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I originally came to your blog when the title made me laugh. After reading your well-written explanation and subsequent entries, I continued to come back for more. My wife and I are both highly educated, and while we consider ourselves spiritual, we sometimes find difficulty in suspending our disbelief with certain things.
Additionally, I've worked with the Mormon community for years, and we now have some close friends that are Mormon... Well, actually she's Mormon and he was born into it (you know what I mean). It creates some friction and unrest in their marriage at times, but they're 'Eternally Married in the Temple'. I don't really know what that means, but I guess they've got that going for them...
I loved the ending of this piece, and I will continue enjoying more. Write on!
-Chris
posted by
Marineair
on August 14, 2008 at 11:25 PM
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Re: Another long comment
Thank you.
posted by
mousehop
on August 14, 2008 at 10:11 AM
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Another long comment
I also grew up as a Christian (fortunately not mainstream) and have discarded the views upheld by most "converts" or "hell avoiders" at an early age for similar reasons to the ones you mention here. I even spoke in tongues as a preteen and can still let rip with glossolalia if I feel like it, but the context in which this happens differs vastly from the learnt by rote funny sounds that I have observed some people repeat and prohesy to (The Christianity I grew up in strongly emphasized prophesy, visions, dreams and healings). At some stage I was even vehemently anti any religion mainly because of the words and actions of blind believers and I thought believers to be simpleminded, ignorant and blind to the harsh reality we find ourselves in. Deep down I still felt that the values I learnt in Church were admirable and conducive to a stable and peaceful society though and it is to a large degree these values in myself that had me reject a lot of the dogma I was forced into. I so wanted to understand why people believe all the weird things they do and act the way they do that I undertook an intensive study of all religious phenomena and any related theories in psychology, sociology, etc. This journey to find the Truth has led me full circle out of blind belief, through agnosticism, atheism, nontheism and right back to theism, but instead of an anthropomorphic monotheism (seemingly the most popular and oft denounced theism) it has led me to panentheism. Once I returned to the scriptures, I almost devoured as a kid, it all had a new and deeper meaning that most people, seemingly, never find in them. It seems like you have emptied your cup of at least one set of preconceived ideas. That is a sign of wisdom. You also clearly have a healthy conscience. That is a sign of the fruits of the spirit, perhaps not the spirit you yourself imagined the Holy Spirit to be when you were seeking it within the traditions of man passed down to you, but definitely of the Holy Spirit as I have come to understand it now. Unfortunately my understanding seems to differ somewhat from almost all explications I have thus far met in the written and spoken word and a lot of traditionalists probably think I'm possessed by the devil (I know some who are convinced of this). Nevertheless I think your prayers were answered, but not in a way that would please your parents or others mulling around in the spiritual broth for spiritual babies. I hope this doesn't come across as preachy, but I think I understand your ideological position. Then again, I may well be completely wrong. Keep on writing. You are writing from the heart and try hard not to be too judgemental. This makes for excellent reading for me.
posted by
AardigeAfrikaner
on August 13, 2008 at 9:50 PM
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Thank you dear for sharing your thoughts...
posted by
__Purple_Mermaid11__
on August 13, 2008 at 6:56 PM
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