I believe …

I believe … “We need not think alike to love alike.”

Namasté “I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”

I am not an atheist but I am married to one. I describe myself as a “cultural” Christian” – it was the faith system I was brought up within — it continues to form and inform my world — my primal concepts, visual / mental imagery, and vocabulary regarding religion and spirituality. I have always believed there is _something_ beyond our current (perhaps permanently human-limited) understanding of what _is _ I lean more toward liberal christianity, Agnostic Theism and Creation Spirituality (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_Spirituality ) with a some Tibetan style Buddhism (“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”) and with a measure of theosophy mixed in. I have loved reading Matthew Fox and thinking about what he shares & need to get back to that. The concept _ One River, Many Wells _ works for me. One mountain many paths ….

Over the years ever-seeking to be a better parent has shed light on & brought to the forefront my underlying discomfort with the mainstream Christian concepts of original sin, fall-redemption, ransom, and substitutionary sacrifice & atonement and salvation. Mainstream Christianity teachs that God is the supreme unconditionally forgiving, unconditionally loving and unconditionally compassionate Father. Yet, other than the Parable of the Prodigal Son there isn’t much in the Bible to support that for me. Rather the concept of a jealous, conditional, angry, punitive God is what I see. I believe the Creator/Creation, the Divine Mystery, God/dess, whatever one calls what _is_ is The Parent of the Prodigal Child.This sermon really resonates http://www.hamiltonunitingchurch.com/index/42;Atonement/

https://web.archive.org/web/20101112055512/http://www.hamiltonunitingchurch.com/index/42;Atonement/ 

for me regarding atonement and salvation. I guess I am an über Universalist at heart.

For me being a liberal christian means being a follower of Jesus of Nazareth and being inspired to follow his teachings and examples as well as those of other bodhisattva / enlightened ones. I believe _ALL_ of Creation is Divine and that Love, Compassion and Forgiveness are the cornerstones, the dance and requirements for Communion with Creation.

I strive daily to live the Golden Rule and fail daily. I strive daily to live Radical Forgiveness and fail daily. I strive daily to Love without conditions and fail daily.

I strive to be mind-full of each of these — and fail daily:

• To feed the hungry;

• to give drink to the thirsty;

• to clothe the naked;

• to shelter the homeless;

• to visit the sick;

• to visit those in prison;

• to bury the dead.

• To instruct the ignorant;

• to counsel the doubtful;

• to admonish the sinner;

• to comfort the sorrowful;

• to forgive injuries;

• to bear wrongs patiently;

• to pray for the living and the dead.

The Golden Rule, radical forgiveness & compassion, unconditional love, communion with nature, etc.

Beannachtaí agus síocháin,

Jacki
October 28, 2009

“We need not think alike to love alike.” – Francis David c. 1510 –1579 Court Minster to King John II Sigismund of Hungary (see Torda Diet)