Career
He worked in health policy and planning from 1973 to 1988: four years as a research associate at University of Oregon Health Sciences Center followed by six years at the Oregon State Health Planning and Development Agency, where he held various management roles. [3] In the mid-1980s he co-founded Oregon Health Decisions, a statewide citizen network aimed at expanding public engagement with bioethical issues. [4] As executive director, he led efforts to involve non-experts in discussions around medical ethics, resource allocation, and health policy. [5]
After leaving government service, Hines became more active as a writer, exploring topics ranging from meditation and spirituality to public philosophy and local land-use controversies. [6] His blogs and published works have been widely circulated among readers interested in comparative religion, skepticism, and civic engagement. [2]
Writing and influence
Hines is the author of four published books on spirituality and philosophy. His first major philosophical work, Return to the One: Plotinus’s Guide to God-Realization, presents a modern interpretation of the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plotinus. The book received scholarly attention, including a formal academic review in the Bryn Mawr Classical Review . [9]
He later published Break Free of Dogma: Churchless Sermons Preaching the Gospel of Spiritual Independence, which argues for a non-institutional, experiential approach to spirituality. [10] His third book, God’s Whisper, Creation’s Thunder: Echoes of Spiritual Reality in the New Physics, explores perceived connections between modern physics and spiritual experience. [11]
His best-known popular work, Life Is Fair: The Law of Cause and Effect presents a moral argument centered on karma, ethical responsibility, and vegetarianism. The book gained international attention after Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor publicly credited it with influencing his decision to become a vegetarian, bringing widespread visibility to Hines’s writings in India and beyond. [12]
In addition to his books, Hines maintains several long-running blogs addressing spirituality, skepticism, land-use policy, and local politics in Oregon: Church of the Churchless, HinesSight, and Salem Political Snark. [13]
Land use activism
Residing in Oregon for much of his adult life, Hines has been a vocal critic of urban expansion onto agricultural and forest land. [1] Through public testimony, local commentary, and writing, he has contributed to debates surrounding rural preservation, zoning, and environmental protection in Salem and surrounding communities. [4] His activism reflects a long-standing commitment to sustainable land-use planning and the protection of Oregon’s rural landscapes. [2]
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