[August 1999 journal entry]
A close friend recently confessed, “Something deep inside me is cracking.” He had in mind the pain associated with being on the fringe of and moving past/beyond the ‘religious’ sphere/thought world. He referenced specifically the implications and consequences from the fact that “scripture is no longer an unquestioned cornerstone to/for my thought”. I encouraged him to examine carefully this ‘cracking’. The roots must be enduring and existentially ultimate. I encouraged him to interpret/clarify why this ‘cracking’ is happening – e.g., what is the source of the pressure? does he want the ‘cracking’ to stop? is it possible at this point to stop the ‘cracking’? what will be the cost if he tries to stop the ‘cracking’? what will be the cost if he does not try to stop the ‘cracking’? As for my experience, I answered these questions and related the ‘cracking’ metaphor to my (1) committing unconditionally to an open, non-discriminating, ongoing inquiry/education and (2) resolving to be aligned with those who are sifted out, discredited, disrespected, marginalized, dismembered, outcast.
A close friend recently confessed, “Something deep inside me is cracking.” He had in mind the pain associated with being on the fringe of and moving past/beyond the ‘religious’ sphere/thought world. He referenced specifically the implications and consequences from the fact that “scripture is no longer an unquestioned cornerstone to/for my thought”. I encouraged him to examine carefully this ‘cracking’. The roots must be enduring and existentially ultimate. I encouraged him to interpret/clarify why this ‘cracking’ is happening – e.g., what is the source of the pressure? does he want the ‘cracking’ to stop? is it possible at this point to stop the ‘cracking’? what will be the cost if he tries to stop the ‘cracking’? what will be the cost if he does not try to stop the ‘cracking’? As for my experience, I answered these questions and related the ‘cracking’ metaphor to my (1) committing unconditionally to an open, non-discriminating, ongoing inquiry/education and (2) resolving to be aligned with those who are sifted out, discredited, disrespected, marginalized, dismembered, outcast.
