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I’ve been in Alcoholics Anonymous since June of 1988. Spirit stepped in and led me there too. Not just led me and dropped me off at the door, stayed with me throughout. The first months were terrifying; yet I knew I was not alone. For the first time in my life, I knew that Spirit is here with me always. I learned that recovery, like life, is a journey, not a destination. I have learned that more is revealed every moment in life if I am open to the revelation. I always say that both Unity and A.A. were and are the twin bedrocks of my recovery. At Unity, recovery work is encouraged and celebrated. What I found amazing early in my recovery was that Reverend Bean’s sermons and teachings mirrored, clarified and underscored the 12 steps. It was one more wondrous sign from Spirit that I was definitely supposed to be at Unity Fellowship Church.
What attracts me still to Unity is the fact that we are Progressive Christians. I still shy away from describing myself as a Christian because so many people use the label in a loose and trite way, and because so many who characterize themselves as Christians do things that give the label negative connotations. Too many people who name themselves Christians do it, I think, to be part of the crowd, or for the sake of religiosity—just to show off, or to justify their evil ways. Still, in these times, it’s necessary to draw the line in the sand and say that I am not of the Fundamentalist branch of Christianity.
I am a Progressive Christian. That means I embrace a dynamic, ever-expanding concept of God—not bound by an image of a White man with white hair and a white beard dressed in flowing robes. For why should God be a man—or a woman, for that matter, when Spirit is every thing? I embrace a dynamic concept of Spirit not bound by the limited knowledge of people and Biblical authors of the past. Nor am I bound by the text of sixty-six books which comprise a larger book called the Bible which was written, edited, and censored by people—not God. I am a member of Unity Fellowship of Christ Church, and that means, among other things, that I am a questioner and an independent thinker. What I read in the Bible—like any other book I read—is subject to my critical scrutiny, interpretation, analysis, and evaluation. I am not a Biblical literalist or fundamentalist. I am a Liberation Theologist. That means I reject religious dogma, philosophy, teachings, and canon (religious principles) that oppress, limit, censor, and seek to have power over and control both people and ideas. That also means I am aware of and respect the many paths to spiritual enlightenment. I do not believe there is only one true religion. I do believe that Spirit is present in all things—to big to box into a single religious category or label with a single name. Spirit is ever expanding, waiting to be discovered anew each moment.
I am an African-American Lesbian and a Progressive Christian. One does not contradict the other. And no one can tell me it does. Because I stand on my life’s experiential journey as testimony that God loves and cares for me, no matter what my sexuality. My life is full of stories and experiences that testify to the truth of that. I thrive and flourish right now under the love and care of Spirit. I have not been crushed under foot because I am a Lesbian. Nor do I expect to be relegated to hell because of it when I make transition. My life is a journey. My experiences allow me to discover Spirit everywhere. God brought me to this place to learn more. And I must go on.
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3 comments:
As for my pick in 2008 that you wrote I chose, " Journey One, Testimony, Part Four." I think what draws me the most to this piece of writing is the fact that you are very blunt with what you say. You don't hold back , no strings attached to you when writing . I also enjoy how you express your religion so freely. Many people just state there religion but don't know the background of what they believe in. I am very interestedin eading more of your writing; I have already read most of your entries on here . your writing is inspiring.
Sometimes I feel that the church doesn't fulfill all its members needs. Don't get me wrong I believe in God, but I too consider myself a Progessive Christian. I also believe that God isn't a particular gender or race, but a spiritual being that is all knowing. I believe that what is in the Bible can be analyzed and evaluated like any other book. I also believe that there isn't one true religion. As long as you are connected to God, it shouldn't matter what religion or sect you are in.
I can relate to this story the most because the author of it explains how she found faith attending an Alcoholics Anonymous program. In the first paragraph she talks about how terrifying it was for her to attend there and scared about being alone while recovering. Although I did not attend an Alcoholics Anonymous program I attended a Gam-Anon which relates to the same steps as an addict. Being in this program helped me understand how to be spiritual. Before attending this program I despised God because I always thought he was abandoning me. Later I realized that he wasn’t that he put these problems in my path for me to become stronger, faithful, and understand why everything happens for a reason.
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