I am not one of those folks that likes to chase folks down about my faith. I do not try to convert folks nor do I try to ram my faith perspective down some one's throat. I do not run around quoting scripture.
My faith is a deep and abiding that carries me. Sustains me. Heals me. Nourishes me. When someone believes something different that I, I do not think or say they are wrong. I am actually interested in learning about why they believe what they believe. I am convinced that we are more connected through God. I love the study of the divine and I am still on the fence about applying to the Yale Divinity School. They have been gracious in accommodating my restless spirit.
I know what God has done in my life. I am a living breathing miracle. I have overcome much and I remain joyful and happy to greet the day. Thank you is the last words I say at night and the first thing I say in the morning.
I keep the faith. In the darkest hour. In the grandest celebrations. Even in my own ignorance. In my own shortcomings. In love. I keep the faith.
God IS. I Believe.
Happy Birthday #54 to ME!
9 months ago
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11 comments:
Amen!
thats a gr8 message folk
You are a strong, and beautiful soul
Hey Sister Dr. Kiaya,
How are you these Autmun days?
Torrance,
Thank you kindly.
Flutter,
You are a strong and beautiful soul.
We are the same my friend...I just have 4 kids!
Hey Sistah!
Love it! For it is impossible to please God with out faith....Peace & Blessings
Hey Sister Keisha "Kitten" Isaacs,
Yes faith is the cornerstone of our faith.
LB: I've avoided commenting on your Friday posts before because of my atheism. When I lived in the states, I really felt an obligation to fight my corner hard because of our minute numbers relative to the population and how untenable our ideas are to 95% of the American population. If this were five years ago, I'd have argued about it with you.
I've been changed by living in a country in which religion is a personal thing and widely practiced (albeit with a larger percentage of self-identified "humanists" than in the USA) but completely separate from politics, law or government. Though I still don't believe in the supernatural, I don't see organized religion as the enemy anymore. My girlfriend is a very observant Catholic and is strong in her faith. She studies the bible every day and takes mass every Sunday. She does not, however, CONFESS, because she doesn't believe she's a sinner. She does not blame herself for her humanity. Following the Golden Rule is good enough for her. I've really come to appreciate the bible certainly in terms of the passages she's shown me and how she defines her sense of God and Jesus. It's all about peace and love and helping your fellow man and conceptualizing Jesus as "el dios de amor" (it translates directly as "God Of Love" but I think the contextual translation is "Prince Of Peace").
I have nothing but respect for that. You'd find a pretty big consensus among the atheist community that the words of Jesus are wonderful.
I have no shortage of practicing Muslim and Jewish friends here, either and I've come to understand equally what a positive part of their lives their faith and the holy books and rituals are. Then again, Panama is not the USA. There's no evangelizing or group against group kind of thing. Religion is personal and you're also allowed to laugh and have fun with it. Every year around Ramadan, my Muslim friends start to jones horribly knowing that the vices that are a part of their everyday lives have to stop for a month and they love to joke around about it! But their OBSERVANCE of Ramadan is no joke at all. It's essential to who they are and what's important in their lives. The general confluence of Ramadan and the Jewish high holidays make that a source of kinship for both practicing Muslims and practicing Jews here. At the same time, it doesn't alienate non-believers or Catholics. The same happens with La Pascua (Easter) and La Pascua Judia (Passover).
Free of the kind of eschatological deal-making I've observed in the practice of these same faiths in the US -- ONE PARTY EXCHANGES OBEDIENCE AND MONEY FOR THE OTHER PARTY'S PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE -- faith and it's formal practice through religion is to me a very positive experience and I'm only jealous I don't feel it at a gut level myself!
The Friday posts of yours are very much in that spirit and very inspiring. I appreciate them.
You know who your real friends are when religious beliefs are not imposed into the friendship.
In childhood, a friend told me that I would not go to heaven if I was not baptized. She said it like baptism was the ticket to get in.
Even though I was just a kid, I could not believe her because of the way she treated other people. It seemed to me that baptism was supposed to be a cleansing.
It's amazing that I remember this conversation that happened about thirty years ago.
I hear you on that Lovebabz!
Lovebabz, so beautifully put! You speak for me, exactly. Thank you. Very exciting about school--GO FOR IT. (From firsthand experience I can tell you that Yale is a wonderful place.)
--aa.
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