Blogs

“And when the Pharisees demanded: ‘When will the kingdom of God come?’ he answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God will […]

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This, the Golden Rule, sounds simple enough … kind […]

Most people think of “time” as something of an absolute construct. The seconds and hours go on and on, irrespective […]

I don’t bring that up to recall his infamous murder trial or that surrealistic drive in the white Bronco that […]

“If there is nothing for which you would commit murder, you cannot play the role of Lady MacBeth!”  That is how […]

“What is a pencil?”  It seems like such a simple, even silly, question. There are lots of easy, comparable answers, […]

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your […]

A friend was telling me about a recent visit to Turkey which included the ancient monastic cells of monks in […]

This is a painting by the 20th Century American Painter, Edward Hopper.  It is titled, “Night Hawks.”  To ask in the spirit […]

On the flight on the way back from Europe I was able to watch two movies. One was “Hypnotic” about […]

In times of terrible tragedies—whether personal or world-wide—many in the West think of the Bible and pray.  While the text […]

Voltaire was an 18th Century French playwright.  Highly influential regarding the French Revolution,  he was a rabid atheist and satirist. He wrote:  “One […]

“Peaky Blinders” is a show on Netflix that takes place in Birmingham, England, with a largely poor Irish community in […]

That translations of any sort are supposed to facilitate communication is rather obvious.  However, to truly make something in one […]

While the question of “free will” takes up a fair amount of energy and thought in scientific, spiritual and philosophical […]

There are books and stories and sacred texts and parables and all manner of words used to describe and explain […]

“We don’t need no education.” (Pink Floyd)  Pink Floyd’s iconic song is an anthem to those who see schools as […]

In the wonderful fantasy movie, “The Wizard of Oz,” the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion and Dorothy are all seeking […]

There is a lovely story in the midrash (Talmudic legends) which offers an explanation as to why the light of the sun […]

In the Jewish Talmud, the comparison is made between how the Romans made coins in the image of Caeser and how God created […]

“We don’t see things as they are.  We see things as we are.”  (Rav Shmuel in the Talmud)  Is it possible […]

Most people are familiar with the Biblical “Garden of Eden” story from the Book of Genesis.  The newly created Adam and Eve eat […]

People sometimes wonder about why the Jewish holiday of Passover often overlaps with the Christian celebration of Easter.  There are many explanations for […]

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:  As part of my series about “How to write a book that sparks a movement” I had the […]

With two years gone by now, I thought the time for book reviews had passed. Apparently not. As always, please […]

“I want to taste sugar. I don’t want to be sugar.” This was a philosophy professor’s point years and years–and […]

In the Ancient Egypt of the pyramids, the Pharaoh Akhenaten tried to institute a monotheism based on the worship of the Sun. The context was […]

Consider the following scenario: there is someone you have known for years, practically your entire life. You love and trust […]

“Do you love me?”  Most people see such a question and assume it comes from some starry-eyed indvidual–thrilled with emotion, […]

How many of us can honestly say we have not seen ourselves in such a painting at one time or […]

In the Jewish Talmud, there is a story that illustrates the dangers of engaging in questions of mysticism. ” Four entered […]

“I need to find myself” is a common refrain. Unfortunately, it often refers to something “out there”–a career, perhaps, or […]

Philosophy-types often argue about the existence of “free will.” The notion is that we either have the ability to decide […]

“If God is all good and all powerful, why is there evil?  If God can’t prevent evil, He is not all […]

The ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, made his career on the basis of definitions.  In the classic “Dialogues,” documented by his erstwhile […]

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” The usual understanding of that phrase is that it takes a lot of […]

In Zen Buddhism, a “Bodhisatva” is someone who could achieve nirvana and escape the vicissitudes or “real” life (“samsara“), but refuses to […]

In philosophical terms, the approach in this meme might be called “solipsism” or “monism.” It is also the essence of […]

There are many things that seem wonderful, even miraculous, but only after the fact. “Genius” may be one of those […]

Many people see the process of “enlightenment” as involving degrees of peace and contentment. That the process can be inherently […]