Looking For A Kind Of Mentor In Progressive Christianity

[skyseeker]

Hello,

 

I've written on this forum sometimes and now I wanted to ask where can I find a mentor or maybe a study group of progressive christianity online. I live in a remote town in east germany's ore mountains and don't get around much. This is a bit like Germany's version of the bible belt, so christianity here is rather conservative. For example, just some weeks ago a caretaker of my living community told me that my atheistic dad who died 4 years ago couldn't possibly have ended up with God, and would be separated from him now, and that if I wanted to live with God I'd have to let go of my dad. I cannot live in such a kind of christianity so I am seeking something else, and I suppose that if I lived in a city in Germany I could find it, but as I said, I'm in a remote place and can't easily move away from it in this time and so I'm seeking something online instead. Does anyone of you have an idea where I could go and get some spiritual help? I'm really wounded in the faith department from years in conservative christianity. I have schizophrenia and was told I have demons, I had transsexuality and bisexuality issues that I couldn't work through in the context of conservative christianity, would like to have a girlfriend without immediately having to marry her, would enjoy a liberal and progressive theology that nevertheless doesn't sound too esoteric and so on. I've read some books in the area, for example Bonhoeffer and Komensky, I'm high-school educated with some university, I've read a lot of other christian literature and in the past I spent much time on various internet forums. But it seems hard to find christian progressives anywhere, at least not the sort of progressives that would really and honestly disbelieve in an angry and punishing and fighting god and I was hoping you have an idea for where I could go for some brotherly help. Thank you and God bless you.

 

Daniel

[soma]

Daniel, This is a great place to discuss in an open and progressive forum. It is about ideas and concepts not judging.

[NORM]

Daniel,

 

I couldn't empathize with you enough.

 

I was once diagnosed with Schizophrenia many, many years ago. It is my understanding that the extreme guilt I felt because I could not believe in the supernatural brought on my depression. I felt inadequate because all of my peers and my entire family "talked" to God and felt him "in their hearts."

 

The "docs" fed me Lithium and weekly therapy.

 

I came out of my Schizophrenia when I ceased my obsession with an angry god. I embraced the Unitarian Universalist god that doesn't punish, but only loves.

 

Now, I am completely Deity, Doc and Lithium free, and follow a non-theistic blend of Judaism and Christianity. Never been happier!

 

NORM