Master of Religious Philosophy by Rev. Longsden

1)       What is your perspective on this "great problem?" How do you view your relationship with Reality? Are you entirely material, entirely spiritual, a mixture of the two, or a spiritual being trapped in a material prison?

I would have to say and hope I am multi that is material in one sense and spiritual for without one we are nothing .basically we need material to gain spiritual guidance although we can live with spirituality on its own we may loose some friends through not having the material aspects of our lives.

2)      
How do you think that your view of your relationship with Reality impacts the way that you approach spirituality? Does it make you more submissive, studious, prayerful, resigned, contemplative?

Reality this is an ambiguse question in the sense if we do not live in a real world or that of reality would we be totally sane occasionally some people become re enacters although this is called living history the persons playing the part still reside in reality when at home or work this is as such an hobby.

3)       Finally, how do you think that your view of your relationship with Reality impacts the way that you live your life? Does it make you more moral, immoral, ethical, unethicallogical, independent, determined? Does it impact your views on medicine, charity, politics, employment, vegetarianism, taking risks?

What is a moral and ethical life can a vegan tell me what is right or wrong ,I would expect my doctor would lecture me with the important of changing my diet for the good of my health a priest or cleric would explain my religious values and how to improve my life through them. The employer would supply me with a set of guidelines so as not to offend my colleagues and also their customers and a uniform to show I conform to these rules and guidelines along with this structure some may brush off in my social life how treat others and expect to be treated.

 

Andrew Longsden

Master of Religious Philosophy by Judith Wolf

Master of Religious Philosophy

Final Essay

Dr. Judith Wolf

 

This is the best course, maybe my favorite. Robert Chamberlain asks interesting and challenging questions and then presents different sides. The course involves you in the discourse by making you think. A real treat.

 

Of great surprise was the number of different religions there actually are in the world. Our usual Judeo/Christian view limits us in a variety of ways, but most importantly has the potential of limiting our understanding of how much we have in common with others in the world.

 

Regardless of how the presentation is organized (and the author presents many different ways), the most fascinating question to me is: Why do so many of us believe in a higher power? And how do we explain that this started eons ago. Religion is not a modern phenomenon. It goes back thousands of years. Do we in fact have a God gene? And if there is, how long ago did the gene appear?

 

Let's consider common ants. In their colonies there is a queen, drones and worker bees. Is the queen a focus of worship. Or birds, as they fly north and south following a leader, is the leader a focus of worship. How about ancient tribal chiefs and medicine men? And how about the concept of any monarch? Does the awe inspired by Kings and Queens fit into this paradigm?

 

If conclusions reached by Dr. Dean Homer in his research are correct, there is an inverse relationship between the amount of serotonin in a person's brain (determined by the concentration of serotonin receptors in the brain) and that person's degree of religiosity (how religious a person is). The course goes into this in greater detail, but suffice it to say the amount of serotonin is genetically determined. When you think about the fact that some people have a "religious calling," it simply boggles the mind. Incredible food for thought.

 

In spite of the depth of this course the question of whether or not there is a God cannot be answered definitively by us right now. As some wise person said to me one time, either there is a God or there isn't. If there isn't it doesn't matter, but if there is well….

 

And this brings us to faith. That all important concept. A discussion saved for another course, another time. Or isn't it necessary. Should we just believe and feel the blessing.

Religious Philosophy Lesson 7 - Rev. Longsden

 

Religious philosophy lesson 7

To be added to the three great problems of life I would add environmental ,the reason for this is the subject is brought up in the news /media everyday of the week it gives the individual issues to think on do I change my utilities company so as to stop greenhouse emissions do I go back to nature for food as oppose to mass production and cloning / genetic modified .  Environmental issues gives us food for thought and would slide into the other three and also be a separate issue.

 

By placing religions in a chronological order we would have in effect a Jessie tree the tree of religious life from none religion ,paganism through to modern Christianity and new-age travelers .religion is constantly evolving along with the demands of modern society and although Christianity or Islam will always be around it will eventually evolve to the needs of its followers i.e. internet churches or temples Christian caravan clubs where like minded people meet once a month or weekend to practice theology or bible reading without the problems of life in their town they are in a king of monastic environment .

Andrew Longsden

Religious Philosophy

 

Lesson 12 religious philosophy

 

Have you ever visited a spot considered to be a Place of Power? If so, how did it 'feel'? Was this any different than anyplace else?

I have attended numerous sites in my life some as aboy in aw and wonder and some as an adult studying or on Holiday in various countries. My interests have usualy been in military either medieval or roman what I felt at times was not anything magical only buildings designed to give a statement of power wealth or religion but I must add that some can leave one with an impression on the mind .The other side of the coin is that religious sites where placed upon older religious sites of worship and are believed to follow straight lines these lines are known as ley lines. 

A ley line is a path or line which follows religious sites from one place to another what we must look at is inold History/pre christian times roads and lanes and paths led to a village hamlet or town along these paths would be religious points of worship springs temples etc some of these would be eventualy built upon by the church as a means of drawing in the old believers into the modern church another adoption would be religious festivals or feast days  which the church also adopted.

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