To a concerned reader

Note: This began as a reply to a comment and from there grew into something better suited to a post.

........................

To a concerned reader (and those of like mind):

I appreciate your concern and am grateful for both it and your respect toward my spiritual views. But for the moment (and likely for longer than that), I'm limiting any occult interests to reading only. Based on what I've researched since that particular post, I think that simply having the belief system that I do and living by it will suffice for me. It was interesting to find a paradigm that is so congruous to my personal and philosophical views, but I don't see a place for concrete "practice" at this point in my life.

Also, I hope this doesn't chase you away...this is always so hard to explain to devout people...I am agnostic, bordering on atheist. I recently admitted and accepted the belief (or lack thereof) that I have been struggling against for much of my life. It was not easy, but I was tired of trying to force beliefs on myself that never felt "right" in my heart and mind. I have to be honest now, and I have to be who I really am. This is who I am.

I'll understand if you would rather not associate with me any longer, although it would make me sad to lose a friendship to a difference in religious beliefs. I know that it's a challenge for believers and non-believers to get along. And I really do appreciate your offer to discuss Christianity, but I am truly comfortable in my current perspective (I mean my agnosticism, not anything occult-related) and would rather not get into what I cannot see being a productive or comfortable discussion.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm not the least bit interested in being converted/"saved"/whatever you prefer to call it. I don't mean that to sound rude or dismissive. But I have finally embraced what I feel is right for me, and I would rather that those who do not feel likewise not worry themselves with a futile effort on my behalf.

Future posts in this blog will very likely reflect agnostic/skeptical views. Actually, I can promise they will. I post them here whenever I wish to share what's on my mind or need to get something off my chest. Replies intended to contest my beliefs are not welcome (again, that comes out sounding rude when I do not mean for it to be so).

So if anything I post in future offends my Christian readers, I apologize sincerely. But please understand: this blog is my place to be me. I do not mean to hurt or worry anyone with my posts, but I expect my beliefs to be respected even if one cannot agree with them. That often means leaving certain topics and posts alone, which is what I do when I come across spiritual beliefs on other blogs that I cannot agree with. I hope that won't drive anyone off entirely, but if it does, I understand and respect that.

I believe that different views can still coexist in harmony. It may be rare, but it can happen. I have seen great friendships grow and thrive amid radically different perspectives without either individual having to sacrifice their own beliefs. Let's hope that can be true here as well.

Thank you, and best wishes.