In a direct and committed language Dieter Duhm describes the state of love in our culture today. He places the unsolved issues of jealousy, free love, faithfulness, longing, impotence, morals etc. at the center of the question of true non-violence and peace. From the experience of free love he develops new perspectives for a new way of living, where love between two people no longer excludes free love. He describes the philosophical and social basis for a culture in which jealousy is no longer a natural law, where sexual desires no longer have to be suppressed and where faithfulness between two lovers no longer breaks down because of a too narrow vision of love. "Knowing love" is the term he uses for the process of developing a culture without sexual re- pression, fear and violence.

I have written this book because it was inevitable. Sexual love had to be viewed and approached from another angle. It is the subject of our time, even if the slogans proclaimed about it sometimes sound different. The theme of sexual longing is the focal point of our inner thoughts and feelings. More people today suffer from a sexuality which they are unable to cope with than from environmental poisons. In whatever area I have been involved in life, whether in revolutionary groups of the student movement, in the emerging alternative movement of the seventies, or in my work as professor and therapist, in the end I always encountered this subject. Up to now, the attempts to solve it in communes or through experiments of free love have failed. The various therapeutic or spiritual approaches have not helped much either. The core of the problem is intrinsically linked to our daily thought and behavioral patterns. It therefore cannot be viewed or solved while at the same time maintaining these habits. People say that the sexual revolution is over. Inside of us however, it has really not yet even begun. The previous attempts were too disoriented and too emotional to lead to the center of the problem. At the beginning it does not have to do with revolution, but rather with recognition.I have written this book for love, even where I have had to show its dark spots. So that such passages do not get too heavy, I have at times chosen a lighter tone. I hope that the book can be read and understood by all ages. If one does not understand everything immediately, it is not so important, since it will become clear later. I would like to demonstrate that there exists a realistic possibility for love between the genders which is free of disguise, fear and jealousy. I would like to encourage all of those readers and lovers who can follow this train of thought to find this possibility within themselves and to act upon it. If there is a future for us and our children that is worth living, then it is to be found in a new form of sensual love.It is not necessary to read the book from beginning to end. One should begin at the most interesting point addressed in the table of contents. Those who find the negative balance in the first few chapters to be too much should not restrain from skipping these pages and instead begin by reading the more enjoyable aspects first. By doing so, no important theory will be missed, since almost every section creates its own context which is understandable without further explanation. Despite the gravity of the subject, I do not wish the readers of this book any new nightmares, but rather genuine hope and anticipation. Love is no longer a fairytale; if we understand it, we can make it come true.I dedicate this book to all who love, to all who are on their way to new shores with hearts ready to love: all who are seeking true faithfulness which no longer forces anyone to lie. I dedicate it to the children who will come after us, to the animals and plants that need protection and to comradeship of the human being. I dedicate it to the peace workers who do not let themselves be distracted by over-hasty spiritual slogans and half-truths, but instead are ready to face the incorruptibility of life itself.In the service of warmth for all that has skin and fur.~ Dieter Duhm

Sexual misconduct by ministers and other Christian professionals has reached epidemic proportions. One major church insurer has handled over 1,200 cases in the past eight years, many involving child sexual abuse, often with multiple victims. How should the church respond when Christian counselors cross sexual boundaries? What should be done when the "healer" wounds? What is the church's responsibility both to misbehaving professionals and to heir victims? Combining their extensive counseling experience and legal expertise, the authors of this volume offer a well-written, practical book loaded with the thorny issues of sexual exploitation by religious professionals. Here is tested wisdom that can help. oA recovery strategy for victims oProactive ways to safeguard against improper sexual behavior oScreening and early intervention strategies oRestoring fallen ministers and church leaders oDealing with homosexual misbehavior, seductive clients, recovered memories, and false allegations oAssessing legal consequences of your policies The wise counsel in this timely book can help us find remedies for a growing problem that threatens the Christian church.

We are on the brink of an ecological mega-crisis threatening the future of life on earth and our actions over the next few years may well determine the destiny of our descendants. Between a manifesto and a tactical plan of action, How Soon is Now? by radical futurist and philosopher Daniel Pinchbeck outlines a vision for a mass social movement that will address this crisis. Drawing on a huge range of resources and references Daniel Pinchbeck presents a compelling argument for the need for change on a global basis – it is only when we see ourselves as one planetary tribe that this change can occur. The central thesis is that humanity has self-willed the ecological crisis in order to bring about the necessary conditions for transcendence of our current state of being, by undergoing an initiatory ordeal on a planetary scale. This collective ordeal is necessary for us to evolve from one state of being – our current level of consciousness – to the next. By passing through this initiation we realize ourselves as one unified being, a planetary super-organism in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth's ecology and the entire web of life. Covering everything from energy and agriculture, to culture, politics, media and ideology, Pinchbeck's book is ultimately about the nature of the human soul and the future of our current world. He calls for an intentional and consciously designed metamorphosis of our current systems, which transform capitalist and exclusive structures into participatory, democratic, and inclusive ones, based on an integration of Eastern metaphysics, social ecology, and radical political thought. "How Soon is Now? gives us the context we need to understand the chaos and turbulence of our times." – Sting

Drawing on a huge range of resources and references Daniel Pinchbeck presents a compelling argument for the need for change on a global basis - it is only when we see ourselves as one planetary tribe that this change can occur. The central thesis is that humanity has self-willed the ecological crisis in order to bring about the necessary conditions for transcendence of our current state of being, by undergoing an initiatory ordeal on a planetary scale. This collective ordeal is necessary for us to evolve from one state of being - our current level of consciousness - to the next. By passing through this initiation we realize ourselves as one unified being, a planetary super-organism in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth's ecology and the entire web of life. Covering everything from energy and agriculture, to culture, politics, media and ideology, Pinchbeck's book is ultimately about the nature of the human soul and the future of our current world. He calls for an intentional and consciously designed metamorphosis of our current systems. which transform capitalist and exclusive structures into participatory, democratic, and inclusive ones, based on an integration of Eastern metaphysics, social ecology, and radical political thought. "How Soon is Now? gives us the context we need to understand the chaos and turbulence of our times." – Sting

Urban gardeners. Native seed-saving collectives. Ecovillage developments. What is the connection between these seemingly disparate groups? The ecological design system of permaculture is the common thread that weaves them into a powerful, potentially revolutionary—or reevolutionary—movement. Permaculture is a philosophy based on common ethics of sustainable cultures throughout history that have designed settlements according to nature's patterns and lived within its bounds. As a movement that has been building momentum for the past 40 years, it now is taking form as a growing network of sites developed with the intention of regenerating local ecologies and economies. Permaculture strategies can be used by individuals, groups, or nations to address basic human needs such as food, water, energy, and housing. As a species, humans are being called forth to evolve, using our collective intelligence to meet the challenges of the future. Yet if we are to survive our collective planetary crisis, we need to revisit history, integrating successful systems from sustainable cultures. To boldly confront our position on the brink of the earth's carrying capacity and make changes that incorporate the wisdom of the past is truly revolutionary. Sustainable Revolution features the work of a worldwide network of visionaries, including journalists, activists, indigenous leaders and permaculturists such as David Holmgren, Vandana Shiva, Charles Eisenstein, Starhawk, Erik Assadourian, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Albert Bates, and Geoff Lawton. This beautifully photographed collection of profiles, interviews, and essays features 60 innovative community-based projects in diverse climates across the planet. Edited by anthropologist Juliana Birnbaum Fox and award-winning activist filmmaker Louis Fox, it can be read as an informal ethnography of an international culture that is modeling solutions on the cutting edge of social and environmental change. The research presented in the book frames the permaculture movement as a significant ally to marginalized groups, such as the urban poor and native communities resisting the pressures of globalization. Sustainable Revolution uplifts and inspires with its amazing array of dynamic activists and thriving, vibrant communities.