Image: Clouds Seeded Over Las Vegas Flickr, Saschapohflepp

In an opinion piece in the Jan. 27 online issue of Nature (paid content), scientists from Canada and the United States argue that internationally coordinated research and controlled field-testing of geo-engineering options to block the sun should start immediately. Most likely, you heard the economic benefits already on the Read the full story on TreeHugger

Humility too often sounds like a dirty word in our culture. It goes against the dominant values of competition, self-promotion, and egotism. Prominent figures seldom exhibit anything like it. Sometimes we see weak attempts at false modesty, but only rare and special leaders are truly humble. The Dalai Lama comes to mind, but not many others.

This is unfortunate. Humility not only fosters cooperation within society, it promotes mental health. Alcoholics Anonymous has figured this out, and of course most spiritual systems advocate against excessive pride. But as a general principle of psychiatric wellness, we seldom hear of it.

The problem is that people misunderstand the word. We hear talk about the importance of self-esteem, and we suspect humility implies lack of belief in oneself. But the truth is we can’t be genuinely humble without first being confident of our worth. We all understand that the people who talk themselves up the most are often the ones who feel the most insecure. The converse, also true, is less well known. Those who feel more love and respect for themselves have less concern about proving themselves to society.

My dictionary defines humility as “a modest or low view of one’s importance.” It is easy to get caught up in the phrase ‘modest or low view’ and miss the fact that it refers to downsizing our opinion of our importance; not our opinion of our selves.

This text spanned nine pages when I pasted it into my word processor! Sudhamma Bhikkhuni directly and politely dissects the legal theory raised in Thanissaro Bhikkhus letter on bhikkhuni ordination. Her analysis is divided into two main parts that answer two related questionsWas there a flaw? Would a flaw invalidate an ordination?followed by some concluding thoughts. I hope you get a chance to read this piece in full.

November 23, 2009

Dear Venerables and Friends,

Following is my urgently drafted response to Ven. Thanissaros letter criticizing the October 22, 2009 bhikkhuni ordination ceremony.

His critique would undercut not only these ordinations, but most modern bhikkhunis ordained status. Bhikkhuni ordination is rare to obtain in samsara, and precious. Although prior to becoming a bhikkhuni, I had lived as an 8-Preceptor for extensive periods, and then as a 10-Preceptor for four years, the higher ordination rocked my world. From that day, the holy life has given me protections and benefits exactly as I had hoped and yet also beyond my wildest dreams; but it is not something a layperson or insincere monastic can grasp.

To divest from hundreds of virtuous and sincere bhikkhunis the worlds respect for their robes on the basis of Ven. Thanissaros obscure legal theory would be tragic even if the theory were technically correct, which it is not.

Metta,

Sudhamma Bhikkhuni
Carolina Buddhist Vihara
Greenville, SC

Researchers advocate swapping household pets like cats and dogs for edible 'pets' like chickens or rabbits.

I was going to title this “Against Transhumanism,” but then realized I’m more indifferent than against; it distracts some folks from what I think important, but probably attracts others; I can’t really tell if there is much overall effect.

The history of the future is the rise and fall of groups claiming to advocate for the future, with advice that just happens to also raise the social status of their affiliate groups.

When I was very young there was still lots of cold war futurism, about how the future would be ours because our side was more industrious, smart, moral, etc.  Each of us could help make a bright future for the world by by helping our side win, via full support of our heroic governments and big corporations.  Unity yeah, divisiveness boo.

Then there was enviro-futurism, about how the world will go to hell in a handbasket unless we followed their lead and cared less about greedy materialistic dominance, and more about peaceful submissive less-kids-n-stuff harmony with nature. Flowers n drugs yes, SUVs no. There is still lots of this around.

Lou Engle has called for "martyrs" to stop abortion and gay marriage. And he predicts a second civil war.

Thursday, April 12, 2007's post by Scripps Howard columnist and religion professor Terry Mattingly, "Is GetReligion a 'Christian' blog?" has inspired readers and fans of the GetReligion blog to ask pointed questions about the nature and quality of the media's coverage of religion and theology. My own brief comment (see item #10) advised the bloggers (Mattingly, LeBlanc, Hemingway, etc.) to look not only to the type of religious faith professed by the blog's authors, but also at their relative level of consciousness.

The national security implications of climate change cannot be so easily dismissed.