Lost in the Bible Belt

[deneb]

No, there are many who do not want healing. So I asked.

As to guidance, I suggest that you do what you know to be right. If you do that, you will find healing, even though you are not looking for it.

Thank you for asking - I appreicate it.

That second paragraph stings because I know what is right. I guess it's like a person who wants to lose weight ... everyone wants their cake and to literally eat it too, but the true answer lies in work that we are not willing to put into changing.

I guess I just answered my own question.

No, there are many who do not want healing. So I asked.

As to guidance, I suggest that you do what you know to be right. If you do that, you will find healing, even though you are not looking for it.

Thank you for asking - I appreicate it.

That second paragraph stings because I know what is right. I guess it's like a person who wants to lose weight ... everyone wants their cake and to literally eat it too, but the true answer lies in work that we are not willing to put into changing.

I guess I just answered my own question.

May God give you wisdom, self-control, courage and sound judgment.

Sometimes even in the south of the U.S. there are alternative places where you can go for information or guidance. You could look for a coven or a reiki group. There are christians who practice energy work and healing. I'm not familiar with the area. Of course you can just read a lot of stuff online and get advice from the numerous people on here with tons of experience! Try some other sites too, astralsociety or psipog.

[xxhealinghandxx]

Maybe being at church, seeing the special thing your wife has, has made you realized just how deep the pot of your soul actually goes? Some people fill this with friendship, pleasure and addictions of the sort, hobbies, ect, but these aren't a solution to the problem. Maybe you should talk to your wife and turn church into more than just a chore you do to make the relationship work, support is good, lying isn't.

[deneb]

Maybe being at church, seeing the special thing your wife has, has made you realized just how deep the pot of your soul actually goes? Some people fill this with friendship, pleasure and addictions of the sort, hobbies, ect, but these aren't a solution to the problem. Maybe you should talk to your wife and turn church into more than just a chore you do to make the relationship work, support is good, lying isn't.

I think our relationship would work, even if I didn't go to church. She knows how I feel about church, so there's no lying there - at least that I am aware.
You do make a good point about the depth of some people's spirituality - I can think of maybe 2 or 3 people in the church who actually live it. In fact, even when I was active in the New Age community, I found it the same - many people talked the talk, but it seemed like so few were actually living past the superfical parts that served them ... interesting.

Sometimes even in the south of the U.S. there are alternative places where you can go for information or guidance. You could look for a coven or a reiki group. There are christians who practice energy work and healing. I'm not familiar with the area. Of course you can just read a lot of stuff online and get advice from the numerous people on here with tons of experience! Try some other sites too, astralsociety or psipog.

Tallahassee is a pretty happening place for New Age / Metaphysics - it's no Sedona or Nevada City, but it does have enough of a community to publish several monthly papers . I try and get to the city when I can - it's over an hour from where I live. I guess I could start be seeing what is available on Saturdays and head out that way ... thanks!

Maybe being at church, seeing the special thing your wife has, has made you realized just how deep the pot of your soul actually goes? Some people fill this with friendship, pleasure and addictions of the sort, hobbies, ect, but these aren't a solution to the problem. Maybe you should talk to your wife and turn church into more than just a chore you do to make the relationship work, support is good, lying isn't.

I think our relationship would work, even if I didn't go to church. She knows how I feel about church, so there's no lying there - at least that I am aware.
You do make a good point about the depth of some people's spirituality - I can think of maybe 2 or 3 people in the church who actually live it. In fact, even when I was active in the New Age community, I found it the same - many people talked the talk, but it seemed like so few were actually living past the superfical parts that served them ... interesting.

Sometimes even in the south of the U.S. there are alternative places where you can go for information or guidance. You could look for a coven or a reiki group. There are christians who practice energy work and healing. I'm not familiar with the area. Of course you can just read a lot of stuff online and get advice from the numerous people on here with tons of experience! Try some other sites too, astralsociety or psipog.

Tallahassee is a pretty happening place for New Age / Metaphysics - it's no Sedona or Nevada City, but it does have enough of a community to publish several monthly papers . I try and get to the city when I can - it's over an hour from where I live. I guess I could start be seeing what is available on Saturdays and head out that way ... thanks!

Human nature is pretty much the same wherever it is found. There are many who proclaim New Age cures to all of man's woes -- as long as people will buy their newest book or CD.

[xxhealinghandxx]

I'm a non denominational christian, but my family and I go to a baptist church, (not an ultra-conservative church though ). I think you should try to like the church your wife seems into right now the best you can, but keep in mind that just because you go to a ultra-conservative baptist church, doesn't mean you have to be an ultra-conservative baptist.

I think some things in the Bible aren't clear enough to just decide at. And each individual should take a prayer and petition approach to things their not sure of, some things are absolute though, but then again some are not. That is why I am not denominational.

Hope you get the answers your searching for I wish the best of luck to you.

Goodluck ;D

deneb,
One of the most important things to know about any kind of spirituality is that no matter what a person practices or is drawn to (in your case, metaphysics or Christianity), it's not important what it appears other people are doing. You never really know what is in another person's heart. They can appear very worldly, maybe even hypocritical, and, yet be very spiritually advanced. The most important thing we can do is work on ourselves and not worry about what spiritual state someone else is in. None of us is perfect, and if we judge another based on what "seems" to be happening with them, we might miss something really important spiritually. One of the most spiritually advanced people I know is also an alcoholic. That person has so much knowledge, wisdom, and is what I consider a spiritual master, but that person is still working on trying to stay away from the bottle. If I had been judgemental about the drinking, I would have missed out on so many things I've learned. We are all working on improving ourselves, and letting go of judgement of ourselves and others can catapult our understanding, love, and growth so fast it will make your head spin. You can stay in your church if it appeals to you, have very different spiritual beliefs than the others, and still learn from them, your church, your wife, and your minister without being a hypocrite. We all teach and learn from each other. And, none of us is perfect. When we really accept that, the love we find teaches us far beyond what any dogma can.

[deneb]

One of the most spiritually advanced people I know is also an alcoholic. That person has so much knowledge, wisdom, and is what I consider a spiritual master, but that person is still working on trying to stay away from the bottle. If I had been judgemental about the drinking, I would have missed out on so many things I've learned.

Actually, I guess I have been on both ends of the spiritual prejudice. I like this guidance - everyone has their issues and it is my own prejudice that is blocking my ability to see all of the spiritual teachings that every living being has to offer. Even Carlos Castaneda's teacher, Don Juan, shared a teaching on the spiritual gifts he received from the man who was holding him prisoner and eventually shot him - just before he met the Nagual Julian (hmm ... I think I'll skip any hunting trips with church members )

I see how I, in fact people in general, seek out the weaknesses of the ones that we do not agree. Yet, I am guilty of one of my greatest criticisms about Christanity - the fact that they are close minded to other spiritual paths. I seem to have alot of patience for diverse spiritual paths which doesn't seem to apply to Christianty - in fact, I guess I am echoing the collective consciousness of our own nation. I was horrified that they have Chirstian prayer before football games in my little southern town, but I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought if it was some other spiritual devotion, prayer, or incantation.

Still, it's amazing (while being aware of this) that I don't want to let go of it. I still find myself seething with resentment over the situation that I created for myself. Like a child, I refuse to focus on what is good about it. I finally took down my blog because it had devolved into a scathing criticism of Christianty. I can't quite pinpoint the source of my resentment.

[CFTraveler]

Not speaking for you, because it would be (at least) silly and arrogant, I would like to speak to what you said. Having studied all kinds of religions, some more tolerant than others, I possibly think that your intolerance could stem from a couple of reasons: The connection that christianity in premodern (and apparently postmodern) times has had with imperialism, and the impact it has had in our culture. Some of us that have been brought up in christianity and want to keep the central idea that Jesus taught (love thy enemy), bristle as this message has been manipulated to conquer and subject other cultures and religions. This hurts, not only the people being conquered/destroyed, but especially those that believe in the principles that Jesus taught, in a very deep and personal way, because those are the people that 'get it.'
As much as I enjoy and agree with some Buddhist principles, I have no emotional connection to Gautama or any of his predecessors, so even though the example isn't even valid (I don't know any buddhist imperialists, but that doesn't mean they never existed) even if they did, they wouldn't offend me because I see them with an intellectual fascination; I have no emotional investment with buddhism, but I do with christianity (as any of you know that have read my religious rants in other forums with religious themes). So when I see certain televangelists spouting hate and intolerance in the name of Christ, it irks me like no other religious fundamentalist hatemonger can.
But that's just me.
Do you think this could be the case with you?