Mid-June marked my one year of podcasting. Before that date, I asked the listeners if they had any questions about me. In this episode, I’ll answer some of the questions. This was supposed to come out June 20th, but the interviews with Brian Harris about his time at Church Headquarters were more important than a few silly questions about me.
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I really appreciate this podcast, especially a couple of things about this episode. First, thanks for the way you spoke about your wife and her beliefs. I fully agree, holding people on all parts of the belief spectrum in a compassionate regard is badly needed and would improve the social/personal dynamic in and around Mormonism.
Second, when you were talking about authors I knew you’d say Cormac McCarthy before you actually got to that part. He is an amazing author and it really takes some time to digest his books.
Thanks Scott!
That’s awesome. The Road was my first read of his books and it struck a chord in me. From there I devoured all that I could of his. I think the Border Trilogy is my favorite. The two protagonists are so different and they contrast each other in fascinating ways in the third book.
I too enjoy your podcast. I like a quote from Brene Brown where she states she judges a book by how often she wants to chuck it across a room. Meaning sometimes truths can piss you off or disagreements can drive you nuts. Well you had a part that I found so infuriating I wanted to chuck my phone. You read a question of if you believe in an after life. I want to steel-man your statement or come close to it. As I gathered you said in essence when we die our body decomposes and becomes part of the grass trees vegetation and animal that eats us then shat out two days later…. and thus we live on as part of the next ecological element. That is like saying if my great grandfather was buried in our backyard near the garden or fruit tree he is now living in our family, the dog and anyone in the neighborhood that bought peaches from us last year. If I am too far off I apologize and I am not trying to be pedantic at you yet I feel like you state your perspective is there is not consciousness but we live on.
On another note your behind the curtain was anecdotal breath of fresh air – sometimes i feel like I am taking crazy pills when I speculate at the workings of the church.
I wonder how often people want to throw me across the room. I hope nobody bills me for destroyed phones over the podcast. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with me.
The influence for this line of thought is a bit of Buddhism and a bit of Alan Watts.
“The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. On this shore, we’ve learned most of what we know. Recently we’ve waded a little way out, maybe ankle deep, and the water seems inviting. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return. And we can. Because the cosmos is also within us. We’re made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
Carl Sagan – Cosmos
You very nearly got what I was trying to explain. The only difference I would say is that the elements that make up the world around us are in a constant state of change. We as humans are an expression of the planet that we live on. I see humans as both individuals in a self aware sense, but part of the planet in our ecological systems. After we die we’re no longer us, but we return to that cycle of change and transformation. I think of it as a transition from a singular to a plural. The plural being the various ecological systems of our planet. In a sense we always existed and will always exist in a constant state of change, but our conscious minds are temporary.