metanoia in evolution: Sunday Readings Lent 1 B (Y-not question the Sunday Readings)

by Ynot , Sunday, February 26, 2012, 18:42 (447 days ago) @ Brian Coyne

Brian, I was just posting an idea on your string re authority at the head of the page, and then came down here and found this. Thank you for the encouragement, and again for the opportunity Catholica provides.

As I said to Journeyman, I was a bit shocked to see the concurrence of so many posts focussing on evolution. You are always trying to draw ideas together. I feel they are coming together of their own force, which is the force of the spirit and of the truth that shines out as we wipe away the accumulated grime.

I might add that the Puritan lady (don't have time to replay the thing to find her name) seemed to challenge the authorities to change their approach to hers. That made me feel that evolution was blocked by their opposing her, and that to unblock the push of evolution we have to go it alone as individuals. Just by-pass the 'authorities' standing in the path. In so many areas of life people just do the right thing, care fairly well for their children, drive their cars with respect for others, etc., etc. It is just not true that we need an 'authority' looking over our shoulders.

You write about the role of religion:
It is an endeavour of applying the "rules of life" in our own behaviours. Being able to steer between the pulls of ego and emotional anxiety to make the decisions that are often counter intuitive or which break all the social conventions or societal mores.

I really don't agree. This is common sense, prudence gained in the ordinary process of growing up. Once you take religion out of child education (leaving religion to adults - O'Murchu)you get young adults just as capable of living with responsibility.

I don't have any use for 'religion' actually. It is an organised form of spirituality, or rather an attempt to control the spiritual life of the people in certain directions. Note: certain directions, picking certain items and leaving the rest to the 'secular' world.

Jesus gave example after example of spiritual life thriving by the power of the spirit.

What Jesus calls for is a commitment in individuals to go the whole way, to be intelligent and true through and through.

As for penances, I fully agree wiht your comment above. And the adult-child~parent relationship - well, yes. Jesus may have called his father Daddy, but when the chips were down he was left in a very adult situation under the olive trees.

Cheers, tony

'TonyL
"A post is a free gift, and it will go where it pleases."'