Comments on: Weeds (Part II)

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:03:11 +0000

How neat, Cheryl. I’ve made similar discoveries.

BTW, thanks for the link to the Judith Warner piece. I will have to read it.

Blessèd Be,
Michael

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:06:17 +0000

The internet is a fascinating thing. From reading comments to today’s Judith Warner column (http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com:80/2009/04/09/this-i-believe/?th&emc=th) I learned of James P. Carse, then googled his name, and discovered your blog. I’m also attempting to work through many of the same concepts and issues and look forward to slowly working through your posts, starting at the beginning.

By: Weeds (Part III) « The Empty Path

Weeds (Part III) « The Empty Path — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:25:33 +0000

[...] historical Jesus, parables, religion Part I: The parable of the weeds in the field Part II: Religion or belief Part III: Wilderness and [...]

By: Michael Austin Shell

Michael Austin Shell — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:04:54 +0000

Cat,

Don’t worry about time lags. You just left the traditional Quaker “cushion of silence” between my vocal ministry and yours.

More important to me is that my writing stirs the urge to contemplate in you and other readers.

This series, like the Am I a nontheist…? series, continues my slow process of seeking language to tell others what I have come to believe privately over the decades.

That process is very much like sitting in waiting worship. I may take days or weeks…or even months…to get from publishing one part to publishing the next.

That is because writing (draft after draft) corresponds to my silent prayer in Meeting. With each draft I learn more from inner light about my own spiritual needs.

But publishing corresponds to public ministry. I want to wait until I am clear that a post is really meant for vocal ministry before I post it.

Meanwhile…yes, I wish we could sit face to face. My brother and his family are in Springfield, so maybe Jim and I can wangle a a visit in 2009 and head on up your way. (I want both Jim and my brother’s family to meet you and Peter, anyway.)

Until then, I’m glad it’s possible to meet in cyberspace.

Blessèd Be,
Michael

By: Cat Chapin-Bishop

Cat Chapin-Bishop — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:35:42 +0000

Michael,
I am shamed to admit that I am only reading this series for the first time now–not because I did not value it, but because, in a fall that has been almost too hurried for thought, I did not want to gulp these posts down the way I do my lunchtime burrito. I’ve been stockpiling you, and now I discover that I will need to come back, read again, think more.

And most of all, get Peter to read these posts, too, so the two of us can spend time talking them through, turning them over and over in our minds together.

Arg! How frustrating that you do not live down the block from me! I want nothing more than to discuss these ideas over multiple cups of coffee together!

I’ll be back–with virtual coffee and some hopefully coherent thoughts. Meantime, thank you for writing a truly fascinating series!