Spirituality
Grand Canyon Toenails and Grease Bombs
Like humans, the Colorado River traverses the path it carved. The Grand Canyon is the ultimate in manifest Karma. A harsh, brutal, climate created some of the greatest wonders on this planet. For some reason people like to go there. We like to float down the river. We like the danger of the rapids, the […]
7Mar2013 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
The Allegory of the Forest – Carl Jung’s Collective
There are no more trees. No more forested wildlife. Humans no longer have terms for forest or wildlife. The Earth was deforested many years ago. Some older adults remember playing in the woods. No pictures, photographs, exist. There are many drawings by children. Some drawings are done in pencil, others in water colors – some […]
28Feb2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on The Allegory of the Forest – Carl Jung’s Collective | ContinuedTo Be, or Not To Be – Do We Have a Choice?
Hamlet asked, “To be or not to be?” That was his question. He was addressing some new information in his life which presented ethical questions – like “Do I shed more blood or do I let it go?” The question has presented itself many times in my life. Generally, I shed the blood. So I […]
24Jan2013 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on To Be, or Not To Be – Do We Have a Choice? | Continued
Jef Foxworthy on Being a Missourian
(This was taken in its entirety from an email). Missouri according to Jeff Foxworthy: If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t even work there, you may live in Missouri. If you’ve worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Missouri. … If you’ve had […]
5Jan2013 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Jef Foxworthy on Being a Missourian | Continued
Does Astrology Deserve a Second Look?
Astrology – that demonic foolishness of psychics, the dreadful life of superstition, the means by which Nancy Reagan corrupted the White House. How many ways can we dismiss Astrology as something not of sane purpose? Have we been unfair? I only know that I have. I never gave Astrology a first look. I dismissed the […]
30Oct2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 3 comments | Continued
Theology and Boundaries
When we step on the wet leaves of spirituality we risk slipping and falling. The fall can be disastrous. We might whack our heads and wake up with all sorts of belief systems that cannot be scientifically proved. Consider this: Some believe in a virgin birth. Some believe in bodily resurrection. Some believe there was […]
30Oct2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Grand Canyon Rafting – National Park Service Orientation Video
Excitement abounds. After a hard year in my life I will wrap up 2012 with a very dear old friend on a 25 day rafting/camping trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon National Park. The trip has a degree of danger so the Park Rangers require an orientation – first by video (included […]
25Oct2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Grand Canyon Rafting – National Park Service Orientation Video | Continued
Who Am I? Searching for the Modern Identity
I am liberal, angry, Aries, impatient, intolerant, loving, forceful, kind, intense, educated, brother, son, father, grandfather, friend, forgiving, humble, proud. Which defines me? Any? All? Am I modern? Post-modern? And who are you? To whom do I answer? What philosophy? Religion? Country? Club? We live in a complex world, a fast world requiring quick judgement […]
13Oct2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Boy Scouts – False Prophets – Eject Gay Eagle Scout
According to the St, Joseph, Missouri, News Press, “A 19 year old Boy Scout has lost his job at Camp Geiger after disclosing that he is gay”. Words like ‘hypocrisy’ come to mind. That boy was “trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent,” and what did that get him? […]
19Jul2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Can Hatred Counter Love?
Is hate more powerful than love? Does hate match love dollar for dollar? Hate is proportionate to love – the more one loves, the more one can hate. The comparison is not one for one. Have you ever been consumed with bitter hatred for many weeks, stretching into months, or years? Hate does that. Hatred […]
15Jul2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Bad Religion
Religion tends to be about the rules, about the law. Spirituality tends to deal in Grace and Mercy and personal progression. Religion, balanced with grace, mercy, and progress, can be a powerful catalyst for personal growth.
17Apr2012 | bryan | 4 comments | Continued
Save Yourself – Then Pull Up the Ladder
It is not in the nature of man to escape danger and then abandon fellow humans who face the same danger. We see examples in every war of courageous self sacrifice to rescue fellow soldiers. We often see firefighters or police officers risk their own safety to help others. The idea works well at an […]
8Mar2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Schizophrenia – A Family Affair
I am convinced that mental illness permeates my family. There are no diagnosis – no testimonials of counselors or case workers. There is fear. Fear of venturing to ask any questions. Fear of unknown possibilities. Fear of helpless damnation. Families keep secrets because families are ashamed. And that, my friends, is the problem. Ignorance abounds. […]
13Dec2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Schizophrenia – A Family Affair | Continued
Cisco – A Tale of Addiction, Justice, and Redemption
People are dying. Our Prisons are full. Families are being destroyed. Government sponsored religion in the Criminal Justice System is not working. Federal, State, and Local funds are rewarding bad behavior. We are talking about the Criminal Justice System sanctioned treatment programs for alcohol and drug addiction – substance abuse treatment. Cisco, A Tale of […]
1Dec2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | 3 comments | Continued
Let The Wild Man Out
I don’t mean to be chauvinistic – but this post is about men in particular. More specifically, how do boys become men? There are many ideas – participate in sports, become an Eagle Scout, join the military, go to college, get a job and get married and have children – these events will make men […]
28Feb2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Let The Wild Man Out | Continued
The Problem With Liberals 1965 – 2010
After the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 the liberals of both parties felt emboldened. They were ready to challenge the fertile ground of poverty, aging, war, college education, and woman’s rights. These were and are noble issues. By some definitions the liberal movement of that era was quite successful. But there were some […]
26Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on The Problem With Liberals 1965 – 2010 | Continued
Intellectual VS Emotional Struggle With Death Penalty
I am not a great intellectual liberal – just an average intellect liberal. I try to understand issues at practical and ethical perspectives. For instance, it is unethical to bomb cities – but I agree that Harry Truman was right to use the A-Bomb for extremely practical reasons – he avoided the imminent invasion of […]
23Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Sense Of Inadequacy Follows Us All The Days Of Our Lives
Any self concept, any value, any perspective, learned in youth – through osmosis – follows us all the days of our lives. We often have a sense of right and wrong, which we sometimes call this our conscience, based on prejudiced childhood learning.
21Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Sense Of Inadequacy Follows Us All The Days Of Our Lives | Continued
Can Texting be Addictive?
We have only to look at some recent celebrity headlines to imagine Texting Addiction. With denial protecting the psyche celebrities are falling victim to the addiction of texting. Tiger Woods has done the public a service by admitting his addiction and receiving specific treatment for his malady. Evidence now shows that texting addiction leads to […]
5Apr2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Can Texting be Addictive? | Continued
Children of War – The 20th Century Bleeds into the 21st.
The sins punished for generations are War, Poverty, Hunger, Ignorance, Physical Illness, and a general disregard of others by society. These sins compound daily – the accruing interest to be paid by succeeding generations.
12Mar2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Children of War – The 20th Century Bleeds into the 21st. | Continued
Brainwashing Tiger Woods – Failures of Addiction Therapy
Future psychologists will look back on this era of addiction treatment in much the same manner that they presently look back on 19th century mental asylums. The real sadness is that progressives in the present mental health community already recognize the deplorably foolish tactics of many addiction treatment centers.
20Feb2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | 6 comments | Continued
Spiritual Responsibility
To think that any particular faith, such as Christian or Muslim, is more favorable to God than another is an astoundingly arrogant notion – and it is irresponsible.
10Feb2010 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Spiritual Responsibility | Continued
Comments on a Life of Chaos
Did you ever know anyone who just seemed to live their life in constant chaos? Most likely. Chaos can become a part of our cultural understanding of the world around us. People raised in chaos often live chaotic lives. Some attempt a life of moderation – but under duress often resort to extreme chaos or […]
28Aug2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Comments on a Life of Chaos | Continued
12 Steps – A Program of Recovery
To continue this dialogue on 12 step programs – it seems only natural to describe the 12 steps. Distortions abound. Some clarity about this process might be useful to students of health care, people in the Ministry, medical professionals, and especially to those suffering from a hopeless state of mind and body. From page 59 […]
27Aug2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | 5 comments | Continued
Of Fear, Faith, and Foreign Affairs
Fear and faith do not live in the same home. The word ‘faith’ conjures images of peace of mind, hope for the future, for the fellowship of man. Faith speaks to the lion lying with the lamb – and the lamb can sleep with both eyes closed. Fear exists in a troubled mind, a troubled […]
5Jun2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Top Ten Positive Emotions
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson has done some extraordinary work on positive emotions. Having a positive attitude has so may anecdotal arguments that we are frankly sad when we hear another. If I hear one more person tell me to ‘have an attitude of gratitude’ I think I will just spit. Thank God for Dr. Fredrickson – […]
19May2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Top Ten Positive Emotions | Continued
The Stormy Marriage of Jesus
Arranged marriages are common in some cultures. And why not? We adults know what is best for our children. We tell ourselves we are only being responsible when arranging their life. The practice is highlighted in books and movies. Perhaps the best known, or perhaps most entertaining, is “Fiddler on the Roof.” After all, traditions […]
18Apr2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | 4 comments | Continued
Pondering Faith
I have always considered myself a Christian. Once I even thought I had a vocation. So I attempted to start online classes through a Christian University. I made it through one class which was the study of the Old Testament. What I found out, was it requires a lot of work. Anyone who has read […]
14Mar2009 | Cole James | Comments Off on Pondering Faith | Continued
Homeless Community
This writer has worked and volunteered at the same social service agencies dedicated to cleaning up the river banks, to rescuing the downtrodden, to saving the helpless, threading the eye of the needle as a gateway to Heaven. We will walk through the Pearly Gates and God will thump us on the forehead with his middle finger, look at us in disgust, and then invite us in to the ultimate shelter from damnation. We will be seated in the middle row, the homeless will have front row seats.
9Feb2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | 3 comments | Continued
Amazing Grace – Dr. Wintley Phipps
Dr. Wintley Phipps can make an atheist believe. There is no way to listen to this man sing without feeling something divine. We are truly living in a blessed time – a time when this talent can be readily shared across the globe.
23Jan2009 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Amazing Grace – Dr. Wintley Phipps | Continued
Do What You Do On Purpose
‘I have talked and written at length in articles for this magazine about the lifestyle choices that my wife and I have made for our family, but I feel it would be appropriate to spend some time on why we make those choices. Having a purpose in your decision is as important as the decision […]
10Dec2008 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued
Spiritual Hope
Barack Obama has reignited the word hope. He even wrote a book about hope. His book is pretty convincing on the concept of hope, but sometimes hope is used so freely it looses it’s luster. I am not endorsing Obama, as most of our readers may know, but believe he has a good grasp of […]
21Oct2008 | Cole James | 3 comments | Continued
Fear and Faith, Vote Obama – Go To Hell
Polar opposites. Fear and Faith. These concepts do not live together, they are never under the same roof. When the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons and the Catholics and the Baptists come knocking at my door I am not afraid. But they are. Fear is always obvious in their message. The tactics employed by the […]
20Oct2008 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Where have all the flowers gone (Video)
We in America find ourselves engaged in another war – a war contrived by a self serving White House. Illegitimate intelligence on an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam provided the impetus for the President to justify expanding our military presence in Southeast Asia. The same song is being sung by our current […]
8Aug2008 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Where have all the flowers gone (Video) | Continued
Learning by example – the example of Jesus
Son, Your entry into the Christian Ministry has been a source of great pride and joy for me. Even given that you choose a wacky upstart like the United Methodist, or whatever you call it. There is a mild attempt at humor in the last sentence – but as with other effective editorial humor we […]
4Jun2008 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Learning by example – the example of Jesus | Continued
Finding Faith in Mystery
I was producing and publishing my first podcast this week, so I’ve been a little behind. On the topic of Marcus Aurelius, I noticed that you stated ” A quick look at news headlines today might suggest that divine intervention has actually corrupted the morality of civilization.” I think that the idea of divine intervention, […]
30Aug2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Finding Faith in Mystery | Continued