I must not be too smart. A few years back, a Christian friend from, I believe, the UK, heard me blogging on my parenting blog about my spiritual confusion and fear of Christianity, and she recommended I find a Unitarian Universalist church.
Well, I looked but none were to be found in my very rural area. At that time, too, God had plans to put me into a conservative, right-wing, loved-filled, Holy Spirit enthused church. They welcomed me (and my rebellious ways) with open arms and zero condemnation, and I had to rewrite all the left-wing condemnation and prejudice I had learned about conservatives. I’m sure that was his purpose, and some of my closest friends now are people who have a 180 degree view on life, God and politics than I do. Now THAT is a miracle!
We’ve been bouncing between churches and hiking back to our old church from time to time (Pastor Lenny MADE us promise to return monthly). But I’ve felt something missing. I made one Christian connection here that I was excited about but had to let go. I’m enjoying the new church but it’s far and I’m so uncertain.
Addofio had recommended a book called “If Grace is True: How God Saves Everyone” (IGIT), and I read an expcerpt, was intrigued, put it on my wish list for when I had some dough, got “What’s so amazing about grace” first, read it, FINALLY got grace, then went back to my list, and saw IGIT, looked up the chapters, saw universalism, looked it up, found a site, and here I am AGAIN back at Unitarian Universalism.
Which is exactly the sort of thing I think I want. Because my days on The Path to Perfection are not behind me. And I simply cannot believe that God condemns anyone PERMANENTLY to hell (not true on the Path either), still believe in successive lives, still struggle with the divinity of Christ, can’t find a church that DOESN’T take the bible literally and inerrantly, and still think we need to have perfection.
I may be wrong here. The Lord has to lead, but I must say, He’s done an amazing job of leading since I learned to shut up and ask for help. 