Spirituality
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Performative Authenticity: Mass Society and Private Reality
Since writing this 4 years ago, I never thought that its timeliness would increase as it ages…. ” it should be observed that mass society has crept into the furthest corners of our private lives – to the point that it is corrupting our authentic selves.” Continue reading
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The Ways of Grace
To be saved by grace sounds simple enough, grammatically at least. We are born into sin, and redeemed by a sacrificial love which we do not deserve. Baptized at 11, I seemed to have passed the test. Sunday school stuff, really. Let’s go to the all you can eat buffet together, laugh a little, and… Continue reading
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A Reason to be Reasonable
When the detained people who stormed the Capitol are prosecuted, my guess is the charges will have something to do with sedition, destroying property, or threatening lives. Democracy will be defended, but it is this terrorism that needs to be tried. Continue reading
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A Faithful Skepticism, or, “Happy New Year!”
What has been expressed as widespread mistrust is not of what is around us, such as churches, universities, stock markets, and governments; the distrust is of ourselves. We distrust who we are. And I don’t believe it. Continue reading
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Profit and Benefit
“What about this? And what about that?” Don’t talk of nourishment; let’s eat till we’re fat. We look to a promise and give up the now, We exchange our Being for furrowed brow. Continue reading
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Individual and Society: Gabor Maté and Jordan Peterson on Addiction
“…depression and addiction are related phenomena, and … they are symptoms of a more general malaise of which the world-ending consequences may be of our own doing.” Continue reading
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My Break up with Social Media
I thought social media loved me for who I was, with its catered advertising and photo- and video-sharing capabilities; but really, it only loved me for the attention I gave to it. Continue reading
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Trump as an Agitator: Prophets of Deceit
Trumpism, Prophets of Deceit suggests, is the inevitable outcome of a social, economic, and political order that generates human needs that it cannot satisfy. Continue reading
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The Choice We Face
“…if mass society is experienced as a force that wears us down as individuals, then our belonging to community should build us up…” Continue reading
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Mental Processing for Study and Life
We only have to remember that to be better is not necessarily connected to what we do or don’t do, to what we think or don’t think. Continue reading
About me: I am a career educator and traveler at heart. My written work includes academic writing in philosophy and linguistics, English acquisition, and most intently in the areas of spiritual engagement with reality and what that means for our public lives.
My education is a mixture of formal study in philosophy, political theory, Biblical studies, and history, along with professional teaching certification in TESOL and in cognitive testing, and international teaching.
My travel experiences include a range of countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. I have lived in Canada, the United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Thailand. From those places I have traveled to many others besides.
I am a child of the 70’s and a “family man.” That means I have two wonderful kids who have been round the world with me.
Lastly, I am married to a wonderful woman since 2004. She is my partner, my friend, and my muse.
Thanks again for stopping by,
Raymond Klassen - Ideals and Identities 