Well I saw Chelsea's entries and decided I should write one on what I am reading as well.

I too read through Blue Like Jazz and thought it was an interesting book. A very raw look at spirituality. As I finished the book two thoughts stuck with me recently. One was do we view love through an economic metaphor. The author of the book talks about how we as a culture predominantly view love through this metaphor. We value people, we look at what someone does for us before we want to give them something back, we view things in terms of what will I get if I give something. I had to stop and think about my own relationships and wondered is this really the way I would look at someone and think about loving them? To be honest ,I do think, that from time to time this is the way I grant my love to others. I honestly would have to say even in my weakest points I momentarily love my wife this way. So I wondered where else this might be in place and had to admit that most likely it was in dealing with new acquaintances. With strangers I have this tendency to just give out love and not expect anything back as I don't really know them. So this is something I am still just thinking about and what it would mean if in all relationships this metaphor was changed to one that could and would just unconditionally give love to everyone and never expect anything back.

The other thing from this book that I am still pondering is the authors take on "Love your neighbor as yourself." We all know this quote, and when we think of it, we think of how we should treat our neighbors and the strangers we meet in our life. However, for one with a low self-esteem what does that mean to me. How about switching that statement to say Love yourself as you love your neighbor. Not in a selfish or self absorbed way, but rather look at yourself and love your self the same way you love your neighbors. It is true that I love my neighbors more than I love myself. Chelsea will oven give me compliments or uplift me and my normal response is her favorite word whatever. So this is something else I am thinking about.

I am also reading His Majesty's Dark Materials, this is a fantasy trilogy. The interesting thing is his world view. He has a mix between a Christian world view and a cyclical reincarnation world view. The characters in the book are chasing after Dust aka Shadows aka Dark Matter which later you find out are spirits and are gearing up for an epic war against the Authority or the god of all. Not only do they think they can battle the Authority they also believe they can win and make the fall never happen and make sin go away forever, but that it must be done by them. He uses this idea along with the idea that there are several world that exist which we cannot see each with its own unique characteristics but all are similar in that humans have a personal soul that either manifest itself outwardly or not, and that in all the worlds the Church is an evil force. The result is that the people need to rebel against the Church and in doing so need to kill the Authority. The Church of course does not think they are evil, but rather want to find ways to destroy original sin. The premise revolve around children and how they are not affected by any of this, and thus the answer to this mystery rests on them.

I have just finished the second book in the trilogy and am waiting to see where he will take it with the 3rd book.