BEST OF ANY SONG

"EXACTLY why I gave up organized religion years ago. Religion is an entirely human construct, designed to encourage and exploit the more negative aspects of the human psyche. They are bound and determined to put the Creator of All Things into this infinitesimal box and make it as human as they possibly can. Then use it to control those of lesser social, economic or educational status. I understand that some people find strength and solace in connecting to the Creator in this manner, and I will cut them some slack for that. It's not for me to tell other people who and how to worship. The problem is, the religionists don't cut people the same slack. That's where they lose me."

October 13, 2021 at 9:10 AM 

Comment left by a friend on 'Don't Fear the Magic.' I was raised Methodist. Went to Sunday School. Sang in the choir. Sat through more boring sermons than I care to remember. I discovered the British theologian Pelagius back in the eighties. I mentioned him during and extremely rare pastoral visit. "He's a heretic!" No reasons given. In many ways I'm still trying to understand WHY but the message was very clear. Off limits. Which in a way suited me just fine. I've never felt inside four walls what I've felt under the trees or on a windy day on the Oregon coast. Or just listening to birds as they are waking up as the light fills the sky. 

Over time I found my way to Quaker paths of some of my ancestors. On the way I came across Quaker Pagans. I've even run across a Quaker Catholic or two. What they all seem to have in common is trusting in the Silence. And that's probably why there aren't very many of us. Mystics are rare and trusted by almost no one. After all we can't prove what we've experienced and language is a total failure when it comes to describing that tap on shoulder, that whisper on the wind, that really strong imrepression that dad believes that sapliing should be planted "over there." Ran into that more than once in the garden.