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It is Christmas Eve — a day when many people (Christian or not) give some thought to their beliefs as they face their families and friends for the holiday season. Think Out Loud producer Kate McMahon thought it would be a perfect time to take another listen to our show on how people keep true to their beliefs when faced with doubt.
The original show aired in October. It was recorded in front of a live audience here at OPB. And it was actually Kate's first day with Think Out Loud! The room was filled with people from many backgrounds — Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Humanism, and more. They talked openly about how they are affected when their beliefs are shaken.
You could hear a pin drop in the room when a rabbi in the audience shared his experience of questioning God's presence. His infant daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. He said:
One incredible person we met was the surgeon who operated on my daughter. I mean this is a baby. And he had big hands. This was not someone you thought would be manipulating these tiny things. He was a Catholic. Remarkable man. He said he went to his church everyday to have his hands blessed.
The Catholic surgeon helped this rabbi find, as he put it, something holy in the midst of hospital rooms and medical technologies. I think the rabbi reminded many people in the audience of their own searches.
This was part of a three-part series on faith. You might also be interested in our other shows on religious literacy and how religion and politics intersect.
How are you feeling about your faith this holiday season?
What do you believe, and why? And if your beliefs have ever been shaken, what's helped you to hold on, to not give up?
GUESTS:
- Gregory Gibbs: Minister for Oregon Buddhist Temple, a temple that follows Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
- John Clague: Media and legislative liaison for the Christian Science church in Oregon and the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Oregon
- Mary Lou Stewart: Parishioner at St. Andrews Catholic Church in NE Portland and an organizer of the One Spirit, One Call event
Photo credit: Mashroor Nitol / Creative Commons
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Thanks for the re-broadcast of this show. Not for most listeners (all the God-talk, for all the personally profound and individual importance to the guests, is not engaging) but good for those of us with a faith to hear others talk about theirs.
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The sooner we all leave behind these gods, demons, angels, devils, witches, warlocks, etc. etc. the better off we will be. In my work and perambulations (considerable) around the globe I find that religion and related superstitions are behind most war and conflict and human suffering- even poverty which such beliefs appear to extend and promote.
It's almost as if the Enlightenment never occurred. But then given the lack of any great interest in science exhibited by a majority of our kids-notwithstanding their fascination with electronic music and games- the continued success of priestcraft is assured. It is a multi billion dollar industry and the world's oldest profession.
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thanks for the reissue of this series! a hug to everyone and a Merry Christmas filled with peace and health!
massagistas
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Minister Gibbs promulgates a common misconception about Buddhism in relation to LGBT tolerance as contrasted to the more common Western religions. In actuality, while Buddhism in America tends to reflect our current progressive acceptance of the LGBT community, worldwide you will find that such tolerance is not a given. Asian Buddhists typically consider same-sex relationships a form of moral misconduct, much the same as mainline religions here in the States do. Buddhists the world over are unfortunately just as susceptible to cultural (ie, non-religious) influences, and have been complicit in many of the same sins that we decry in the West - misogyny, intolerance, et cetera.