namaste

he said one needs to start with a spiritual foundation and build from there. i agreed. he said to start with the atonement of Christ. I said no.

i think it startled him.

laying a spiritual foundation based solely on one religion narrows one's view too soon. it's like a historian writing a "universal history" that only deals with ancient greece and rome. what about persia? east asia? the northern germanic tribes? they exist outside of a particular idea of power, so they don't exist in the "universe." trying to build a historical foundation based solely on christianity instantly excludes other faiths from the picture before understanding them. so many beautiful and inspiring truths can be discovered from other faiths that, once integrated, amplify your understanding and experience. sincerely, why reject the wisdom of other faiths simply because they are "other?"

so no, i won't start with the atonement of Christ. i will listen, listen. gather common stones and build from those.