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What's the deal with the cross with the dot like an exclamation mark underneath? I keep seeing this symbol lately, but I don't know the origin or meaning. (I've seen it in the context of a Trump thing but don't want to jump to conclusions.) It's a white on blue, kind of a sans serif geometric style like Futura, but I can't find an image online just from the description.
posted by Soliloquy at 10:04 PM - 7 answers

How big a deal is it for children of evangelical Christians, upon reaching adulthood, to choose to attend a church of a different denomination? Would a pious Texas Baptist mother bemoan that her daughter is going to Presbyterian services on her eastern college campus?
posted by Lemkin at 6:49 PM - 15 answers

Like Tomorrowful, I am looking for the perfect haggadah for my family’s seder. But my parameters are a little different! [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 12:18 PM - 2 answers

This isn't a question about what specific religions think happens when a person dies. It's a question about what you personally think happens. Do you believe in an afterlife? Do you think you stop existing? Something else? And the important part: does that belief bring you comfort? [more inside]
posted by underclocked at 12:16 AM - 54 answers

I’m interested in reading or watching religious testimony from Westerners who converted to Islam as adults. What exposed them to the faith, what did they find in it, how has life changed, etc.
posted by Lemkin at 4:20 PM - 10 answers

For example: what would be a typical origin story for a typical Sunday school teacher?
posted by Lemkin at 6:11 PM - 28 answers

I'm learning more about Buddhism and I'm wondering how Buddhists tend to see the global conflicts and injustices of our time. Does it boil down to an "all suffering is illusory" kind of perspective, or are there ways that Buddhists can actively take on and address humanity's various conflicts (both in a philosophical sense and in a direct action sort of way)? [more inside]
posted by miltthetank at 2:18 PM - 11 answers

Hi, all. I had an experience a few weeks ago that felt like a spiritual awakening. I now feel I’d like to “do something” with it, only I don’t know what. I’m looking for reading suggestions. [more inside]
posted by shocks connery at 7:09 AM - 13 answers

A recent Reel we're trying to find was about two kinds of emotions: the difference between just feeling something, and feeling something enough to motivate you to change things in the world. The first example given was of the difference between merely envying someone's toned six-pack and wanting it enough to go to the gym every morning. Another of passing a beautiful garden. Ring any bells?
posted by johngoren at 3:51 PM - 1 answers

Jews who do not support the Netanyahu regime, how are you planning to do Passover this year? Please note that this is a very specific question; please only answer the question asked, and only answer if you fit the description in this premise. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:19 PM - 13 answers

This medallion is the only non-geometric detail in an abandoned church's large stained glass windows. I'm curious about the meaning of the meeting of the four men. [more inside]
posted by achrise at 6:28 AM - 5 answers

I need to read Heidegger's "The Question Concerning Technology" for a class. I have made an attempt, and will of course keep attempting and looking for supplemental materials. In the meantime, do you happen to have tips on how to understand what this guy is actually saying? [more inside]
posted by karasu at 6:40 AM - 11 answers

I have a translation of the Quran that I would like to read, but I know I'll miss a ton of nuance and context if I just jump in on my own. What resources or guides are out there that would be good for someone from a culturally Christian American perspective?
posted by extramachine at 2:57 PM - 8 answers

I'm finally, finally taking control of the family Seder from my mom. For a number of Reasons, I'd like to source my own Haggadah rather than using my parents'. Help me find a good one! [more inside]
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:38 AM - 15 answers

How to deal with mormons proselytizing at events in the US? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 8:22 AM - 26 answers

I was gifted a Daruma by the CEO of my company, to help me with a personal goal. I have since both achieved my goal and left the company, and now I'm not sure how best to dispose of it. [more inside]
posted by rocket at 10:29 AM - 3 answers

Some introspection in 2024 made me want to focus less on expecting things to go a certain way and more on focusing on the present. I have a gratitude practice but am interested in thoughts about how to remind my brain to focus on the present, beyond cultivating gratitude. Example under the fold. [more inside]
posted by Threeve at 9:07 PM - 14 answers

I am grateful for every day. As long as I remember to remind myself to be grateful! What are your practices for remembering, marking, creating, and celebrating gratitude, thankfulness, and hope? [more inside]
posted by skookumsaurus rex at 10:24 PM - 17 answers

I’ve been invited to a fireside gathering where we each read a passage that relates to the upcoming holiday and that has special meaning for the reader. I am not a christmassy person but I love this group of people and am glad to be invited. Can you suggest a seasonal poem or passage that is beautiful not bleak, other than the famous Truman Capote bit? Nor the famous David sedaris bit - more old fashioned?
posted by mmiddle at 3:18 PM - 7 answers

I'm looking for a book suggestion about the German-Jewish intellectuals of the 1930s that fled Nazi Germany. Ideally, it would be a book that was mostly memoir but also included some historical information about their philosophies and art. Would include people like Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, etc. Thanks.
posted by captainscared at 10:25 AM - 8 answers