Dear Pericles,

<<Not necessarily. Gott mit uns, and all that.>>

"Gott mit uns" is a distortion - and it's egoistic. True religion is about "uns mit Gott".

<<do try to find some joy in life>>

I have plenty, thanks. It comes when least expected, not when trying to chase after it.

<<rather than in the contemplation of non-life.>>

I do not contemplate dying, but rather aspire to this fantastic state of absence of worrying on all levels, including whether I live or die or whether I have pain or pleasure, that permanent resolution of all ontological anxiety, replaced with absolute and unconditional contentment and peace, where joy does not depend on anything happening or not - that is the state of living with God.

<<I am very attached to this world, and consider myself to be infinitely fortunate to live in it, particularly in the time and space that I occupy. It would be extremely churlish of me to become detached from the environment that gives me so much delight, on a daily basis.>>

The question is whether you are as attached to this world as you believe yourself to be. For one, you are not as concerned about dying as most others. For two, you look at the brighter side of life - it takes a degree of detachment to do so.

We are all attached to the world to one degree or another - and life will keep testing us, throwing at us pleasures that we don't want to give up and pains that we want to avoid. The one who is unattached considers them the same, hence does not suffer when pleasure is gone or when pain's turn arrives.

Dear Jay,

Thank you. Indeed I revere Diogenes as one of my teachers.

Yuyutsu,

The world is wonderful and beautiful place. Just look at nature in its various manifestations.

It is we humans who stuff it up.

A good man as defined by the Church may not necessarily be a good man or the best man for the job as far as wordly matters go.

South America is heavily influenced by the Catholic Church and large families continue despite poverty and economic hardships.

I hope the new Pope has the courage to review many of the traditional Catholic views on contraception (not just for infections), women in the Church, homesexuality and marriage for priests.

Any religion, whether Catholic or otherwise, can only benefit by being more in touch with their parishioners than being set apart or put on a pedestal.

Dear Danielle,

<<The world is wonderful and beautiful place. Just look at nature in its various manifestations.>>

Do you feel the same when you find a cockroach in your kitchen?

Dear Pelican,

<<I hope the new Pope has the courage to review many of the traditional Catholic views on contraception (not just for infections), women in the Church, homesexuality and marriage for priests.>>

It is unrealistic for one man to do. The Catholic Church has more urgent priorities now, such as getting rid of its corrupt and mafioso Vatican curia.

<<Any religion, whether Catholic or otherwise, can only benefit by being more in touch with their parishioners than being set apart or put on a pedestal.>>

Certainly. Being in touch and off-pedestal is very important, but it does not require the lowering of standards. Celibacy should remain the highest sexual ideal, while at the same time accepting that for most people it is for the time-being unattainable.

Yuyutsu,

If I found a cockroach in my kitchen, it would be my skill at house-keeping that is the problem, not them.

Cockroaches date back 350 million years and are amazingly successful at survival. Depending upon the species, they can go up to 3 months without food, a month without water, survive submersion in water for half an hour, and whilst a warmth seeking insect can survive freezing temperatures, and also survive a lethal dose of radiation up to 15 times that lethal to humans. The structure of their legs, enabling movement over difficult terrain, has been adopted in designing robotic legs.

“Research has shown group-based decision-making is responsible for complex behaviors such as resource allocation. “

(wikipedia)

Yuyutsu,

The link you provided 'Songs of Taize' - quite beautiful - also demonstrates a reverence for nature.