BlogHer - Religion & Spirituality - Comments

thanks for featuring my blog here :)

spirituality — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:08:53 -0500

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know I'm featuring this post on my appreciation page at squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/spiritual-friends Thanks for the feature.

Katinka Hesselink

-------------

Webdesigner, SEO specialist for small Dutch businesses interested in spirituality, religion, spiritual growth, buddhism etc.

Websites:

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/ and http://www.allconsidering.com/

Good for You

Rasputin45 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:39:38 -0500

My mom raised my sisters and myself to think for ourselves in terms of religion, she wasn't anti-religion, but she didn't take us to church either. When we would ask her what religion we were she would tell us it was up to us to choose when we get old enough. None of us ended up choosing any religion. Not having grown up being indoctrinated into a religion makes it very difficult for me to see past the crazy stories at the base of every religion. I know people, including my own relatives, truly believe Jesus, the son of God, was born to a virgin in manger plus thousands of other sci-fi-like stories, but I can't.

HereHere!

JennSpastic — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:38:50 -0500

Great blog! I think it can pretty well be assumed that the feeling of injustice is universal. We all want the best for ourselves and we want what we want when we want it, whether or not we say so out loud.

My husband was complaining about his job one day and all I could say, though I know his job is horriblehorriblehorrible, was, "At least you have a job and we can afford to keep our house." No, life is not fair, but how fortunate we have been so far compared to others around us!

hi mashadutoit

Mata H — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:40:17 -0500

I knew someone who had a horrible time apologizing. When I explained it was like bumping into someone on the street accidentally and saying "'scuse me", it seemed to take some of the sting out. Sincere apologies can mean a lot.

Time's Fool

well, I like it

Mata H — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:37:27 -0500

When I finally reach a customer service agent, after being routed thru 8 bazillion "press 1 if you.." thingies, I like being told something like "I am sorry you have experienced some difficulty." or "I am sorry that you've had a problem with our product/services" It is just an empathetic thing in this case, can be certainly honestly expressed as one person to another.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Too many apologies

mashadutoit — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:27:06 -0500

I often have female students who apologise profusely every time they ask a question, or every time they forget something - and sometimes even every time they answer a question.

I try to make a point of always saying "why are you apologising" or highlighting that they answered correctly. And that helps a bit - they usually get out of that habit. It certainly takes more work making sure they feel confident.

Unfortunately I think I fit into that " would never apologise" category - at least, it takes a real effort.

I have found that it is a good idea not to get to wound up into "whose fault" it is when in a professional situation. Mostly people understand that it is not your personal fault, but they still need someone to say "I'm sorry" in a genuine way. It helps so much. (I wish our IT department would learn this lesson!) :p

Apology

MarissaDsner — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:30:54 -0500

What about those who are hired to apologize for other people's mistakes or mishaps or lack of understanding?

I went to a job interview several months back, and when interviewed we practiced a make belief support phone call of a pissed off client (who could be pissed off for whatever reason) calling angry to the support line.

And my reaction was "I can help you this way and that way and thank you for waiting..."

And the interviewer said "There is something missing in your reply"

And i ask: "What is missing?"

She says: "You need to apologize to the client"

Now comes the question: Who am i apologizing for?

Myself? The person he spoke to before me? The company?

The first Q couldnt be true, as I've just started talking to him, and havent done anything wrong yet.

If i have to apologize for the person he spoke to before me, (and since its a call support the call is recorded and later listened to), that person may be somehow punished.

If i have to apologize for the company, that may make me think twice whether i want to be an employee or even a customer of this company, where its workers are forced to apologize.

It's a commonly used term: "I'm sorry", and now rarely means someone is sorry for something they did and showing regret or remorce or some other type of feeling that makes the other think they trully want to make things right.

So basically the woman said: "If you don't apologize to this customer, you won't be hired"

If Life Were Fair, What Would Kids Have to Complain About?

Scott Gale — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:02:01 -0500

I feel your pain. It often doesn't matter if kids have a preference or not; whatever you offer them, they like to make themselves the victim. If you offer Mac&Cheese for lunch, they want a ham sandwich. If you offer a ham sandwich, they can't live without Mac&Cheese. If you have two identical portions and they get second choice, their portion is inevitably grossly smaller than the other in their mind.

I've found the best way to combat the "Life isn't fair" line is too show them what life is like when it really isn't fair. When they complain about what's for lunch, I let them know that they are free to make whatever they want, but if I'm making it, there is a narrow list of choices. This often jolts them back from their original complaint, because making a ham sandwich is a far worse penalty then having to eat Mac&Cheese, even when they'd prefer the ham sandwich.

I am the father of two boys, and the author of "Your Family Constitution," a parenting book for modern parents.

Good to hear of other beliefs

Candelaria Silva — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:16:07 -0500

It is good to hear about goddesses and other creation beliefs. I would wan to read more to know where Sedna fits in with other Inuit belifs.

http://blog.candelarisilva.com

Good and plenty!

hmmm

cheerlep101 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:11:02 -0500

What if I love Buddha? Am I damned? What If I believe something different? What if when you die nothing happens and your life is just over. My brother-in-law is in this program and all he seems to get from it is the ability to have no shame in asking all of his relatives for money all the time. He earned $4500 at least in the last month and is still asking for money to finish 4 months of school. That is a bit ludacris considering he doesn't get any REAL creidts for them. After he is all said and done he will be 22 years old and have to enroll in a real school and start all over. Does he think he can just mooch off of people his entire life? Then when and if he does come home to visit he doesn't have ANY normal conversations with people. He's not normal and he is definately brain washed. He can't even watch Rent because it deals with homosexuals, transgenders, and drug addicts. Doesn't "God" love them too? He went to Africa for over a year to "convert" people and spread the "good news'...here's my "good news": I was surprised my Brother in law was not taken prisinor and tortured for trying to change people. Why do you guys insist on Everyone being Christian.?? It is so ridiculous.

Wow...

cheerlep101 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:02:03 -0500

So i know this is a ridiculously old post, but honestly? I think before you make a point defending an institution you should not make stupid comments about information that is wrong. "All in all, please don't believe everything you read in magazine
articles and also in the news because a lot of times the people doing
the article will put their own perspective and tell the story all
wrong, especially when it's from a magazine named after a rock band." The magazine was not named after the band you illeducated child. it was named after the common phrase "like a rolling stone" it refers to someone or something that moves from place to place without being noticed. Before you try to make any reference tying the band and the magazine together, you might want to look in on the history. Oh wait, from what I hear the "sadistic" magazine is "sacreligious" and you would probably get in a whole lot of trouble from "God" for looking into information. Maybe you should wiki the word "cult" and see what comes up. Apparently you don't know what one is. They say ESOAL is simily to army/navy training? That's complete bullshit. I have never heard of the army/navy or any of the armed forces going through ridiculous training without sleep. I doubt that "God" would ever actually force that upon anyone anyways. Well Peace be with you and I hope you grow a pair soon.

winter

mashadutoit — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:12:43 -0500

Well, of course, its winter soltice for some of us :)

Looking forward to the days getting longer and longer from now on.

Gosh How Brave

jodevizes — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:53:16 -0500

I never thought I would see somebody criticise the great Oprah. Well done I quite agree, even the books she choses are somewhat light weight. But I guess that is why she has mass appeal, style over substance.

Jo Devizes from London www.yourpower2be.com

Thanks, Barb

Mata H — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:04:55 -0500

Interestingly, when I took Hebrew, the professor told us that the word "Shalom" - usually translated as "peace" really had a deeper meaning -- more like "things in their rightful/best place" -- or "things as they shoud be".

Thanks for your comment -- it can be hard to read sites that are strongly opposed to where one is, especially if they are rage-fueled, but it is needful to understand , so bravo.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Got it. Keep going.

Norma156 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:37:01 -0500

Got it. Keep going.