Tag Archives: Paul

4. Serotonin and the individual

May 26, 2022Bible, The Way of PeaceFruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:19-23, Jesus, Paul, Serotonin, Works of the fleshWilliam Tell

THE WAY OF PEACE

← 3. Application

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5. Serotonin and society→

Living as Jesus taught actually changes your physical body, in desirable ways.

I will focus just now on body chemistry, and specifically one chemical, serotonin. Dozens of chemicals are probably involved, and I don’t mean to exaggerate the importance of just one. However, it happens that, on the one hand, serotonin plays a major role in the challenges I have personally faced in my life; and on the other hand, it has profound ramifications for how well anyone does in life. Continue reading 4. Serotonin and the individual →

5. Serotonin and society

May 25, 2022Justice, Poverty, The Way of PeaceCaste system, Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:19-23, Harmony, Paul, Pecking order, Serotonin, Shalom, Social hierarchies, Social mobility, Upward mobility, Works of the fleshWilliam Tell

THE WAY OF PEACE

← 4. Serotonin and the individual

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6. Sales pitch →

The serotonin levels of the members of a community profoundly affect the degree of harmony and prosperity (shalom) in that community. Continue reading 5. Serotonin and society →

Change your diet, chapter 4

February 13, 2021BibleBlank verse, Change your diet, Choosing feelings, Choosing thoughts, Facebook, Milton, Paul, Public discourse, ShakespeareWilliam Tell

Bright and early, first thing in the morning,
do you seek out memes that insult your enemies?

Continue reading Change your diet, chapter 4 →

Treasures in heaven redux

September 19, 2019Bible, Job search/Job prospects, Motivations, Thursday postsPaulWilliam Tell

Saturday, May 17, 2014. Another deep med session this morning. Afterwards, I considered my upcoming (May 22) interview for a different secretarial position at the Water Department. I’m not as excited about it as I feel I ought to be.

Matthew 6:

¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Man, do I ever want to go out and smoke again. I smoked immediately before this writing.
Continue reading Treasures in heaven redux →

Co-creators with God

October 11, 2018Bible, Get on your feet, Poverty, Squalor, The Way of Peace, Thursday postsAlfred Tennyson, Ambrose Worrall, Cosmology, Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5, Jesus, Mark 7, Paul, PrayerWilliam Tell

From “Learning to pray:” “[T]he most common mistake I observe in other folks’ prayers [is] an assumption that God is distant and apart from human beings.”

My belief is at the opposite extreme.

On the one hand, God’s omnipresence means that God is fully present to every cubic centimeter of empty space, to every atom and electron of your being.

If, as I believe, God is All — which must be so, if God is infinite, since if God is truly infinite there cannot be any thing that is not part of God — then every speck of matter that exists is actually part of God.
Continue reading Co-creators with God →

How I became homeless

July 19, 2018Bible, Homelessness, Thursday posts1 Corithians 10:24, Astrology, Defects of character, Entitlement, God's plan, God's will, Homeless, How I became homeless, Monthly, Paul, Philippians 2:4, The Four Spiritual LawsWilliam Tell

This is the second of three posts about entitlement:
07/12 – “Entitlement(s): Attitude and policy”
Today – “How I became homeless”
07/26 – “When needs are met”

This is a long post. One may want to avail oneself of a navigation resource here.

———— ♦ ————

I don’t write about easy things.

At this writing, a more immediate question is how I’ve stayed homeless, which has prompted no small amount of anger and depression in recent weeks. The short answer appears to be that I’ve stayed homeless the same way I became homeless.

Continue reading How I became homeless →

A short route to agony

January 25, 2018Bible, Music, The Way of Peace, Thursday posts"Bad", 1 Corinthians 12, Acceptance, Indulgence, Love, Paul, Romans 7, Self-love, Suicide, U2, WisdomWilliam Tell

On one occasion sometime between 1983 and 1990 — I can recall where I was living, but not where I was working — I came home from work and became suicidal. I don’t recall the basis of my agony, but it almost certainly pertained to certain foibles of “the flesh” that my “spirit” seemed powerless to overcome.

A former student had left a cassette tape at my door that day, full of music he wanted to share with me, beginning with “Bad” by U2. I had a second floor apartment, and had sometimes heard this from the boom boxes of people who walked by outside; and I knew what effect it would have on me, particularly the opening section, with the bells. Given my state, for that reason I intentionally delayed playing it.

When I couldn’t bear the pain any more, I put it on, and was at once transported from the pit of despair into a place of perfect peace. I count this as a case of divine intervention: by means of that young man and that music, God saved my life.
Continue reading A short route to agony →

Polar bears aren’t teddy bears; etc.

December 21, 2017Bible, Clippings, JusticeBail, Charity, Environmentalism, Global warming, Judaism, Paul, Polar bears, PredatorsWilliam Tell

(Originally posted 02/10/14.)

Bookmarks:
To get bail, money talks
Polar bears aren’t all warm fuzzies.
Private planes are nice, but won’t make you happy
A Jewish view of charity

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To get bail, money talks

Bottom line: all across the country, tens of thousands of men and women are behind bars who are not guilty of any crime.

They’re there because they couldn’t post bail.
Continue reading Polar bears aren’t teddy bears; etc. →

How emotionally intelligent are you? Here’s how to tell.

November 23, 2017Bible, Get on your feet, The Way of PeaceEmotional intelligence, Empathy, EQ, God's plan, God's will, How I became homeless, Jesus, Paul, Personal growth, Prayer, Serotonin, Talk radioWilliam Tell

(Originally posted 02/01/14.)

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? Here’s How To Tell

If you’re in a boat out on the water, and a storm comes up, and the boat’s rocking and at risk of tipping over; it’s critical to turn the boat to face into the wind. This won’t stop the wind, but will keep it from rocking the boat.

Emotional intelligence is like that. It won’t make life’s storms go away, but can help keep them from rocking your boat.

In my view, emotional intelligence is the same as emotional maturity or psychological or spiritual maturity. This is what spiritual growth is all about.
Continue reading How emotionally intelligent are you? Here’s how to tell. →

* Treasures in heaven redux

August 23, 2014Bible, Job search/Job prospects, MotivationsPaulWilliam Tell