posted April 16, 2013 11:47 AM            

The language and symbols of Christianity have intoxicated me, to some extent, and continue to infuse my life. I feel deeply grieved when this results in alienating me from people of other faith traditions, and from my more free-thinking brothers and sisters. But I do not know if it can be helped. If not for Christ, I might have been a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or New Age Lightbearer; but my heart was stolen by the thorn-crowned thief on the cross.

They may just have to put up with me, and trust that, while the language may be off-putting, my unexpected interpretations of it -- the sentiments themselves -- may be ones which they are more than happy to approve. Ironically, I find that those most drawn to "the letter" of Christianity, while empathizing with my use of it, tend to be the ones most annoyed by "the spirit" of Christianity; at least, as I interpret it.

I do my best to restrain that language when speaking with non-Christians, or when commenting on their threads. I do, however, give full expression to it, when posting in Divine Diversities, especially if it is a thread I've begun in order to share my own path. If folks find it off-putting, they are welcome not to come breezing through my door -- that is, any thread I have erected in that part of the forum.

I do consider Divine Diversities my own neighborhood, and any thread I start there as another room in my own home. All are welcome, and I do my best to respect their views, but hopefully they will try to respect mine, as well, inasmuch as they have chosen to enter my home.

I realize not everybody sees it that way. This is a public forum, of course, but I think it is only fair and gracious to consider that the founder of a thread has a somewhat greater claim upon it, and that we ought not to enter people's threads with the intention of making them our own.