That IS the way of God, is it not?

And THAT; in a nutshell, is my Path.

Thank you, Lindsey. Mitakuye Oyasin,

Be The Peace,

~julia

Hear God’s heart, Julia. Follow your path. Practice peace.

I might be repeating myself here, but I am reminded of the story Huston Smith tells of the Christian lady who found so much beauty in Buddhism. She had the opportunity to ask the Dali Lama how she could become a better Buddhist. He told her to forget about converting to Buddhism but instead work on being a better Christian. It’s better to dig one well deeper than to dig many multiple shallow ones."

Thank you, Christian.

Some do seem to seek the bridge and understand it, yes?

Here's hoping others will continue to build it…

Be The Peace,

~juila

@ Lindsey: I believe in God. Just not the Christian version of God.

I too would wish Christians could 'understood the insane amounts of pleasure and satisfaction a practicing believer finds in their daily life because of God, I think they’d be more willing to listen.'

But, agian, the non-Christian lable gets in the way and the bridge crumbles before it had a chance. *sighes*

Be the Peace,

~julia

@ John: I understood that you were ribbing her, but I just had to stick my toe out anyway. It's a pet peeve of mine that Christianity is always framed in reference to Hell when talking to non-believers. I mean, it seems insane to deprive one's self of satisfaction in daily life out of fear of something as ephemeral as Hell. And if people understood the insane amounts of pleasure and satisfaction a practicing believer finds in their daily life because of God, I think they'd be more willing to listen.

The sharing of understanding and insights between folks who walk a miriad of paths, each sacred, each unique, each with a wealth of experiences, insights and wisdoms to share with one another.

I've never been a Christian. That does not mean I dont know God. I have a faith, a path, one I feel with all my heart that is one with the Creator, a communion that has existed since before I took my first breath, one I celebrate and seek to exlpore every waking moment. One where I welcome the sharing of experiences and wisdoms with others.

But I've long found as soon as the non-Christian label comes up alot of understanding and sharing just simply…. ceases. Somehow I am deemed…. less. As if I am somehow deficient, unitellegent, lacking in reason and common sense. Whereas Christians modify their 'sharing' into what mostly becomes prosletyizing for it is obvious to them that something MUST be wrong with me for no rational and intelligent human would want to WILLINGLY be non-Christian. Sharing becomes strained or stops altogether where communication and understanding fails. For me to share I must now come over to 'their' side or much of what I could share will simply be dismissed as invalid and worthless. All because I walk a different faith than y'all.

I am baffled by this divide. I just find it…… sad.

I seek to find a bridge to that divide, to understand the chasm between us. Like why choosing to be a non-Christian is so disturbing to Christians.

So far, that bridge has been elusive and hard to build. Especialy when many seem to want to put a toll on that bridge or want it only designed for one-way traffic….

I welcome any dialogue that can help bridge that divide.

Be The Peace,

~julia

I might be repeating myself here, but I am reminded of the story Huston Smith tells of the Christian lady who found so much beauty in Buddhism. She had the opportunity to ask the Dali Lama how she could become a better Buddhist. He told her to forget about converting to Buddhism but instead work on being a better Christian. It's better to dig one well deeper than to dig many multiple shallow ones.