tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10982636.post110994661362752663..comments2023-08-02T08:54:46.474-05:00Comments on Sojourner's Truths: I Just Don't Understandsojournesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827493348095938679noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10982636.post-1110299632119720572005-03-08T10:33:00.000-06:002005-03-08T10:33:00.000-06:00Interesting post, I never realised that the whole ...Interesting post, I never realised that the whole Baptism of Desire thing was an accepted doctrine in Catholicism, although I had heard of it. I'm Irish Catholic, btw, well a non-practicing cherry-picking catholic, but that is how I as raised.<br /><br />there is always the stock phrase; "god works in mysterious ways" but I don't know if that helps with the tsunami issueFencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04478271943214944729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10982636.post-1110071247879893692005-03-05T19:07:00.000-06:002005-03-05T19:07:00.000-06:00The Book of Rumi is actually next in my God's Brea...The Book of Rumi is actually next in my <I>God's Breath</I> book, so when I get to it, I will be commenting on it in here as well.<br /><br />I will check out that book and website; thanks.sojournesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02827493348095938679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10982636.post-1110069814674961172005-03-05T18:43:00.000-06:002005-03-05T18:43:00.000-06:00Hi Sojourness,
I can appreciate your struggles ve...Hi Sojourness,<br /><br />I can appreciate your struggles very much. I'm in the process of breaking away from Christianity. I was raised Catholic, which I'm still trying to recover from. I spent about 10 years as an evangelical and stopped doing that, then made one last big effort by becoming an Orthodox Christian, which lasted 2 and a half years before I had to stop because it really seemed like it was harming my soul.<br /><br />I have many of the same issues you do, esp. about women. I'm glad you've read the church fathers, so you know how they viewed women. It's a lot to ignore, in my opinion, just like Christians have to ignore all the bloodshed through the centuries.<br /><br />I'd like to recommend a book and website to you, Killing the Buddha. I actually have an essay on their web site right now, "My Kitty," that you might find interesting. The book is especially interesting, with different authors rewriting books of the Bible. The book of Job is rewritten by a man who is the child of a Holocaust survivor, so in my mind, he certainly has the right to do it. He notes that only the monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) face the problem of explaining suffering because only they put forth a creator who is both all powerful and infinitely good. The Hindus, on the other hand, have the god Brahma, who creates, and the god Shiva, who destroys. I'm not Hindu and don't worship Shiva, but somehow this makes more sense to me. It acknowledges the reality of suffering, and the possibility that what we work to build can at some point be torn down.<br /><br />Also, have you read any Rumi? He was a Persian poet who wrote in the 13th century. He founded Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. You might find him interesting. There's a lot of ideas there that are worthwhile.<br /><br />My only real advice is to keep seeking, but also anticipate that you might get burned, like your parents did, but keep seeking anyway. Take breaks now and then if you need to, but keep going. I tried to stop seeking for several years, and it wasn't good.<br /><br />Peace.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com