Commentary

This Ash Wednesday many Christians will arrive at work with a black cross smudged on their foreheads; countless more will slip into a church or a chapel during their lunch break or after work to receive the sign that tells the arrival of the traditional start of the Christian season of Lent.

I must begin with my standard disclaimer about Quakers and Quakerism.  We are a non-creedal group, so there is no set of beliefs that are required to be a Quaker. Beliefs on a topic like the existence of hell will typically range the full spectrum of belief found in the larger society.   

These may not be the end times, but they sure are crummy times in so many ways. So, it is more important than ever that we find diversion, find amusement, find relief. And I do not recall a time in recent memory when it has been harder to do that.

Because I write about faith, people often ask me what religion I am.  Sometimes I stumble over my answer. I admit I worry what people will think when I say “I’m a Buddhist.” It sounds so … trendy, which I am not. At the garden store Buddha’s statues have become as popular as St. Francis.

Are there any rules, customs or traditions in the Hindu religion or culture that specify you "must" remain friends with someone who has been helpful to you, no matter what?

In my last post, I introduced an exploration of hate as an idea. We sometimes think of hate as this emotional force that overcomes us. As if we are walking down the street minding our own business, listening to Taylor Swift singing "haters gonna to hate, hate, hate, hate, hate," and like a vampire, coming upon us with a greeting of “good evening,” before launching onto our neck and sucking out our life and turning us into a creature of the night.