’t do it justice, seeing the real thing is rather mind blowing…was for me, anyway. (more…)