Rev. Ben Fowler
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Me and Einstein

6/27/2011

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I promise I won't share other people's work often, but I found the following statement by Albert Einstein recently and it is worth sharing. Much of my spiritual effort is expended in trying to create the union between the mysterious and the reasoned, and Einstein's commentary eloquently states much of what I wish I could learn to do... He says:

This I  Believe.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious—the knowledge of the existence of something unfathomable to us, the manifestation of the most profound reason coupled with the most brilliant beauty. I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, or who has a will of the kind we experience in ourselves. I am satisfied with the mystery of life’s eternity and with the awareness of—and glimpse into—the marvelous construction of the existing world together with the steadfast determination to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the reason that manifests itself in nature. This is the basis of cosmic religiosity, and it appears to me that the most important function of art and science is to awaken this feeling among the receptive and keep it alive.

I sense that it is not the state that has intrinsic value in the machinery of humankind, but rather the creative, feeling individual, the personality alone that creates the noble and sublime.

Man’s ethical behavior should be effectively grounded on compassion, nurture and social bonds. What is moral is not of the divine, but rather a purely human matter, albeit the most important of human matters. In the course of history, the ideals pertaining to human beings’ behavior toward each other and pertaining to the preferred organization of their communities have been espoused and taught by enlightened individuals. These ideals and convictions—the results of historical experience, empathy, and the need for beauty and harmony—have usually been willingly recognized by human beings, at least in theory.

The highest principles for our aspirations and judgments are given to us westerners by the Jewish-Christian religious tradition. It is a very high goal: free and responsible development of the individual, so that he may place his powers freely and gladly in the service of all humankind.

The pursuit of recognition for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice, and the quest for personal independence form the tradition themes of the Jewish people of which I am a member.

But if one holds the high principles clearly before ones eyes, and compares them with the life and spirit of our times then it is glaringly apparent that mankind finds itself at present in grave danger. I see the nature of the current crises in the juxtaposition of the individual to society. The individual feel more than ever dependent on society, but he feels this dependence not in the positive sense; cradled, connected as part of an organic whole; he sees it as a threat to his natural rights, even his economic existence. His position in society, then, is such that that which drives his ego is encouraged and developed, and that which would drive him toward other people—a weak impulse to begin with–is left to atrophy.

It is my belief that there is only one way to eliminate these evils, namely, the establishment of a planned economy coupled with an education geared toward social goals. Alongside the development of individual abilities, the education of the individual aspires to revive an ideal that is geared toward the service of our fellow man, and that needs to take the place of the glorification of power and outer success.”

--From “This I Believe” the Edward R. Murrow, then NPR radio series. This entry from 1950.--


Enough said. 
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Just Shut Up!!

6/20/2011

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I lit a candle yesterday for my father and in a kind of tongue-in-cheek sort of way I said that my father made a point of teaching me nothing, and therefore taught me a whole lot. The truth is that I wasn't really kidding, and having been a parent myself now for almost 25 years, I have no idea how my father managed to keep his mouth shut about the antics I went through (and put my parents through) before the age of 25, by which time I had started to take the reins of responsibility. 

Though I think I've been a pretty good father, I certainly have not kept my mouth shut. Of course, I am a minister, so preaching is not out of the ordinary, and I am a professor, so lecturing is also somewhat in my blood. My children are somewhat cursed, I guess, by  my verbal flatulence, though I did eventually learn the signs that I had said enough--blanks stares being what they are. 

When my father was still alive, I often wished for more of a connection; more direction from him, more of a sense that he was actually there for me. He was there, but I rarely felt it. In his silence, I heard absence. In his silence, he found presence. It has taken me a long time to learn the difference. 

I have learned more in and from silence than from nearly any other element of my life. Perhaps this is from my father, but more realistically it is from my own attempts at silence. Meditation requires a silencing of the mind. Good music relies on the silence between the notes. Hearing well requires a silencing of the ego. Peace of mind requires the silencing of demons. But the learning comes as much from trying to create the silence as in the silence itself. It is in my efforts to find silence that I see life more clearly. Silence is the reward for those moments of clarity. 

So, shut up, Ben. 

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What I know, or don't.

6/18/2011

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I spent last weekend with spiritual teacher and music/chant master Russill Paul. The strength of any retreat is the common vision of those who are participating. Common vision, in fact, needs to be at the core of any strong community, whether secular or spiritual, whether short or long term. Common vision is not an easy thing to sustain, particularly when those who are participating want equal say in what that vision might be. People are fickle, and differ in their opinions and their methods. So though the allure of common goals may draw people together, the reality of creating a common and sustainable vision that will last, or outlast it's creators is a rare thing--as many a well-meaning commune created in the 60' or 70's can attest.

Part of the problem is democracy. Democracy is messy. If the vision is democracy, then messy is OK because that is the vision. Our country proves that can work--at least thus far. But if the vision is, say, a spiritual community, then the messiness of democracy, the desire for input into the vision can quickly muddy the waters and and blur the vision.

The other problem is that every vision, almost by necessity, has some components that are illogical and irrational. In community this is tough because there are always skeptics and naysayers that keep conflict simmering. But, as a friend recently said, it it's the "F" word (faith) that keeps vision alive. And whether we even acknowledge it or not, all of us have some sort of faith in something. It is identifying and owning our faith that makes it real personally--and in community. Blind faith may have its value, but when we know our faith--accept the mystery of believing in something that perhaps we do not understand, and bask in the awe of what is perhaps the unknowable--then what we can do is love the world in the face of confusion, or fear, or uncertainty. 

This is when we finally know that we are all right--exactly because we don't know.
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Guru in Your Clothes.

6/13/2011

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Not many of us think of ourselves as Gurus. I sure don't and I don't really want anybody to think of me in that way. I will admit that is is a bit alluring to think of myself as a person with sufficient wisdom to attract followers, but such thoughts are seated in my less-than-gallant ego far more than in my belief in the value of what I might offer someone else. Still, I write this blog...

Much as the idea of applying another person's insight to our lives may be appealing, it is fraught with the mis-perceptions and reinterpretations that arise from differences in our experience.  The only real value to any of my wisdom to someone else is in it's ability to get them to explore their own wisdom. 

I guess the lesson here is pretty simple; though we need to listen and learn from the wisdom engendered from the experience of others, our own wisdom arises only from our own experience. 

So in the end, here is what is essential: we need to be the guru we wish to follow. 
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One Simple Goal...

6/6/2011

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As a minister, it is attendant on me to spend a not an insignificant amount of time wondering about the purpose I am supposed to serve for my congregation. As such, I also have to think a good deal about what goal people should have as members of a church or as seekers on a spiritual path. 

The dogma of most religions tries to create at least a buffer, if not a clear set of rules to follow to help us expediently reach their goals for us. Often rote memorization, promises of good things to come and "rules of engagement" create a predetermined framework for parishioners that allows them to act without any real understanding of why they are doing what they do. 

This is all well and good, but I have always needed to know, intellectually, what my intentions are. When I don't really believe that there is a heaven I will go to, that doesn't really work as a goal. Where I do not really care about a bunch of virgins, that won't work either. Nirvana is a nice idea and I do think it can be found now and then in our temporal life, but you can't eat nirvana. 

All the same, in the end, all religions--ALL religions--ALL life perhaps is really only about one thing.. Hidden amidst all the sermons, all the dogma, all do’s and don’ts, and all the preaching and metaphor of every great religion and of everyday living, is one very simple truth. There is only one simple reason for anyone to involve him/herself in any kind of community; only one reason for religion to exist, or for ministers to do what they do, or just for people to do what they do. I am not the first to say it, but here it is. 

We have one simple goal, one we can all remember, always—only one reason for any of us to be here:  to figure out how to become better people.

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    Rev. Ben

    I am an Interfaith Minister. My ramblings are primarily  random thoughts, and commentary on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. See more on the ABOUT ME page (above).

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