Comments on: Finding Myself

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:05:38 +0000

Oops! I didn’t blockquote Seth’s phrase in #13′”

“I’ve ultimately concluded that it doesn’t really matter whether I “fit” in the LDS Church or not. These are my people.

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:03:58 +0000

I’ve ultimately concluded that it doesn’t really matter whether I “fit” in the LDS Church or not. These are my people.
With each generation, we have an opportunity to transform the status quo into something else.
In striving for the most ethical religious environment for all members in our faith, let us strive to hold everyone, especially ourselves, to maintsaining the higest standards and to recognize every child of God as a unique individual. Wishing for better ethics is the first step. With that social justice lens, you may find many ways to express hope, love and honor for the uniqueness of individuals and their worth as equal souls. They are your people and you are theirs and you can bring them hope by speaking truth to power and being the example of the attributes you wish to see in the larger group. Seth, as a male, you are in the elite privileged group and can attain a leadership position of influence. You have no barriers due to gender to stop your spiritual progress. You are our hope and our light to show that it is important to treat all souls with equal respect, have full and complete access to opportunities, and to be assumned to be competent to achieve in any area.
Asking for that simple change in attitude is the first step in a journey to improve the Church that we dearly love. Thank you for not being satisfied with a status quo that oppresses others. Thank you for wishing to improve an organization to better honor our Lord.

By: Croneup

Croneup — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:29:04 +0000

Seraphine,

Within 30 minutes of reading your post yesterday (Aug. 3) , I happened upon a line that I thought spoke directly to your concerns.

(A new reader of this site, I’ve heard so many good things about it, I finally had to see for myself.)

The quote is from Elaine Pagels book, Beyond Belief,
which is a study of the Book of Thomas, one of the many ancient texts found at Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt in 1945. I understand, of course, that the Book of Thomas is not yet canonized to stand beside the other books of the New Testament, though older and
possibly more reliable than the later works now considered standard. But one need not accept the following quote as scripture to appreciate its value.

So–from the Gospel of Thomas: “Jesus said, ‘If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.’ ”

Isn’t that powerful?

Best wishes as you bring forth what is within you, Seraphine.

By: Seraphine

Seraphine — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:39:03 +0000

annegb, thanks and no worries!

Kalola, I can *definitely* identify with the loneliness. I think some of my current decisions are being motivated by the fact that the loneliness for me right now is worse than the scariness of putting myself out there. But it is still scary.

By: Seraphine

Seraphine — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:36:01 +0000

Seth R, that’s an interesting way to look at things. Since my crisis is more one of faith/belief/trusting God, the whole “fitting” into the community thing is less applicable, but it’s always good to think about issues of community.

Thanks, Stephen and Kevin.

By: Kalola

Kalola — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:52:22 +0000

I’ve been so shut down in order to minimize the pain in my life for so long, and I’m going to open myself back up, stretch, and look around.

I can relate to being “shut down in order to minimize the pain.” I have found that when I try to release my true self, or at least what I perceive to be my true self, most people run away. So I remain in my little Kalola world where I occasionally open up to those with whom I feel safe being myself. It’s a very lonely existence.

By: annegb

annegb — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:15:20 +0000

Oh, sorry, Seraphine, I think I got you mixed up with someone else…..well, your post is an awesome one and everything else I said applies. (dying brain cells as we speak)

By: Kevin Barney

Kevin Barney — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:20:20 +0000

I wish I had something useful to say. I just wanted to let you know that I’m rooting for you, s. This strikes me as an encouraging new direction; good on you for taking the reins a bit more and standing up for yourself.

By: Stephen M (Ethesis)

Stephen M (Ethesis) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:57:37 +0000

I spent so much time trying to change myself for the other person (work on my weaknesses, etc.) that I forgot the parts of myself that I love and value

I’m glad you saw that now instead of later.

By: Seth R.

Seth R. — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:36:01 +0000

I’ve ultimately concluded that it doesn’t really matter whether I “fit” in the LDS Church or not.

These are my people.

The end.