August 06

The Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP) is a movement that grew out of Tikkun, the Jewish progressive movement. It's foundation is based on three basic tenets, which embrace and transcend all religious dogma.

1. Changing the bottom line in America

The old bottom line of mondy an power whould yield to a new bottom line where comopanies are judged rational, efficient and productive not only to the extent that they maximize money and power, but also to the extent that they maximize love and caring, ethical and ecological sensitivity and behavior, kindness and generosity, non-violence and peace, and to the extent that they enhance our capacities to respond to other human beings in a way that honors them as embodiments of the sacred, and enhances our capacities to respond to Earth and the Universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement.

2. Challenging the misuse of religion, God and spirit by the religious right.

Educating people of faith to the understanding that a serious commitment to God, religion and spirit should manifest in social activism aimed at peace, universal disarmament, social justice with a preferential option for the needs of the poor and the oppressed, a commitment to end poverty, hunger, homelessness, inadequate education and inadequate health care all around the world, and a commitment to nuclear non- proliferation, environmental protection and repair of the damage done to the planet by 150 years of environmentally irresponsible behavior in industrializing societies.

3. Challenging the many anti-religious and anti- spiritual assumptions and behaviors that have increasingly become part of the liberal culture.

Challenging as well the extreme individualism and me- firstism that permeate all parts of the global market culture. We will educate people in social change movements to carefully distinguish between their legitimate critiques of the Religious Right and their illegitimate generalizing of those criticisms to all religious or spiritual beliefs and practices. We will help social change activists and others in the liberal and progressive culture become more conscious of and less afraid to affirm their own inner spiritual yearnings and to reconstitute a visionary progressive social movement that incorporates the spiritual dimension, of which the loving, spiritually elevating and connecting aspects of religion has been one expression.

The Phoenix area NSP holds monthly meetings. Contact Tom Stempel if you would like to know more, or visit their website.

Proposition 107 is titled the "protect marriage amendment." The truth is this proposition is designed to deny benefits to people. An Arizona statute has been in place defining marriage as one man/one woman for ten years. The law states that "Marriage between persons of the same sex is void and prohibited." It has been upheld by the courts.

The second half of this proposition states "No legal status for unmarriedpersons shall be created or recognized by this state or its political subdivisions that is similar to that of marriage." This means that families where the partners are not legally married, gay or straight, will lose medical and other benefits if they work for the state, any Arizona city or town, school district, fire or police department.

Similar regulations passed in Missouri, Utah, Michigan and Ohio have forced state universities and colleges to stop offering domestic partner health benefits. If this amendment passes, the University of Arizona will be forced to void its program of tuition wavers for domestic partners. Many Arizona seniors opt for domestic partnerships - not marriage - for fear of losing pension or other benefits, and this amendment would put their partnership arrangements in jeopardy.

In three states where similar amendments have passed, domestic violence laws have been voided because the women are not in legal marriages.

Help us protect victims of domestic violence, and all couples, straight and gay, who will loose their rights and benefits if this provision passes. Please vote NO on propostion 107

The Earth does not belong to people; people belong to the Earth. . .This Earth is precious to the Creator and to harm the Earth is to heap contempt upon its Creator. - Chief Seattle

The most important function of art and science is to awaken the cosmic religious feeling and keep it alive. - Albert Einstein

There isn't a Catholic moon and a Baptist sun. I know the universal God is universal. . .I feel that the same God-force that is the mother and father of the pope is also the mother and father of the loneliest wino on the planet. - Dick Gregory

God is creating the entire Universe fully and totally in this present now. Everything God created six thousand years ago - and even previous to that - as he made the world, God reates now all at once. - Meister Eckhart (b. 1260-d. 1329)

Earth and heaven are in us. - Mahatma Gandhi

Fear is driven out by perfect love. 1 John 4:18

Where there is fear, there is no religion. - Mahatma Gandhi

Email us, or send us suggestions for a focus group you would like to have available, or a topic you would like to have in the newletter

At Dynamic Pathways Wellness Center we realize that we are what we eat and we become whatever our energy is focused on.

If you are eating a healthy balanced diet, you will be transforming the energy of that food into health and balance in other areas of you life.

If you are focusing on positive people, positive activities and positive happenings, that is what you will find.

Be well until our next visit