Newsletter #9 – The Church of Spiritual Humanism
April 8, 2003 – Philadelphia www.SpiritualHumanism.org
Despite the troubled state of the world today it’s not time to give up in despair. Now more then ever we need to redouble our efforts, show compassion to those in need and help others see reason who may have lost their moral compass in the high emotions of the day. Each of can help make the world a better place and we have the responsibility to do as much as we can. It can only get better if we all pitch in.
IN THE NEWS
US prison population peaks
Jails now hold nearly twice as many inmates as in 1990. The number of people in jail in the United States rose to more than two million for the first time ever last year, the government has said. Official figures show the US has the biggest prison population in the world, and the highest number of inmates as a proportion of its population.
see full story at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
EDITORS NOTE:
I’ve heard enough war news for now so I though I’d mention this instead. Although the trend appears to be slowing we do imprison more people then any other country in the world. We need to focus less on pure punishment and more on changing the behavior of those who commit crimes. First to go should be mandatory sentencing laws which are great for getting politicians re-elected, but opposed by 70% of judges (see http://www.sentencing.org).
READERS WRITE IN
If you have a question feel free to email me at info ( at ) spiritual humanism.org
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Dear sir or ma’am,
I was recently ordained to be a reverend https://spiritualhumanism.org/ordained/ I was wondering how it is that one
blesses water to make it holy? I would be very appreciative to know the answer.
sincerely, Dru
REPLY
Water rites have long been associated with various religious traditions. Since many rituals can have their religious impact enhanced by the use of water, Spiritual Humanism has a procedure for the consecration and storage of ritual water
-Use only water from a special source, such as from a source of spiritual significance.
-The water should be consecrated in a spiritual inspiring place.
-The water should be stored in a special ritual container used only for this purpose.
-The ceremony should take place at religiously significant time. Equinox and solstice are ideal, the day of the full moon is also acceptable. It should take place at sunrise, sunset, or the rise of the full moon.
-The ceremony will be more powerful if performed with incense, and a candle lighting ceremony, followed by meditation or chanting then finally an invocation. https://spiritualhumanism.org/rituals-and-practices/
Invocation for the Consecration of Ritual Water
Water, fluid of life. Within the abundance of this liquid billions of years ago the first living organisms, our ancestry, formed and started the process of life which we continue here, and pass along to the future.
The ancient oceans, where simple life forms thrived, reproduced, and evolved. Our distant ancestors left the teeming seas still they depended on water for their existence, to survive, and to flourish.
Like those we evolved from we depend on water to live and thrive, and ultimately for all the joys life has to offer.
We consecrate this water before us, recognize its purity, and recognize its importance in the process of life.
CONCLUSION
Clergy Packages are available in our online store http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/shop/ All Certificates are printed on acid free paper for extra long life, and Clergy Wallet ID Cards http://spiritualhumanism.org/shop/id/ are printed on a durable plastic card. Our book, The Officiant’s Manual includes information on celebrating the solstices and equinox as well as marriage laws for all 50 states, sample ceremonies, etc. The fees charged for these packs are our only income and help defer the cost of the web site, advertising, PO Box, and incorporation fees.
RA Zorger
President, The Church of Spiritual Humanism