Tag Archive: Blogging


Why are we not taxing churches?

This image has gone viral recently and even Richard Smith of the Motley Fool has chimed in on the debate. The controversy stems around the fact that the IRS here in the United States is missing out on an estimated 71 BILLION in taxes – being that religious organizations are tax exempt in the USA.

Well, let’s face it; our whole tax system is screwed up. I pay over 20% in taxes as a middle class citizen and rich guys like Mitt Romney pay less than 15% – go figure… I guess it can be debated either way depending on your political affiliation. Anyway….

…and don’t get me started on Religion and how it has suppressed technology since the fall of the Roman Empire. After all, it was only in the 1980s that Pope John Paul finally admonished Galileo for his theory that the Earth is not the center of the Universe – that’s another blog and another time.

I guess my point is this – there is a lot of space outside of Earth’s orbit and our future is not on this planet but out among the stars. Do you really think Earth is going to be able sustain us in 500 years? How about 1000 years? Not at the pace of destruction we are waging on mother earth… Space exploration is important and we are way behind the eight ball when it comes to recent advances. Here we are living in a self-gratified world fighting over fossil fuels when we should be coming together as a planet with one mutually beneficial goal to evolve as a globe and not as the fractured world we are now.

Fat chance huh?

Well then the least we could do is tax churches – As far as I am concerned, they owe us big!

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

What is the dictionary definition of God? “A supernatural being: One of a group of supernatural male beings in some religions, each of which is worshiped as the personification or controller of some aspect of the universe”. Okydoky… now mind you, I am not an atheist but that definition just does not serve my spiritual needs… I agree it is a condensed definition but never the less; it is a definition in our English Dictionary.

So I regress a bit… I really did not enjoy math in college. It was hard to understand and truthfully I have always been impressed with mathematicians and astrophysicists who use math to unravel some of the Universes most intriguing puzzles. In college and even now, I find it useful but somewhat tedious. Still, math is incredibly important for breaking down percentages, measurements and yes religion and philosophy.

Now, I tweeted a bold comment recently:

“When you reduce religion to the most common denominator you have the Universe. Add conscious thought and you have a Responsive Universe… “

After I clicked the tweet button I immediately prepared for the worst. Surprisingly the reaction was quiet and most people agreed and even added their own contributions. My twitter nation is an educated group of yogis, health food fanatics and spiritual minds mixed in with people of overlapping interests. Still, I find I need to explain my definition of God as it relates to the Responsive Universe because after all I wrote a book about it all.

Now imagine you take the top four religions which depending on data are Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Now, I think everyone would agree that these religions all worship a deity in some form that created man and Earth. Each religion has an explanation of our origin and where we go when we die. Each religion has morals and guidelines, gurus and priests. I think people would also agree that religion is inherent to a specific region and a specific cultures spiritual needs and over thousands of years indigenous societies mold and amend these beliefs into the modern religions they are today. It is all kind of the same stuff right?

Now let’s add a little math to the discussion. Just like fractions, let’s reduce those top four religions down to their most common denominator. Reduce them beyond humans, even Earth. Let’s reduce religion or God to its source – the beginning of time as we know it… The Big Bang… Why do we need to break religion down to its most reduced form? Because whatever created the Universe created man who in turn created religion. Still, people tend to interject emotions, opinions and dogma into this discussion. “well the Bible says this”… well the Quran says that”. But you see, math does not deal in dogma, opinions and emotions. Math deals with numbers that add up to solutions that make sense on paper.

So, when you reduce Religion to its most common denominator you have the Universe. Now you could equate this as God and trust me, I do! But people tend of talk of God as a “He” or a “Who”. But in math, God just is…. There is nothing more and there is nothing less. God is the Universe and the Universe is…. People tend to struggle with that concept due to the ego which needs to attach dogma, fear and emotion to the concept of God.

Here is where it gets fun. God (the Universe) created an environment for conscious thought to arise from nothing. You want to talk about miracles? There is nothing more miraculous than conscious thought arising from nothing. People tend to think only a divine interest could create such an environment. But that is not necessarily true. You see; conscious thought connects with energy at the subatomic level and there is an instinctual quality to it that transcends humans and Earth. I explain it in-depth in the third chapter of my book, The Responsive Universe. The point is; through experience and mindfulness we connect to the energy of the Universe which is like our True Nature; constant and unwavering. It is okay if we do not fully understand its workings. Settling into the vastness of it all and understanding that we are connected to it is enough for now. Once we settle into the vastness, we often find that the idea of organized religion for us becomes unnecessary and weighted. The concept of God and the exact workings of the Universe may simply not be understandable in human terms. The Universe is the totality of all that exists, of all that existed before, and all that will come to exist in the future. What an immense trinity! The New Testament in western religion is based around a similar trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As you ponder all of this, consider a new interpretation of that trinity that transcends religion. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are different words for the Past, the Present, and the Future, or Death, Birth, and Regeneration. We sit in the Universe in the present with past and future horizons expanding rapidly beyond us (red shift). How do we explain it all? How do we find meaning in a realm that is so vast we can’t even fully comprehend it? We find meaning in the connections that bind the paradoxes of life; the unity of the Mandala:  God, the Universe, and True Nature are not three separate phenomena we must strive to understand; they are one and the same.

God is energy and therefore humans  are energy… connected as one in a vast matrix of light and matter with a dash of instinctual consciousness that transcends earthly dogma. That is the definition of a Responsive Universe; where science explains karma and an afterlife; where energy and love heal and allow us to evolve.

The Universe is… therefore I am….

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

New Responsive Universe Promo Video

What defines mid-life? I am in my early 40s now (thought that was mid-life)  – bye bye 30s and I can barely remember my 20s – that was a long time ago…

Well, it seems the new middle age is 50 which is good news for us 40 year olds. A recent study in Britain concluded that people in their fifties that have a decent and dependent pool of friends to socialize with are happier and theoretically will live longer. This is definitely the case with women. Further, men that have a strong bond with family in their fifties also enjoy significant psychological well-being.  I guess we are social animals after all.

The study also concluded that less educated men were more likely to have a larger social network of friends. For women, it is the opposite. Also, being single was associated with a small pool of social interaction. I have read on numerous occasions that being married and or enjoying a quality of cohabitation improves life and happiness. This article seems to reinforce that as well.

Well, there you go – the next time you are invited to go out and you just want to stay home and watch TV in your PJ’s – remember, social animals live longer!

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

I have been thinking a lot about credibility lately. As a wellness writer and blog contributor I have a moral obligation to “practice what I preach”. I really should not be seen eating at fast food restaurants everyday of the week when I promote juicing and eating organic foods. The same can be said about how I carry myself in the public or around my family: My decisions and actions should be karmic and mindful; sans of ego, anger and jealousy. It is a tight rope to walk because as anyone knows, working toward self-discovery and social/spiritual evolution is a full-time job. We all need to be continually mindful of the present – always aware of our thoughts; always re-directing our mind processes away from the past and future, fear and fantasy; rooted to a more authentic existence. It’s not easy.

That leads me to the notion of credibility. Credibility is a multi-faceted concept: Of course there is social credibility – how the public perceives your actions and contributions and then there is inner-credibility – how you perceive yourself. This quality of inner-credibility is just as important.

I have been meditating a lot lately – some of it formal meditation but much of it involving walking or bike riding meditations (which I find as inspiring and also physically good for you as well). The concept of inner-credibility is a huge factor in meditation. As your mind begins to wander, many of those thought trails it follows deals with unresolved issues, worries and even regrets; in essence, you’re inner-credibility and how you perceive yourself. It is a bit like self-esteem but more authentic.  I find that when a concern or regret arises in my mind (especially during meditation) it is a trigger for me to take action. As an example, I have not been keeping in touch with a specific relative and I actually feel a little guilty for not being more responsive. It is not that I do not like this person, it is just that I am busy and such intentions seem to continually slip to the wayside. Yet, it is this lack of responsiveness that causes me to suffer; and in meditation, that same nagging thought arises from nothingness to interrupt a peaceful session. There are many things that can cause us worry and anxiety: Money, jobs, health, addictions, lack of conviction – just to name a few.

The point is, I have found that when I clear the slate and take care of those mindful nagging things that need attention – I am more centered in life. I have less to worry about and I have found my meditations  to be more satisfying. When you have less to worry about, you feel better. We can’t control the many challenges that come our way, but we can clear the “in box” at work and scratch a few things off the “to do list” at home so we can relax and feel better about ourselves. It takes a little extra work but the results are empowering.

I called that relative yesterday and now I feel better about myself – a small step that made a big difference for me and for the person on the other end of the phone. Now, I look forward to my afternoon meditation when I do not have to worry about what needs to be done and I can simply live in the moment.

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

First of all everyone lives in a Responsive Universe. Let me explain…

There are people of the Christian faith that understand and see the energy and space that is the Responsive Universe. Maybe through self-discovery, meditation and even yoga, educated Christians understand how science and spirituality are making connections with the quantum Universe; shedding scientific light on the power of prayer, karma, meditation and even our origin and afterlife. Still, deep down in their hearts they know they love Jesus and Jesus loves them. Deep down they feel connections with “The Son of God” and even find wisdom within the Bible.

So, how do they fit in the Responsive Universe?

As many of you know, I am not a proponent of organized religion. I feel it creates more problems than it solves. History has clearly shown that it divides culture, encourages oppression, exclusionism and it persuades people to follow instead of leading. Still, I will never individually condemn someone for their beliefs.

When this discussion pops up I always ask this question: Where did your faith in Jesus arise from? Most would answer from childhood.  Many of us in the west grew up under Christian roofs. As kids, we went to church and much of our social evolution stems from the trappings and dogma associated with Christianity. And there is nothing wrong with that. For a child growing up in the Middle East, Islam would be an underlying social element in the growth and maturity of a child. And of course there is nothing wrong with this upbringing either.  The flavor of a specific religion is inherent to the cultural and spiritual needs of a specific region in the world – break religion down to the most common denominator and you have something that transcends earth and humans – you have the Universe… Add conscious thought and now you have a Responsive Universe.

In the First Mandala of The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices we are reminded that we need to approach everything in life with an open mind. We are asked to revisit our childhood belief systems and determine if this system of conviction is still valid and practical. Much like the US Constitution which has been amended to meet the modern needs of American government and society, we need to re-evaluate our old belief systems in God and make sure this system of faith is still meeting our deepest spiritual needs. This does not mean to completely disregard your old belief systems – only to amend them; thus discarding the old and archaic that are no longer useful on your road to spiritual evolution. Religion is not bad, I just feel we need to embrace the good and discard the unnecessary – you have that right and no one has the authority to tell you differently – not even the Pope!

In a sometimes chaotic world, it is easy to forget that each of us alone holds the key to happiness and enlightenment. Unless you have experienced a spiritual awakening, everything you have learned about God and faith was from your mentors and social immersion. This is fine as children but as we grow and mature into adult’s; self-discovery becomes a primary necessity to spiritual evolution. It is up to you to connect to the sublime and grow and prosper spiritually. If you feel stagnant in your energy and faith in God then you should take a hard look at where your belief is anchored and make some positive changes that will re-ignite your conviction. Having a connection to the Universe is important – It does not matter whether it is through Jesus or simply as an agnostic. There are many roads to God and enlightenment. For me, Buddhism resonates well but I take what I need from it and I find the rest of my spiritual energy is found within.

I have always contended that Jesus was an amazing man with amazing gifts. I can even argue that the message of Jesus was more eastern influenced (before Constantine got a hold of it).  After years of manipulation, translation and rewriting, modern Christians are handed this book and expected to believe all of its contents? There is this element of fear interwoven into most contemporary religion that feeds our egos. This is when fundamental problems arise – we should never fear God or the Universe. We should never fear death or losing our soul – such trappings go against the fabric of energy and love. Fear is not Jesus; Fear is religion fighting to stay in power.

There is nothing wrong with believing in the teachings of Jesus as long as you came to this belief system on your own accord. Once we re-evaluate our childhood beliefs and re-affirm them as valid we can move on with confidence. Discard what you feel is not connected to your True Nature – embrace what feels right and is contributing to your spiritual evolution. There is nothing wrong with believing in Jesus or finding inspiration in Church or the Bible. The key is to be mindful; follow your intuition and energy. Strip down that ego and take heed to your heart wish – this is your connection with God. If you have to serve your heart wish with blind faith then there is something wrong. If you are held prisoner to dogma or fear of hell and the devil then there is something wrong. Live with compassion always in your heart and you will make a meaningful connection.

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

New Responsive Universe Promo Video

Photo

Recently….

Have you taken the precious time to just lay on your back outside

and watch the clouds just float by without much thought of anything?

Try it….

…..You might like it

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

There are so many different ways to meditate. In my own journey of mindfulness, I have read and studied almost every technique imaginable. From Transcendental Meditation which is making a comeback to the thorough guidelines of my formal Buddhist training; to simply discovering my own path to mindfulness along the way.

I am guilty as charged for dedicating a whole book to meditation including helpful hints and tips in my recent release, The Responsive Universe. Still, I have to digress; learning technique and skills is important. You need to have a foundation for which to build your practice on. Still, there is this continued misconception with meditation – about what it is and what it isn’t.

Simply said, meditation is…. It is that simple. We try to make it seem complicated and I find that the more complicated it gets the more trouble people have connecting to its quality of wellness.  Taking it a step further, meditation is about mindfulness… nothing more, nothing less… it is about being present – keeping and continually redirecting your thoughts to what is happening right now; away from thoughts of fear and fantasy, past and future… What are you feeling right now? That is meditation… Did you have to refocus your thoughts a hundred times in 5 minutes? That is meditation…. Did the dog interrupt your session by chasing a fly across the room (happened to me yesterday) – that is meditation… Your stomach is growling and your foot just fell asleep? That is meditation…

You see, meditation just is…. Any attempt to meditate; any attempt to root your mind in the present is considered meditation. Even if you think you failed miserably at meditating it is still considered meditation. In this sense, you can’t lose!

You can meditate anywhere: walking the dog, riding a bike, sitting still and undisturbed. Meditation just is….

So, let your meditation flow – Stay diligent and do not stress about posture or  your out breath; or all those thoughts that keep popping in your head. Every experience good or bad, positive or negative is considered part of the meditation. Meditation just is…

So, relax, breathe and just let it flow…

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

The questions have been pouring in, especially from Twitter. When a particular question grabs my attention, there is always a chance I will blog about it. Always feel free to forward a question or thought to me.  I can be reached through this blog, facebook and Twitter – thanks again!

A recent twitter nation follower asked how I find the energy and drive to meditate, eat well and exercise on a regular basis; basically, how do I stay diligent and steadfast?

Great question and you know what, it did not happen overnight. Living in a Responsive Universe is not about instant gratification. You can’t take a pill or meditate for twenty minutes and your life is going to change. This is not an infomercial where we advertise instant results.

For me it was the small subtle changes in my life that fueled my drive to continue on. The proof of wellness and positive energy is in the experience. The more I meditated the more comfortable I got at it. Meditation was difficult for me early on but after years of practice, I now yearn for any type of meditative respite.  Plus, meditation can come in many forms (my next blog will address that notion).

Eating healthy was another challenge – I love fried foods and I am not a big fan of veggies. The solution for me was juicing. I juice vegetables that used to simply repulse me: Kale, beets and tomatoes. I still can’t eat those things but I sure as hell can slam it down in the liquid form. I juice almost daily and it does two things for me: It gives me the anti-oxidant punch my body needs and juicing also takes the guilt away when I do want to indulge in something unhealthy – everything in moderation right?

Exercising is another obstacle I had to outsmart.  I grew up at the beach and surfing or bodyboarding out in the waves was great exercise. Well, now I live in Chicagoland and the surf is not great on Lake Michigan – actually it really sucks. But, I found bike riding to be a fun, meditative way to exercise and relax the mind at the same time. I ride about 20-30 miles a week and I love it!

So, it is about out smarting the ego which is always trying to find excuses to not meditate, eat well or exercise.  Again for me, the proof was in the experience. I just feel better mentally and physically when I include meditation with a healthier lifestyle.  As you manifest wellness in your life, new perspectives, opportunities, clarity and energy arise and then you know you are on the right path. When you see small successes and victories in areas where there were only defeats and guilt  it empowers you to continue on. It is not always easy, sometimes you do have to push yourself but the results are always worth it.

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

Check out this article about religiosity plummeting In Ireland and declining worldwide as well.

ARTICLE

I truly think religion as we know it has peaked. As this article indicates, religiosity is down, especially in countries where it has reigned for thousands of years. Think about it, how many people worship RE the ancient Egyptian Sun God that ruled the religious faithful of North Africa for 5,000 years? Religions like cultures and languages die out. If history has taught us anything it is that cultural trappings are not permanent.  We as spiritually conscious creatures need to connect to something more permanent and fixed like our energy and true nature – We do live in a Responsive Universe and we do not need blind faith and dogma to connect to the sublime – the energy and love that we find in nature and human experience is proof enough. It is a dynamism that transcends Earth and defines our connection with humanity and the Cosmos; from which energy and all forms arise. There, I said it… JCB

Want to read more? Check out my blog on the Extinction of Religion…

Find your center and find your spiritual inspiration to grow and evolve in this Responsive Universe…

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? -E.M. Forster

I love this quote because it centers on the concept of mindfulness.  I would counter, what good is life if you do not connect to your True Nature within. A person that only lives through ego and false-self is a person that has never really lived.

Spend time in nature, go bare foot and ground yourself with Mother Earth – find your center and find energy, wisdom and happiness…

 

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com

New Responsive Universe Promo Video

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