The Place for Seekers Who Don't Go to Church | news, opinions & reviews
Currently Browsing: Dakota O'Leary
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Oct 17th, 2009
We must live together like brothers or perish like fools
This website is about religion, and as I have read it over the past months it has been live, I am struck by the endless variety of ways religion lives among us, the issues that it raises, how it connects and divides us at the same time. It is such a combination of divisiveness and connectedness it seems a connundrum by itself. And it seems to me that in this great sandbox that we all live in, the...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Jun 12th, 2009
A journey through the Tao
Recently, feeling a bit of a void in my life, I was wandering aimlessly through the local Barnes & Noble. My favorite section of the store other than the literature section is the Bargain Books section where they get rid of old hardcovers that have now emigrated in book-life to new trade paperback status. Imagine my delight when I found a beautiful hardbound copy of the Tao Te Ching with lovely photographs,...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | May 18th, 2009
People of Faith Series–Jainism
One of the oldest faiths in India is that of Jainism. Jainism originated in the modern Hindu Republic of India Those who practice Jainism believe that every soul is divine and has the potential to reach enlightenment (moksha), and any soul that conquers its hidden demons and achieves enlightenment is called jina (conqueror). When a soul sheds all its karmic bonds, it achieves God-consciousness,...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | May 3rd, 2009
People of the Faith Series: The Amish
One of the most interesting faiths in the United States today is that of the Amish. The Amish can be found from Ontario, Canada, as far northeast as Maine, with many communities spread throughout the Eastern statesof New York, Pennsylvania, southeast in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, to as far south as Florida and Alabama. There are also communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio,...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Apr 24th, 2009
People of the Faith–A look at the world's religions
Beginning soon in May, we will commence a multi -part educational series that looks at and explains the major tenets of the world's religions. Our tour will begin in North America, where we will look at the faiths of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It is important, in this day and age, to learn as much as we can about religions as religion is a major player on the world stage. ...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Apr 17th, 2009
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster –a new look at the essence of theology
If theology is the study of God or gods and how God or gods relate to the world, then the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster represents a response to 21st century theology--literally, God can be anything, and is a fun look at what is a deadly serious subject amongst believers and theologians. Begun by Bobby Henderson, a Oregon State University physics graduate in response to the decision of the Kansas...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Apr 13th, 2009
What is a Christian? Questions from a freethinker
This article might be offensive to some who consider themselves conservative Christian, but after a year in close quarters with some conservative Christians I used to go to church with on my Facebook, these questions seem to me not to have any ready answers from the people who consider themselves to be Christian. I have asked these questions of the Christians I know, and have been met for the most part with...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Apr 5th, 2009
Afterword on faith and abuse
A couple weeks ago I wrote about my personal experience as a person of faith who had, along with my mother, been subjected to mental and physical abuse aided and abetted by my church, the Worldwide Church of God. I am so gratified to those of you who picked up my article and ran it on your own websites, because it is my hope that my experience can help someone else get out of an abusive situation.
My special...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Mar 21st, 2009
an open letter to those who have experienced abuse at the hands of religion
I have every reason in the world to hate religion. And after 20 years of only talking about this subject with very very few people I thought it was high time to face myself a little and open the door to my experience to those who have been abused in the face of religion, and if I can, to ferret out as to why I still love religion itself, why I study it, and why I feel that beauty can be found in matters...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Mar 9th, 2009
Meghan McCain: A bright, shining light on conservativism
I have found myself quite disenchanted with the Republican Party for the last seven years, as those of you who follow God Discussion already know. As much as I try to temper my criticisms of this party with understanding, today I finally found my soulmate: Meghan McCain. She not only has her own personal blog McCainBlogette.com, she also did a very, very gutsy thing: she dared to poke that sleeping lionness,...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Mar 7th, 2009
and you thought you were having a bad day
I found myself feeling a little sorry for myself this afternoon because things just haven't seemed to be going as smoothly as I'd like. You know, you think the whole world is against you, you break your favorite dishes, or the car just won't start for some insanely mysterious reason. Then I got to reading about Michael Steele, the new chairman (and first African American chairman) of the...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Feb 28th, 2009
Calling all conservatives: How to get elected
To the Republican National Committee:
Well, you've lost Hispanics due to your heavy anti-immigration stance. You've lost blacks. You've lost the young people. What's a party to do? It's enough of a concern for you to arrange CPAC, and it's got the blog RealClearPolitics asking the question "Has the GOP lost enough to change?" (26 February 2009).
In the observation...
Posted by Dakota O'Leary | Feb 22nd, 2009
How the word "liberal" perpetuates hate in the culture wars
Liberals become indignant when you question their patriotism, but simultaneously work overtime to give terrorists a cushion for the next attack and laugh at dumb Americans who love their country and hate the enemy.
–Ann Coulter, essay, July 5, 2002
I'll tell you who should be tortured and killed at
Guantanamo – every filthy Democrat in the U.S. Congress.
– Sean Hannity on his TV...
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Here in the States, a growing number of people are no longer affiliated with any religion. Yet, there are some Christian groups who continue to insist on blurring the lines of separation between church and state. For the non-churchgoers and freethinkers worldwide, this site features news, reviews and editorials on just about anything regarding religion. Your opinion is always welcome here, either as a columnist or commenter. Hey, this is not church -- you are allowed to speak your mind and think for yourself!
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