Hi Rev
Wow,what do you have in store for me? I feel excited.....and a little nervous.I always feel like that when I make these big theological forays,its like,what could be more interesting ang meaningful?
What am I going to find? yikes,you know,sometimes the pit can get real cosy.....
Hi Eyes,
Hmm you asked about the attributes of a god that iam looking for......
Thats hard, but i thought about it and....
1 Tolerance is important to me,I feel turned off by religious exclusivism(did I spell that right?...) I hate that in some religions gay people aren't accepted,or are told they are going to hell unless they change their ways.I hate that arrogance that im right and everyone else is wrong,and of course, the coup-de-grace,they are going to hell.I need a belief that respects the beliefs of others,that understands that people have different ways of believing in different cultures,and may believe in different manifestations of god.
2 Non - violence is important to me as well...How can people sit down on a sunday to eat a brutally murdered body, one of Gods own beautiful creations! and the first tenet of their religion is 'thou shall not kill'.......thats so incredibly nearsighted and horrible.I need a religion that is essentially paccifist and vegetarian.Sorry to be a hippy!
I don't mean to be having a go at christianity,it is just one of the harder religions to understand for me,I have similar problems with Islam.Im working hard on overcomming these prejudices.
I feel puzzled as to why the mix of religions is not wider on this site....i'd love to hear from any recovering hindus,buddhists,jews who may be lurking......and of course anyone else from any faith at all.
I think buddhism comes closest to what I am looking for in a lot of ways, and I love the wise counsel of the Dalai Lama.When ever I hear or see him I am entranced,he has an aura of serenity and great wisdom around him.I don't feel the same about the arch bishop of canterbury.....at all.
I'm reading the Tibetan book of the dead right now it is blowing me away....but some of the deep theology is incredibly complex and quite scary.
I think sometimes I should just throw myself in and see what happens,but I don't want to screw up again, I did that with the Hare Krishna movement.It turned to be frighteningly misogynist, and there was alot of corruption.I accept of course that the philosophy itself maybe pure..(but it IS misogynist) those particular devotees had just lost their way.
Hmm, im going on at great length again,hope im not being really dull.This probably the longest step two in the history of NA!
Im going to have a look at that sermon on blind faith now.
Talk soon.
lots of love
Clancy - feeling optimistic lately...