I've been studying contemporary religions for the last few years, too. IMHO there's little incompatible to the main precepts of the major faiths. They all attempt to help people connect to the Divine. How Christianity differs is two-fold: It's actually simpler than most (simply believe) but simultaneously harder (how do I believe, and what kind of mental cases are all these Christians anyway?).
Interesting. For some, belief is perhaps the most difficult thing to ask.
Consider: if every day at 4 o'clock a 900 pound gorilla kicked in your door and beat you within an inch of your life, wouldn't you start to get a bit anxious when the clock read 3:59? Couple that with something I heard at a seminar once given by a psychologist who specilized in adult survivors of abuse. She put forth her theory that when a child first learns of the concept of God, they will often think of it in terms of a genie or Santa Claus and they may pray for some toy or some other prize. When, of course, that prayer is unanswered they process it, and shrug it off. When a child of abuse goes through the same dynamic, they will ask for one thing: Please make it stop. When that prayer goes unanswered, the impact is tremendous. It is an empty, lonely feeling.
The idea of grace is tempting, very tempting, and yet I need more (for lack of a better term) proof before I can go so far. And so I'm nosing around listening and taking in what I can. I want to understand spirituality before this life is over. I can't help but feel I'm missing something.
Btw, I concede that you have better legs than me, but I've got the walk and the range of British accents to go with it
Bloody hell.
Okay, point conceded.
When I got so ruddy ticked at you LOL; Remember?? ((((HUGS))) I was rebelling against MEN!!!!!HA!HA!
Good for you! Thomas Jefferson once said: "A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing." Sometimes I think the world might be a better place if women were in charge. Elaine Boosler once said that if women were in charge, there would be no war. Only very intense negotiations every 28 days.
Yes I do remember. And she and I have worked through it. We shared a common experience in our past, and both of us understood that the worst scars are those not seen by others.
But since your struggling to KNOW what the heck it is all about I aint gonna tell ya!!!!
I'm coming to believe that one function of this life is what we learn. I think it's a very individual process. My answers would not necessarily work for someone else. Still I think there are some truths that are universal, that are needed before we can move forward.