Is There Life After Church?

As Christians watch more and more mainstream churches stagnate or close their doors it appears that some of them aren't prepared to go down with the ship in the traditional patriarchal manner.

Some really good and decent people are trying to grapple with the baffling question of what went wrong by incorporating rock music, multi-media, female pastors etc, etc. into their churches hoping to resurrect a dead horse.

My personal opinion is that we won't really be able to understand Christ's message of peace, compassion and equality until every Christian church is closed.

We need to start again.



In the image the divine feminine has surfaced from the deep waters under the church (symbolized by the fish).  The people in the water would rather drown than accept the milk she provides.

But there is hope - symbolized by the new birth that is happening.





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You Can't Get Here From There, Francis

Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont of 1095, given a late Gothic setting in this illumination from the Livre des Passages d'Outre-mer, of c 1490 (Bibliothèque nationale de France) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will not find the Divine Feminine through Christianity.

 Christianity is a rigid patriarchy that at best tolerates its

'lunatic fringe', (currently Rev. Matthew Fox and his followers),

at worst defrocks, excommunicates and burns them at the

stake.

There has been a lot of wonder this week because Pope

Francis said he doesn't judge gay people.

 

Piffle.

 There have always been gay priests.

 

If Pope Francis had said, "I think women should be equal

partners in the church and I think the Godhead should reflect

the fact that we are all children of the Spirit," then there would

be cause for wonder.

 

But he didn't.

And he won't.

 

You just can't get here from there.

Farewell to a Blogger

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.

Christians, Pagans, Atheists, Muslims, Jews, agnostics, Hindus etc. etc.

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.

Throwing a Christian to the Lions

Good Shepherd (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Recently I noticed that I had a new follower.

As soon as I saw the icon I went immediately to her blog.

A Christian.

My heart sank.

Why would she be interested in my blog?

I have been known to use a few bad words and my religious views aren't exactly traditional.

And she had so many followers.

"Jeesh," I thought, "this is one of those American southern Baptist women.  She isn't interested in anything I say.

She just wants me as a follower so she can preach at me."

For some reason, (to be polite), I did follow her and was totally surprised that she, on occasion, commented on my blog.

I went back to her site and surprise of surprises I actually know her.

I taught 3 of her children!

I try to follow blogs from different areas of society. 

That's  important to me.

I hadn't realized how easy it is to shut down in the face of Christianity.

Me, who takes pride in being so inclusive.

I believe in God.

Totally.

And I love the Bible stories of Jesus that I grew up with.

But when I sit in a church, being an old feminist,  I feel as if I am only hearing half of the story.

Anyway, that's my problem.

The truth is that I'm not so much shocked at the large number of religions there are in the world as I am at the small number. 

Because I think there are many ways to find God.

And I believe if you are on a path whichever one it is, it is the right one.

So I have gone back to the blog of this Christian woman that I know and have started carefully reading what she is saying.

And I have found that she has a deep understanding of how the good in the universe works.

Her lovely writing is clothed in the robes of Christianity,

but  her message of love is universal.

A lesson learned.




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PS  Mrs. B's blogsite is now on my sidebar.  It is called 'Just a Thought'.

Where the Hell is Mrs. Satan?

Satan Girl (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay, where is she?

Where's Mrs. Satan?

Christians have a well developed male god named, well, God.

He can be merciless and vindictive to evil doers as well as loving and protective to His people.

Christians also have an evil god named Satan.

If you aren't careful he can lead you to do bad things and then God won't want you in heaven.

This makes Satan happy because then he gets to keep your soul in hell for all eternity causing you endless excruciating pain.

My problem with all of this should be obvious.

Where's Mrs. God and even more puzzling where is Mrs. Satan?

Well, truth be known, Mrs. God is making a comeback.

And I must say it is about time.

For thousands of years before the Israelites brought the warlike Yahweh  out of the desert people worshipped the Goddess(es).

And today,  many women not finding themselves reflected in the Christian God or church are returning to paganism. 

And the movement is growing. 

Quietly. 

Underground. 

But that leaves one person unaccounted for.

Where the hell is Mrs. Satan?

The question is more important than you might think.

Next: Federal Government moves to strike down laws that would legalize prostitution.