Sherrie

I've been reading Shelby's book, Eternal Life, and it's just awesome. I am relieved that a spiritual person with Shelby's spiritual background, can take a rational and reasonable look at the JC-Bible. He mentions in one chapter about Paul's transformation from being a "Jew among Jews" -- to being a "Christian" -- even though he never actually met Jesus. IMHO, opinion, I know that Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen. I don't think you can watch someone die without being transformed in some way. As the character of Stephen was being stoned, he gave his riveting soliloquy, and I've always felt that Paul was transformed by it. I've taken many classes in the human sciences, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, and I know that there are moments in a person's life during which true transformation can be achieved. I believe that is the lesson in that story, pointedly, that we can experience true "acts of conversion" -- personal and mind-expanding paradigm shifts, what some might call a "religious experience". At any rate, this is one of my favorite fables in the JC Bible, and I do see it as a fable, with valuable lessons to teach the contemporary world, just as any good piece of literature can. What do you think? What does your interpretation of this story look like?

Hi. I'm new to the group. I've read JESUS FOR THE NON-RELIGIOUS and now I'm reading ETERNAL VISION. I have found both books to be transformative. I have run the gamut religiously. I was raised by a Roman Catholic father and a Southern Baptist mother -- a bipolar religious experience, to be sure. I taught Sunday school to teenagers for 7 seven years, raised my son in the church for 7 years, started attending college, and then abandoned religion completely for about 20 years. I found a Baptist church (from fire to the frying pan) -- and I attended it for a few months, and then I was kicked out because I was told that I didn't "fit in". I asked too many questions. I was devastated. I tried a few different churches but was ultimately and sadly disappointed in each of them. They propagated hatred and judgment, and it hurt to hear their messages. I finally, long story, found a church called the Metropolitan Community Church. This church was founded by Troy Perry, a gay man, and the church I attend has an almost entirely gay congregation. I'm among the 9% of hetero congregants. I love this church. It is ecumenical, as there are many faith traditions and people who have no faith tradition. I believe, even though I don't agree with some things about the church, that it is home from me. I vacillate between going to seminary or getting a graduate degree in psychology. While I am not a "believer" in the fundamentalist sense, I do find value in the Judeo-Christian Bible. I think of it as crude science, romanticized, poeticized, but still of great value to humanity. I see a hurting world, one that has been duped for 2 millennia, one that is having the rug pulled out from underneath it, and I want to hold it in my arms and help to lead it back to wholeness. My fears about seminary are real and worth deliberating about. I am not a young student. I am 54 years old. But the rest of my life, I want to be of service to my world, my fellow humans. I know where I am spiritually, and in seminary, I will probably be "taught" doctrine with which I do not agree. I'm not a kid, and so I won't be tugged to and fro, or rattled. It's not about where one gets her education, it's about what she does with it. I want to help others to see that they are loved by whatever understanding of a [G]od they have. Most religions miss the mark in the unconditional love department. Anyhow, I look forward to discussions here. I am a progressive and a liberal....and my philosophies often do not mesh with "Christians"...obviously, I've been kicked out a few churches. Peace.