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How does one convert when one's own spirituality already embraces multiple faiths? I know, sounds like a sneaky answer, but it's true. To anyone who's read my journal for a long time, you know that I have a habit of learning about religion, taking what works for me, and doing it. You also know I have a habit of not BELIEVING anything or having any kind of FAITH, but rather worshipping because it feels good and right to me. Much the same reason I have sex or do BDSM. (Although I think I actually have more beliefs and faith in sex than in religion. Go figure.)

But those who've been reading for a while know that I wasn't raised that way... I was raised Roman Catholic. 9 years of Catholic school (K-8), 4 more years of church every Sunday in high school, and always being active in the Church, including 9 years of altar serving. How/why did I convert then? Well, I began to realize that I only believed because it was what I was taught to believe. When I started to really think about it on my own, I realized... no, I actually DON'T believe in these teachings. I believed that Jesus, who some call the Christ, if he existed at all, was a good man who did some pretty cool things and had some amazing teachings. But do I believe that he's my Lord and Savior? No, not really. Do I believe I need a Savior for my immortal soul? No. Do I even believe in a Soul? Uncertain, leaning towards no.

For a while, I tried really hard to be a hard Agnostic. No spirituality, no church, no rituals, nothing like that. And it sucked. I was empty, I was lonely. Then again, it also was a very difficult time in my life. But after a while, the Mass called me back, for the beauty and the familiarity, not for the content. And I met miscreeds and I learned more about his faith, Judaism. And I realized that it called to me too. And so I started incorporating teachings and rituals from other faiths into my life. And through following that path, as the years went by, I learned more and more about other faiths (because learning about religion is fascinating), and it brought me to where I am now. An eclectic who believes in little, but feels much. I'm actually at a point where I'm curious about Islam (yes, it's due to watching Little Mosque on the Prairie).

Hmm... I like that. "An eclectic who believes in little, but feels much." It's much shorter than my formal title, which is "Agnostic Spiritual Humanist with Unitarian Universalist and liberal Jewish leanings who also derives spirituality from the Roman Catholic mass and Pagan ritual".

I had the idea the other day after attending an Episcopalian mass to come up with a communion service that's non-Christ-centered. One that would be non-denominational, quite interfaith, and appropriate for everyone. I want to share the awesomeness of that transformation of bread and wine into something more, into a sacred meal, and I want to share it with people of various or no faiths. Almost a UU Eucharist.

It will still talk of the man named Jesus who is called the Christ by some. It will still tell of the words and actions he shared while celebrating Passover with a group of friends and followers. And it will still have the bread and the wine becoming infused, some say representing, some say changing, into something good for all. We will take bread and wine in the memory of this man named Jesus who taught us to share bread and wine, given out of love, and filled with Spirit, and we will share it out of love to all.

I wonder how many of you out there would be interested in such a ritual?

(I need a religious icon.)

I thought that my spiritual, kinky, or both friends might be interested in this. (For some reason, I had rob_t_firefly in mind specifically.)

In my UU group on FetLife, a guy going by DesmondRavenstone wrote this:

A while ago I wrote an essay titled "Fear Not the Whip," about how I use a singletail as part of meditation.

I read it and enjoyed it so much that I asked for permission to share it with you.
( Fear Not the Whip )

I just realized that I probably don't know this about a lot of my watchers...
What religion/spiritual persuasion are you? Feel free to get as vague or as specific as you like in your answer.

I'm not making it a poll because answers can be too damned varied.

Personally? I consider myself an Agnostic Spiritual Humanist with Unitarian Universalist and liberal Jewish leanings who also uses Roman Catholic and Faerie/Pagan rituals as spiritual conduits.

Yes, I asked this a few years ago, but I have a number of new LJ Friends since then and religion/spirituality does change for people.

My congregation, Capital Kehillah, isn't having High Holiday services this year. And all the services I would consider going to at Sixth and I (my synagogue building) are already full. The only one that isn't someone from DC2600 goes to, but they have a mechitza, a separation between the men and the women, and with my genderfluid nature, I never feel comfortable being forced to sit with the women. If I had to pick a gender for myself, I'd prefer to sit with the men. It feels more right. But how do I explain this to them? They see tits and insist female. (I'm almost considering binding my breasts and trying to pass male. But I doubt I could, and if I get discovered, I don't want to insult anyone. I'm just trying to go with what's in my soul, with the way I've been created, with what comes naturally to me.)

So I'm homeless this year for the High Holidays. I ended up missing Pesach, and now no Rosh Hashanna or Yom Kippur. I know I've mostly lost touch with my Jewishness, but this is a sure fire way to lose touch. I was thinking a few weeks ago to observe Shabbat... I think I really need to this Friday. I know winterroseasfr isn't into the whole religion thing, but I do enjoy sharing with him things that mean a lot to me. And my Jew-ishness is important to me.

Not only that, herodotusjr and I used to go together. In fact, one of the last things we did together before he left for Milwaukee was attend High Holiday services together. We also went to the MD Ren Fest. And this year I can't go to Ren Fest and I'm not going to have services with my synagogue. One more thing of herodotusjr that I'm losing.

Oh, man. I just realized what I'm losing. It's not just High Holiday services. It's the shivers and tears that the Avinu Malkeinu (one of the prayer/chants) gives me. It's that soul rocking experience I get in synagogue. It's the welcome home I feel when I see the beautiful stained glass window above the bimah. It's the Ordeal of not eating anything for 24 hours, the community created by everyone not eating together, everyone going through that same experience, and the joys of that first meal, of Break the Fast. (Never before has tuna salad tasted so good.)

Oh, what have I lost? How can we endure it?

I guess I should post about my experiences this weekend, but a combination of being tired, of feeling that it's too intimate and special to be shared, and of not having the right words is stopping me. (Edit: after finishing this post, maybe not.)

I went to Body Transformation Weekend up in Brunswick MD with a bunch of people who I know have LJs but I never got their LJ name. I went to it only knowing auror, wylddelirium and ninjaslug... I now have a number of new friends, and possibly a new lover (well, someone who could fit into a 2ndary or 3tiary role... he already has 2 girlfriends, maybe more.)

It was a weekend of tattooing and other forms of changing our bodies. It had a spiritual theme, mainly forms of Pagan. I was worried about going before I went... my worries were ok, but I ended up having a wonderful time. There was much chanting and good food. Also, much extremely important emotional work happened for me.

( I didn't want to cut this because I really really really want you all to read it and comment on it, but it's really really long. Please, by all means, please read this and comment on it. It means the world to me and it's something that's very important to me. )

All in all, it was a draining weekend in a very good way. I so hope I get to find the LJs of all of those wonderful people and get to stay in touch with them all. We all went on a journey together, and we all gave and got so much from each other.

Ever have dreams that you realize the point wasn't the content of the dream, but the way it made you feel?

The details are fuzzy on this, but last night, I dreamed of being with the Endless known as Morpheus, Sandman, Lord Shaper, and of sorta being a cross between a companion and a lover, and we were (I think) trying to get out of or leave some place, and he had discussions with others, but we were in a few different scenes together.

I remember walking with him as an equal, but when sitting by him, always sitting beneath him. If he sat on a chair, it was natural for me to take a place sitting beside his leg on the floor. I was his right hand woman.

But the important part was my feelings. I felt consummate love and complete adoration for him. It was all consuming, this feeling, this love. All I wanted to do was be beside him and it felt so natural to be "submissive" to him, because of his natural superiority. Because of the complete worshipful adoration I felt for him, I knew he felt affection and love for me. I swooned inside at his touch. I felt SO GOOD. It was my loving that I felt good from, my complete giving of the whole of the love in my nature, in my soul.

And when I woke up, I tried to recapture what was still left over of this feeling, and I've been kinda crashing emotionally from it all day, because after feeling that GOOD and that RIGHT, to not have those feelings anymore, to not be in that place, well, it hurts.

(Writing about it again is making the feelings come up again. Which is good.)

Perhaps I learned from this that what we gain from being in love isn't from the other person loving us, because there's no way for them to make us feel loved (that whole noone can make you feel anything thing), but rather we feel good from our loving them, from our giddy rush of joy, or, in that case, from the complete loving worshipful adoration I gave to him, that radiated from me.

I think I need some good D/s play. I think I need to find someone I'm enamored with that feels above me, on a different level than me (someone older and/or more mature), and be allowed to follow them around, perhaps carry their drink, be their assistant, and sit at their feet while they stroke my head. Still, I don't think it could be as deep and meaningful and... real/true... as that was. True superiors are in short supply. We don't have beings walking around that are truly superior than us. No aliens, no gods, no Endless, no Time Lords. Hell, not even quasi-superiors, like a brilliant scientist with metal tentacles. We just have other humans, some of whom are better than we are, some of whom are worse, but none of the level needed for the adoration I have in my heart. Even people who are more mature/better/more together than me are still people. We're still equal, they're just ahead. But we all have the equality of our essential humanity.

Perhaps this is linked to my need for spirituality/religion? Perhaps my need to be submissive and adoring of a superior being is both religious and D/s related? Perhaps they're the same? Is "Come let us adore him, Christ the Lord" just religious sanctioned D/s? Perhaps the church knows the need of some people to be submissive? Hell, "Islam" means "submission before Allah". (I really do need to meet a Muslim kinky person. I'd love to talk about how spirituality works with their kink practices.) Is D/s just a "sexual" expression (because it isn't always sexual. It wasn't sexual in my dream last night.) of a religious need? (I'm not saying atheist D/sers should turn away from D/s and go to religion. Not at all. Rather that they actually had the same need for submission that religious folk have [certainly not all religious folk have it, but look at major religions] but that they found satisfaction in expression through BDSM.)

Is it really just the same need with different ways of expressing it? Some people do 1, some people do the other, and some of us do both?

I know that some of my most intimate and chord-striking role play I ever did with Doc Ock was when me and another fangirl did it and she played Ramos!Ock and we did adoration scenes and quite a few of the words and phrases we used were directly from the Catholic mass (she was raised Catholic, too). My God, did those affect me so. Ramos!: "Why do you behave this way!?!" Me: "It is rightfully good to give you thanks and praise." GOOD SHIVER. (And on an aside, I need to get that other HD hooked up so I can read those logs off of it.)

So, yes, adoration play. *happy sigh*

I got promoted in my WoW guild! (The Velvet Harlots) I can now invite new members! I'm a "Recruit Captain"! Yay! Lots of exclamation points!

Went to Capital Pride Interfaith Service tonight. Sang the Fire part of the 4 part corners/element round the Faeries do. "Sun's Heat! Flames Leap! Intense! Attention to Intention." (I thought it was fitting for the way my life's been going lately.)

So instead of it being an interfaith service meaning a number of different Christian religions, we literally had one of every major and quite a few minor religions. We had a number of types of Christianity, a number of types of paganism, Judaism (they blew the shofar! w00t!), UUism, Buddhism, Islam (which was actually the first time I've heard the Koran read and have prayed a Muslim prayer. I want to learn more about Islam, especially their idea of submission before God/Allah. I'm curious how that would tie in with powerplay and kink.), Native American spirituality, African ancestor worship... everything.

I said "This is like speed dating, only of religions. 5 minutes with each religion, and what you liked, you can always go to their services later." It worked out VERY well, for there's a number of different services I want to check out now.

There was an amazing chorus at the event called Mosaic Harmony. During the social afterwards, a number of their members came up and complimented me on my voice. When I mentioned interest in possibly joining Mosaic Harmony, they seemed overjoyed. Qira of the Faeries also praised my voice, which really flattered me.

Tomorrow is Be:Bi at Be Bar, the first Bi Pride celebration I can ever remember them having. I'm going to be there if it means... well, I'm just going to be there. Eldritch wants me to bring my bi pride flag to let the organizer (it was his idea) have the bar fly from their flagpole. As I've always wanted to see the bi pride flag fly over DC, I'm very excited about this. I've already packed the flag.

I'm also excited because this should help with my nervousness in hitting on people. I mean, part of my nervousness is 1.) I don't accidentally want to hit on a straight woman or a gay man and 2.) lesbians just seem to have a different vibe than bi gals. So yeah... hopefully this will be the beginning of the bi movement again in DC. It's about fucking time.

Don't really know what else to say.

Oh! A number of the DC Rad Feys are going in the parade as the Diversity Ninjas. fritterfae will be a drag ninja, dmlaenker will be a leather ninja, jcruisedirector is going to be a ninja in a wheelchair (because of his foot he can't walk the entire route), potpourrifae is going to be a tranny ninja, and I've decided I'm going to be a dyke ninja. Yeah. This is going to ROCK.

A bunch of faeries are going to be in the Dyke March with us. I'm trying to figure out what I want my sign to say. I'm tired of going with "Bisexuals are Everywhere!" I'm thinking "Genderfluid Bisexual Kinky Non-Monogamous... and PROUD" or something like that. I'm also going to write "These are manboobies!" on my chest when I take my shirt off. Yay for genderfluidity and genderfuck! Yay for being a man with a womb! Yay for being me! :-D

Oh, yeah, Dyke March. Same time, same place as usual.

Saturday. 1 pm. Dupont Circle.

ALL are invited... dykes and their allies and friends and family and significant others... basically YOU! So come on out, even if you feel like you "don't belong". Because the fact of the matter is, if you support dykes (and I don't think anyone reading this journal DOESN'T), then you belong in the Dyke March.

So I'm catching up on my daily Shelf Awareness newsletter. And I see an article about a book called "Michener's the Name", but it stands out to me like "Michener's The Name", as in "the book is called The Name and it's the one by Michener". And "The Name" just screams out to me and resonates with me.

I think it does this because of my connections with Judaism. Because the name of God is so sacred, Jews will not write it. (The fact that the actual true name of God is lost to time [we know something similar to it, which the word "Yahweh" is very similar to] put aside.) In fact, it's so sacred that many Jews will not even write the word "God" in English, but rather "G-d". Well, often times you'll see God called "Hashem" or "HaShem", which means The Name. God's name is such a big deal that they call it "The Name", like "fuck" is "The F Word". And the mysticism in that apparently resonates with me, because when I saw that title, I felt said resonation. (On an aside, when these things resonate in me, I really do feel like a giant string on an instrument that just got plucked. Or perhaps I'm the whole instrument. Anyway, the phrase plucks me, and it just resonates inside my body as happens when strings get plucked.)

So, yes. The Name, or HaShem.

...and now I have an idea for a novel called "The Name" which is based on a woman's search for The Name(s) of God. She travels throughout the world and throughout many cultures, speaks to many wise people, children and elders alike, spiritual gurus and healers and humans of all types, in search for The Name of God, the one that Resonates in her soul. Part of it is anthropological, wanting to learn the names for God that various religions and cultures have; part of it is personal, her own quest for what resonates within.

Just came up with a huge question from reading this from this entry of the Straight into Gay America blog.

You've raised questions that feel fruitful to me[...]
* 'Have you not in fact put yourself in the place of God and become the moral arbiter of the universe?'

Which is a big woah. Does our morality come from a higher power or is it something that's innate? No, I'm not talking about do we need a book to tell us how to live moral lives. As a spiritual Humanist who is an ally to Secular Humanists, Atheists and other Freethinkers, I already know that we don't need a book telling us what to do. All we need to live good lives is within ourselves. We just have to listen to it and do it. But here's the thing. Being within us, does that come from some higher power or other source or is it built in with being human? Do humans figure this out for ourselves or are these seeds planted by something else that isn't ourselves? A question that can only happen in theory, but if a human was raised without any moral or ethical guidance or role models (no books, no examples of other people one way or the other), would this human figure out to live ethically or would they cheat and steal and do whatever? Basically, does the call that most humans have towards being good people, towards honesty and away from murder, etc., does that come naturally to us, something that comes from within, or it is something that we've have to learn from whatever source?

And, if it DOES come naturally, should it be considered something that's just part of being human or should it be considered something else, something greater, something non-human, something that some might call God or conscience or Guidance, but others might just acknowledge that it is something that comes from a source beyond ourselves.

...I love these big questions of life. I love asking them and not getting answers from others, and not even necessarily trying to answer them on my own, because I know that wise people have debated these things for ages and they're still unanswered, so why would I, just one person, be able to solve them? I love having them unanswered. The possibility in the being not answered excites me, energizes me, makes me giddy. (Although I have a feeling that the point is to have everyone answer them for themselves.)

I think I need to sit down and examine the possible value of both the concept of Sanctity of Law as well as self-discipline.

Sanctity of Law is something I've completely dismissed since my "enlightenment", let's call it. But if I can examine it on my own terms instead of having it shoved down my throat, perhaps I could find some value in it. I mean, many many others have throughout the years.

Self-discipline is actually a concept that scares me. My father was always trying to stress it in me, and I always felt like a bad, horrible, no-good, irredeemable person because I had little to none, even though I knew perfectly well at the time that this was a direct result of my ADHD and was something I was born with and really couldn't help to an extent. I can't even type about it here w/o getting scared and hurting and almost having tears. Because it's something I'm so damn scared of, because it's a "virtue" that it was so painfully obvious that I lacked, instead of me embracing the pain and letting myself be hurt time and time again by it, I just completely dismissed it out of hand and rallied against it, even though it was something that secretly I wanted to learn more about on my own terms and figure out how it fit into my life as I must live it.

Self-discipline and I also have had not-so-happy run-ins from the standpoint of it taking self-discipline to get up and do the "right thing" every day of going to work even when you don't feel like it... which is the very "adult" thing to do (bad connotations of adult)... and is the very epitome of who I don't want to be. I don't want to live the everyday life. I don't want to become an "adult" slave (like a wage slave, but someone who's a slave to being an adult and doing the societally-determined "right" thing. Don't get me into how much society pisses me off that there's certain "right" things we all have to buy into if we're to physically survive.) So self-discipline has always smacked of doing the "right" thing that others told you to do, w/o you having the choice to examine if it really is the right thing to do for one's self.

I'd like to see how self-discipline can be applied to my own life in the way I wish, nay, must, live it, on my own terms. If I can choose to have self-discipline in something that I want to. And I need to examine how self-discipline can be used in situations that aren't denying one's self something that one likes. Because I know that's not what self-discipline is really all about. But I'm not sure what it is.

Sin is not about broken rules. Sin is about broken relationships.

Taken from http://larsclausen.blogspot.com/2006/12/big-tent.html and prefaced by "In my first year of teaching confirmation as a seminary student, the Lutheran test we were using described sin this way."

Which makes me think about sin in my own life. I was thinking about going to confession before Christmas Eve mass because I haven't been in such a long time. I feel like doing the ritual... why? I'm not sure. But I got to thinking about what would I confess? I didn't want it to be the jaded confessions I made as a child when we had to go to confession for school. The stuff I stated because I knew I had to say something and I was sure I did some of these things at least at some point. I want my confession to be from the heart, to be things I've really done wrong and I know it and I feel bad about it and want absolution for.

I didn't want my definition of sin to be the sin that the Catholic Church taught me. I want to confess things I truly feel have been a sin.

Which leaves me to figure out what my definition of sin is.

I struggle with having such an open and permissive faith to figure out exactly what sin is now. I know I do believe in sin as a concept... wrongdoing that we commit. (I've recently been struggling with the question of "Is there sexual sin, outside of actual rape?" ...I want to believe in it (maybe it's brainwashing left over from Catholicism that I need to get rid of, maybe it's a genuine recognition that there IS such a thing as sexual sin... the jury's still out on this), but with my logic, with my sex-positive nature, I can't figure out WHAT would be sexual sin for me. [Sometimes I wish I was sex-negative so I could have plain and simple rules layed out in front of me for me to go by.])

I also struggle with the fact that if I did confess some of my sin, that the priest wouldn't get it and wouldn't be able to help counsel me in the ways I need to be counseled. I can't say something like "I've had sex with others when I really didn't want to have sex. I just did it because I thought I should or because I wanted them to be happy." because they wouldn't get it. They'd freak out over the sex outside of marriage thing. Translating this to a married context, a good priest would see this as a sin against one's self, as a separation from God because I wasn't fully with the sex and should have just said no, because it couldn't be a joyous loving act for both parties. A bad priest wouldn't think it's sin at all, rather, that it was duty. (*Shudder*)

So I need to figure out what's sin in the context of my current System [of Spirituality, of Belief]. And I need to figure out how to confess this.

Actually, what I *REALLY* need is a priest that will work with me on my terms of my System of Belief. Or perhaps someone that I see as a Spiritual Guide or Leader that's on my terms being willing to do the Catholic-style Sacrament of Reconciliation with me.

"“Our faith is the basis of our lives,” said Mr. Fowler, a soft-spoken professor of philosophy. “It means that Jesus is the Lord of our household, that we resolve differences peacefully and through love.”" (from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/us/12evangelical.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&th&emc=th)

I wish that I had something as strong as that to guide me, to be my guiding force and principle in my life. I wish that I had a firm bedrock like that to structure my entire life around. I understand the depth of their devotion and I wish that I had something I could devote my life to like that... because it feels amazing.

But I'm too smart for that, unfortunately. My intellect won't let me, because no matter what choice I make to follow, my reason says "You know it's not true. You know you have no way of proving that it's the right choice, that it's real."

And, once again, I go back to the way I was in HS, wishing that I wasn't so smart and wishing that I could just follow w/o questioning. I'm not quite at the point I was then where I asked God to make me dumb so that I wouldn't question Him, but I do find myself wishing that my life could be that easy, that strong.

Maybe this is why I get so codependent and clingy in relationships. Because I want to have a structuring point, something to believe in.

God, I wish I wasn't wired needing spirituality and something to believe in.

I wish I would have never internalized "stand for something, or you'll fall for anything".

Let's see here. Lots of interesting stuff inside. I'd especially love for you to read the stuff on spirituality and to give me your thoughts on what I've talked about.

( Quicky Updates )

( Interesting Piece of Theology )

( Free Ramblings on my Spirituality (dealing with Catholicism) )

( Free Ramblings on my Spirituality (dealing with Judaism) )

( The Mourner's Kaddish is an intentionally sadistic prayer... in a very beautiful way. )

2 different points that I have been meaning to talk about just collided and compliment each other nicely.
( What's inside gives new meaning to Pie Jesu Domine *THUNK* Dona Eis Requiem *THUNK* )

I guess it just goes to show you that there's more than one way to skin a cat. :)

I said this blessing tonight over Thanksgiving dinner with Movie!Otto during an RP. However, if I had the chance to say the blessing today over our food, I believe this is what I would have said. I rather like it, so I'm posting it here.

"We are grateful for the food and for the company with us today.
We are grateful for our friends and our families, those who love us.
We are grateful for the technology that has become an integral part of our lives, even when it does malfunction.
We are grateful for our continued safety, for keeping us from the grasps of our foes.
We are grateful for our city, our country, our world. May they all exist in peace and love.
For these things, we are grateful and give thanks. Amen. So May It Be."

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The first reading today in church was from the Book of Wisdom (a.k.a. "Wisdom of Solomon". Don't bother to look in your Bible if you don't have a Catholic Bible, it's in the Apocrypha, folks). I really liked it. So I'm going to post it here.

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men's desire; he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; Because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.

Wisdom 6:12-16

I'm bored, and teaching people about the Mass has got me wanting to go.

I'm heading over to the National Basilica (@ Catholic U... 2 stops down the Red Line for me) for Mass (which starts @ 4:30). Actually, I'm so bored, I think I'm gonna go to confession first. Don't ask me why. I don't know. I just want to go. Perhaps I just need some human interaction. Perhaps I just want to go through the ritual again. (yes, I know we just had Yom Kippur, but I really didn't do the soul purging that I did last year. I just went 'cause it was Yom Kippur.)

This is another part about my spirituality I don't understand and that doesn't make any sense. In fact, none of my spirituality makes any logical sense. I think I've kinda just accepted it to be that way. Perhaps that's just the way spirituality works.

So... yeah... I'm heading off to confession and mass...

/me looks at the time.
/me realizes there's no way I'm gonna make it for confession.

Oh, well. I'm heading to Mass. It'll be over @ 5:30.

I'm bored. If you want to do something with me after Mass, give me an IM on my cell phone after Mass or give me a call on it. I'm turning it off during Mass out of respect.

...and on a related tangent, I miss the songs we sang in church growing up. Mainly the contemporary stuff. Stuff like "Here I Am, Lord" and "On Eagles' Wings" and "I Am For You" and "One Bread, One Body". Mainly Marty Haugen stuff, but there were other composers/lyricists too.

...oh, the Gather Comprehensive hymnal, how I miss you so, so much...

(I've gotta find a church in the area that uses that hymnal. But I doubt there's a way you can search online for churches by the hymnals they use. :-) )

Hmm... ufo8mykat and grlsctgnbad, you're Catholic. You know any churches around here that use the Gather hymnal?

I just realized that I probably don't know this about alot of my watchers...
What religion/spiritual persuasion are you? Feel free to get as vague or as specific as you like in your answer.

I'm not making it a poll because answers can be too damned varied.

Personally? I consider myself an Agnostic Spiritual Humanist with Unitarian Universalist and liberal Jewish leanings.

Except I have a bit of problem with humanism's assuming that humans are the greatest beings in the universe. I know that they do this in a way meaning that they don't believe in some higher God, but that definition rules out the possibility of a more advanced alien, which I think definately could exist (and I actually hope they do).

Oh, and Happy Beltane to all those who celebrate/observe it.

Oh, and if you have sex, use a condom (or other safer sex product). Thx.

Hi!

Since I missed last night's seder, I'm looking for one to go to tonight. I'd prefer a more liberal one where I can wear my matzo kippa and noone would give me funny looks (I'm female), but I've been to Chabad's seder before and had a good time, so if it has to be that one, then that one it will be.

It needs to end before or around 11, so I can give myself time to get home on the Metro (subway).

I live in Takoma Park, which is on the MD/DC border.

Thanks!

(x-posted in my personal journal, weirdjews, dc_jews)

So I made latkes.
So the mix made WAY TOO MANY latkes.
Please, please, please come to my house and eat latkes!

They're a little on the oniony side (damn, I guess this leaves out herodotusjr), and I have cinnamon applesauce to go with them.

Just drop me an IM or give me a call or just head over!

I'm serious about this... I've got to have SOMEONE help me eat all these latkes!

***

Oh, and help me find a Pesach seder to go to tonight. This night is different from all other nights and I don't want to miss out on it. :-)

I'm bleeding from my twat. Finally. w00h00!
However, this means I'm bleeding from my twat. And my emotions are all over the fucking place. So I'm on the warpath. Approach with caution.

(I wanna know what's up with my being a week late 2 months in a row. This is NOT LIKE my body. I'm usually regular down to 3 days [and it's usually late]. It's starting to concern me.)


( Let's see. Last night. [cut because it's LONG, biatch!] )
Hag Sameach to my Jewish friends! Oh, and asciilifeform and devvieish, when are you having your alternative seder? I hope it's tomorrow (or at least not tonight), because I'm thinking of going back to the Crucible tonight.

I'm being a naughty girl and trying to convince trinityva to come and play with me. She has quite the evil imagination... and I'm eating it up like a kitten lapping from a saucer of milk. :-D
She had a rough night last night, so we're probably going to settle on dinner. But since it's Pesach, I have to figure out non-leavened bread dinner (I don't keep actual full kosher on this. I just don't eat leavened breadstuffs). I'm thinking maybe sushi?

Ok... I'll stop babbling now and post this.
/me gives a casual, whole handed salute (think Ock in Spider-Man 2 when he tells Spider-Man "you have a train to catch")

Hmm... running hard again. Pushing hard again. Trying to run away from something that's inside of me, that'll just follow.

Perhaps I'll spend tonight meditating in my way.

I know at very least I need to do some laundry (which will help clean my room) and get my library books together to return.

Maybe I'll do something with my altar tonight? I don't know.

I mean, I now have an altar to the feminine divine... what do I *do* with it?

I wonder if Otto meditates. If he doesn't, he needs to.
/me can see a vision of the Otto Yumegari drew in "Not Drunk Enough Yet" (think my drunk LJ icon) sitting with fingertips together, touching, hands forming an inverted V, with his head bent down and resting on the top of his fingers.

All I know is that tonight I need a quiet return to my spirituality.

...

Heh... either that or I wanna RP/write more very dark kinky hardcore-Ockrotica. :-D

Hey all,
I'm looking for Reform/egalitarian/whateverhaveyou Liberalish non-Traditional Tu'B'Shvat services on Tu'B'Shevat proper. Preferably easy to access via mass transit.

Any help?

Oh, and I apologize for my horrible spelling of Tu'B'Shvat. I can't seem to figure it out.