I was sitting at my friend's hair salon when he looked over at me, “my friend is about to be here. She is trans. Don’t ask a bunch of silly questions.” I was fifteen years old and had never (to my knowledge) met someone who was trans before. Full of youthful curiosity, I ended up breaking my promise and asked them when they knew.
When I read these it makes me think deeply. I see so many things for the first time that I have read before. It also makes me think, every time, that this is the way and the why a real priest (pastor, rabbi, deacon, etc) is meant to reach the people. Thank you
Your writing has helped bridge my lifetime of hostility to Christianity. I've come to see things from a different perspective; bearing in mind I'm Neurodivergent, I suppose what I mean is: you helped translate what I've learnt and explained the constant cognitive dissonance I've felt too deeply.
You describe the process of meeting the divine and it changing a person so much they look different and often feel they've got to change their name. This to me describes some of my healing journey and is certainly what is described by the Buddha in terms of being awakened or enlightened to the truth of reality.
Yeah, this is why I've taken to introducing myself as a Scruffy, Happy Hippy. The process of self-development, healing, trying to be a better person is the truest act of worship of the Divine.
(Did I mention I'm ADHD and owning it like a motherfucker?)
Transfiguration Day some 30 years ago is when I was accepted into the Greek Orthodox Church, with the name Soteria. I don't know what or who was transfigured that day. It wasn't the nasty Greek lady who expressed her hatred of my Germanic roots betrayed by my last name, loudly, in the afikomen line. It wasn't the SOBs on Parish Council who saw me as a sucker, voted me on to the council to get some work out of me, and behaved in the most boorish and crass manner to Father Michael and me. It wasn't the two guys who self-regarded as brilliant theologians who dissed every female who dared show up for study sessions. I guess the Holy Spirit doesn't always show up on Transfiguration Day because I was not transformed out of my AuDHD mode. I left and have been hiding out in my home since. I'm 99% convinced that the Church will not transfigure out of its protective toxic patriarchy, and I'm 100% convinced I want nothing to do with the institution. I chucked all my religious books and icons into the garbage (I know, sacrilege). So what I'm saying is that your otherwise wonderful words became warped in me and have churned up something awful. I'm sure that was not your intent. I'm saving the post and will continue to reread it now and then.
Dude. You are divinely and inspiring-ly awesome. Period.
😎💕👍
Ditto to what Kit Holmes said!
Another Epiphany moment~
When I read these it makes me think deeply. I see so many things for the first time that I have read before. It also makes me think, every time, that this is the way and the why a real priest (pastor, rabbi, deacon, etc) is meant to reach the people. Thank you
Your writing has helped bridge my lifetime of hostility to Christianity. I've come to see things from a different perspective; bearing in mind I'm Neurodivergent, I suppose what I mean is: you helped translate what I've learnt and explained the constant cognitive dissonance I've felt too deeply.
You describe the process of meeting the divine and it changing a person so much they look different and often feel they've got to change their name. This to me describes some of my healing journey and is certainly what is described by the Buddha in terms of being awakened or enlightened to the truth of reality.
Yeah, this is why I've taken to introducing myself as a Scruffy, Happy Hippy. The process of self-development, healing, trying to be a better person is the truest act of worship of the Divine.
(Did I mention I'm ADHD and owning it like a motherfucker?)
Transfiguration Day some 30 years ago is when I was accepted into the Greek Orthodox Church, with the name Soteria. I don't know what or who was transfigured that day. It wasn't the nasty Greek lady who expressed her hatred of my Germanic roots betrayed by my last name, loudly, in the afikomen line. It wasn't the SOBs on Parish Council who saw me as a sucker, voted me on to the council to get some work out of me, and behaved in the most boorish and crass manner to Father Michael and me. It wasn't the two guys who self-regarded as brilliant theologians who dissed every female who dared show up for study sessions. I guess the Holy Spirit doesn't always show up on Transfiguration Day because I was not transformed out of my AuDHD mode. I left and have been hiding out in my home since. I'm 99% convinced that the Church will not transfigure out of its protective toxic patriarchy, and I'm 100% convinced I want nothing to do with the institution. I chucked all my religious books and icons into the garbage (I know, sacrilege). So what I'm saying is that your otherwise wonderful words became warped in me and have churned up something awful. I'm sure that was not your intent. I'm saving the post and will continue to reread it now and then.