Archive for "Jun 2010"

This is not a blog post. Or is it?

René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1928-1929. Translation: This is not a pipe. Source: Wikimedia Commons This one’s for Todd, my favorite Magritte fan. So far as I can tell, the point of this painting is that images lie. If shown this picture and asked “What is this?” we would probably say or think quickly, [...]

Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria! Or not

Christina Varga, Jesus and Buddha, Neobyzantine Triptych, 2001 (detail). I think that if these two fellows had ever met, they would’ve gotten along swimmingly. But can they get along in one person’s theology? I mean, really nicely? For years I have been a practicing Christian with a kind of background interest in Buddhism. But I’m [...]

Dalai Lama: Shambhala not in Canada

The Dalai Lama hosting a private audience at his residence in Dharamshala. This is not my photograph but shows almost exactly the view from my seat on Friday. Image source: www.dalailama.com Dad and I were the recipients of a great honor last Friday: we took part in a private audience with the Dalai Lama at [...]

A passage to India

This is the famous sign that one sees outside of one’s plane upon takeoff or landing at Atlanta’s enormous Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Tomorrow Dad and I will see this sign as we fly Delta jets to Delhi. We’ll then take a puddlejumper to Dharmsala, up in the foothills of the Himalaya. I will be working with [...]

This too shall pass

The Buddhist Wheel of Life, which emphasizes the futility of grasping for one’s “life.” Artist unknown. Source: Library of Congress. Click on the image for a high-resolution version During my last few years as an astronomy professor, I started off the first day by walking to the front of the class and writing the following [...]

In praise of nature’s grace

Phoenicopterus ruber, the Greater Flamingo. J.J. Audubon, 1827-1838. Source: Wikimedia Commons Last year while sitting in a waiting room I read an article written by a fellow who was both a biologist and skeptic on matters of religion. I don’t remember what magazine the piece was in or the author’s name. Let’s call him Dr. [...]