Do You Have a ‘Bible?’
There are many books that can be truly inspirational and contain truths that speak to our place in the natural world. For me this book is the culmination of multiple works by one of the most prolific philosophers of our time, Ken Wilber. The book is “Sex, Ecology, Spirituality the Spirit of Evolution.” Every other page of the 800 page work is dog-eared each with multiple highlighted lines and comments.
“Culture is fundamentally a crime of distortion, and I must seek behind this distortion for the truth of pure nature and the truth of my pure self.”
“The regress express crashes into ground zero, beyond which it cannot go and still call itself human.”
Of hunting gathering societies he says: “The typical day was a nice nature hike, then a little male bonding in the great hunt, then home to the women, barefoot, pregnant, around the campfire; smoke some herb, a little singing (“nature loves me this I know , for the raindrops tell me so…&rdquo
. And let us conveniently forget that, as Gerhard Lenski reports, the average life expectancy was 22.5 years; one out of three infants were “thrown away” for population control; the roots of war and slavery and female oppression were already entrenched”!! Imagine over 800 pages of this depressing (but not always) but totally insightful book into the human condition. To me it is not about ‘doom and gloom’ or 'smile and denial’ but ‘know and grow’ (my words).
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9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.As a Theologian and a Life-long Atheist, YES, I do have a bible, in fact I have read many differing versions of the bible during my studies plus virtually every other religious writing/book/ scripture there is.
But to me personally these lines from "Desiderata" are my sort of personal motto/mantra and have a great meaning to me.
"You are a Child of the universe, No less than the Trees and the Stars, YOU have a right to be here, and whether or not it is clear to you, No doubt the Universe IS unfolding as it should, be at Peace with yourself....."
Triphid
Level 9
Jan 2, 2018
0
A group of my friends used to call The Art of Selfishness by David Seabury, Tommy's Bible.
TommyMeador
Level 7
Dec 18, 2017
0
Don't think of any book/piece of media as "biblical". Some things I've read have changed my life: "The Politics of Reality" by Marilyn Frye and "The History of White People" by Nell Irvin Painter are two that come to mind. As to the bible itself I really like most of the teachings of Jesus. Some pretty good stuff there- even for an atheist!
kmdskit3
Level 8
Dec 18, 2017
0
When I saw the title of your post I took it literally too, until I read the text.
Figuratively, no I don't. The book I have read more times than any other is Absalom, Absalom, the Faulkner novel.
Anything as dogmatic as a printed page may be too concrete to discuss the ephemeral.
And to answer literally, yes I own a King James that I borrowed from a hotel room years ago. It's a Gideon's! The reason is that there are so many references to the Bible bible in literature and song, esp Dylan, that I wanted to get clued in. I never got past the slavery parts though.
CallMeDave
Level 8
Dec 18, 2017
0
I have the New Revised Standard Version "The NEW OXFORD ANNOTATED BIBLE with the Apocrypha. (An Eucumenical Study Bible, completely revised and enlarged) On rare occasions I used it as a reference when required. Other than that , it just sits there amongst my other religious books (not many). My days of regularly reading it are long past. I do consider it one of the best English translations though.
Skyfacer
Level 7
Dec 17, 2017
0
I always considered a bible a weapon easy to throw. Not as effective as a math book but still throwable. My sister has this neighbor that in parties likes to pray with a bible... after praying she gets drunk and wants to pray again... it is a Spectacle!!!! I thought she was a minister because is her routine. We look forward to her prayers as part of the entertainment. While she prays... her husband start to hit on the women. christian couples!!!!!! But I admit I don't have one... I do have a Math Book!
GipsyOfNewSpain
Level 9
Dec 17, 2017
1
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