While moderating the forum on Homosexuality, I realized that all the justifications pro and against Homosexuality are based on religious dogmas. I’m myself a catholic, but looking to this current pope, I don’t think I’m doing a lot of good to my church. At the same time I have to respect some dogmas, things that I believe, things that beyond the human condition.
How far can we go, when we realize that what the priest or the rabbi, or the imam says goes against our beliefs?
I think that althought we belong to an established religion, sometimes you have to take your spiritual path in your hand. I’m not talking about new age, new theory, thinking that you can put everything in a basket or choosing that we are going to create our own religion. I’m talking about the importance of being capable of distinguish between things that are really important to us and things that somehow maybe manipulated by our religion. So, I’m looking forward to your opinions on this subject.
And, yes, I have a white t-shirt again.
Thank you,
Paulo
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I am also Catholic and I believe that there are two faces of religion. There is the spiritual face – God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the angels etc. This is the part that speaks directly into our spirits, the part that makes us strong when we are too weak to carry on. The part that inspires us to think of our brother when we could just as conviniently be thinking only of ourselves. This is the part that we try and get in touch with when we pray. This part we have to try and build a relationship with and reach out to in order for it to act as a guide for us as we go on with our everyday lives.
The physical part of the church is the people, and the priests and the buildings etc. They are important because they help us get in touch with the spiritual.Without the spiritual, these things are just empty symbols that serve no more purpose than a plate or a spoon – its not the plate or the spoon that is important, but the fact that you can use it to get food into your stomach. Similarly, its not the priest that is important, but the fact that he can help you get in touch with God.
I believe that the spiritual part of our religion is perfect, because it is God himself. The physical part, because it is human, it is imperfect, and will always make mistakes. As long as we never lose sight of the spiritual – as long as we allow Christ to continue to speak to us directly and to guide us with his love and grace, then we will continue to grow and take steps closer and closer to Him. Our spirit will remain connected to Christ himself, and so when the physical is trying to lead us astray, the spiritual will always try and hold us back. As long as we listen.
I believe that religion/spirituality is personal. One can belong to an organized sect, or, honor all sects and live by one’s own beliefs.
I do not fully agree with the teachings of any one denomination, and do respect others rights to their own interpretation of God. Each person interprets their Bible differently…who am I to say that their interpretation is wrong…I am not God. I just know that if I believe something is wrong, then, for me, it is wrong. God is my friend and I talk with him daily.
i am a catholic, but i don’t go to masses as much as my family expect me to because i like to go to masses on my own will and not because others told me to. i don’t want to make it as an obligation and loose its meaning. i love my religion and its story, symbolism, meaning, etc. i also realize that not everything in my religion is applicable to me. i question what the priests or nuns said, does it suit me? i also likes to adapt other religions teaching in the way how we should live our live.
my family had encounter some “dark moment” involving the nuns and some priests, but it doesn’t make us hate our religion. we realize that it’s not our religion’s fault, its the misguided people who did bad things to us. i guess the same story goes to every religions or beliefs. so i guess it’s better to question some dogma or teaching and not merely accept it.
I find that while I am catholic by birth (and later by faith), I still feel like I set some of my own rules and beliefs. God did not make religion, men did and each man chooses how to follow his or her own faith. That is what free will is all about.
I love to read lots of things and have wonderful conversations with people who have different beliefs.I do respect everyone as long as they respect me.I like to discuss,not say that I’m right or wrong.I believe we are all right and wrong.I believe in angels and in the stength of the universe and in life after death.I don’t think I belong to any category,no labels once again.I agree with lots of things religions say and I disagree with lots of things too.I follow my heart.I believe it’s in the heart and around in the sky,the tree,sometimes it’s in the voice of a man too,but I make up my own mind,I do not follow anyone blindly.I believe in life and love and I learn everyday.This suits me best cause I’m being myself.I think like Paulo says in the video,that we have to follow our heart and make our voice heard if we don’t agree.Going against our heart is not good at all.And finally,I believe in the power of white shirt!I think it suits you better than black shirt,that’s just my point of view.
Have a nice day :)
I am a muslim and i have always held my head up high telling the world and myself i am proud to be a muslim. My relationship with God is different from what the majority people believe. I dont say my prayers 5 times a day but i talk to my God atleast 10 times a day. I dont fast during ramadan but i have given my lunch to a poor men on lots of occassions. So what religion do i belong to i dont know. But whatever it is called im happy and i have a best friend in my God.
wonderful. i wish and hope that i will be able to talk to god just like you..
love
Fabulous Tami. You reminded me of this poem by Kalil Gibran (but you said it far more succinctly!)
And an old priest said, “Speak to us of Religion.”
And he said:
Have I spoken this day of aught else?
Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,
And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and a surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the stone or tend the loom?
Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?
Who can spread his hours before him, saying, “This for God and this for myself; This for my soul, and this other for my body?”
All your hours are wings that beat through space from self to self.
He who wears his morality but as his best garment were better naked.
The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.
And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage.
The freest song comes not through bars and wires.
And he to whom worshipping is a window, to open but also to shut, has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn.
Your daily life is your temple and your religion.
Whenever you enter into it take with you your all.
Take the plough and the forge and the mallet and the lute,
The things you have fashioned in necessity or for delight.
For in revery you cannot rise above your achievements nor fall lower than your failures.
And take with you all men:
For in adoration you cannot fly higher than their hopes nor humble yourself lower than their despair.
And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.
Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.
And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.
You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.
Paulo,estudei em colégio salesiano,assistia a todas as missas,confessava,comungava,fui católica até os 15 anos.Depois descobri o budismo e finalmente cheguei à Cultura Racional(que não é religião).Respeito todas as religiões e tenho amigos queridos em todas elas,padre,pastor,rabino e até macumbeiro!! Precisamos do antigo e do novo testamento,precisamos também de saber como saímos e como voltaremos para nossa origem energética e na bíblia não encontramos este tipo de explicação.Amo a Deus sobre todas as coisas e procuro amar ao próximo como a mim mesma!!
Mudando de assunto gostei de ver voce de branco,para nós significa paz e união!!
An old man went to town to visit his son for the first time. One the evening of the first day, he heard screeching noise coming from his neigbour’s place. It was a little boy learning to play the violin. He thought, “This is the worst sound I’ve ever heard!” He vowed never to listen to a violin again.
The next day, while roaming the streets, he heart a maestro playing the violin. It was the most wonderful music to his ears.
The third day, he heard an orchestra playing a symphony. That was much much better than the lone maestro.
The musical instruments are like religions. If you play it like the maestro, any instruments will give you the most wonderful music … violin, cello, flute, guitar, piano…etc. On the other hand, it could also create the worst noise.
The best happens when all the instruments are played masterfully together in harmony…in a symphony….
I love your response to this video and will carry this story as a reminder for me and my own actions.
Thanks so much!
Bravo!!
I personally had contradictions between my own ideas and my religious rules. I have never satisfied by religion cause since childhood it has gaven me the feeling of guiltiness and pressurized me about what right or wrong is. Now I am 25 and still strugling with it. at this age, I have reached the point that religion is not good for me to find my way in life. it might be the best option for others but it can’t make me happy anymore. I better listen to my heart instead of making boundaries for myself with Islamic rules. conversation with God written by Walsch opened my eyes to the new world! He says in order to be yourself you need to remember how beautiful you are!he defines new meaning of hevean,hell,life,existance,God etc..I found life easier after that:)
Yes, I believe that we have to take our spiritual paths in our hands. This, I believe, has led to the creation of varying religious groups and beliefs aside from the major religions established long ago. And we have different minds and perspectives and varying spiritual needs that the established religions may not be able to respond to. Plus, religious leaders are human beings prone to commiting mistakes, too. All of us have our abilities and limitations and we have varying notions of what a perfectly good life is. That is why, in the end, even though we try to follow what has been traditionally, to follow the religious customs and traditions and our religious leaders, we still are the ones who decide on what’s good for our lives and what would be good for our faith, even though sometimes they maybe against the customary religious practices that society dictates.
I’m Catholic as well and as yourself I have the same opinion about our Pope. But you know one thing helps me a lot to remain Catholic. Even if I disagree and grumble a lot about Catholic tradition I have to admit that it ‘contains’ a lot of different people, a lot of traditions within, so I’m so fortunate to be a Catholic. However… In answer to your question I would say that as soon as you realize that God is Love you suddenly don’t really care about the rest – about all those dogmas and denominationl differences. If He loves me, and He loves you why wouldn’t He love a homosexual or anyone else?! Are there any people who are capable to say whom does God love and whom He doesn’t?! I guess being judgmental in this way doesn’t go with being a Christian or Muslim or any believer or non-believer. Doesn’t this make other people look less worthy? …Less valuable?
For me being a believer hasn’t ever meant to be restricted by rules. I have Jesus as my example of living. Following him, his teachings on social justice, practice and the rest is what I go along with. …I don’t think that some kind of conservative clergy should tell me what I have to do and what I shouldn’t, especially if it goes against the ‘rule of love’.
I think there are very different between a religious and a faithful one..
I am a catholic but not a good one. Years ago I was questioning the religion that I grew up with. But maybe since there were no one who can teach me or guide me, so the misunderstanding was never solved..
For years I become faithful to God with the assistance of the voice in my deepest heart but not from the people of my religion. And after all the up and down, high and low happen in my life, now I’m taking my chances to learn about my religion. And the reason is because I was persuade by one voice that tell me the same thing over and over again.. Somehow now I feel that I’m in the right track, the path of my life. And after all I can see that there were people from my religion who made me not comfortable or disagree with their extreme opinion, but now I understand that they are still human. They could make mistake just like me.
In the past, I usually think that I won’t go the church and meanwhile I still do the bad things. I don’t want to be the obstacle to my God by doing that. I definitely stop to attending mass service after seeing some people being so rude after the mass service. I don’t want to be like them, so I stop going to church. And now I realize that was a mistake. The church is a place for sinners like me and them. Maybe they showed me some bad attitude, but that suppose can make me learn to try my best to be a good one, at least not to be like them. No matter what they behavior are, they still loved by God, my God too..
At last I just want to say.. maybe we don’t always the same view with the people in our religion, with the leader or the religious people.. but it doesn’t fair to God if we leave our believe because of them.. It looks like He love us for what we are and we just love Him for the man around Him.. it just not fair..
gbu :)
por un planeta libre, que tu secta sea la humanidad, que el sol sale para todos!
las religiones pueden ser dañinas para quien no es libre pensador…
a veces sirven para la busqueda de la verdad en esto de construir tu espiritualidad personal, sin embargo frecuentemente sus lideres y jerarquias -como humanos de este tiempo que son- se equivocan y si no hay cierta independencia de criterio… puedes ser obscuramente manipulado sin siquiera haberte enterado, ejemplos hay unos cuantos pero no me creas a mi, busca, busca la verdad!
personalmente en esto de la busqueda interior aquellas del noble sendero me han aportado mucho mas que las judeo-cristianas
y para mi lo mas iportante, sigue siendo la busqueda… cada cual sabe lo suyo y hace su camino.
Fear is an interesting force. Powerful indeed. But it’s that same fear that unites us AGAINST someone or something, that is the same force that can unite us TOGETHER with others. It’s kind of a neutral force that can be used either way. I see fear, in the sense of “fear mongering” as the corrupted neutral force that can also be turned in to love. Not in the commercial sense of love, but in the natural love that I believe people are born with.
I’m Muslim and our religion is not only for mosques or prayers. It is a complete way of life. Our book Holy Quran (Koran) tells us about Jews and followers of Jesus Christ, we respect them.
But I believe in the life after death. So I want to spend my life completely as Islam tells me. By following the path of Islam I’ve got happiness in this life too, happiness which I can never had if I try to do things in my own way.
One who create me has a better knowledge about me rather than my own knowledge so I’m trying to do as Islam says.
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Nabeel. Your views are very refreshing and, in reading your words, I can sense the openness of your heart and the beauty of your spirit.
Much Love,
Savita
Nothing is perfect (although everything is perfect at the same time). Religion is needed and useful, however it is our interpretations of the religions that are dangerous… different religions are just different paths leading to the same place- finding the meaning and God in our hearts and our lifes. which path do you travel? It doesn’t really matter -does it?
Yes, we do make mistakes on the way…(priests and believers and unbelivers and…whoever…) but hey at least we are trying to rise above …and that is good.
Hi Paulo,
I am myself a muslim, and I happen to know that the prophet Mohamed used to tell his companions that islam can be sometimes hard to follow in this life, and that it needs time… and in the quran god tells us that there is nothing that we can force ourselves to do while we hate to. In the same way, we need to grow spiritualy (and not forget what we refused ) to have enough faith so we open our hearts to the silenced truth, and apply the precepts of islam as much as we can.
I was born a muslim, but I think it takes a lifetime to really become one, because in our lives we learn about the world, the universe, and most of all about ourvselves as humans. So every curious person starts to ask herself about her presence here, and looks for answers… and to me, that’s what make religion gain real truth in the heart. Being in the religious dogmas isn’t enough to give you true faith even if it’s important to study it. But once you have faith, you need to act on it and practice.
Mohamed is an example to us, like a “mirror” to the qualities that we grow. Not that we should imitate him and lose our unique way of being, but we should compare ourselves to him during the path. And here I am not talking about the sunna ( wich is his way of applying the religion the advices he gave to us, that are somehow an obligation ).
The freedom of choice that you’re talking about, is to me very important. Because while I’m looking sometimes for my own spiritual path, I happen to discover what the imam was really talking about years or months ago. The quran fascinates me a lot in many ways, but the fact that it tells me what I really know in the bottom of my heart makes me go beyond dogmas, even though I respect them and try to practice whithout lying to my mind.
We have the freewill, we should make sure that this decision is not only based on ego and make the best of it, and never forget to ask for guidance from god.
Peace
I think it is a simple matter of ethics vesus morals. An age old question indeed – especially in reference to what you said about one’s own beliefs as compared to what you priest, imam or rabi says is right or wrong.
Hi,
Most of my life I was an atheist. My mother believed we should all choose our religion. I became a believer because I felt his prssence his help. And I saw a movie of Jesus that chenged my life; he was what he preached. And I learned to have hope again, I used to think the world would only get worst. Not anymore I have faith. I believe because I have felt it, yet I don’t go to church, many conflicts in what sometimes they say. I may be considered a catholic because I believe in the virgin Mary, Jesus, archangels, etc. and I do believe in praying for others.
And here’s the other side of the coin, my brother became a buddhist after reading and trying many religions. He read and read and to him it was buddhism that made more sense. He follows it like a religion. Yet, I have knowm many and read many that Buddhism isn’t a religion but a path to search enlightenment. He follows and does as the monks teach him without a doubt, because as they have said to him, if he doubts he won’t find enlightment. The Buddhist way he was taught, there’s no God. But other people who are Buddhist believe in God, a whole energy, etc.
Who’s right and who’s wrong? many that’s the way they see religion. I’m right and you’re wrong. I follow my path and he follows his. He has warned me that knowing about the path of buddhism and not taking it will not saved. Many who has different religions, have said this same thing to someone… “If you not follow, you will be damned”.
So, what do you do when a leader of a religion, after explaining his religion, tells you, if you don’t follow you will be damned? Do you follow the man or the faith? And how can you distinguish between the two?
So, I choose to follow my heart and love… To me Love is God’s teachings. When you love: you respect, you tolerate, you forgive, you care, you help, you learn, you have patience, you have humilty, etc. Just like Jesus acted.
What do you choose? The man, the faith or your heart?
God bless you all
Rosalina
Very nice, I think you are right. Love is the purest religion.
I am reading Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda and i would recommend it to everyone who questions their religion cause i think this spiritual man was sent on earth for those of us who need to find our own way to God but are to cought up in our treditional religion and we lack mental freedom for finding our way.
I also read “where the light is” by the same author and it really made a positive change in my heart and in my pursuit for God..
I read almost every book by you Paolo and every one of them enlightened me in some way and they helped me a lot in some dificult times…u and your books are very important for me and i hope i will be able to read somewhere about your opinion ands seeing of Paramhansa teaching and his spiritual messages and i hope if you allready wrotte about it somewhere you will let me know.
best regards,
Kristina
Religions are truly ESTABLISHED by people.
Every religion has rules to keep members “in order”.
if God is Love and greatest love of all,does it have any rules? Isn’t it full of mercy and patience? Does God want us to belong to churches and implement those rules to our relationships and values about other people?
I’ve walked quite a long path searching “the right” religion and it is yet to find.
What I’ve found is far more merciful and comforting: we all are part of God who doesn’t make mistakes,not even creating homosexuals ;)
God doesn’t create crap! God is perfect!
We have no other obligation than to love each other -sounds lame but it’s true.
When we judge and scale people thru’ false measurements,we only spread bad energy around us and can’t be happy.
we don’t have to agree with everyone and everything but remember that everyone does their best in this world. Why people do sometimes terrible things -it’s beyond our understanding- but still we need to realize it has somekinda reason.
I’m trying to focus on loving everyone I meet and to pursue my dreams and I’m sure that I’ll get what is mine to be.
I want to make people happy -it makes ME happy. Often people think the oherway round -I need to get what I want so I can be happy and make everyone else happy then.
Nope, when I can keep my spirits up,it’s spreads like sunlight!
God comes in the picture this point! God it there for me every second: Smiling and assuring that everything is going to be just fine -just go on shining!
Love <3
There should be mutual respect towards others whose belief is different from thy own
Dear Paulo,
You are talking about the core of religious dispute. Humanity has suffered long time under dictatorship in the name of anything and religion was almost always a reason. Like your colleague said 100 years ago, religion is the opium of the masses, I would say it is being continuously abused to rule people the way rulers want and not the way god wants. God wants justice for everyone and not only for rulers, i.e. if an imam, pope or rabi talks about equality, love and justice in a poor society, he should be the last one wearing gold or having a car, cause he has to give this away to help the society. It also means that rulers cannot live in castles while their people starve, it also means that a part of the world can enjoy a standard of life they need while others die of diseases, hunger and frustration.
The total justice that you are talking about is a utopia exactly like religion. If religion is TRULY implemented, any religion, your dream would come true. Women wont need to struggle for their rights cause they will be well taken care of, children wont need civil courts that protect them from child labour and harrassment cause they will be always protected… etc.
Again, the struggle between good and bad, satan and god, principles and anarchism, lust and discipline will always persist as long as white and black exist.
Once white and black cease to exist, this would be the end of days (muslims and jews), armagedon (christians), afterlive (romans), reserection (buddhists and christians)or UTOPIA (marx and engels).
The perfection is a divine characteristic. We are not divine but after judgement day, we will be. Yet, all scholars, religions and beliefs urged us to keep this world as divine as possible. According to what you have done in this world, the special character of your divinity (hell, heaven… etc) will be determined.
Yet, total freedom and total justice is a target that we didnt and wont reach ever, as people always make benefit of taking things into their hand…
Again, the struggle between religions is nothing else but an evil game played by evil people to make more money, power or ego-satisfaction, but far away from putting this world in the order god wanted, otherwise, we-humans- would have been luckier than the current, past or future status.
I hope my oppinion is good enough for the most challenging Paulo Theories…
Best,
Amr
I came onto this thread to give my viewpoint but found Catherine, the poster above me, has said pretty much all I wanted to say & said it very well.
Love & Light x
All people get to a point in their life where we question everything we they belief in. Once we overcome that, we try in our own little way define religion and spirituality. And there is definitely a difference between the two. The common aspect between the above is believing in the unseen. Being spiritual is a level of religious consciousness that defines how we see God (the unseen) and his importance in our lives. Following God’s rules brings us somewhat closer to him, but acknowledging that he is actually listening to us takes us to a different level of spirituality altogether – and no 2 people’s level can be identical and that is what makes us unique !
I think that studying religions is a very useful thing for our personal lives. No matter what religion or belief you follow, by reading the history and studying the principles of different religions, you will see how many ideas and values are in common. When we are capable to notice that and create our own vision of Life, then, all the racism and intollerance will vanish, as our path comes only from ourselves and not from an established religious organization.
The religious organizations and governements with their need of power upon the people have destroyed the great common messages brought on by enlightened people, left for the sake of humanity, and have substitutied it with the “divide et impera”!
Let’s take our own responsability of our own spiritual path.
Thanks to all
I very much like your statement, Filippo. I am not at all opposed to organized religion, but only to the intolerance which it often creates and fuels within the minds of its followers. You say that “by reading the history and studying the principles of different religions, you will see how many ideas and values are in common.” This, I think, is very true. Unfortunately, many people are born into a particular religion, and due to strict censorship by parents and community, the they are not exposed at all to the true teachings of other faiths. Instead, they are taught, from birth to fear and avoid any contact with or exploration into other religions.
Here in the US, there is this huge debate, pertaining to public education, in regards to “creationism” vs. “evolution.” Many do not want evolution taught in schools because, although it is scientific fact, it opposes their religious convictions. This, to me, is a ridiculous argument as it is one of belief vs. fact, but, at any rate, even if evolution is not to be taught in schools, it should not be replaced with creationism but with a required course in religious studies.
Every student who enters the public school system should be required to take a series of courses in religious studies which would offer a complete, un-biased, and in-depth survey of the various religious traditions world-wide. Of course, there would be many proponents of particular religions who would step up to fight against this, as they would not want there children to be taught about or exposed to other religions. However, particularly in consideration of the precarious political state of the world today and how this is linked to fundamentalist views of religion, I would say that the state would be well within its rights to INSIST that all children should have to learn something about the world’s various religions. This knowledge could not possibly hurt them – it would not be aimed to convert them but only to promote religious tolerance in a world where it is greatly needed.
Read on…!
Much Love,
Savita
hey . :)
I think it is best that we do not safely assume that the respective religious institutions where we are affiliated do not manipulate people on shallow grounds. We may be misled to believe unnecessary assumptions, bearing religious conspiracies such as Dan Brown’s case. Yes! Perhaps it is true that there are certain aspects of our religion that seem to be totally imperative or dogmatic – which most of us wise or critical enough inevitably doubt and perhaps violently react against.
I am a Catholic. And I am proud to be one. Freedom, in many religions, are viewed differently today. Some settle on fundamentals while others on personal interpretations. I am a Catholic and I know my religious institution, especially on how they operate. They work according to the teachings of Christ, as understood not solely by the Holy Father, but by the entire Christian community as represented by our local ordinary, or college of bishops.
Perhaps I may sound conservative and condescendingly academic, but we must always keep in mind that there are certainly areas to which we must scrutinize and highly doubt or react regarding our issues, but there are also areas to which we must respect and believe the learned.
On the issue of homosexuality, perhaps it is best to imagine WHY our religious leaders waste time on understanding and issuing statements concerning these group of individuals. We are easily irritated by a seeming harassment to these people by our religious leaders. Again, we must know WHY and not just blabber empty complaints. Just imagine if this issue is left not addressed? we must remember that religion concerns not only of dogma and rituals, it is about humanity. And as such, it concerns itself with human affairs, even to its tiniest edge so long as humans or humanity is involved.
Concerning how far, I think that we are basically free to react or comment on their impositions by way of commenting or sending them letters regarding certain religious regulations. For instance on Catholicism, our bishops issue pastoral letters, the pope issue encyclicals, our priests preach sermons. Through them, we recognize and learn with deeper maturity the Catholic faith. If there are questions regarding their teachings, like students, if not like co-believers in the Lord, we ask them through whatever means, verbal or written, respectfully. If that seems impossible, let us consult their religious colleagues. This is where “you have to take your spiritual path in your hand” comes in… :D
sono un omosessuale ed anche cristiano non mi sento piu’ cattolico a causa di benedetto che e’ tutto tranne sua santita’….
perche e tedesco???
I’m Catholic, however i have a spiritual beleif system based on alot of religions. I’ve found it possible simply because i keep an open mind to the endless possiblites. Love&Light :)
to believe or not to believe that is the questions….
and what is it that we are believing, but mere words transmigrating into thoughts with feelings and values…
to these questions, religion has for eons, used different words and feelings to portray or initiate agendas towards a certain direction.
In an objective sense, the directions by which these values are inherent in a society are based upon the relativity of socially acceptable behavior.
However, when it comes to spirituality, the after life and the before life, religion has tried to use these same principles to define and explain what it thinks, or previously thought to be canon, and push these ideas on to the local or broader opinion.
Thankfully today, and partly thanks to Mr. Coelho, there is an inspiring revelation, of minds using reason, science and instinct together with personal faith, to define, the normality that we consider as acceptable.
It is also apparent, that we as human beings are very limited in our awareness of the essence of our established norms, the values we place on these norms, and the very reasons for the causes of these norms. We are typically simple upholders of beliefs, which are usually curtailed and woven within our social circles, of security, bound by the grudges of history and safety.
I guess Camus put it well with noticing our absurdity, because it does seem that our reality, is but a figment of our bound irrationality, segmenting human beings by their defiance or acceptance of spirituality, morals and our definition of the perfect humanity.
This is a topic a friend and I touch on with more and more frequency as we get older. We tend to forget that some of the dogmas or rules we follow are based on man’s belief or understanding of God. Don’t get me wrong I’m a practicing Anglican but I am also a spiritual being in my own right which means I am ALLOWED to question the faith I choose to follow. Most times people walk around judging based on their narrow understanding of what or who God is instead of cultivating their own relationship with the God they so claim to follow. As a being on this earth I am not required to judge anyone I am required to love. Simple as that. Everything else in between is hearsay… I gravitate towards good and those who will impart good and steer clear of zealots because theirs is a place I don’t quite understand. As spiritual being having this rather interesting human experience I find warnings and signs everywhere. My God guides, guards and protects me and where I am called to I share my views but mostly it’s about learning from those who know more or those who know little but talk lots :)
Wow, Paulo, this question of ‘religion’ and spiritual beliefs has plagued me for sometime now.
Where do I begin? I have been struggling with what I believe in and how much faith I have in what I believe in. I am Roman Catholic officially. I do attend Mass each week, and I go through the rituals as reverently as my busy, questioning mind will allow me to. It has been a battle. Sword is always out, heart is always seeking Truth. I question why a loving God would send people to this earth, fully knowing each and every move the person will make, knowing if they will go to heaven or hell. Would God knowingly send someone here only to be tortured in hell for all eternity? I think not. Why did six million Jews suffer and die, when they called out to God to save them? Why so much suffering on this earth? Why are we here? I love God with all my being. But I do have questions. I am plagued with chronic insomnia thinking of these points and many more. I have gone off paths to try other forms of Knowing, like the Gnostic point of view. Gnosticism is flawed, but it did bring me straight back to the Eucharist. Other explorations like Jung’s writings, quantum physics; they always bring me straight back to the Light and the Eucharist. Light and Eucharist are my only hopes and beliefs right now, I cling to them, and maybe that is all that counts. All I want from life is for every soul find their personal legend, and when through with this life, to return to the Light to be loved unconditionally as long as is needed. I could go on forever, but I’ll end here by saying thank-you, Paulo, for letting me let some steam out!
Not all congregations and worship groups teaches the right thing. I’m not defining morality according to each other’s faith.
It’s just that we are on an ongoing quest to our spiritual being. When you’ve found the true church, that’s where your journey of questioning religion ends.
My question has been answered. I don’t need to express my own religion. I believe that God chooses those who will belong to his church.
Hello there, you are looking great, such warm voice and patient, I am again amazed about how well you use the English language.
About relligions, as you said once, we have to look at the things unites, and not to the things that create hate or discrimination.
I love religion, in my own way. I really love to remember the times I went to church for Eastern, the emotion of the Light, always new each year. I suffer too while thinking at Jesus on Cross, beatean or judged.
In my family theres a pout_pourie of rites, I am Lutheran, as my mom was, now she and my dad are Catholics. My dad was an Orthodox. See..
My cousin is Baptist, is very brave kind. I have also relatives Testimos of Jehova.
A bit I feel weird , for my nationality is not of my Church, so going there and hearing only hungarian language is unusual.
Appart, I agree mostly with my Church, for is free enough. I love the fact that women cab be priest there, the simplicity of the Church, they mostly use flowers to addorn the Church.
Divorce is accepted, and we dont need to confess our sins , only to God.
As I said, is a simple Church, and I think it fits my personal views, must add I am not fanatic.
Well, what I mostly dislike in religion, mine, Christian, lets say , is the idea of the woman as the gulty for the fail of the first man, couple.
I think is to be reconsidered.
This is a thing I dont like in others religion too, the woman considered less than a man. ( sorry, but true)
So, must add my agreement, in part, to Ralph Waldo Emmerson, who believed God reveals its Grace in nature, and talk to us through nature beauty and phenomena.
Bit I like new age ideas, because promotes peace, harmony, one might chose between more things.
Theres nothing bad in it.( I think)
Anyways, I think faith is not equal rite.
I have one question:
Is religion able to shift people personality?
Can, or , is right to judge persons on what they do, and to say, that they deeds reflects also their religions influences?
I am an open minded, trying to see whats best in every new thing, now.
Much love to everybody
Alexandra
The first thing that we have to consider is that religion and spirituality are not the same thing. I know a lot of people that do not practice any religion and are incredibly spiritual. And, let’s face it, the Mafia is full of people who go to church every Sunday and pray, right before they kill somebody.
The second thing is that we have to remember that the church leaders are ALL HUMAN. They make mistakes, they are sinners and they are in the path also. I am not using this to justify what I believe to be the greates sin of my church, the Crusades. I only mean to remind some that although your preacher or priest is the leader of the church, that does not mean that he or she knows everything.
We all need to be responsible in our spiritual path. For those of us who choose to follow a particular religion, it is even more important to remember the principles of our religion, more than the later teachings. I, for example, believe that the Catholic chuch needs to come to the current century and stop judging people who choose their own method of birth control. I don’t see how the pill or the shots really condemn you to a life in hell. And even though I personally do not believe I have a right to tell someone what to do with their body, I understand the Catholic Church stance on abortion.
I also believe with all my heart that people do not go to hell if they do not choose a Christian religion. Every person has a right to choose what religion they follow. If you are a good person, you are going to heaven, or whatever your religion calls it. If you are a bad person but repent, even if it is in your last breath, I also believe you have a chance to make it to Heaven. That decision is up to God, not Jesus Christ.
Which takes me to the last point: I often hear Christians make fun of Catholics because we have intermediaries {Virgin Mary, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, etc). All their talk,and they use Jesus Christ as their saviour and intermediary. The Lord’s prayer does not say, Dear Jesus Christ, that are in heaven…it says, Our Father, that are in heaven. Jesus is one of three, God, Jesus and the Wholly Spirit, but the MAN is God. So stop being so condescending of other religions and judgemental and read your Bible and pray to God.
Thank you Pauhlo, for letting me vent.
I don’t know if we can write in french :) my english is not so good :)
Bonjour, je m’appelle mourad, j’ai 17 ans, et je suis musulman, mais je suppose que moi aussi je dois être considéré comme hérétique.
Chacun de nous a ou a choisi une religion, parce qu’il a trouvé en elle une aide spirituelle ou bien simplement parce que tout ses ancêtres avaient la foi.
Puisque je connais plus l’islam que les autres religions, je vais en parler, il y a dans le coran des écrits absolument phénoménaux, c’est simplement divin ! et je ne pense pas avoir trouvé d’erreurs dans le saint coran. Il en résulte que les erreurs qui sont mises sur le dos de l’islam sont des erreurs d’interprétation humaine, comme il doit en exister dans les autres religions.
Mais le plus important, c’est que les 3 religions monothéistes et toutes les autres religions, convergent vers un seul point : la bonté !
Elles nous suggèrent toutes de faire le bien, de respecter l’autre, de servir son ou ses seigneurs en répandant le bien et en transmettant des sourires. Et j’y trouve, dans cette convergence, l’humanité la plus pure qui existe dans les religions. Dès lors, je pense qu’il est plus important de nourrir des affamés que de jeûner lors du ramadan, par exemple.
May god guide you on the right path !
هداكم الله جميعا
OK. so im on facebook, reading more comments sent in reply to the question posed for this week’s forum.
I think where “2000 year old dogmas” are concerned, that there is much to be reverent to where received wisdom and ancient knowledge is concerned… especially in a world as complex and , ahem, lost as ours can appear today.
I think also that the religious identity is a more communal and sharing one than perhaps just a spiritual identity… religion is a community.
I also agree that we often find it easier to accept the evolution theory – man from apes, while we reject religion as dogma.
I can fully hear the argument concerning christian crusades, colonisation etc… the world as we know it today – but i think still that if you looked into history, then the driving factors were not always purely religious… power and conflict over resources have a lot of consequence.
Being gay and religious was a burden but realised that you have to be true to yourself before you can be true to anything else.
I am a muslim. And it isn’t easy to get over the people’s prejudments of both muslims and non muslims. To my mind, we are experiencing the middle age now because the politicians and some mollas or imams (and who gains millions from oil) don’t want educated people and tell the community that ‘reading Quran in your own language doesn’t give any points for heaven’ And people just listen whatever they say but most of the things said by them are so different from what quran says. What u see on Media these days are not the products of İslam but of people who mislead.
i am 15 year old but my view on religion is very different…
i believe in god and i am a muslim i might not be a good muslim but i am a muslim nonetheless… i follow whats written in the scripture.. but thn comes what i think.. WHAT i think i have to do to be happy! maybe be an optimist thinking god will do something tht can change my life and make me happy or perhaps do something abt it…
i have always believed tht whatever trouble we are in is because of what we have done. what i mean is tht on every step in our life we are given an option to choose the right path or the wrong path most of us choose the wrong path.. after we cross tht level we get two option again either to go back to the right path and make life good or choose the wrong path again to make it worse…
now these imams or whatever may tell me God Doesnt forgive and blah blah but i strongly believe tht if we do something wrong and ask for forgiveness god will forgive us…
religion should be something whihc is a direct link between man and good and there should be no one to interfere in it..
i hope what i said was relevant:P
i agree that nothing should interfere between you and god (or good or love…)
love
I believe that we need to identify the boarders of our believes and thoughts and stick to it, though we should be more flexible with people who are different even if we find it wrong and respect it …and sometimes we need to discuss it to make sure that we will not change or at least strengthen our concepts -after the discussion ;).
Olá Paulo, bom dia!
E afinal, o livro de poemas, irá sair?
Bom, eu acho que existe um ponto interessante com o atual papa: Ele foi quem impos o chamado “Silencio obsequisioso” ao Leonardo Boff, depois que o Leonardo Publicou um livro chamado “Igreja: Carisma e poder”. Na prática isso significa que ele impediu do Leonardo continuar escrevendo, razão que levou o Leonardo sair da Igreja e continuar o seu trabalho como escritor. Acho que esse é um grande exemplo e acho que nunca podemos deixar as opiniões de representantes religiosos, que são afinal meros humanos tão preconceituosos, manipuladores e com tendencias mundanas como qualquer outro, nos iludir por conta de seus interesses pessoas.
Abraços grandes!
PAULO COELHO: A IMPOSIÇAO FOI FEITA PELO TRIBUNAL DA DOUTRINA DE FÉ, QUE É A CONTINUAÇAO HISTÓRIA DO TRIBUNAL DO SANTO OFICIO, TAMBEM CONHECIDO PELO SEU POPULAR NOME DE “INQUISIÇÃO”. E QUEM ERA O CAPO DO TRIBUNAL NA ÉPOCA? RATZINGER, O ATUAL PAPA
Isso foi imposto pelo hoje Tribunal da Doutrina da Fé, que é apenas a troca de nome do antigo Tribunal do Santo Oficio, tambem conhecido como INQUISIÇAO.
Vergonha completa. E o capo do TRibunal nao era outro que o atual papa, Ratizinger.
I wouldn’t dare try to translate, because I would probably slaughter the language, but, basically, what Fabricio is bringing into question in his post is the part which the current Pope played in the silencing of Leonardo Boff by the Catholic Church. Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian theologian, philosopher and writer was one of the initiates and remains one of the major proponents of the Liberation Theology movement in Latin America. In May 1984, Cardinal Ratzinger in his post as head of The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (a.k.a, the “Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition,” and what used to be called simply the “Holy Office of the Inquisition”), the branch within the church which oversees Catholic doctrine, sent a six-page letter to Leonardo Boff regarding his newly published book, “Church: Charism and Power,” and detailing the charges being brought against him for his out-spoken advocacy of human right in Latin America. This resulted in Boff going to meet with Ratzinger and, in the end, being brought to a position of enforced silence by the church.
Boff’s situation was unique in that one of the main charges brought against him, unlike in the case of many other Liberation Theologians, was not the accusation of holding Marxist ideals. The primary problem that Ratzinger cited in Boff’s writings was his interpretation of the workings of the Holy Spirit which, in essence, was held as a potential threat to the hierarchical structure of the church itself.
I could go on and on with this, but I won’t. The information about this Inquisition of the Latin American Liberation Theologians, and Ratzinger’s role in it, is out there in both books and on the internet for all to seek and find who have a mind to do so.
In Paulo’s reply to Fabricio – again, which I dare not try to translate word for word – he merely confirms this modern-day Inquisition and acknowledges Ratzinger’s role as the head of it, stating: “Complete shame.”
Still, I would encourage both Fabricio and Paulo to offer a translation of their words, because I feel that this is such a very important topic, and one that is still enormously relevant today. The struggle for equality and basic human rights in Latin America has by no means come to an end. The struggle of the poor and oppressed continues, the Liberation Theology movement (though much altered since it’s inception) continues, and the Catholic Church in Latin America yet continues to exert much counter-pressure in regarding the changes which these forces demand. In other words, the fate of the poor and oppressed still hangs in the air, unanswered. It is time that everyone started asking questions and demanding answers. There is still hope that the declaration uttered by Ratzinger to Boff – “Silence!” – is not the conclusion of this battle. But many more people need to be involved, or, at the very least, made aware.
Thank you so much, Fabricio, for bringing this up.
Much Love,
Savita
The moment a religion becomes intolerant of different faiths, we have to go back and question the fundamental values which we believe in and upon which every faith is based. I think the problem is not ‘religion’ but human’s interpretation and manipulation of religion for power. That is where we all get lost.
so true
Anne,
Like so many wonderful ideas, what is on paper in its purest form is flawless and of benefit to all…and in practice, with the “interpretation and manipulation…for power” as you put it, things fall apart. True for religions, communism, etc. “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…”
~Melyssa
Unfortunately, most of the religious people I know don’t question anything about their religion. They participate in all the rituals and say the words during the service and don’t think about what they are doing or saying. That’s dangerous to me!
Thanks,
Sherry
Yes, like saying I love you in words only.
I am a christian orthodoxe. My religion has helped me a lot in my life! There I can always find help in my most difficult times. The words of Jesus Christ have inspired me and helped me find my way and shape my personality. But it doesn’t mean that I am blind. When the representatives of orthodoxe church say something that I don’t agree and I believe that it is not correct I don’t follow it. If we go back to history we will realize that the representatives of the christian church in general have made huge mistakes and big sins. For example, the forgiveness paper that the catholics offered to the faithful. They cheated them in order to gain money. Not to mention many others from all religions of this world that have their impact till today. It will take me many pages.
I’m following my own spiritual path! I have created it. My religion of course has helped me a lot, as well as some people like my parents, my sister, my grandma, and some others that I have never met like Paulo Coelho. I always look for people that have something important to say to me no matter what religion they follow.
Querido Mestre,
Concordo com vc quando diz que cada religião é um raio do mesmo Sol. Eu fui batizada na Igreja Catolica, mas acredito em todas as religiões. O importante é termos fé, não importa a via que cada um escolhe expressa-la. Seria perfeito se, ao lugar de separar os homens, a religião pudesse unir, se houvesse respeito entre as diferenças crenças.
Tem um documentario que se chama Zeitgest que pode exprimir melhor minha opiniao sobre este assunto das religiões.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CBATTISTELLA#play/favorites/9/tHF-0DPhLJ4
Meu amor, meu respeito e minha gratidão,
Ca
so would the rule of Jante – as discussd in WoL by Alexandra – be something relevant to here? What is this rule about ???!!
Law of Jante: you are always wrong. You are nothing. We know everything. Don’t challenge our authority.
But you can read it full at
http://www.warriorofthelight.com/engl/edi65_alei.shtml
In Norway the jante-law is very strong, and pretty much is stripped down to; ‘don’t believe you are better than anybody else’. It’s a belief that to make sure everyone is treated equally, everyone is treated the same…which is ridiculous, when we all are unique.
Dear all,
This is not to tease Paulo or anything like that, this is just for fun, therefore Enjoy ! ;)
***********************************************
Yes, I have a white t-shirt again,
I was wearing black every days,
But now, I have a white t-shirt again,
Here I am talking about Religion,
Can we manipulate our religion?
Is this a question or advice?
What is the color of religion?
Is it white, black, green, red?
What is the color?
Whatever it be,
Yes, I have a white t-shirt again,
No new theories can change old religions,
Christianity,belief, belief, belief
In god, son of god, Jesus,
Belief, disbelieve, accept, reject,
Faith, hope and love for all the shake,
Then came a man who liked another man,
Priest said,”you ain’t right!”
We cannot change our religion,
Forget about change, we cannot update our religion,
How far we can go?
Change the scriptures,
No No, that is not allowed,
Change the priest,
Maybe,
Accept the man who likes another man,
Put amendment into your act,
let us Say, Jesus love is equal and right,
for all those who like or dislike,
He is here in each one of us, bright,
weather you like or dislike,
He loves all of you,
Although, he was hated because of TRUTH,
truth is bitter and spicy,
nobody wants to taste going deep inside it,
Anyways,I have a white t-shirt again
I have white t-shirt again
*************************************************
God bless you all !
Dear Santosh,
Yes Divine love shines on all of us weather we believe or not.
Hey, Santosh, may I ask a question? What’s with the photo with your red face on Twitter? You are talking colors…and I have been wondering if you had a sun burn? is it art? does it have a religious meaning?
Love and Admiration,
Heart
Santosh, I don’t know if your poem was meant to bring as much as a smile to my face as it did! Truth is bitter and spicy…I love that line. Think you could get Paulo to wear pink? I think he would look good in a pastel. Soon the site will be like a makeover session! Like there aren’t enough of those! :)
I think it is helpful to remember that everyone is on a spiritual path, whether it be through practiced religion or not. Even the church itself is constantly being shaped and created. From this viewpoint, i see our roles as people to be very simple: to ensure that we choose light and the good fight at each juncture. There are bad apples everywhere.. yet i dont think you can blame an entire religion for one bad apple. The church obviously makes mistakes also… but we need to keep our relationship in balance.. with life, god, others etc.. otherwise, yes, its role and authority becomes misplaced… and also our role as religious followers misguided.
Blessings to all.
;o)
Thank you Catherine. What you said is so true and so simple. :)
Hello Paulo,
Weirdly enough, I believe that the law of Jante applies more or less to all religions.
Not meaning to offend anyone, but sometimes the Imam, Rabbi, or Priest will want you to believe it, to follow the common crowd, and to make sure you do not question their authority.
To me as a muslim, I see it a lot when certain people who believe they understand Islam more than anyone want to make certain rules for what ever purpose.
It might be just to make their lives easier, to threaten with heaven or hell, and to make sure that everyone believes what they say, and act as they ask them – or demand them- to act.
I personally consider my self a rebel against the Law of Jante, as must we all be.
Much love and thanks,
Walaa
o gosh..
is it allowed to say thank you under the law!??!
Thankyou
And allow me to re-quote here your Anti-Law of Jante from the web page.
”
So in order to prevent things from growing any worse, maybe this is the right moment to write the anti-Law of Jante:
“You are worth far more than you think. Your work and presence on this Earth are important, even though you may not think so. Of course, thinking in this way, you might have many problems because you are breaking the Law of Jante – but don’t feel intimidated by them, go on living without fear and in the end you will win.” [P.Coelho].
Thank you for the anti-Jante law Paulo, wonderful of you to write it!
A wooohoooo ing spirituality sounds GREAT to me! Your point on looking first of all to all the things uniting us, rather than to the differences, is very true. You are also right about sexuality being neglected for the most part, in the world religions. People are pretty much left to figure it out on their own, only ‘supported’ by a guilt feeling imposed by some authorities, who in fact often practice pretty wild activities themselves.
Love and Admiration… dearest little sister in Greece… (my new signature is inspired by your Love and Gratitude…I didn’t want to be a complete parrot :) )
Heart
I love your mind Annie. I love the way you think. It is always so open and beautiful. The word ‘woohoo’ (though I doubt it is defined by webster) always reminds me of a particular five year old and I crack up laughing at why she said it so thank you for reminding me.
Thank you Paulo for the anti-law of Jante….
Love
Pandora
Dear Heart,
Yes of course you can ask question anytime.., ;)
Well, the photo with red face is because of the festival that we celebrate in some culture. So, actually we were playing that festival.The festival is called, “festival of colors”, The festival is called HOLI. More information could be found here-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi
Besides that their is no other meaning. The photo that Heart is referring to could be found on twitter pages at,
http://twitter.com/SantoshKalwar
In case you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask, anytime. ;)
God bless you all !
Thank you! Thank you! It’s first time I hear about Holi. Wow. Such an old celebration. I’m not quite sure I understand what the colors represents? I see that you lit bonfires to remember the miraculous escape from some Demon. I’m very fascinated with a festival like this. The Native Americans use a lot of colors and body painting too. Are there mating rituals and dancing during the festival?
What a wonderful festival. It sounds like Holy to me, so must be great :)
Big kiss,
Heart
Santosh, you truly are Funny, different colors of the blog to match the t-shirts?? What is this place turning into a circus?? LOL
Paulito is just fine in his black and white shirts!
Ok, and maybe pink one day… ;)
The Holi festival sounds interesting… Although this is why I cannot comprehend some things about religion, committing murder in the name of God…
Love and Kisses.
Yes dearest … daughter, swan, Annie, ‘HE is the way, the Truth and life’. LOVE.
The letters in between are … the Journey! From Alpha to Omega.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Thelma sweetest,
How interesting you see Annie as a swan, I see her as a butterfly. You to me is the swan among us!
Love and Admiration,
Heart
xxx
Why wonderful if one not fast during Ramadam, if he is a Muslim?
All seeking happiness. All trying to avoid suffering. All have known sadness, loneliness and despair. All looking to fulfill our needs. All learning about life.
Unique has many different levels, just as religions have many different layers.
Perhaps treating everyone the same could shift slightly to the left and become having compassion for everyone.
I think these blogs encapsulate something many religions often overlook: HUMOUR!
God after all has a great sens of humour. Can’t remember where I read it, but “If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans”.
I think these reply boxes would look great in a pastel blue. ;-)
with love, Daniel
Hii Sarah,
Paulo has said no way to pink. Perhaps we could sedate him and just do it! :)
Love and Admiration,
Heart
Y’all are so funny with your WooHoo’s
;)
Annie, I should have checked! I am stunned it’s in there. A few years back I lived in England and went walking up Pendle Hill one day with a friend and his three kids. Going up is a tough climb for kids. The descent on the other hand takes about ten mins. I had his 5 year old by the hand and I shouted ‘woohoo’ whilst running down. We were doing a pretty brisk speed. She looked at me and said ‘it’s not woohoo for me!’ I thought it was the funniest thing. I use ‘woohoo’ quite a lot and laugh everytime because this comes to mind. :)
Sarah, Daniel and rest of us,
Yes, it would be nice to decorate something because some wise man once said, “change is the only thing permanent in the world.” Well, it would be nice to change with different color for a while. What do you say Paulo?
Do you want to decorate the blog for let’s say one week in different colors. for example, On monday with xyz color, On tuesday with pqr color and so on. (With different color, you wear the different clothes on that particular day)
Ha ha ha…. (jokes all around)
It seems that even God needs to smile sometimes.
Imagine for the change?
God bless you all !
Annie,thank you so so much for the love you show all the time.That is a beautiful song indeed.And I believe you can fly too!You do!
Love to you and sushines!
Candie
;)
THANK YOU so much for expressing this understanding, Paulo. I feel that the world is a little bit brighter today, in this hour – made so by your words.
In Gratitude and Love,
Savita
Thank you, Annie – it is beautiful and very inspiring. Free! Yes. I still remember visiting a psychiatrist during that deep dark depression and the first thing he asked: “Did something happen? Did you experience some big disappointment or let-down that initiated all of this?” I said, “No, nothing.” Sometimes it is very hard to find the acomodador in our lives. But when we do, it is indeed very liberating.
With Love,
Savita
Dearest swan, Annie, You have such a tender, caring soul.. You are always ‘alert’ and sense every slight … movement in the Blog!
I have S.Richter’s film in DVD and I was so happy when I found it in the Google for free to share it with you.
As it is put on the title of the film: THE ENIGMA [ a Greek word again !!], Richter was a genius and an enigmatic person.. His performances have touched perfection and as you may have noticed, dying from cancer, he said he was not satisfied with his … playing.. I think this is the destiny of artists. The material world is inferior to their idealistic world.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Dearest Heart,
I hope Paulo didn’t say ‘never’. Anytime I say I will never do something, I end up eating my words. Perhaps in years to come Paulo will wear pink every day….who knows?! We’re going to have to wait a while to sedate him as you have just announced our intentions to the entire blog and we’d be prime suspects. When you think enough time has passed and we will no longer be under suspicion send up the smoke signals and I’ll come running with the pink top! Can you imagine?! :)
Thank you dearest Annie, I am sure you see the … sky and beyond.. and not just the lemon tree!!!!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
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