SpokaneFāVS
Your blasphemy may well be my truth and visa-versa. I have met people that don’t think Jesus, the historical person, ever existed, and people that don’t consider Catholics Christian, even though they (Catholics) created the foundation of the Christian tradition.
Our beliefs, as individuals, are largely shaped first by family, then teachers and friends and ultimately we are affected by the larger societal influences as we move toward independence. What we may have believed as children changes and all too often we don’t recognize this change within ourselves and are unable to honor people that come from a totally different culture and religion.
Western traditions have been so steeped in black and white, right and wrong, thinking that it is often difficult to recognize that ours is not the “only” truth and “everyone” does not need to be converted. There is an elitist attitude that obliterates the beliefs of a major portion of the world.
Here we return to the beginning; your blasphemy may well be my truth and visa-versa.
The Rev. Joe Niemiec Jr. began his spiritual quest in 1986 when he walked out of a Houston jail and was struck by the realization that his life was in shambles.
He began his quest for ‘getting back on track’ with 12 step programs, followed by learning and practicing meditation with a local Redding, California, teacher.
