Joe thanks for a honest and great article. A question I subjectively tend toward is an odd interplay dance between religion or spirituality being somewhat fabricated by humans and also representing a humble authentic deep longing and reality of some kind. I believe spirituality is at the least a recurring characteristic of human consciousness, and perhaps an actual interplay with realities and energies beyond human ability to comprehend or articulate. Infinity is awkward.

Like you I was raised by parents with unquestioned devotion to a Christian denomination. As my life has unfolded just the inarguable incomprehensibility of the unity and all togetherness of some omnipotent omnipresent infinity outside time or space left me convinced, for me, that a linguistic stylized defined to the point of dogma reference seemed altogether far too human.

A fixed answer or even a coded frame of reference would be convenient. For those who would say to take my doubts to God in prayer I have for years and continue to sincerely do so. I continue to be totally committed to being open minded and open hearted knowing that I walk around with unconscious bias and filters built by my society and my own ego. I pray and meditate daily and attend a Christian church. I deliberately listen carefully to the most dogmatic adherents to organized religion and invariably hear things applicable to my life intertwined with doctrinal diatribe. And I also hear things from people of other religions and from agnostics and atheists that are equally helpful, for me, in making small steps progress toward being a more giving, accepting, serene, forgiving and stable human.

The oddity I find is on those occasions when I honestly express my broadly uncertain and ambiguous state is there are some people from every camp that have the equanimity to be loving and tolerant of where I am, for me . Some from every camp are full of starch and certainty that I need to see the light. Your article articulately makes a case for open minded equanimity.