Returning to religious conversations in a new way

I've been toying with the notion of returning to a church at some point in the future for quite a long time now.  Until very recently, every time I considered it, a sense of dread started to wash over me when I would mentally walk through the likely experience and the conversations I'll have with the people I meet.  Ultimately, "beliefs" would come up and I'd either have to keep my mouth shut or risk offending someone by expressing my heresy.

I know, I know.  Some of my atheist friends are already asking themselves "Why in the hell would he do such a thing?"

The forms of Christianity I've been involved with through my life have centered on "beliefs".  Whether they call it this or not, it's orthodoxy.

Orthodoxy (from Greek orthos ("right", "true", "straight") + doxa ("opinion" or "belief", related to dokein, "to think"),^[1]) is adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion.^[2] In the Christian sense the term means "conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early Church".

As I've made clear through my previous blog posts here, I have a real problem with dogma and I have no intention of embracing it again.

Other churches focus on orthopraxy.

Orthopraxy is a term derived from Revived Ancient Greek: ὀρθοπραξία (orthopraxia) meaning "correct action/activity" or an emphasis on conduct, bothethical and liturgical, as opposed to faith or grace etc.^[1][2][3] This contrasts with orthodoxy, which emphasizes correct belief, and ritualism, the use of rituals.^[4]

While orthodoxies make use of codified beliefs, in the form of creeds, and ritualism more narrowly centers on the strict adherence to prescribed rites orrituals, orthopraxy is focused on issues of family, cultural integrity, the transmission of tradition, sacrificial offerings, concerns of purity, ethical systems, and the enforcement thereof.^[5][6] Typically, traditional or folk religions (paganism, animism) are more concerned with orthopraxy than orthodoxy, and some argue that equating the term "faith" with "religion" presents a Christian-biased notion of what the primary characteristic of religion is. In the case of Hinduismorthopraxy and ritualism are mixed to the point that they become a single identity.

Most combine the two and try to use both beliefs and rituals to assist in connecting people to one another for common, pragmatic service to one another and their community. A nobel pursuit.
But for me, any place that asks me to confess belief in a dogmatic creed is going to be a problem.   But through the miracle of Facebook, I've recently become connected with a pastor who I've heard preach a few times in the past, while on my way out of Christianity.  Frankly, everything that emanates from his keyboard strikes me in the right place, whether he's discussing concepts of religion, compassion, dogma, politics, world events, on and on.

One post recently was particularly peace-giving for me:

While considering his thoughts here, I was reminded of an Episcopal priest I once read about who was also a mathematician.  When asked the question "Is God real?" he often chuckled when he considered the important mathematical symbol "i", an Imaginary Number:

I'm also reminded of another fantastic post on Michael Dowd's website (author of Thank God for Evolution) entitled God is Reality Personified, Not a Person.

These are concepts I can get behind.  These notions help me shape the lens through which I view writings which some people consider holy.  I can now understand and appreciate writings, stories, parables, and poems that represent someone's subjective, individual experiences without having to accept claims which are clearly contrary to objective evidence we have today.  I can now have a more sane, rational, loving and understanding conversation with someone of different beliefs by seeing through the lens this way.  All of our experiences are our own and it is impossible for us to see the world completely through the eyes of another, but we can attempt to love one another better, regardless of our beliefs and different subjective experiences.  "If your heart is as my heart...then take my hand."

I've also remained connected with several other pastors who've been very understanding of my struggles with dogma, remained connected and engaged with me while I walked away from religion, and have been good friends throughout it all.  We have wonderful conversations about all manner of things and have far more in common than not.

Although these are ways I find effective in thinking of all man has ever ascribed to the symbol "God" or gods, I know that I have many friends who have very different views, experiences, who still embrace theism, and I never want to criticize their belief.  I might criticize actions when anyone points to a book as a justification for hate, inequality, etc., but those are actions and subjective interpretations worthy of criticism.  As I've told many friends, "I don't care what anyone believes, only how they behave toward me and others."

Bottom line: I have friends of many different beliefs and friends who eschew anything resembling religious belief, who are all loving and compassionate people and I want to connect better with them all.  As far as I know, I have but one life to live and less of it left than I would like.  It is precious to me.  I'm tired of being angry about things I found lacking (and damaging) in my prior religious life.  I'm tired of lashing out about it and hurting those who still hold those beliefs.  I'll continue to criticize and remain strident about what I find to be bad ideas, policies, and behaviors, but I'm going to try to be better about focusing on those things and not making it personal about those people.

So who knows.  I may find my way back to attending a church again someday, as I think I've found a way to behave myself and be a better citizen therein.  I know what a blessing loving community can be.  Support from friends is good and much good can be done as a group.  The few times I visited Jim's church, I found the people to be very kind and warm.

Baby steps.

Blessings and peace to you my friends.