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Robert Dugmore
posts on 11/13/2009 6:55:48 AM
I've read many of Karen's books, those on religion and her autobiographical works.The only thing which jars with me is her comment on the crusades. I know she is trying to be fair to Islam and to foster inter-faith understanding but sometimes I think she does this by being slightly unfair to Christianity.It is an historical fact that Islam was spread though conquest of lands which were formerly Christian by Mohammad's successors.No doubt the crusades were bloody and there were atrocities but it was a response by the Christian west to the occupation of these territories, particularly of Jerusalem.I applaud her motivation and agree with her desire to see the best in each religious tradition but do sometimes feel she should be as accommodating in her understanding of the Christian viewpoint as she is of Islam and other faiths.
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Charlotte Udziela
posts on 11/10/2009 6:41:19 PM
Ms. Armstrong, I've read many of your books and you have been the thinker and person who has prevented me from abandoning the possibility of being religious because of three of your ideas: that to be religious (or spiritual) is to be compassionate and that we as humans are beings who both know and don't know and can't know really God and that to believe really means to commit, to love, to empty out.
My son is a Baha'i and I have noticed that you don't mention the Baha'i faith in your writings. Lately the Baha'is have become quite literal and closed off, unfortunately, but at least at the beginning, the Baha'is seemed to embrace others.
What do you think?
Thanks for your many wonderful books. I do slog through them, but I treasure them.
Congratulations for your TED award.
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Vern
posts on 11/10/2009 3:49:46 PM
Karen, I am a Presbyterian pastor struggling with what to do for my faith support and care. I am a hospital chaplain in a very intentional interfaith setting. While my ordination is through the Presbyterian Church (USA), I am not sectarian. I cherish all the world's religions, and wish we could find a way to live and worship together. I often say, "Peace will be more possible when we stop fighting over dirt." While I am Christian, I realize this is more due to my foundation as a southern, white guy from Alabama than from any divine revelation. My question is: what do you do for your own spiritual support and care? Friends have suggested I become Unitarian, but I do have a need for the sacraments. Communion is especially important to me because it affirms the mystery of the holy in ways words can never touch. Suggestions? Ideas? Can we start a new faith community that practices all the world's religions? Thanks for your response.
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Laura
posts on 10/13/2009 4:31:58 PM
Yesterday I attended an evening lecture with Karen Armstrong at The Church of the Transfiguration. One question that I wish I asked her would be: after writing all the books and doing all the extensive research, does Ms. Armstrong feel like she knows God?
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Allison
posts on 9/22/2009 2:04:13 PM
Dear Karen, I am a Christian who listened to your npr "A case for God" story today.
I was encouraged to share a few things- Joyce Meyers (a worldwide minister)had a wonderful show just today promoting God's Calling for US to "help others," and have compassion for others. It emphasized just How important to God that we do help others out of compassion and how our heart really acheives happiness this way. She simply marketed it as "Love Revolution." I encourage you to read about it and Joyce Meyers' teachings (in addition to many other Christian Ministers) how important it is we have a PERSONAL relationship w/ God! It develops a Direct Connection from our hearts to God. I am truly sorry to hear you could not Share your Compassions with God during PRAYER (that your Heart felt empty) because of your brain's inability to focus - distracting you from asking God for Wonderful changes in your heart to help you personally reach Him (feel His Presence) in Prayer. You could be successfully praying the many Compassions of all your hopes, other's needs, world desires, Your personal thanks to God, any other healing requests on your heart. He wants us to seek Him PERSONALLY so We become changed, having Faith IN HIS LOVE & TRUST in our lives enabling us to have amazing Love for Others. God needs many more people to be praying for as MANY compassion needs and compassion callings as possible. I pray to God for YOUR gentle healing, his softening of your heart, his changing of your Mind, so you may return to Prayer and close relations w/ Him. Even writing your prayers is beautiful. Blessings to you forever, Allison
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Dolores Rebello
posts on 9/19/2009 4:51:32 PM
Dear Karen
I admire your work. I am particularly interested in God, multi religions and the bridge with science
I am a retired lawyer (40 years' practice), have a BA in philosophy UK, am Roman Catholic born of Asian origin, living in Cyprus.
Do you have any projects, research,which I can participate in on a voluntary basis please?
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Hans Moyer
posts on 9/17/2009 12:05:30 AM
For further reading about True Parents www.unification.net/dp96/
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Juliet Bennett
posts on 9/16/2009 7:34:22 AM
Hi Karen. I'm a post-graduate student at the university of sydney in the last semester of a master of peace and conflict studies. I'm also an ex-fundamentalist Christian with continuing ties with family and friends in Christian fundamentalist community. I am interested in using my unique position and my ability to see the world both through the lens of a fundamentalist christian paradigm and my own present panentheistic perspective. My masters dissertation was "An Ethical Dilemma: Childhood Conversion in Christian Fundamentalism". I got a HD and my next step is to get it published and next year begin a PhD. I love your work and wanted to get in touch with you in case you have any advice on how I might capitalise on my position so to assist the prevention of the "Clash of Civilisations" that may take place should fundamentalist movements continue to polarise their dogmas and indoctrinate their children into opposing religious identities. Best wishes, Juliet.
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Lisa James
posts on 8/7/2009 1:46:27 PM
Re. Miss Armstrong and the 'Dr' issue, she is not Dr because she finished but, owing - I iamgine - to the narrowminded egotism of her examiners (it does happen at Oxford), she did not pass her DPhil. She has, though, since proved herself.
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Ross Thompson
posts on 6/25/2009 8:05:09 AM
As one who has written very sympathetically about the Buddha, and whoi has a very broad interest in the different faiths, I wondered if you would be interested in looking at a book I have just completed (for publication next sumnmer entitled 'Buddhist Christianity' which argues a strong case for combining definite comitments to both faiths. I expect your busy scedule will prevent this, but write in hope - Ross Thompson
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