Mepkin

Soma, thank you for your kind and sincere comments. It is refreshing not to be judged. I look forward to reading more of your posts. Now, how can I upload a photo of myself so others can see my real face?!

I am here because I am a seeker. I no longer can "conform" to traditional Christianity. I see that this has been evolving in my life's journey for quite some time, but am now able to securely say it out loud. Bishop Spong has become, for me, a mentor - albeit, he has no clue! He, Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, Amy Jill Levine, my wife, and a host of other progressive thinkers have helped shape me into who I am today. I once joined the Gideons. I now look back at that and wonder why. I now see that is simply where I was at that time in my life's journey. Recently, on Facebook, I have been confronted with "Priests" of my own tradition - the Episcopal Church - for thinking outside the rigid box of doctrine, dogma, and certainty. I embrace uncertainty with all of my being. I can no longer validate doctrine or dogma simply because it was written in a particular time and space that would relegate it to being ultimate truth for all time. Christianity, nor the Christian tradition does not hold a monopoly on truth. I am here because I want to learn, grow, stretch my boundaries, be compassionate to others and to read the stories of any who seek to articulate their life's journey into words as best they can. I am here because I desire to continue learning to "Love my neighbor as myself."