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Human Library: 2013 (Feb.)

The Human Library offers human books available to check out by readers curious to find out more about something the book has experienced or believes.

PREVIOUS TITLES (from February 2013)

This particular Human Library was based around the theme of 

"Spiritual Pathways" 

An Atheist Converts

This book is a philosophy professor and a Roman Catholic.  He was raised in a non-religious home by atheists and as a child was indifferent to religion and the question of God.  In college, that indifference became hostility.  He got his Masters degree at a Catholic university and was, for the first time, exposed to thoughtful religiosity.  This was the beginning of his religious conversion.  There was no one moment or one cause, no dramatic “I was saved on day x” (though he can look back and see some important episodes).  Rather it was a confluence of forces that began his spiritual journey - a great and engaging professor, great friends, and great books.  The conversion was entirely intellectual to begin with, arising from exposure to the arguments for the existence of God from Aristotle and Aquinas.  But believing that a philosophical / metaphysical entity exists is a far thing from having faith.  Over time he prayed, thought, read, and conversed.  Again, no magical moment.  One day he found himself believing.

 
Preconceptions:  Religious beliefs cannot be rationally evaluated.  Philosophy is dangerous to faith.  Faith and Reason can't go together.
 
Common questions:  Isn’t religious belief subjective?  What can be proven and what cannot be proven about the divine?  How could you have come to believe as an adult?  Is faith a “leap”?  Why Catholic?

Eco-Spiritualist

This book finds deep ecological consciousness and spirituality through political activism and immersion/observation in nature.  He agrees with Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess that people can hold spiritual convictions of “deep ecology” based on experiences in nature, withoutany particular religious orientation.  Deep ecology is a philosophy that says living beings have worth regardless of their usefulness to humans.  This book experienced a face-to-face encounter with a mountain lion that confirmed his spiritual connection with nature.  In an article he wrote titled   Live and Let Live about the incident he stated, “If I were killed by an attacking lion in one of the wildest places on earth, it would have been an honor—though I have to admit it's an honor I'd rather not receive.”

Preconceptions:  Nature lovers are elitists who are more concerned about their own backyards, personal recreation, and wild places and animals than about people and progress.  Christianity and other religions conflict with deep ecology.  People and nature cannot exist in harmony.  Eco-spiritualists believe that people are flawed, nature isn’t.   

Common questions: Were you afraid when you came face to face with a mountain lion?  -- What did you do?  Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt or lost in the wilderness?  Don't people have more value than animals?  I bet you drive a Subaru don’t you?

Finding a Buddhist Path in Logan Utah

Beginning with a chance conversation at the Gardener’s Market in Logan this book began to study and practice Buddhism trying to find how that ancient path traverses the landscape of modern American life.  This book describes his journey: “Footprints and signposts suggesting the path have come from conversation with other (equally confused) travelers, as well as from ancient and contemporary teachers.  Gradually, the path has become clearer as it is traveled. Each step raises new questions and resolves others.  It looks like there is an interplay between ancient wisdom and modern interpretation, between focus on each step and awareness of where the path is leading, between using one’s currently available wisdom and trusting the suggestions of others who have tread the path.”  This book notes that he is still in the drafting and editing process.  He is involved with a local sangha group.

Preconceptions:  Buddhists think suffering is a good thing.  Belief in reincarnation is a part of Buddhism.  Buddhists all wear robes.  Buddhists worship the god Buddha.

Common questions:  What do Buddhists believe anyway? Are these your beliefs?  What is this stuff about karma and rebirth?  Why do you meditate - what is meditation all about?  Isn’t it (a) boring, (b) self-absorbed, (c) divorced from acting to improve the world?  How has the Buddhist path helped/hindered you as a faculty member and religious minority in Utah?  Does your local group have a religious leader?

From Academic Atheist to Ordained Episcopal Clergy in 95 (Not So) Easy Steps

This book is about the unexpected journey of a non-believer who became a believer and in the process gave up his chosen career to follow a new (not yet fully defined) calling.   He went from being a tenured faculty member to serving as a hospital chaplain to working as a church administrator on his way to becoming… something else?   As part of this journey he learned (struggled) to give up the illusion of having control of his life and being able determine his future, and instead tried to become more open to following where the spirit seems to be leading him -- sometimes kicking and screaming. He has had the privilege to witness the joys and sorrows of life, and bumped into the divine in unexpected places.

Preconceptions:  Being a hospital chaplain dealing with dying people must be very depressing.  People like chaplains have strong sense of conviction that leads them on a straight and simple path of belief and service.

Common questions:  You don’t really believe all that stuff do you? So what exactly do you do? As a hospital chaplain, how do you deal with death and dying? Explain the Trinity. Why does your church ordain women/gay people? Why do you believe in sin? Why are your church doors red? How do you say “Episcopalian”?

From Vision Quest to LDS

Although raised LDS, this book and his family left the church when he was about 9.  During the years following, and with the influence of negative views of the church swirling in the family group, he went through a period of anti-LDS thoughts and a general negative, unproductive and argumentative attitude.  A turning point came when, at age 18, he went camping in the desert with friends and had a sort of “Vision Quest” epiphany, which resulted in a changed outlook and ultimate return to the LDS faith.  He credits this experience in the desert with regaining his lost identity and his renewed faith in the LDS church as “setting him free.” 

Common preconceptions: Once someone leaves a religion they don't go back; vision quests always involve drugs

Common questions:  What is a vision quest? Isn’t that something Native Americans used to do?

The Good Atheist, or, An Atheist’s Guide to Heaven

Many who believe in a creator god tend to think that an atheist has no spiritual grounding, no basis for morality, and no workable joy in this life. In this book’s experience, nothing could be further from the truth.  He believes that a conscientious atheist, shedding the burden of belief in gods, finds joy in the world as it is, and makes voluntary, guilt-free commitments to living in a way that honors other persons and that improves the quality of life for all of “creation.” Whereas believers hope for a life in paradise after they leave this sinful world, an atheist offers an alternative view: this world is heaven already. 

Preconceptions:  Atheists think religious people are naïve or gullible; atheists are angry; atheists have meaningless lives

Common questions:   Do atheists hate religion and religious people?  Do you believe in anything?  Do you celebrate Christmas?  Without a God, can atheists distinguish between right and wrong?

Learning from Teaching: a Missionary Experience

This book was a LDS missionary in India.  He was fascinated by the experience of the familiar – his religion – combined with the exotic – a new culture.  He found the people he encountered to be sincere, faithful, and gracious.  Personal reflection, discussion and conversation, and seeing expression and examples of spirituality in the daily life of the people he met added to the foundation of his faith.  He says: “…I took a lot from the way they lived and acted. Things that I thought were important (like material things) vanished as I sat in their huts. They were happy and content with what they had and valued relationships far more than possessions… Their examples greatly contributed to my testimony and life.”

Preconceptions: Missionaries are only concerned with converting people and view the cultures they visit as something that should be changed.   Living in a different place strengthens/weakens faith.

Common questions: Did you proselyte? Did you learn the local language? Are people from other religions accepted in that culture?  Do you think India is a religious place compared with the United States?  What is it like to be in a different place than one where your religion is the dominant one?  How was your interaction with people different than at home?   Was it hard living in a different culture? 

Letting Go of Certainty: Mormon to Atheist

This book is a true-blue Mormon who turned atheist. He says: “Contrary to popular opinion, that does not mean I am an "anti-Mormon" or anti-religious in general. I am pro-human! You might describe me as a secular humanist. I value my religious heritage and walk the earth in awe and wonder at its beauty, complexity, and mystery. I treasure each bit of knowledge we glean from scientific study, but I accept that there is little we actually know about the nature of existence.” He is also a husband, father, teacher, artist, programmer, game maker, and wannabe musician.
 
Preconceptions: It is easy/hard to change your faith.  People who leave a religion have negative feelings about it. 
 
Common questions:  Why did you change?  How long did it take?  Was it a sudden decision? What did your family and friends think of your changing your faith?  Did anyone support you in making this change?  Do you still feel culturally Mormon even though you do not practice it as a religion?  Is it hard to “let go of certainty?” How did you explain your change to your children?  Did your wife and/or children retain their faith or did they change also?  What have you lost; what have you gained?

Life-long Journeys in Lutheran Christianity

Both members of this two-volume set have been Lutherans for many years.  One was born that way and the other chose it as a young adult.   They have moved many times in their life together and have always selected their church home before arriving in their new community.  Their faith practice has given shape and direction to their lives, including raising their family as Lutherans in Provo in the ‘70s.  They have always been very active participants in the life and ministries of each congregation to which they have belonged.

Preconceptions: Lutherans are emotionally repressed and never talk about their faith; or much of anything else, for that matter.  Lutherans all live in Minnesota or Wisconsin and have Swedish or Norwegian ancestry. Lutefisk is meant to be eaten.  A Prairie Home Companion is a documentary.

Common questions:  Who was Martin Luther and what was he so mad about, anyway?  Can women be pastors and bishops in the Lutheran Church?  Why are there several different kinds of Lutheran churches?  Is there a world-wide leader of the Lutheran church?  Can I be Lutheran if I don’t like coffee or beer?  Do Lutheran pastors have special training? Are LGBT people welcome at Lutheran churches?

Letting it Ring: Music and Spirituality

This book sees music as a way to experience God¹s presence, open to God¹s guidance, and seek greater spiritual understanding.  A church musician for almost half a century, she grew up in a mainstream Protestant church singing in the choirs, serving as a piano accompanist, and playing clarinet solos. Today she directs the interfaith bell choirs sponsored by Logan¹s Presbyterian Church. Not only is music an integral part of this book's formal worship, but it also connects her with people of all faiths and perspectives via her bell choir rehearsals where she listens to ringers from a variety of faiths discussing what a particular piece of music means to them. Audience members have approached her after concerts to tell how the music touched them spiritually. She feels that through music, we share a common foundation for spiritual experience.

Preconceptions: Church musicians and English handbell ringers are strait-laced, dour, uptight. English handbell ringing is for the elderly.

Common questions: Why do bell ringers wear those little white gloves? With all those bells on the table, how do you keep track of which ones you¹re supposed to ring? How do you ring two bells in one hand at the same time?

 

Mormon Turned Pagan

This book was raised L.D.S. but has been a pagan since he was 18.  Consequences of his beliefs include loss of family and friends as well as discrimination at work and school.  Paganism refers to non-Abrahamic (Islam, Christianity, Judaism), polytheistic (more than one God) religious traditions such as: Polytheism (Egyptian, Celtic, Norse, and Hellenic), Ethnic/Folk religions (Native American, Chinese folk, African traditional religion), and Neopaganism.

Preconceptions:  All pagans are: Wiccans/Witches; devil worshippers; atheistic; immoral; Renaissance Faire types who dress in weird clothes; believe in Free Love; bisexual or gay; despise Christians; Goths; violent and antisocial; barefoot, hairy and unwashed; tree huggers; crystal fanatics, hippies, vegans; tattooed and pierced; nudists

Common questions:  What is a Pagan?  Do you worship Satan?  Do you use black magic?  What is a Book of Shadows/Grimoire? Are you tree huggers?  Aren't Pagans immoral?  Do Pagans perform sacrifices?

Music as a Moral Compass

As part of his childhood, this book took part in two main personal studies: music appreciation and religious studies.  Music, particularly punk and hardcore, provided alternative worldviews at perfect times during his adolescence.  Bands like Thursday, Rise Against, and Brand New showed a world beyond the religiously centered community he lived in.  These musical groups, along with a variety of other groups, showed him that life beyond religion was not a crass, meaningless world but instead one where he could develop his own moral compass and ideals to guide him throughout his life.

Preconceptions: Punk rockers are anarchists. That kind of music has no redeeming qualities.  Punk rock fans are angry people.

Common questions:  How does religion play into the hardcore attitude of rebellion to authority? Isn’t punk rock  anti-establishment? 

Open Eyes, Open Heart

Growing up in a nontraditional LDS family, living, studying, and volunteering in a number of places around the world, experiencing abuse and ridicule as a preteen, and watching her siblings and parents make difficult and differing life choices have all influenced this book's attitude toward life. Looking beyond expectations and stereotypes, she sees influences and attribution, meaning sought and choices made, and wants to learn everything she can from the diversity in the world.  She opens her heart to all people no matter their background or the choices they've made.

Preconceptions:  All LDS people are judgmental and only want to convert you; non-LDS and LDS people can’t ever be good friends; victims of abuse don’t ever recover; you can always tell if someone was abused; changing from studying to be a veterinarian to ELED is a cop-out; there’s nothing we can really learn from other cultures because America has everything

Common questions:  Why did you decide to switch from being a veterinarian to being a teacher?  Why in the world would you want to live in another country?  How did you recover from your abuse?  How can you not blame God for what happened to you?  How can you accept family members who have made different important choices than you?

Shaman - Tapping Unseen Powers Behind the Veil

This book studied shamanism for 20 years as an anthropologist without ever really “getting” how shamanic practitioners actually “tap-into” the spirit world and what they learn as a result. Then she had an experience that allowed her to finally “see behind the veil of normally unseen powers and energies.” That experience changed the way she views the world and her position in it.  She feels that far from preaching or proselytizing a particular religious perspective, the real power of shamanism is that it can provide a set of tools so that individuals can engage in deep inner exploration and come to realize more profoundly their own relationship to that which is beyond themselves.  This book can also talk about her experiences studying and teaching about indigenous wisdom traditions, and “radical” participation as a better way of understanding and presenting topics like shamanism to the wider world.

Preconceptions:  Shamans are possessed by spirits; Shamanism only exists in indigenous groups; Shamans live in another reality; Good science demands detachment and objectivity; Science and religion can’t mix.

Common questions:  What is a shaman?  Are you a shaman?  How does someone become a shaman?  Can a woman be a shaman?  What was covered in the experiential course in shamanism that you offered here at USU?  Is “spirituality” (as connection to one another, to our environment, and to the unseen world) an appropriate classroom topic?  What shamanic practices have you or do you participate in?

Spiritual Growth During Illness

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, this book underwent chemotherapy and radiation while working full time.  She feels that dealing with cancer spurred her spiritual growth.  She says: “When life throws you an unexpected challenge, you can either feel fearful and sorry for yourself, or you can embrace it as an opportunity for growth.  Both paths require expending your energy, one passively and one actively.  I decided to expend energy for joy and growth.” 

Preconceptions:  When you are dealing with cancer, that is all you can do -- it takes over your whole life.  Spiritual well-being can help in dealing with cancer.  You can’t focus on growth or joy if you are fighting cancer.

Common questions:  Did you hope being spiritual would bring a cure?  Can there be something good about having cancer?  Does spirituality help with coping?  How did having cancer change your spirituality?

Sweat Lodges and Spirituality

Since she was a child, this book has thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors; she feels a strong connection to God (the Creator, Heavenly Father, etc.) when in nature.  Having visited several faiths/churches growing up, she considers herself simply as "Christian." She experienced her first sweat lodge in the fall of 1989 at a Tom Brown Jr.’s Tracking, Nature Observation and Wilderness Survival School.  The traditionally Native American ritual combined the physical experience of being in a warm/hot, dark hut (sweat lodge) with quiet meditation, shared prayers, and songs. This positive experience led her and her husband to build a sweat lodge of their own and share the experience with friends.  She also has participated over the past 24 years in several sweat lodge workshops, each with a specific focus such as self-growth and reflection, preparation for a vision quest, and healing ceremonies.

Preconceptions: Only Native Americans should conduct sweat lodges.  Women and men must be in different sweat lodges.  Sweat lodges involve lots of ritual.

Common questions:  Can't sweat lodges be dangerous if not done correctly?  Can/should I drink water during a sweat lodge? Should women abstain from sweating during their menstrual period?  What do you wear in a sweat lodge?  Why would I want to try a sweat lodge?   Do you feel claustrophobic in a sweat lodge?

Unitarian Universalists: Don't They Believe Anything and Everything?

This book is a Unitarian Universalist and member of the Cache Community Connections Civic and Inter-faith Council.  Six of our U.S. Presidents and several signers of the Declaration of Independence were Unitarians.  Unitarians (a single God, not trinity) and Universalists (all people will eventually be saved) merged in 1961 and evolved significantly to a point where they now include the traditions of world religions. 

Preconceptions:   Unitarian Universalism is a new age, cult-like religion; they can't make their mind up about what they believe

Common questions:  How do you accommodate so many different beliefs?  Can I really believe anything I want and come to your church?  What's this thing about coffee?  Why does Garrison Keillor make fun of you?

Waking Up to My Own Life

The practices of yoga, insight meditation and the teachings of the Buddha have changed this book's life in many ways. One of the most remarkable ways is how she has become more "awake" or "present" in her own life. This means that she has become more aware and sensitive to everything going on outside of herself, as well as to what is going on inside of herself. She has become more "mindful" to her thoughts and actions and how they shape her life, as well as the impact that they have on others. These practices have awakened her to recognize her own "divine nature" and inherent goodness, and to the interconnectedness of all beings. The Buddha's teachings have offered a clear direct path to help overcome the challenges of everyday life and to live with more grace and ease. She has also come to know the power of silence and stillness by attending ten-day silent meditation retreats.   She can discuss the benefits of yoga and meditation (sitting, walking, silent, insight), mindfulness, the basics of Buddhist philosophy and teachings.

Preconceptions:  Yoga always has to be serious, no laughing; yoga's just a good stretch, but not anything beyond that; meditation's for hippies and Buddhists; meditation is boring

Common questions:  How do you keep from falling asleep during meditation?  How do you not talk for 10 days?  Did you really not talk at all?  Can you put your foot behind your head?  Are you a vegetarian?