Turkish Muslim woman (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The blogging
world just lost an intriguing young female American Muslim blogger.
She's hung
up her keyboard.
But before
I comment about her work - a few words about where I stand on spiritual issues.
My personal
belief is that we can't possibly understand the Creator/Creatrix.
But because
we are human it helps us make sense of things by hanging human attributes onto
the ineffable.
That which existed
before time began.
Something
first identified solely as female, then as male for perhaps the last 6,000
years.
Although a
Christian, I love the pagan Goddess worship that is now emerging, especially
among women.
To me it is
part of the divine plan to right some historic wrongs.
Slow in
coming maybe, but nevertheless change is afoot in western culture.
I have a
harder time, although I know it is not fair, accepting religions that insist
that the Spirit has only male characteristics.
But I do
follow some women who are traditional Christians and I was following the young woman who is a practising Muslim.
And
truthfully, my hardest, most important lessons in compassion and understanding have come from those women.
So today I
was saddened to learn that Cindy, who wrote the blog "Organica", is
ending her blogging career.
Up until a
few months ago her blog was on my sidebar but as she blogged less and less I
tucked it back into my list of people I read infrequently.
She wrote
about how important her faith is to her.
But she
also wrote about intolerance.
And not
just our western intolerance.
She wrote
candidly about Muslim intolerance - with us and with each other, particularly
women.
I didn't
always understand or even approve of her beliefs and practices but what she had
to say led me to understand that Islam itself is not a stagnant religion.
Growth and
beauty are happening from within and Muslim women are talking to each other
about it.
But all women
need to build bridges to each other.
Our ability
to change things may lie in our ability to connect by computers across physically
inaccessible boundaries.
I'm sorry
she's ended her blogging career but wish her the very best.
10 comments:
One of my favorite books, The Shack, portrays the Holy Spirit as a female. I enjoyed it so much because the authors description was similar to what I had always imagined.
What a shame, she disappeared before I got to read her blog!
It's a bummer when intolerance drives anyone off the internet.
It's too bad that she stopped blogging. It sounds like it was an interesting site. And I agree with you, Francie - women need to build bridges to each other. I truly believe that women are the ones that can change the world for the better, united and strong.
I believe that Divine looks just like Us. Vast, beautiful, angry at times, annoyed, loving, young and old, ageless, and definitely undefinable as a general concept.
One of the reasons why I'm an Eclectic Witch is because I love to learn from every belief system, from every person who has something helpful to teach regardless of where they come from. I'm imperfect (extremely hot, but not perfect), so I, too, have issues understanding certain beliefs, but what's a Witch to do? I'm human. I will never get why some might believe that there is only one aspect to the Divine. Or why men or women are more important depending what religion one belongs to.
If a person is loving, respectful and caring towards others, I believe in them.
Sorry for the rambling. I just feel really strong about this issue. It is difficult for me to hear others go around talking about how "I love all" but as soon as someone is a little different they are excluded from that "all."
I'm sorry your blogging friend quit sharing. Hopefully things get better...
Lovely comments from everybody. The truth is I don't think Cindy knew I was following her. She was writing to her Muslim sisters - although from her words it was apparenbt she was aware that some non Muslims were reading - we weren't her target audience.
She didn't stop blogging from intolerance. She got many many supportive comments. I suspect she just had 'too many other fish to fry' as we say, ie, She was too busy
Hi Francie...hugs.. sorry your bloggy friend is ending her blog..! Bloggers truly impact one another with the uniquely special gift of being who they are! She sounds like a wonderful soul!I so enjoyed your insigthful and powerful writing as usual!
Hugs
victoria
It is one thing that always saddens me to see a good blog go to the blog cemetery... once and a while I open a blog form a blogger that had so much to say, but they had been gone for years...
I love your open mindedness and insightfulness. The world needs more people like you.
I discovered her blog via your sidebar, and occasionally read her posts, which were beautifully written and quite compelling. We need voices like hers. Let's hope she returns down the road.
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