tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post4233692653497689853..comments2024-02-24T03:34:18.060-05:00Comments on Stealing Commas: Sunday Speculation and Sanctificationchris the cynichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06872875475212333027noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-53504323797547461192014-11-01T22:59:06.694-04:002014-11-01T22:59:06.694-04:00Quite lovely. I'm so glad that you had some k...Quite lovely. I'm so glad that you had some kindness shown to you. I've certainly benefitted from the kindness of strangers giving rides in the rain, so I very much understand the feeling of helpless fear lifted by a measure of grace. <br /><br />As for speaking with and of God/god(s), I have had a couple of times that I felt God speak to me rather directly. The one that was the clearest and "loudest" was in response to a specific question, was "yes [you should go to that]" and led to one of the most important and influential trips that changed my life for the better. The other was not as a voice so much as a sudden and drastic insight that broke open a prejudice I had been holding and again, made me a much better person as a result. So I think it can happen, but it's rare and something that you do have to really take a good, hard look at to make sure it isn't you fooling yourself. Part of that good, hard look is obviously thinking about if it is ethical or not. In terms of the drink....the version of God I believe in I think would prefer you drink whatever drink you most enjoy while acknowledging that thanks. Or serve that drink to someone else who also needs it. My version of God isn't really into pouring out drinks.storitellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06671426804806159312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-69324701684199489522014-10-28T16:55:54.018-04:002014-10-28T16:55:54.018-04:00The impression I have always received in my philos...The impression I have always received in my philosophy & religion studies (see what I did there? Don't I sound SO authoritative now? :) is that what the deities love best is your offering something that has meaning to *you*. As an example, I don't drink alcohol either. Imagine my offering libations to the goddess: "Here, as thank you, I pour a libation of this nasty stinky alcoholic shit I loathe" or alternatively: "Here, as thank you, I pour a libation of this delicious drink which I enjoy so much I wish to share with you!"<br /><br />The above written mostly tongue firmly in cheek... but only mostly, because I feel there's a seed of truth in it too. :)Laughing Colliehttp://www.colliesbestiary.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-63946339290926106082014-10-19T21:32:20.044-04:002014-10-19T21:32:20.044-04:00Speaking as a gentleman who spent quite a few form...Speaking as a gentleman who spent quite a few formative years in association with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America" rel="nofollow">an organization with strong cultural ties to European-American Christianity</a>, I can attest that Tang is held in widespread esteem as a source of succor and comfort to those in the wilderness far from home. Hot Tang was especially valued in winter months.<br /><br />...I don't know how that would be worked into a ritual. Sprinkle the powder over a small fire?Packbathttp://packbat.net/w/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-87857624910742743252014-10-19T15:57:06.423-04:002014-10-19T15:57:06.423-04:00This post is adorable!
In the small town in New M...This post is adorable!<br /><br />In the small town in New Mexico where I went to college, everyone with a car would give rides. Sometimes they were drunk...but sometimes it was really, deadly cold... And everywhere I've been that's anywhere near a reservation American Indian people have given me rides. Sometimes a very long way, out of their way... I have a whole hell of a lot of rides or other favors to give to balance the ledger. And Dine people and Akimel O'odham and Pee Posh people, etc., may have done that because some gods or spirits told them to, or maybe their own hearts... Close enough to the same answer, I think...Lonesparkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278753827545905559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-1898153757613149022014-10-19T13:32:38.463-04:002014-10-19T13:32:38.463-04:00I, too, thought of the connotations of Kool-Aid. ...I, too, thought of the connotations of Kool-Aid. Tang it is.chris the cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06872875475212333027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-12342251428107130612014-10-19T11:36:57.518-04:002014-10-19T11:36:57.518-04:00Which do you think god(s), whichever god or gods w...<em>Which do you think god(s), whichever god or gods was/were involved, would like?</em><br /><br />I get the impression that when it comes to libations, whichever drink you like best is usually the one to do.<br /><br />As far as I recall, I've never had any of those drinks, so when I think of them I think only of their cultural connotations. Kool-Aid evokes religion gone horribly wrong (consider the verb "to drink the Kool-Aid"), so seems less appropriate for a religious offering than a drink that evokes the wonders of space and the wonders of being able to directly experience some of the wonders of space (Tang, so the story goes, was favoured by early astronauts).<br /><br />However, given a choice between offering something with a better reputation in your culture and offering something that you personally like better, I would go with the personal.Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034585577015417306noreply@blogger.com