Huey09

God damn it. I hate my age group as it is, now I have a whole Generation to hate.

Definitely. I'm concerned about a lot of people my age. Am I part of the Millenial club? I'm born in '87. Does that make me one? I hope not.

That's a possibility; but I'd like to think he's going to be an influential and well-loved pope. Although I know people are split on him. I can be an optimist, sometimes... sometimes.

Yeah, I can get that. I wonder what is in store with the new pope, though.

I totally know where you're coming from. What is it about the pope that bothers you, though? If that's one of the biggest problems then maybe an Eastern Orthodox church would be worth looking at.

Nah man.... that's 100% legit. Community is important. Feeling close to that community is vital. I'm wondering what your age is, inasmuch as it matters.... but am just wondering what kind of freedoms you have or have coming up that might be a light at the end of a tunnel, so to speak. Meditate and Pray on the reasons you want to find a spiritual community.... that is your True Spiritual Home. Other than hypocrites, how do you feel about being a Baptist?

Hey Brother, noticed your Anglican/Episcopal thread and also your talk with Breathe.

I personally went away from Christian Churches for years, but not away from the teachings and living a Christ-inspired life, even though I was practicing and learning from other faith traditions.

I went to the Anglican Church, here in Canada, and it's been a home for me. Some are lower and others higher church, and I really prefer the ritual. And like Odion said, it's really something to submerge yourself in for ego-check and balance. I actually spent a month at a Greek Orthodox monastery as well, this last August. There is something amazing about letting go and just being swept up in the motions, instead of being trapped by the letters on the page or thinking too hard. Right amount of grasping, right amount of letting go....

Anyway.... Good luck to you Brother.
Know your intention in seeking and being in the building... the rest will just happen.

:namaste

Lol, it's a gift of mine.

Eastern Orthodoxy may be a bit tricky then, as they make the Catholics look like uncultured louts with how much ritual the Eastern Orthodox have. It's full to the brim with it.

How do you approach ritual, anyway? To me, it's something to submerse yourself into. It's a way to experience Mystery, a way to lose one's ego.

It's nice they're so open about the Trinity, too. That's a good sign.

And yeah, you'll be expected to learn Hebrew, most likely. Admittedly modern Hebrew is much easier than Arabic, but you'll probably be expected to learn Biblical Hebrew. I have no idea how much more difficult that is.

Man, I can totally understand where you're coming from about Islam. As much as I admire it, I don't think I'm cut out for all the baggage that follows it, and a few doctrines are things I don't believe, like hell -- much less eternally for disbelief. I could possibly even deal with annihilation for non-believers, but I'd find that a bit meh. I'm too much of a universalist.

Episcopalian is worth looking at, then; I've never known of a "turn or burn" or other sermon in an Anglican church. Shame there are no Quakers around, but even with Quakers I have a few issues; I like a bit of ritual and tradition.

Eastern Orthodoxy is just awesome. If you can find anything on it at a local library, it's good stuff. It's a bit Trinitarian-y for me (I've never cared for the concept of the Trinity, really), but Eastern Orthodoxy just has some great understanding of scripture.

Have you ever looked at Reform Judaism, either? I'd seriously have considered RJ if there were any Jews where I lived.

Beer is disgusting, anyway. I'm totally sober.
But I love pork. I hate bacon, but love pork. Spare ribs, man. That's my pork weakness.
How come you gave it up?

Try an Episcopalian/Anglian church. They're pretty decent. If you can find an Anglo-Catholic or High Church Anglican, they're better IMO as they're more liturgical and a bit more open to a bit of the esoteric. Try different denominations and see what you find, like Quakers, Anglicans, Catholics, Eastern Rite Catholics? Eastern Orthodoxy is good stuff, too. I'd seriously consider it if there was an EO church near me.

Not yet...
You?

Been back a few days, and thanks.

Thanks your Huey avatar is awesome too

Hahaha. Thank you very much. I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for anything but if me being here helps people to see the diversity of certain groups, then that's only a good thing. God bless you.

That was an unintended side effect of my avatar. But if it works, I can't complain.

Yeah fair enough - maybe you need a more protestant kind of Christianity, like Uniting Church? But you're probably on a good thing with the Anglicans - they seem to have quite a range of beliefs within their church.

Ah, I hardly helped at all dude. It's interesting to see you've gone from Dharmic interest to Abrahamic - what caused the shift? If you don't mind me asking...

Deal! I won't sell it for a loss, either. In fact, I'll never sell it!

I'd love a dedication to "number one homie"!

Ok. I need then to find an editor. And the 30 page rule impresses me as a good one. I think what I will do is try the just start writing approach first. If that doesn't work, I'll trying planning it a bit more.

Let me think about that advice for a few minutes for it to sink in. It immediately strikes me as good. BRB.