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  • Quote of the year

    If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write only for yourself you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disgusted you will wish that you were dead.

    - Thomas Merton, from New Seeds of Contemplation

  • Acknowledgement

    Image of Saturn (tbsp) and Rhea courtesy NASA/JPL

    Archive for "Mar 02 2011"

    Live from New York: An atheist in free fall

    This, from the New York Public Library:

    Author Mark Salzman (Iron and Silk, The Soloist, Lying Awake), became a stay-at-home parent in 2001. Eight years and three failed book manuscripts later, he had a nervous breakdown. Here he tells a sad story with a happy ending, and in so doing explores questions such as

    * What kind of person gets panic attacks when he meditates?

    * Can an atheist have a mystical experience?

    * Is free will a necessary illusion?

    * Do dogs bark on purpose?

    * Where does faith fit in?

    It’s long (about an hour), and Salzman doesn’t enter until 6:40. For those without that kind of time, there’s a review of the piece here, and it hits the high points. Looking forward to hearing your responses before we pontificate on Salzman’s presentation at a later time. Enjoy.