Comments for Catharine Clarenbach

Comment on Come and BE One by Earl

Earl — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:01:49 +0000

Thank you for teaching “What Moves Us: UU Theology” at All Souls. I’m sorry I could not thank you in person in the last session. I learned much about the early UU thinkers. The more abstract concepts were hard for me to grasp. I have autism and think mostly in concrete terms.

You mentioned naps in one session and in your blog. I’m a big fan of naps and quality rest. The things you say about breathing and being and allowing mistakes make a lot of sense to me.

Comment on The Practice and Perils of Presence by Megan

Megan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:33:03 +0000

One more thought that unfortunately reflects my mood: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=258983724165368&set=a.133224493407959.24556.132957943434614&type=1&theater

Comment on The Practice and Perils of Presence by Megan

Megan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:30:57 +0000

Love the pausing. Why don’t we pause more as a society? We are so conditioned to immediate and constant responding. That is what I often feel like. Does all the learning have to happen with others? Or maybe it is the space in between where the true learning takes place.

Comment on Learning the Pause by Peter

Peter — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:36:06 +0000

*My deep inhale…My deep exhale…*

“This malady is why one of my 2012 goals is to practice the Pause. Pause before speaking. Pause before sharing. Pause before suggesting. Pause before assuming that what has happened to me is “just like” what has happened to you. It isn’t. It is mine. Yours is yours.”

Yes. It is.

Comment on 2012 Here I Come! by Peter

Peter — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:33:11 +0000

Nicely said. I wish it nicely done.

Comment on some humble questions about evil by Tim Truett

Tim Truett — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:52:17 +0000

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen has something to say about evil. He is a professor at the University of Cambridge.

To quote: … In his latest book, Zero Degrees of Empathy: A new theory of human cruelty, Baron-Cohen, argues that the term evil is unscientific and unhelpful. “Sometimes the term evil is used as a way to stop an inquiry,” Baron-Cohen tells me. “‘This person did it because they’re evil’ – as if that were an explanation.”

Baron-Cohen thinks of evil as being related to a lack of empathy. Thinking of evil in this way focuses our attention on the causes of what we might otherwise simply label as “evil”. If we understand the nature of evil, and the causes of evil, then we can potentially do something about it.

Comment on I know I’ve said this before… by Catharine Clarenbach

Catharine Clarenbach — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:48:31 +0000

I think of the Jewel song — “I’m sensitive, and I’d like to stay that way.” Cheesey, perhaps, but nonetheless apropos in this case. I don’t want to become cynical, I am committed to remaining authentic, and I want to help others who are less able to risk, so I guess I’m committed to getting hurt. And that’s okay. Especially when I know that I have people like y’all in my corner!

Comment on I know I’ve said this before… by Megan

Megan — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:39:45 +0000

It sounds like you were a lone voice in your class. I’m surprised that no one else in the class who had particularities and communities that include you spoke up. I’m sure there are people who disagree w/ WCC’s stance. I hope I would have done better if I had been there. I agree w/ Morgan – something that is relatively unique – perhaps simply unique – about you at school is that you are vulnerable and you do voice when you have been wounded. Not many of us expose ourselves that way, especially in class.

Comment on I know I’ve said this before… by Morgan

Morgan — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:52:13 +0000

It just kills me to hear this, again and again and again. You have made EVERY effort to exist and be nourished in your relationship to organized religion. I have never met another person who has done so much of this kind of work for so long. I know that you are hurt and I know that you will persist. You are also the only person that I know that is able to show this one “person of good faith” exactly how much pain his stance can cause another “person of good faith.” Who else is sensitive enough to feel that sting, strong enough to place themselves in the situation to feel it, and open and articulate enough to show it? This is exactly why you went to Seminary, yeah? Facade Destroyer and Bridge Builder Extraordinaire!

Comment on I know I’ve said this before… by Sue Browning

Sue Browning — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:20:34 +0000

Thanks for your voice, clear thought and courage. Sad that so few peers extended a word or hand or hug. Wow.