Comments | belenen: my one spiritual mentoring, its cruel end, and my inability to find another

belenen

my one spiritual mentoring, its cruel end, and my inability to find another

Jan 24, 2016 02:52

icon: "spiritual (a photo of a snow leopard with (edited) violet eyes staring straight into the camera)"
Have you ever had a spiritual mentor? if so, what was the relationship like, and if you are no longer close or in contact, was there anything specific that caused the disconnect (aside from moving away from the religion/spiritual practice in ( Read more... )

church - liberty, deities, spirituality, christianity, church

Comments 7

(The comment has been removed)

belenen January 30 2016, 00:49:40 UTC

I 100% agree that it is disrespectful to try to convert people. I think it is a consent issue! Spirituality is as deeply personal as sexuality, and just like you shouldn't ever pressure someone to change their sexuality you shouldn't pressure them to change their spirituality.

I want to know more about your approach to spirituality!

grail76 January 24 2016, 22:46:08 UTC

I think the most effective way to convert people is to live in a way that gives them example of what their life might be like.

kehlen January 28 2016, 11:24:13 UTC

Absolutely.

belenen January 30 2016, 00:50:28 UTC

That is both most effective and the only decent way to go about it, in my opinion.

writing2exist January 25 2016, 18:00:32 UTC

From what I remember about Christianity, the most important thing for the individual is to have the love for God and to love others.

As a body, as a church as a whole, the best thing is to call people to Christ. The church is concerned with conversion. The individual should demonstrate the appeal to conversion by loving God and being a good person.

belenen January 30 2016, 00:55:53 UTC

yes, absolutely. That was the argument I made to the pastor: http://belenen.livejournal.com/268539.html#cutid2

I don't think conversion is at all appropriate for people to try to do to others. The only appropriate proselytizing is to be open about ones own experience and offer to share if people are interested. According to the bible, 'they will know you by your works' -- like you said, be a good person and let them be drawn if they wish, but never actually try to go grab them. You don't get in the water to chase fish -- you just lay bait and wait.

bobby1933 February 11 2016, 07:39:08 UTC

You outgrew him, and sometimes mentors are not above resenting that.