Description:
I've been a student, a war resister, a farmer. I've started several businesses; bought and sold real estate and antiques.
I've worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce and local chambers of commerce to help rural Oregon communities create new sources of jobs.
I've promoted outdoor sports and started an ecotourism business to expose city-dwellers to Oregon's oldgrowth forests.
I've traveled around the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Now I'm finally getting around to doing what I said I wanted to do when I left college to see what life was really about, writing.
Staying in shape and being active has always been a goal of mine. Being introduced to vegetarian organic living in 1969 was a lifesaver for me.
A better way of living is possible, as you all know. It's more important than ever that we convince more of the world's people that a peaceful, cooperative, simpler lifestyle is the answer to most of their problems -- not more striving and fighting.
The Old Testament was a big advance over the religions of that time that sacrificed babies on the altar of Baal. Christianity made great strides in clarifying our understanding of the cosmos. I agree we need to refine our present understanding that has strayed away from Jesus' teaching and found reasons to hate and kill those who don't agree with our interpretation.
This has got to stop. We are all too well-armed! Killing those who disagree with us doesn't change the minds of those who survive.
We've got to evolve quickly to a general understanding of what Jesus, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, and many others have tried to get us to see. Our survival as a civilized race depends on it.
So, yes, go ahead and talk about religion and God. What could be more important and timely? Thanks for your courage to talk about these issues.