Christian retired person turned fiction writer whose faith journey has been wide ranging

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Katia

Active member
Aug 29, 2021
493
217
43
PDX
#23
I am a retired man still married to my first bride. We are past our 40th anniversary. We have adult children and grandchildren.

I worked in the computer industry and my spouse worked as a nurse. We both were involved in farming while growing up. I have also spent some time working with a Christian camp, and for the United States Census Bureau.

Together my spouse and I have explored many faith traditions. We have connected for various lengths of time with several faith traditions and dug into several theological schools from many angles.

I'd like to connect with both like-minded Christians who share my concerns and also with other Christians and non-Christians with whom I can have friendly discussions.

In order to let you know a few of the topics with which I am currently wrestling so you might be able to tell if you fall into the category of like-minded, here are a few...

The differences between ekklesia and the current manifestations of church.

How should Christians be mobilized to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as a united front?

How can Christian fellowship evolve in this new normal during and after covid? Can we break away from the forms which have persisted since Christian worship and fellowship began to be tied to edifices?

Can we do a better job following Paul's directions in Ephesians chapter 4? It is not the job of the prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors, and apostles to build up the Body of Christ. It is their job to equip all of us to build up the Body of Christ. We are all meant to use our spiritual gifts for ministry to one another. The prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors, and apostles are supposed to equip us to do our job, not do our job for us. (Sorry, I guess I started a rant there.)

The biggest challenges in my Christian life are prayer, doubt, and confusion.

I'm being intentionally vague in order to not broadcast to the world my identity. If individuals are interested in connecting with me on a more personal level, I might let my shields down a bit at that point.

My favorite topics of discussion are fiction writing and fiction in general. My current work in progress is a rehash and recombination of several of my many false starts.

Thanks for taking a moment to read this, my initial self-introduction.
Welcome. I write also. Right now I am working on a Biblical fiction story whose premise is that the visitors of the OT, Abrams world, have returned. I'm still in very early stage of the work so it is not well developed, and I can not predict where the story will go.

I was a Christian and became disillusioned. Perhaps I'm on my way back now? I've spent time exploring various Abrahamic belief systems but from an academic approach. Judaism and Islam were interesting, and I learned things along the way. I don't think I'll be a Denominational Christian again but I enjoy Bible study and prayer.
 
Aug 25, 2021
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#24
Welcome. I write also. ...Biblical fiction story...visitors of the OT, Abrams world...can not predict where the story will go.

...on my way back now? ...enjoy Bible study and prayer.
Thank you.

Are you referring to the visitors who showed up at Abraham's tent before they blew away Sodom and Gomorrah? Interesting idea!

It's good to hear you enjoy Bible study and prayer. I'm a bit negligent right now being consistent in either.

God Bless.
 

Katia

Active member
Aug 29, 2021
493
217
43
PDX
#25
Thank you.

Are you referring to the visitors who showed up at Abraham's tent before they blew away Sodom and Gomorrah? Interesting idea!

It's good to hear you enjoy Bible study and prayer. I'm a bit negligent right now being consistent in either.

God Bless.
Reading in the OT, there are several incidents where the participants are not that well explained. Archeologically, there were civilizations in the pre Judaism era, the Sumerians and those before. There were also the Zoroastrians in what is modern day Iran. I don't know anything about inhabitants of China though Archeologists say they were around before all that. There are Native American settlements. I'm most familiar with those around Chaco Canyon. New Mexico. The Spaniards of the early 1400s wiped most of them out by disease and the introduction of the Catholic Church. So many stories that have not been written.
 
Aug 25, 2021
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#26
Reading in the OT, there are several incidents where the participants are not that well explained. Archeologically, there were civilizations in the pre Judaism era, the Sumerians and those before. There were also the Zoroastrians in what is modern day Iran. I don't know anything about inhabitants of China though Archeologists say they were around before all that. There are Native American settlements. I'm most familiar with those around Chaco Canyon. New Mexico. The Spaniards of the early 1400s wiped most of them out by disease and the introduction of the Catholic Church. So many stories that have not been written.
As I'm considering it now, my story is going to re-hash history in an interesting way (I hope). If I continue on the trajectory I've been considering, I will need to do a lot of historical research. I also hope to roll in what I'm learning from Michael S. Heiser's book The Unseen Realm. His contention is we need to read the OT as it was written by the writers for the audience of the time, not through the lens of any other worldview which may have come later.

I haven't looked into the Chaco Canyon, NM information yet. I've read more than my share of books, etc. about Native American cultures. My last attempt at a story revolved around connecting with the Native Americans who have lived and live in the area I have lived most of my life. That story has been back-burnered for the moment.
 

Katia

Active member
Aug 29, 2021
493
217
43
PDX
#27
There is a term that labels what the pioneers did to Native Americans. They felt that God gave them the right to invade North America and eradicate the inhabitants. In case after case, missionaries came into Indian lands and did their best to destroy their beliefs and give them Jesus. They felt they had a Devine Right to do what they did. There were dozens of incidents where Native Americans were marched off to reservations and many died along the way. There were numerous "Trail of Tears" incidents.
 
Aug 25, 2021
13
5
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#28
There is a term that labels what the pioneers did to Native Americans. They felt that God gave them the right to invade North America and eradicate the inhabitants. In case after case, missionaries came into Indian lands and did their best to destroy their beliefs and give them Jesus. They felt they had a Devine Right to do what they did. There were dozens of incidents where Native Americans were marched off to reservations and many died along the way. There were numerous "Trail of Tears" incidents.
Agreed.

I don't know the statistics, but I suspect of the many Native Americans since Europeans first arrived who have embraced Christianity, many were and are glad to have had the opportunity to meet Jesus.
 

Katia

Active member
Aug 29, 2021
493
217
43
PDX
#29
Agreed.

I don't know the statistics, but I suspect of the many Native Americans since Europeans first arrived who have embraced Christianity, many were and are glad to have had the opportunity to meet Jesus.
Looking into the beliefs of SW Native Americans, I don't see much conflict between them and the words of Jesus the Christ. Some of us feel entitled to badger others to become just like us. That makes me sad.