Outrageous Spirituality: for Everyone - Searching for You

" ..I’m tired of thinking of the mysterious dimension of being human as weird instead of beautiful and intriguing and most of all, important.

This quote is from the book Jesus Brand Spirituality: He wants His Religion Back, by Ken Wilson.

Here's a more complete quote:

"I have a friend who did a postdoctoral fellowship in cultural anthropology at Harvard and now teaches at a major university.

About ten years ago, he told me of a professional anthropology society that held a workshop that for the first time considered the idea of “spirit” as something more than just a cultural construct. The room was packed because many anthropologists had witnessed some fascinating “spirit phenomena” in field studies around the world; often these phenomena didn’t seem to be well explained by the existing categories of cultural anthropology. Even cultural anthropologists view the world through their own worldview lenses.

So spiritual experiences, including contemplative or mystical experiences, haven’t had much of a place in our worldview beyond the fringes. But that’s changing. As this change continues to unfold, we will eventually get better bearings. All of this won’t seem so weird when our worldview shifts to make more room for it. It will happen. Hurry up, I say. I’m tired of thinking of the mysterious dimension of being human as weird instead of beautiful and intriguing and most of all, important."

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I haven't read this book. I did find a few chapters online and I found outline and study materials for others available for free. But what I did read reminded me of myself. Except Ken Wilson is obviously more dynamic and accomplished than I ever was or will be. But I read what he wrote in this first chapter he shares online, and felt like I was listening to myself (italics added):

Jesus wants his religion back. And he wants it back from the orthodox, the Bible-believing, and the defenders of faith as much as from anyone else. So it can be for the world again.

I’ve been in the God business for more than thirty years. Never have I seen or personally experienced such angst over what it means to be associated with Jesus of Nazareth. If my fascination with Jesus had started today rather than so many years ago, I wonder what I would do with it. How would I begin to pursue faith today? I’ll tell you what would put me off. I’d be repelled by the witch’s brew of politics, cultural conflict, moralism, and religious meanness that seems so closely connected with those who count themselves the special friends of Jesus. It’s a crowd that makes me nervous. Beneath all the talk of moral values and high principles, I don’t think I could get over the hissing sound.

I would be deterred by the impression that the more people organize their lives around Jesus, the more likely they are to become defensive, prickly, and dogmatic about their beliefs. I’d have to stuff my questions, curb my curiosity, and be willing to get with the program.   I’d have to mindlessly accept some package deal agreed on by the gatekeepers of orthodoxy .....

I tried, after I had my experiences and insights and such, to talk about things online in a Catholic forum on AOL years ago. but it was post-scandal then - and they'd flooded the moat. I was called a "delusional druid" as I recall. Which I tried to get as a screen name but - alas - it was taken! LOL!

I read the Catholic Answers Forum and the Theology Online forum, and to tell you the truth, it all frightens and depresses me. Will we lose Jesus all together? I'm going to go look for everyone I can find from anyplace that seems to be having the same thoughts I have. We have to connect.

Are you one?

julia mae