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“The Battle for God: Religion and Spirituality and the struggle to understand the Divine” with Dr. Vernon Meyer

 

Vern Meyer FALL 2014This Fall’s annual three-part series in contemporary theology with the Rev. Dr. Vern Meyer will be hosted at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church beginning this Thursday morning, October 30th from 10am to 11:30 and continue on Thursday mornings November 6th and November 13th. In this series, Dr. Meyer will explore the beliefs of the major world religions and, especially as they have bearing on the conflict in the Middle East, where areas of agreement can lead to dialogue, co-existence, and a non-confrontational stance.

October 30: What Religion tells us about God

Judaism tells us about the God who creates, liberates, vanquishes our enemies and instructs us to kill those who violate the law. Christianity tells us about a divine trinity, and depending on what side of the ideological divide you fall on, God is either one who demands blood atonement or who invites compassionate love. Islam has 99 names for God and Hinduism has multiple entry points for the divine. The earth based religions center God in the earth and the environment. All of these describe God and many times the “surety” of religion is ready to die for their definitions and dogmas.

November 6: What Spirituality tells us about God

While not necessarily different from religion, spiritual insights into God invite us to consider the deeper realities of creation, liberation, compassion, the practice of justice, the mindfulness of life, the separation of the Atman from Brahman, the submission of individual will to the divine will; openness and inclusivity, the feminine and the environment. Spirituality invites us to consider the living questions of the day to day struggle to find meaning and purpose.

November 13: What are our Choices?

The enlightenment brought us a deistic perspective that sees God disinterested in the world leaving us to our own rational investigation into meaning. Fundamentalism responds with a God that demands absolute, timeless truths leaving no room for honest, critical thinking. Is there a middle path, as the Buddha invites us to consider, between the free-wheeling world of prosperity and success where anything goes and the closed, narrow world of fundamentalism and extremism? Our future would seem to depend on our ability to find that middle path!

All the sessions will be at The Fountains United Methodist 15300 N Fountain Hills Blvd?in Fountain Hills. There is no cost but donations will be accepted. For more Info, call 480.837.7627 OR email welcome@thefountainsumc.org

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