17 Comments

Those sentences give the impression that Leonard Cohen was a follower of Christianity. But he had been a Zen Buddhist monk for many years.

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Perhaps it takes a Zen Buddhist to begin to resonate with the mind of Christ. Or a Hindu like Mahatma Ghandi, who read the sermon on the mount every day and loved The Christ but not the church.

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Cohen never claimed to be a Christian and it is as he understands it. He’s wrong fine but it’s an interesting view and I for one am glad to hear it thanks for posting

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My pleasure.

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Love it. But who is Seth? When did this conversation with the Bard take place and can we have a credible source?

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Thanks for the question, Keith. I don't know. I know it was over ten years ago and the chat appears to no longer be online. I did print out a copy at the time, and I believe it's in my office somewhere. It should have a date and an organization on it. If I don't report back in the next week or so, remind me. I'm always hoping to become a little more credible to a few more people.

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From what I can tell, Cohen did (at least) two IRC-based chats on or around October 16, 2001. One was on the fansite Leonard Cohen Files, and is preserved here:

https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/chat1610.html

The other, in which Seth asked the question, was hosted by SonyMusicCanada; though I cannot find a primary source, I have found a paywalled article in Danish advertising the event prior to its occurrence, a paywalled article in Norwegian with a transcript of the chat (although the dates do not match), and a Google Groups page from 2004 with no paywall:

https://politiken.dk/kultur/art4945100/Chat-med-Leonard-Cohen

https://www.vg.no/rampelys/musikk/i/xRPl5X/live-chat-med-cohen-18-oktober

https://groups.google.com/g/alt.meditation.transcendental/c/OASW9qE5MIs

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What does 'dissolving the heart in a radical confession of hospitality' look like in practice?

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I hear that as a kind of "beginner's mind" in relationships and community. Perhaps a kind of openness in response as opposed to a reactionary dogma.

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I'm not sure. Letting go of all pushiness?

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That Leonard Cohen has a head on his shoulders. That's good when many heads these days are stuck somewhere else. "Summoning the heart to comprehend its own suffering by dissolving itself in a radical confession of hospitality." Wow.

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One of the most profound statements I've read. Download. File. Keep.

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This tracks with his Buddhism. He's trying to speak from a place of compassion, NOT AS a Buddhist. He's using the Judeo-Christian terms he's been subjected to/thought-through to make a splendid, non-Buddhist point that his interlocutor can grapple with. (Buddhists also don't believe that, from the standpoint of praxis/dharma, stupidity is more of a hindrance from making life less sucky than great intellect is.) 'Hospitality' is a lovely way to attempt a translation of active acceptance in the present moment through zazen, and I'll eat my shoe if Cohen wasn't aware of its use in Judeo-Marxism, e.g. Derrida.

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That is a twisted view. Christ Jesus never leaves or forsakes those born again, He doesn't come and go. We don't develop a grace filled heart and then He abides in it, He is Grace and we abide in Him and in His word. He is our peace, not as the world gives. The church (organizational enterprise) is His body, the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Christ Jesus isn't a sentimental feeling but Lord of Lords and King of kings who willingly laid down His life and was resurrected the third day. One must deny oneself, pick ip their cross and follow Him, He is our rest from our self righteous works. But I suspect this is a page of progressive unbelief to view what Christ has done through an unbeliever and take that as some sort of truth. That's sad, tragic and painful to see people being led astray by Dark

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Thanks for weighing in, light saber. Would you like to put your statement(s) in the form of a question?

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Why don’t you tell us how you really feel...my goodness. Thanks for the party line here. I’m so tired of people like you being so pointed in your disgust on one hand and claiming the gentle Hebrew as your own. I do not read any grace in your response. I do not read any love in your response. Your bogeyman Dark is ridiculous and I am sad for you. Perhaps I need another cup of coffee so responses like yours wouldn’t get me so bent out of shape.

There is a mystery in the person of Jesus. Grace is limitless. The church is not an organized enterprise but a gathering of misfits. Jesus, according to your holy book, is passionately in love with Leonard Cohen and will and has used his lyrics to draw people to him.

Enough with the hardline anti-progressive rhetoric mr light saver. Allow us to dream of a loving God and a mysterious Son...jeeesh!

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Your comment encapsulates everything that turns me off from organized American Christianity. Honestly your anger (which for some reason is so prevalent among American Christians) is to me sad.

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