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kentauros

(29,414 posts)
Mon Jan 19, 2015, 12:22 PM Jan 2015

Welcome to Interfaith, Everyone!

This discussion thread is pinned.

This is the place on DU for coming together in mutual harmony to learn and discuss all types of faith, belief and non-belief, religions, spirituality, events, and how it all impacts our lives and the world. We welcome all opinions of a non-disruptive nature, where the intent is to add to the gnosis of the group and the individual.

Diversity of thought and opinions is also encouraged. So, if you know anyone around DU that could benefit from taking a look or participating, please invite them over. Being an "echo-chamber" is truly the last thing to which we aspire here.

That said, we hosts will take action when behavior of a member warrants it. Disruption is not tolerated, plain and simple. Please take note of how I've worded this welcome, as it contains guidance to desired behavior of our members and visitors. Everything is taken on an individual basis, and most will find that we are far more tolerant of disruptive behavior than other groups and forums on DU. Nonetheless, we have our limits. Please refrain from testing them. (For those that may ask, this is not a re-writing of the SOP; that will remain as established.)

Of all the things we might put on a pedestal here, civility of individual interaction would at the top of my list. Harmony makes everyone happy, and is a basic tenet for which I and others here personally strive.

So, let's develop an even greater group here, beyond what we have culled together to date. The world needs more harmony, and we'd like to give those of you visiting or staying here the means to make that happen.

Namaste, y'all!

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Welcome to Interfaith, Everyone! (Original Post) kentauros Jan 2015 OP
Well done, jefe. cbayer Jan 2015 #1
Thank you, cbayer kentauros Jan 2015 #4
I love that. I didn't really know about Harmonia. cbayer Jan 2015 #5
Interfaith harmony is a workable ideal carolinayellowdog Jan 2015 #2
Not only workable, but potentially very powerful. cbayer Jan 2015 #3
I agree-- mapol Sep 2019 #12
I am always glad to post in here. i hope more people feel comfortable to post in here and post ops. hrmjustin Jan 2015 #6
Thank you, Justin! :) kentauros Jan 2015 #7
Resurrecting "old" threads. kentauros Dec 2015 #8
I’m so pleased to be here. happy wendy Mar 2016 #9
We're pleased to have you, Wendy! kentauros Mar 2016 #10
Looks like I am extremely late to this party... TommyCelt Sep 2018 #11

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
1. Well done, jefe.
Mon Jan 19, 2015, 02:08 PM
Jan 2015

It's a great group of people that frequent this place and I hope that more will join in the future.

I know they mock me for it, but here's to kumbayah.

Thanks to the hosts for an excellent job of keeping this a safe and civil place. It's one of the few places on DU where people of faith and their allies can go without being attacked.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
4. Thank you, cbayer
Mon Jan 19, 2015, 07:37 PM
Jan 2015


I wrote it up this morning, originally thinking of including something about Iris, the Greek goddess of the Rainbow, and messenger of the gods. While she is described as one of the Greek goddesses, she ends up working more as a messenger. So, that wasn't quite a good fit, and then I discovered Harmonia, the goddess of harmony and concord.

The big problem is that Greek gods are often more flawed (or cursed) than the humans worshiping them, and not always a good choice for representing a certain ideal

Here's one of the better images of Harmonia (with the other Kharites) and a description:




Detail of three of the younger Kharites - Eudaimonia (Happiness), Harmonia (Harmony) and Paidia (Play) - , from a painting depicting the retinue of the goddess Aphrodite. Other figures in the scene (not shown) include the Erotes (Loves), Eurynoe, Pannychis (Night Festivity), Chrysothemis (Golden Custom), Hygieia (Good Health), and Pandaisia (Festivity).

HARMONIA was the goddess of harmony and concord. As a daughter of Aphrodite, she presided over marital harmony, soothing strife and discord; as a daughter of Ares, she represented harmonious action in war. Late Greek and Roman writers sometimes portrayed her as harmony in the more abstract sense : a deity presiding over the cosmic harmony.

Harmonia was born of Aphrodite's adulterous affair with the god Ares. She was awarded to Kadmos, the hero founder of Thebes, in a wedding attended by all the gods. Hephaistos, however, was still furious over his wife's betrayal, and presented Harmonia with a cursed necklace, which doomed her descendants to endless tragedy.

A string of family catastrophes caused the couple to emmigrate to Illyria, where they battled various local tribes to establish their new kingdom. Later the pair were turned into serpents by the gods and transferred to the Islands of the Blest, to live in peace and harmony for the rest of eternity.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
3. Not only workable, but potentially very powerful.
Mon Jan 19, 2015, 04:52 PM
Jan 2015

When people on the left can join forces for causes they share and not only tolerate, but embrace the religious differences among them, they can be an unstoppable force, imo.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
6. I am always glad to post in here. i hope more people feel comfortable to post in here and post ops.
Tue Jan 20, 2015, 10:13 AM
Jan 2015

You do a great job as top host and you are a unifying figure.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
7. Thank you, Justin! :)
Wed Jan 21, 2015, 08:29 AM
Jan 2015

And I'm glad you post here, too. People may perceive you to be a prolific poster of all these great stories of Interfaith, yet I'm glad you do. While there's certainly overlap with other areas of DU, at least here people can read such stories at their leisure and without fear of being attacked for liking them, especially if they then choose to post anything.

And we need more posters like Justin! I would like to see those of you with a penchant for finding these stories to post them so we can diversify the group even more. As mentioned above, the application of Interfaith harmony has the potential of the greatest positive change in the world we may ever witness. And we can promote that kind of thinking even if a visitor only stops by to read and not participate. Either way, we are making a difference.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
8. Resurrecting "old" threads.
Tue Dec 1, 2015, 10:13 PM
Dec 2015

I just wanted to let everyone know that unless a thread is locked, I have no issue with booting it to the top again, if a poster wants to restart the conversation.

As usual, so long as it's all kept civil, revisiting past topics is often a good thing to keep the group (and visitors) interested.

TommyCelt

(850 posts)
11. Looks like I am extremely late to this party...
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 03:22 PM
Sep 2018

But here I go with the intro anyway.

I come from a Roman Catholic upbringing and have dabbled around with various pagan paths since my 20s (I will turn 50 on 9/25). As I have matured, my political attitude has grown more and more liberal; I consider myself a radical peace-loving democratic socialist. Most of the conservative mindset would call me a commie. And I'm sort of fine with that...

I began studying at an Interfaith Seminary in NYC this past weekend. It is comprehensive study in all the world's major religions; Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Afro-Centric, Pagan, etc., as well as counseling, legal rituals, etc. If all goes well, I will be ordained and interfaith reverend in May 2020!

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