[sonoman]

I have gotten the nicest welcome here by any forum administrator I've yet encountered but then I haven't posted what usually sets forum owners and monitors teeth on edge either--some rather blatantly controversial Christian notions starting with this one: I am not a spiritual seeker. I am a receiver of prophetic visions of a new Christianity. I have been getting these religious visions and revelations on and off for the past 30 years and they don't seem to quit. I would be a liar if I said I didn't get them but claiming I do also in truth means claiming a historical role that automatically arouses intense feelings of threat to cherished beliefs. Prophets are fine as long as they're good and dead and not running around bothering people and this very universal mindset has not changed much at all in my personal experience. I've tried to share my religious visions on other forums only to be accused again and again of "proselytizing" which puts me in a quandary because while I do claim prophesy bearing status I am a Gnostic Christian who follows the Solitary Path and have no religious organization for anyone to join. I would like to be treated like any other author and just let people read my words and make up their own minds about the truth and validity of what I have to say.

Now here's the hard part. I am not seeking, I am not ecumenical and I do use titles that most Christian theologians would not use, e.g. "son of man" as well as prophet of God. Why would I burden my religious ideas with such ambitious claims when I am so anti-guru, anti-authoritarian? Why not just stick with being an author of a radical Christian theology and leave it at that? Because I can't. I am committed to reporting the spiritual truth I been led to see and for whatever reasons the spiritual truth for me is that I've been sent to deliver some messages to the world. I am on a mission from God and that about sums it up as far as my ability to change direction and try to fit in as best I can in any Christian tradition, even a Progressive Christian one. Either "Immanuel" or God isn't with us through this prophesy bearer's mission. Time will tell.

What makes it hard for you all is that besides Jen and me there are literally thousands, perhaps millions of people in our world today who claim God speaks directly to them. Not a few of these people are locked away in loony bins. So why even try to make sense of any one of these spiritual over-achievers when most are around the bend and you wouldn't want to know what they thought anyway? Because maybe, just maybe, one of them, maybe even more than one has truly been sent by God. So step right up, take a chance, see Signs and Wonders. See a spiritual vision of Christianity you've never encountered before and it's all Free. No church to join. No dues to pay. No get out of hell card either. You don't need one! Such a deal!

[JosephM]

Sonomon,

I see nothing in this post that should be a problem. People here are inclusive. Your background is Christian and if yiou have no problems with the eight points listed on this site in principle then your views, though they might be radically different then some others here are acceptable in this area. If there is no interest in your views, time will tell. But I will read them with the tolerance and openness that has been given me by others on this forum. Whatever you consider yourself you are a brother in Christ to me and hopefully to others here. TCPC Points 2,3,4, 5 & 6

Love Joseph

[minsocal]

Sonomon,

I for one have no problem with with either you or Jen. I enjoy the radical contrast because it forces me to take a serious look at my own assumptions. You hint at a recent trend towards what George Boree calls the "Epistemic Position" where every individual is a unique "author". The problem, as Boree points out, is that this requires a lot of work as one has to sepend a great deal of time listening to each individual without presuppositions. As you suggest, earlier authoritarian systems made life easier by proclaiming assumptions for a large number of people.

[McKenna]

Hey Sonomon,

I too have no problem with you posting here. I'm interested in what you have to say. I think you'll find people to be pretty open-minded, whether they buy your ability or not, but be prepared to debate, of course - we do a lot of that around here!

McKenna