Mary Blye Howe

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I find community in my traditional church, and they are my family. However, the older I become, the more I realize that spiritual development is individual as well as corporate, and must be desired and actively worked toward. (That God-shaped hole that humankind is born with.) If it doesn't get filled, then other things will fill it. My church is active and liberal politically, which can be a good or sometimes okay thing. However, I cannot get as involved with the politics as some of my friends do. I do try to do my share of the work. This can be described as trying to balance the inner Martha with the inner Mary. I'm one of those who is more Martha, but I'm working on that.

Because I'm deeply involved in both a traditional religious community and with a couple of "non-religious" spiritual communities, I'm often perplexed by things I hear from and encounter with the latter. For instance, I've had as much, and often more, guilt laid on me by people outside of organized religion as I have within. I see as many people going through the motions and a hell of a lot of pretentiousness.

I'd like to hear from both camps.

For those of you who aren't affiliated with a traditional religion, be honest: do you not run into much of the same crap for which you criticize religious people? Is there not a severe spiritual superiority complex among so called non-religious, spiritual people?

If you are affiliated with a religion, what do you see as the benefits and drawbacks? What good and what bad have you personally encountered?

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fascinating book. opened my eyes on judaism. interesting read, indeed.

fascinating book. opened my eyes on judaism. interesting read, indeed.