Next Meeting May 22 at 3:00

My appologies regarding the last two weeks. We decided not to meet on Mother's day, and I was out sick today. Our next meeting's question:

Are the mind and body separate?

Book list

The wonder of the world - Roy Vargese
Great Thinkers on Great Questions - Roy Vargese
Cosmos, Bios, Theos - Roy Vargese
The Repulic - Plato
The Self and its Brain - John C Eccles
The freedom of the will - Arthur Schopenhauer
Miracles - CS Lewis
God in the Dock - CS Lewis
The abolishin of Man - CS Lewis
The Science of God - Gerald Schroeder
Confessions - Augustine
City of God - Augustine
More to come

April 24th Meeting

Thanks all for showing up on Sunday. I really enjoyed the discussion. The question of the day was. Why do you believe or not believe in God? There were some excellent perspectives offered. Some of the take-aways for me was that people approach the question from an logical, scientific, or experiential perspective.

I am adding a reading list to the Blog for your review. Please add to the list titles that you recommend. One I have been reading by Roy Vargese is "Cosmos, Bios, Theos: Scientists Reflect, on Science, God, and the Origins of the Universe, Life, and Homo sapiens"

Our next meeting question: "Do you believe that the mind and the body are separate? Asked another way, can the mind be explained in physical terms?"

This next Sunday is Mother's day and I have had a number of folks ask to put our next meeting off to to following Sunday.

See you there!!

Today at 3:00 the initial meeting of the Consciousness Conspiracy will occur. It will occur at the Pegasus Coffee House on Bainbridge Island. This space will serve as an online forum for thoughts and discussion for the CC (Consciousness Conpiracy). The charter of the CC is as follows: All generations and ages have asked similar questions regarding the nature of reality: · Is there a God? If so, why is there so much pain in the world?

· Can anyone really know the truth?
· Is the mind/soul separate from the body?
· Is there life after death? Why or why not
· Is morality relative, or are there moral absolutes?

These are a few of the philosophical questions all generations have asked. The word “philosophy” means the love of wisdom. The modern mind also asks:

· Can everything be ultimately explained in physical terms?
· Is science in conflict with religion?
· Does science prove there is no God?
· Are new discoveries in science making the case stronger or weaker for the existence of God?

The Consciousness Conspiracy aims to raise these questions in an entertaining and respectful way, and provide an opportunity to share some views from the great thinkers of history. In addition, it provides a safe forum for dialog between people of differing views. The goal is not debate, but to build understanding as raise consciousness on Bainbridge Island, building relationships with fellow travelers that ponder these questions. We will meet every two weeks, on Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours. Participation in the conversation is welcome, but not mandatory, and all ideas will be heard and seriously considered. Please join the Consciousness Conspiracy as we ponder the questions that all humanity has asked. Ground rules:

- Have fun!
- Listen for understanding
- Stay on topic
- No name calling (close minded, etc)
- Respect others views, especially when they are not shared by you.
- No dogma (Theist or Atheist)
- No heroic skepticism. (Belief that nothing can be known, this is important because if nothing can be known, then the questions cannot be answered and it is the end of the journey)

Format:
- First 15 minutes leader reviews the question and presents the classic views by great thinkers
- Balance of time is lightly facilitated discussion