S2: E4 A Fresh Cup of Tolerance with Tom Norris
Episode Summary
Dr. Tom Norris was the very first guest on my podcast because he played an instrumental role in my own personal healing journey. He's been my spiritual counselor for probably about a decade now and also a mentor and a teacher. I am excited to announce that he is releasing his first and second books a month apart. In this episode, we dove into his book, A Fresh Cup of Tolerance: Universalism: The New Religion of Tolerance. I had the pleasure of writing an endorsement for the book and the book. I feel like it's a blueprint for Lightworkers. We covered some of the topics that really stood out to me.
If you want to learn where you fit into the world as a lightworker, what it means to live a life of tolerance, want to be a part of a community that tolerates people from all walks of life, and has a spiritual practice around it, then this is it.
Guest Bio
Over the past 51 years, Tom has worked as a Social Worker, Social Services Administrator, Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist, Hypnotherapist, College Psychology Instructor, Minister, and Pastoral Counselor. He has a Masters Degree of Social Work from Barry University, and a Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from the Florida Center for Theological Studies. He is currently an instructor in the Religious Studies Department of Florida International University. He founded Medicine Signs Spiritual Center in 1992 and serves as its Senior Minister to the present. He is also the CEO of Inner Life Transformations, the first international online spiritual counseling center. He and his staff work with people around the world. He has two books published in October and December 2021, A Fresh Cup of Counseling: A Handbook of Spiritual Counseling, and A Fresh Cup of Tolerance: Universalism: The New Religion of Tolerance. He is working on a third in the Fresh Cup Series, A Fresh Cup of Liberation: 21st Century Liberation Theology. He is happily married to the amazing Rev. Cate Norris, and is the proud father of two and grandpa to four.
Quotes
“Science tries to explain the universe and religion, tries to feel and understand it.”
“Many hundreds of millions of lives have been saved because of Western medicine.”
“Most people don't realize that Islam is a very Universalist religion.”
“We can tell you “go to hell”, it doesn't mean much for us because we don't believe in hell.”
“There's evil in the sense that terrible things are done by humans against other humans and against our world and creatures, lots of times.”
“Tribes would live next to each other for a thousand years and not fight.”
“Many times depression and suicidal feelings have to do with people who feel disconnected and they don't feel like they have a support system or community.”
“Community is also about not being isolated.”
“It’s so important to find your tribe.”
“There are no worthless people on the planet, no matter how down, depressed and worthless they may feel, maybe from their childhoods or how they've been treated. They have something really important to give.”