About the Introductions board!

[I, Brian]

There used to be a long thread in the general lounge where people introduced themselves - but I've now split it up and started up this new board.

Basically, this is where we can introduce ourselves with a human form - comments, descriptions, even photos - are all very welcome.

So if you're new around here and simpyl wish to get a feel for the place and the members you may meet along the way, feel free to post in here and test the waters.

I'm sure you'll find us all friendly. This is a properly civil place.

[Elizabeth May]

I think it's a great idea! I love seeing people as people and not just names with a pretty pic. I'll try and get something up soon but it's really hectic here and we've only just moved. Everything is so in a mess!

[BrotherDouglas]

I'm just saying a public hello.., from New York. My musical partner has already introduced us in another thread... We'll be writing and sharing our thoughts in the days to come. Have a BLESSED Holiday Season...

BrotherDouglas of www.TaoBrothers.com

[I, Brian]

And a formal welcome to the TaoBrothers.

Btw - you are welcome to place a link to your site in your signature - that can be done from the "USER CP" panel:



That will ensure that every post you make shows your site link.

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Zdrastvuitsye, hola, shalom, salaam, Dia dhuit, namastar ji, hej, konbanwa, squeak, meow, :wave:, BrotherDouglas.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[BrotherDouglas]

THANKS for the invitation to link.., I'm a little more proficient with HTML.. I added you to my 'forum' page, also.

Peace...

[I, Brian]

No problem - hope that didn't sound too patronising - wasn't intended to be. Heck, cbulletins are so complex that I still don't know how a lot of features on this forum actually work!

Btw - you're a refugee from mp3.com as well? Did you ever enjoy any time in the original royalty system, before Universal slashed the rates?

[BrotherDouglas]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

No problem - hope that didn't sound too patronising - wasn't intended to be. Heck, cbulletins are so complex that I still don't know how a lot of features on this forum actually work!

Btw - you're a refugee from mp3.com as well? Did you ever enjoy any time in the original royalty system, before Universal slashed the rates?

Brian.., I have nothing but praise for what MP3.com attempted (and succeeded) to do, especially with the pool of talent they had, in the early days. I was there since April 98 and found it to be a growing and creative experience. I've musical friends ...some I've met personally and others I've yet to meet... that I know I'll collaborate with in time, and I don't think without the internet, or MP3.com, we would have ever been introduced...

I was one of the few that actually made a small living in the latter half of 2001, solely on those p4p royalties. It was nice to be rewarded for what you love to do.., and I'm sure that most of the success I have today is directly linked to my learning curve and exposure there. The MP3.com that closed was not the one that opened and so I wasn't nostalgic at all on Dec. 2nd. It was time.., and the obvious sign of that has been the steady and certain influx of new friends and opportunities in the weeks since they closed officially. It's caused many to create websites that they wouldn't have.., and of course begin to foster new relationships, ...like ours!!

FYI.., I have a book that I'm very proud of, my first .., I just got my draft, today... It's called WHOLINESS and it's all about my journey, thus far. You can read it online.., by downloading it, or pick up a copy here ... www.lulu.com/taobrothers

Were you a member of MP3.com??? Peace...

[I, Brian]

Yes, I joined mp3.com in September 2001. I put about £2500 into recording and marketing of some classical/mediaeval style soundtrack music to accompany my writing.

3 weeks later, Universal slashed the royalty system system I had banked on to pay off those osts. (In fact, I'm still paying off those debts today.)

That left me a little bitter, but I made the best of the situation.

In June 2002 I enjoyed 10 days at number 1 in the classical charts - plus number 1 across 12 sub-genres, and I reached no.64 in the mp3.com overall top 100.

mp3.com was a great project in the early days, but the RIAA did a great job of crushing it. The moment Vivendi Universal bought the company, the small artists were squeezed out.

[Susma Rio Sep]

I like your graphic, Elizabeth.

It is easy to make out. Another one is that adopted by Vaj some time back, of the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Kwan-yin.

I like representations of angels, they look so innocent and so beautiful, and in many instances so lusciously voluptuous.

It's a challenge to be spiritual with angels like those.

But I am spiritual withal, I assure you. There is spirituality in the appreciation of voluptuous forms.

Susma Rio Sep

Originally Posted by Elizabeth May

I think it's a great idea! I love seeing people as people and not just names with a pretty pic. I'll try and get something up soon but it's really hectic here and we've only just moved. Everything is so in a mess!

[BrotherDouglas]

Brian.., Where's that project, now? Is it online? It sounds like something I would really be interested in...

[Susma Rio Sep]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

( . . . )

In June 2002 I enjoyed 10 days at number 1 in the classical charts - plus number 1 across 12 sub-genres, and I reached no.64 in the mp3.com overall top 100.

( . . . )

Congratulations, Brian.

I feel great pride in being a member of your internet forum website, which you authored, own, operate, and moderate.


If one day you feel that you must cut me off from this forum, please let me know so that I won't have to use time and trouble to find out whether it was some kind of computer glitch, all the way from my end to the system running your forum.

My email address for that purpose:

pachomius2000@yahoo.com.sg


Again, congratulations!


Susma Rio Sep

[juantoo3]

Greetings to all!

I want to say I am impressed with this site. It is good to have someplace to peacefully and rationally discuss the differing views that religion presents.

I am a college student getting a late start, but I have long had an interest in this subject. I am most familiar with Christianity, and I tend to reference things back to the Bible. I also believe that God created all peoples, and placed them where He wished them to be placed. What this means to me is that all those who do the best they know how with what they have been given, get to "graduate". In other words, there are good and bad in every bunch of apples you care to look at. It is not so much what you believe, it is what you do to please "God" with what you have been given that ultimately matters.

In looking at religion, I find that there have been those through the years who have had glimpses of what I call the "IS". The IS is what is, reality as reality is. I understand that because our view of the IS is limited, those glimpses do not always agree. The interpretations of those glimpses tend to differ as well.
And most important to me, as a student of history, is that religion has been abused and twisted by those who use it for the exercise of power. Historically, religion and politics are almost inextricable. Separation of church and state is a novel and recent idea, previously those of power either were the religious leaders, or were expressly annointed by religious leaders. This gave credibility to the elite authority.

My search is to peel away the trappings and corruptions of politics, in an effort to discover the root of what it was those people of vision found.

Perhaps someone here can help me in my quest. Thanks, in advance. Wes

[BrotherDouglas]

...When the student is ready, the Teacher appears...

You're doing the best thing in your search, that's brought you here, to welcome your future mentor.

Welcome...


Peace.

[suanni]

I agree that religion and politics in the past are inextricably linked, there was no divorcing of the two. We have just got to look at the UK where the head of the country is the defender of the faith of the UK. The laws of the land have been based upon the religious doctrines of that country.

And from here I will give a little intro about myself and say hello to everyone. I am a pagan of the Celtic persuasion. Totally agree about when the student is ready to learn a teacher appears, as happened with me. As soon as I realised my true spiritual path, everything just seemed to fall into place.
I don't like to give long winded introductions because I have found in my experience that the opinion that I have for myself is different to the opinion others share of me and I do not like to influence their opinion of me.

Nice site you have here with a great deal of resources and its nice to see so many different people of differing faiths talking amongst each other so pleasantly.