Spiritual Socialist Institute

[Naturyl]

Just created:

https://sites.google.com/site/spiritualsocialistinstitute/

If you are interested in exploring the common ground between spirituality and leftist-socialist thought, please have a look and consider getting involved. The purpose of the organization is to unite spiritually-oriented leftists and help build a more compassionate social democratic society. It is not a political party. Progressive Democrats are welcome. Compassionate atheists and agnostics are also welcome. No religious creed or doctrine is required.

If you have a question or comment, please post it here and I will respond.

If you would like to be a member, please follow the instructions on the "membership" page.

If you would like to be listed as a supporter, please provide the name you would like to use (real name or screen name) and a very brief blurb describing yourself. You can do this here, through a PM, or e-mail.

If you would like to get involved as a director, PM me and include any qualifications you think are relevant.

Thanks for your attention.

[Desertrose]

1. Sounds interesting ,Naturyl

Good luck here though.....thanks for posting!
:)

[Naturyl]

2. Love your avatar

M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, no?

Astrophotography is awesome.

[Desertrose]

3. Thanks...I think so.

I've had it so long I kinda forget....yeah, astro photography is a real trip.;)

Love my spirals. :)

Your site looks very interesting...agree with most of it.

[Kind of Blue]

4. Thank you. Bookmarking to read later.

KnR

[Blue_Tires]

5. kick

[StandingInLeftField]

6. Very interesting site and thoughtful manifesto.

How do you see the movement progressing?

[Naturyl]

7. It all depends whether people decide to get involved.

At the very least, it will be one more small current moving in the right direction.

Maybe more.

[bobbolink]

8. I've always loved the Dom Helder Camara quotation!

Here's another for you...

Going to the Margins of the Church

Those who are marginal in the world are central in the Church, and that is how it is supposed to be! Thus we are called as members of the Church to keep going to the margins of our society. The homeless, the starving, parentless children, people with AIDS, our emotionally disturbed brothers and sisters - they require our first attention.

We can trust that when we reach out with all our energy to the margins of our society we will discover that petty disagreements, fruitless debates, and paralysing rivalries will recede and gradually vanish. The Church will always be renewed when our attention shifts from ourselves to those who need our care. The blessing of Jesus always comes to us through the poor. The most remarkable experience of those who work with the poor is that, in the end, the poor give more than they receive. They give food to us.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

[Naturyl]

9. Wonderful. That's what's missing from Americanized Christianity.

The social gospel is the real gospel.

The "prosperity gospel" is America's latest self-serving fling with false prophets.

[bobbolink]

10. "Personal piety" moved in first, making the way clear for "Prosperity gospel"

If you want a scary read, try Barbara Ehrenreich's (my favorite author!) "Bright-Sided".

Her rundown of Calvinism morphing into postive thinking and then into the fundies is very clear, and rather scary.

[Naturyl]

11. I'll have to try to get a hold of that.

How Calvinism, with its predestined damnation for the great majority of the human race, manged to morph into the current "positive thinking" fixation would definitely be a fascinating read.

[OneGrassRoot]

12. Very interesting...and another great quote:

"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality." ~ Dom Hélder Câmara

Thanks for posting. I'll check it out now! :)

:hi:

[felix_numinous]

13. K+R