I saw Matthew Fox last night in Asheville, NC

[paparush]

Fox spoke for about 90 minutes at the Jubilee Community in Asheville, NC on the need for Christian Reformation. Fox encourages a divorce from churches that support an angry exclusionary God and fundamentalism that fears science, preaches intolerance, and relies on fear and original sin as the basis of religion.

Fox encouraged the audience to spread the news of a loving God that loves compassion and justice, a God that is earth centered (GREEN MAN!!) and focuses on Original Blessing.

Fox spoke about Opus Dei and its hardline conservative Catholicism. That our supreme court has two known Opus Dei members (Scalia & Thomas) and possibly two more (Alito & Roberts). How Bush went to then Cardinal Ratzinberger in June-2004 and asked for help w/ the Catholic vote. Shortly thereafter came the order that bishops were to deny communion to abortion rights supporters including presidential candidate John Kerry.

Fox reminded us that 1 in 4 species of mammals is going extinct and that we are the only species on the planet that can CHOOSE not to go extinct.


Good Stuff!!

[trotsky]

1. There's a lot I can admire about Matthew Fox's theology,

but I have some concerns as well. From his "95 Theses" (http://www.matthewfox.org/sys-tmpl/door/):

7 Everyone is born a mystic and a lover who experiences the unity of things and all are called to keep this mystic or lover of life alive.

Everyone is born a human being with a curiosity of the world and the capacity to understand it. Is that what he means by "mystic"?

11 Religion is not necessary but spirituality is.

Necessary for whom? And who defines spirituality? Is this something what will be enforced - "You're not spiritual enough!"?

22 Celebration and worship are key to human community and survival and such reminders of joy deserve new forms that speak in the language of the twenty-first century.

Worship of what? Is he saying that those of us who do not worship anything should not be part of the "human community"?

43 The prejudice of rationalism and left-brain located in the head must be balanced by attention to the lower charkas as equal places for wisdom and truth and Spirit to act.

The prejudice of rationalism?? Excuse me?

67 Not all who call themselves “Christian” deserve that name just as “not all who say ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Jesus).

The "no true Christian" fallacy - would have thought he would be above that.

[paparush]

2. I'll try to give my very amateur interpretations...

7. We are all born with 'god' inside of us. We don't need to sit at the foot of a preacher, a bishop, an Ishram to be guided toward god. Be still and you'll find god within yourself.

11. Religion is made up of institutions. Buildings, committees, hierarchies, rules, control, etc.. the catholic church and the Vatican are prime examples. Spiriutality can happen anywhere...in nature. In your car. By yourself. With a group.

22. I think Fox would say celebration and worship of this earth, of the universe as a God's creation, celebration and worship of the divine, the Christ, that lives in everything.

43. Fox spoke last night about giving voice to anger and lust (centered in the heart and gut), not just rational thought that is centered in the head. a little out there, I agree...

67. I think that is his current reaction to the pervasiveness of Fundamentalism that is permeating our planet, our society, our media, etc..



Again, I'm definitely a layman and I guess I'm interpretting what's still fresh in my mind from last night...

[cosmik debris]

3. Re: #11

You asked who defines spirituality. Fox does in #12.

"Spirituality is living life at a depth of newness and gratitude, courage and creativity, trust and letting go, compassion and justice."

Is there enough ambiguity there? Evidently spirituality means having a bunch of feel-good words in your vocabulary.

[trotsky]

4. Heh, yeah.

We need some truthiness in that definition, I'd say.

[cosmik debris]

5. In #30 he says

"Sycophants (Webster’s dictionary defines them as “servile self-seeking flatterers”) are not spiritual people"

But in #22 he stresses the importance of worship.

I wonder if his distinction between sycophants and worshipers is as full of gobbledygook as his definition of spirituality?

Perhaps the OP might share an opinion on this.

[trotsky]

6. Aw, that's an easy one.

*True* worship isn't servile self-seeking flattery. See?

[cosmik debris]

7. I just love the way

Mr. Fox avoids semantic confusion. His precise use of words cuts right through to the heart of the meaning.:eyes: