Member-only story
I can describe a detailed path that led me away from family’s religion of origin, but two things stand out prominent in my mind. The first was the constant bickering between sides. My maternal side was Church of Christ. My Paternal side was Southern Baptists. I was a pawn in the war. At 3, my grandfather, a Baptist Minister, was rather sore when I exclaimed “I am not going into that Heathen Baptist Church.” As I grew, my thinking became more clear, and I grew tired of arguing, “my grandfather is not going to hell because he’s Baptist.” I loved him, and he and I had the greatest rapport than I held with any other family. That holds true even today, as I am particularly estranged from family. The second thing was a best friend, made just before High School. He was the first person who I knew was an affirmed atheist. It bother me, but when he clearly stated, “If you don’t stop trying to convert me, we will not be friends.” I chose the friendship over the religious demand of converting.
I tried being an atheist for a while. The hat didn’t fit. I kept finding myself drawn to spiritual concept, mostly Native American philosophies. I think the interview with Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers was a significant place holder for the turn. “The Power of Myth” captivated me. I wanted to make pilgrimage just to meet Campbell. I didn’t.
Over the years, I found the sacred manifested through Fiction that appealed to me. There is no doubt that Star Trek and Star Wars had the biggest impact on my life. I know many folks that can’t hold the two paradigms, and become annoyed…
