Yes: There is an ugly church culture of enforcing domestic violence, and demanding that women stay in it. Can anyone say, "guilt trip?" And there is an equal vile church culture, of attempting to solicit complicit family members, in targeting you for crime, as you are vulnerable. It is raw evil. Many of these prowling criminals explode with rage, when they can't find your family, to criminally solicit. Even domestic violence so-called, "shelters" prey on those in need, and get fraudulent funds for parading as though they help.
On the other hand, in another one of your posts, you said something to the effect that if you are aligned, then your needs will be met. You said it better than that, and I'm frustrated that I can't re-find that issue of your newsletter.
I thank you for sharing your survival stories. They make the impossible seem possible. You are truly inspirational!
I’ve read this piece three times now. It has come as holy writing, an epistle. As testimony.
I imagine our concepts of “God” — a word hopelessly small, anthropomorphized, limited — contain many of the same elements. Of boundlessness, mystery, and awe. Of showing up in the dark places. Of residing as easily in the natural around us here on Earth as well as the farthest reaches of the unknowable Universe.
Your faith journey has elements that I confess to finding “strange” — in the original meaning of the word, that is “unsettling” and “unfamiliar” — to me. I find them awe-filled and take them as they are without explanation.
Since the dawn of time, we humans have been trying to tame God. To control God with prayer, hymns, offerings. But I don’t think God can ever be contained. Does God “want” something from us? I do not know. If “They” do, I can only imagine that it is in a turning, a re-orienting, an openness, and a silent unknowing.
I love the idea that God is They and not Him. Totally makes sense to me. God is Two Spirited. Love the idea too that there is no one true path. I am in a bit of a spiritual crisis of belief of God. I had been an atheist or agnostic for most of my adult life. I lately seem to be thinking of God as Nature and your comments that the natural world is also a part of God is affirming to me❣️ Didn't finish reading everything - I will share more gems I loved when I do. Thank you for writing❣️
I believe that truth finds us when we need it, when we can absorb it, when we can trust it. So grateful that this found me today. Thank you for having the courage to share these experiences. I will ponder Kairos every day and look for the gifts that it might provide to me and that it might allow me to provide to others.
In a world that seems to run from the godly, I appreciate the courage it's taken to write honestly about such deeply personal experiences. More than that, your telling creates a powerful context for your writing about surviving dictatorship. Thanks.
I relate to your story in many ways. Raised as a church goer. Rebelled in my teens and had no way to rationally understand ‘God’.
In my thirties I had a profound spiritual experience similar to your description. Decades later I still can’t understand it intellectually, but I came to realize this experience is not about intellect. ‘God’ is much bigger and deeper and beyond the limits that we try to use to describe ‘God’. Ineffable is a good word - because it means beyond words. God just is. And those who can connect to God are blessed.
Your piece is a beautiful window into the experience, it’s strangeness, it’s otherness, and it’s joyfulness. Thank you.
I completely get it David. They were my personal experiences, but ~twenty-five years on, at an intellectual level I’m still trying to process them too. And I simply can’t.
Cho ku rei ❤️
Cho ku rei 🙏🏼💗💫
Thank you for the special connection and I'm subscribed!!!! ❤️ 😍
We are one, Zsanan 💜
Yes: There is an ugly church culture of enforcing domestic violence, and demanding that women stay in it. Can anyone say, "guilt trip?" And there is an equal vile church culture, of attempting to solicit complicit family members, in targeting you for crime, as you are vulnerable. It is raw evil. Many of these prowling criminals explode with rage, when they can't find your family, to criminally solicit. Even domestic violence so-called, "shelters" prey on those in need, and get fraudulent funds for parading as though they help.
On the other hand, in another one of your posts, you said something to the effect that if you are aligned, then your needs will be met. You said it better than that, and I'm frustrated that I can't re-find that issue of your newsletter.
I thank you for sharing your survival stories. They make the impossible seem possible. You are truly inspirational!
Such an amazing piece
Thank you Anthony, that means a lot.
I’ve read this piece three times now. It has come as holy writing, an epistle. As testimony.
I imagine our concepts of “God” — a word hopelessly small, anthropomorphized, limited — contain many of the same elements. Of boundlessness, mystery, and awe. Of showing up in the dark places. Of residing as easily in the natural around us here on Earth as well as the farthest reaches of the unknowable Universe.
Your faith journey has elements that I confess to finding “strange” — in the original meaning of the word, that is “unsettling” and “unfamiliar” — to me. I find them awe-filled and take them as they are without explanation.
Since the dawn of time, we humans have been trying to tame God. To control God with prayer, hymns, offerings. But I don’t think God can ever be contained. Does God “want” something from us? I do not know. If “They” do, I can only imagine that it is in a turning, a re-orienting, an openness, and a silent unknowing.
Thank you for writing this.
A few of us, unfortunately, to BE god - in the omnipotent, unethical, noncompassionate, sense of the word.
It is up to us mere mortals, to give expression to the ethical, compassionate, sense of the Divine.
Sadly true, Aleithia.
PS. I think you may have missed the word ‘want’.
I love the idea that God is They and not Him. Totally makes sense to me. God is Two Spirited. Love the idea too that there is no one true path. I am in a bit of a spiritual crisis of belief of God. I had been an atheist or agnostic for most of my adult life. I lately seem to be thinking of God as Nature and your comments that the natural world is also a part of God is affirming to me❣️ Didn't finish reading everything - I will share more gems I loved when I do. Thank you for writing❣️
P.S. Happy Winter Solstice to all!
Thank you Aleithia, and also to you. I am happy to see you here again. 😊
I believe that truth finds us when we need it, when we can absorb it, when we can trust it. So grateful that this found me today. Thank you for having the courage to share these experiences. I will ponder Kairos every day and look for the gifts that it might provide to me and that it might allow me to provide to others.
I believe the same Mimi. Thank you for sharing your own experience of the perfect timing that is Kairos.
In a world that seems to run from the godly, I appreciate the courage it's taken to write honestly about such deeply personal experiences. More than that, your telling creates a powerful context for your writing about surviving dictatorship. Thanks.
I relate to your story in many ways. Raised as a church goer. Rebelled in my teens and had no way to rationally understand ‘God’.
In my thirties I had a profound spiritual experience similar to your description. Decades later I still can’t understand it intellectually, but I came to realize this experience is not about intellect. ‘God’ is much bigger and deeper and beyond the limits that we try to use to describe ‘God’. Ineffable is a good word - because it means beyond words. God just is. And those who can connect to God are blessed.
Your piece is a beautiful window into the experience, it’s strangeness, it’s otherness, and it’s joyfulness. Thank you.
Wow! I'm trying to process your experiences. It has nothing to do with judgement but the fact that experientialy I have no point of reference.
I completely get it David. They were my personal experiences, but ~twenty-five years on, at an intellectual level I’m still trying to process them too. And I simply can’t.
So don’t worry — you’re not alone in that.