Reddit mentions: The best self help for catholics books

Sorry for the delay? Pfffft. What's the point of anonymity if it comes with expectations? Anyway, I'm having trouble sleeping, and your message came at a good time.

> It comes down to dealing with myself and the "unique" way I function...

Thank you for sharing that. I hope merely typing that out helped you. There are a great many factors which may contribute to this, and I have only played a psychologist on TV and the psychologist character was pretending, so I am pretty much stabbing in the dark here. Aside from general anxiety and extreme pressure to perform (Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off comes to mind), I've had bouts of what you describe, but haven't dealt with it chronically. That doesn't sound fun. But it does sound like the real impetus for why you posted your question to Reddit in the first place! Welcome. I'm sure you're not the only one who deal with insomnia. I certainly don't have that problem right now. :)

>... it often feels like I have a mini dictator living inside of me and really, it is because I lack the emotional know-how to conduct or "listen" to myself that I rely on the dictator.

I forget to do many of the things you went on to mention, but it's usually when I am engaged in a project; not seemingly disengaged in a frantic search for purpose as your writing implies (forgive me if I read too far into it). I tend to the nothing end of the all-or-nothing spectrum when feeling useless. At any rate, I get the feeling (see, they happen eventually) you have an insatiable desire to achieve, and it seems to be the source for great angst that you don't know what the achievement will look like or how to get there.

> I often tell a close ENFP friend of mine...

Good! Of my three closest friends, one of them is an ENFP. He introduced me to Reddit. The other two are INFJ and ENTJ. Heavy Ni users with aligned worldviews -- much like the last two friends I described -- are exponentially easier to relate to than any other types. My ENTJ friend is the one who challenged me many years ago to take my faith seriously (more on that later). My INFJ friend is such a godsend. We both perceive and interpret our worlds in largely the same way mechanically, but through opposite channels. Essentially, most of our time together is spent sharpening iron. He helps me get in touch with how I am feeling (and hilariously knows when I am feeling something before I realize it), and I help ground him in more rational ways. It is the best and most fruitful of friendships.

Bottom line here is, peeps with introverted intuition tend to be on the same wavelength. I've been blessed with fellow Ni users most of my adult life and have benefited greatly from it. I hope you have or can find a fellow NJ with which to confide in. There's nothing like it. Though as an ENTJ, you likely don't feel like anyone can handle what you have going on inside. Don't let this stop you. We fellow NJs can take care of our own. (Impressive you added that bit about NPs working from a past view point. You really delved into this Jungian pseudo-psycho stuff!)

I can relate to the notion of making things harder than they have to be. Getting older and wiser has mitigated this propensity, but I am still often reminded that people and the systems they use in the real world don't necessarily like to be treated like they are test subjects in a never-ending quest for peak efficiency. I am still learning to read increasingly subtle social cues and learn when not to prepare for death on my chosen hill. And while I can be very persuasive, things tend to go smoother when I am in charge and not part of a committee. Relate?

> When I set a vision, I can be a stickler on how to get there. When circumstances alter how to get there (I don't see it emotionally and yet I sense a disturbance to the original course), I stupidly make it more rigorous (kind of comedic actually when seen in another light) until I fall of the wheel completely... Sounds kind of scary, doesn't it?

Not scary. This resonates with me as well. I also tend to be a control freak enthusiast. The last five or six years have proven to be a gradual learning to let go of my ultimate plan. We work with people after all! However, the inclusion of your parents' cognitive types may offer a clue as to your personal expectations and possible anxiety. My, oh my. I would not have survived in your household, haha! But seriously, it sounds like your parents have/had such a heavy influence on you that you may be forcing their methods and perception to your life. This dovetails rather nicely with your question on how I reached a point where I became more open with things I can't control. Challenging my mother was a large part of it. I think there comes a time in everyone's life where they need to confront their parents and (lovingly) assert their autonomy. Whether or not you've done that yet, there may be vestigial, unrealistic expectations of theirs you continue to satisfy; and it's draining you.

You've only been burned out once in your life? Perhaps we have different definitions of burnt out. Or, maybe you've reached that point a few more times than you want to admit? SJ expectations and an indomitable will anyone? :)

Finding passion. Reddit is not built for such discussion, but you could do worse than start at a very fundamental set of questions: what do you get most joy/satisfaction/fulfillment from? And what makes your blood boil? Find a destination and route that gets you closest to the answer to those two questions. If your answers aren't specific, drop all your expectations and pressure on yourself to perform and begin exploring. Get messy. It won't take long to figure out.

> Who wears matching socks anymore?

Yeah, call me metro or whatever, but...

> The only reason I said "general terms" was because I thought you might find it too invasive otherwise.

Open book (within reason). No invasion found anywhere close to this discussion.

> Grace sounds like a Christian theme...

Drat, you found me out.

> I would like the detailed version please!

I grew up in a mostly Christian home. There were months my mother and I would go to church on the regular, and other times when we were Chreasters. Pretty much the same for my two half-brothers and their nuclear families. My NTJ-ness was apparent very, very early in my childhood, and I picked up on a few things at an early age growing up about my family. Not the least of which is we have severe pride issues. Many of us can be hypocritical in a depressingly predictable way. My family members would argue. A lot. And they wouldn't insulate me or the younger children when they did. I was introduced to adult thought and began noticing inconsistencies and lapses in rationality with all of them at around eight years old. This coupled with the fact that I didn't really identify with most of my peers in school led me to a place where I thought most people were stupid (hey, just being honest). I lumped this stupidity and their association with church together. When I turned 18 and joined the military, I took a break from God to explore the realm of... being rational? It wasn't all that exciting.

I actually woke up one morning and was sick of myself. It was a really visceral disgust. Palpable. I remember it exactly. This unsettling feeling drove me to the doors of a church with my buddy, Corey. Friend of a friend of a friend with a few female detours and I met Rusty, my ENTJ buddy mentioned above. The conversation started with a relationship problem with a gal we both knew, and he very quickly identified the issue in my life as a faith issue and asked me directly what my faith walk was like. This guy spent four plus hours with me in colder-than-normal northern California to discuss my frustrations, doubts, and insecurities. To a passerby during those four hours I imagine it may have looked like this, then this, and then this.

Rusty was there when God knew I needed him to be there.

Joy is also a Christian theme I often find neglected which is relevant to your situation. Pick up this book. Excellent perspective and I think it should be required reading for all believers. If the cost is an issue, let me know.

>> When I get involved in a project I love, nothing else exists.

> I aspire to get to this place!

Find passion. See above.

>> It never ends! This is a bright side of life.

> And this is where I (politely) roll my eyes. I am rather impatient to get to the other side.

Find joy. Also see above. :)

As a final thought (and you thought your reply was long), do something physically dangerous and fun. I find this often puts the trivial day-to-day things into perspective. We become quite insulated in western culture, and it's good to get out -- even alone -- for a little while.

Maybe have a little Thoreau excursion. A good camping trip by yourself or with one or two people can not only make you a bit more uncomfortable to shake you out of the negative feedback loop, but it can also teach you reliance on God for things which would go unnoticed in our modern lives. Things like trying to get back to your campsite with the sun setting and only a crescent moon to offer you help. Stuff like that.

Praying/fasting might be a good idea as well.

Thoughts?

EDIT: grammar/clarity

I haven't read his book, so I don't know his overarching themes. However, the first few chapters of Universal Aspects of the Kabbalah and Judaism are available online, so I just skimmed them. It seems his views are highly influenced by Hasidism, Sufism, and Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dual Hinduism). I see he's also written some other books, but, of course, having not read them I cannot make any suggestions.

But if non-dual religion is what you're looking for, there just so happens to be a book on non-dual Judaism, Everything Is God: The Radical Path of Nondual Judaism by Jay Michaelson. I've read bits of it, but not the whole book. So I can't offer too much insight. But perhaps it'd be useful for you if this is where your interests lie.

I'm not an expert in Sufism, so I can offer little there. If you're interested in Advaita Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita holds a lot of influence in Advaita movements. A lot of the Gita can be interpreted in a non-dual way. Plus, in what I read of his book, Schaya quotes from it. So perhaps that might be a book of interest for you. You can find translations of the Bhagavad Gita freely available online. There also should be numerous different translations in any bookstore. Most of my knowledge of Hinduism has come from lectures, not secondary sources. So I'm afraid I don't have any more book suggestions in this sphere.

Schaya also seems to have an appreciation for Buddhism. There's a book I love called The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India by Rodger Kamenetz. The book chronicles a journey by a Jews delegation to meet with the Dalai Lama. Some of the rabbis involved are influenced by Kabbalah and speak on some of the subjects. There's also discussions on the relation between Judaism and Tibetan Buddhism. Schaya seems willing to incorporate non-Jewish concepts (to a limited degree) into his Kabbalistic views. Kamenetz does not do likewise in his book, instead keeping Judaism and Buddhism respectfully separate. So in The Jew in the Lotus there's no fusion religion being professed, rather a dialogue between two religions. The book isn't directly about Kabbalah, but there are some Kabbalistic undertones.

Kabbalah, of course, is largely derived from the Zohar by either Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai or Moses de León. The Zohar is a massive text, and is largely incomprehensible without someone to teach you. Don't bother buying it. If you'd like to read selections of the Zohar in a clear and understandable way, there's a book I can recommend. Daniel C. Matt is one of the greatest scholars around when it comes to Kabbalah and translation. First and foremost, Matt is a historian. He does not have an agenda, he is not trying to distort Kabbalistic concepts to suit any sort of theology. He is a scholar first. Secondly, he is a Jew. As such, he understand the inextricable link between Kabbalah and Judaism. Matt has a book with selections of the Zohar translated called Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment. It's concise and clear. He also has a book called The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism which covers a wide variety of topics utilizing well translated primary sources. Here is a video of Daniel C. Matt speaking, just to give you a taste of who he is.

Daniel C. Matt's Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment has a forward by Rabbi Arthur Green. Green is a leader in Reconstructionist Judaism and Neo-Hasidism. He has a book called Radical Judaism: Rethinking God and Tradition which outlines more liberal and panentheistic Judaism deriving from Hasidic Kabbalah. The book is directed to both Jews and non-Jews alike, so it might be a good book for one who is interested in universal aspects and Kabbalah. Green is liberal, but he is still a rabbi and works within the same sphere as Daniel C. Matt; so his book has an agenda but is of a high quality. Green has also edited a few works of Moshe Idel, a renowned scholar in Kabbalah and a student of the father of academic study of Kabbalah, Gershom Scholem.

I don't really know of a good book that gives a scholarly treatment of Hasidism. I'm still actually searching for one. However, I personally like Elie Wiesel's Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of the Hasidic Masters. Stories are important in Hasidism, so perhaps the best book on it is not a scholarly treatment, but instead a collection of legends. Regardless, Wiesel's book is engaging and gives one a sense of what the beginnings of Hasidism were all about. There's also Martin Buber's Tales of the Hasidim, but I found it a little drier than Wiesel's book. I've recently acquired Moshe Idel's Hasidism: Between Ecstasy and Magic, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Maybe it's good, maybe it isn't.

As always, Gershom Scholem is a great resource. He's not always the most thrilling read, and some of his theories have been questioned by scholars after him, but he's a bedrock in the academic world.

It's difficult to get into the theological arguments for an affirming position over Reddit, but I've got a few resources that might help you learn more about the debate and implications of an affirming position. As a gay Christian, I can say they were also helpful to accepting and affirming myself and providing answers for some of the questions I was asking.
The book that gets recommended the most is [God and the Gay Christian.] (https://www.amazon.com/God-Gay-Christian-Biblical-Relationships/dp/160142518X) It's really good at laying out the basic theological arguments for affirming lgbt Christians and explores the type a-type b argument (the debate on whether lgbt Christians can marry or need to remain celibate).
If you're looking for an in depth theological discussing that discusses all of the reasons for and against affirming lgbt Christians, [Bible, Gender, and Sexuality] (https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Gender-Sexuality-Reframing-Relationships/dp/0802868630) is an incredible resource for looking at all of the arguments for and against affirming lgbt Christians, as well as the shortfalls of each position. It ultimately comes to an affirming conclusion, but it does the non-affirming side justice. A lot of the arguments in God and the Gay Christian can be traced to this book, but this is more in depth. The author, James Brownson, is a professor at Western Theological Seminary, and does his best to give everyone (even those who don't agree with him) something to think about.
For some perspective of what life as a gay Christian is like, I'd recommend checking out Blue Babies Pink. You can either read Brett Trapp's stories online or listen to his podcast, but he does a good job explaining what it was like to grow up and live as a gay Christian, and the struggles he faced coming out, accepting himself, and trying to live in accordance with his faith. It doesn't explore theology, but also is safe for work. It gives a good perspective to what many gay Christians go through.
If you're interested in ministering to the lgbt community, I'd recommend meeting and listening to people of faith who belong to the lgbt community (if you haven't done this already). Listen to their stories and the pain many of them go through. Listen to what their specific needs are. Many of them will be the same needs everyone else needs like community, support, and places to use their gifts. Listen to how their needs for these differ than what is being provided to them or they are allowed to participate in.
Ultimately your job as an ally (if you choose to be one) is to not use your own voice, but to amplify the voices of members of the lgbt community. Don't try to speak on behalf of us, but use your position to give us voices. Put members of the community on the podium instead of yourself whenever possible, because we're the most qualified to speak on our needs and our pain. Of course that doesn't mean you can't discuss lgbt issues with others without a member of the lgbt community present. There are many forums you can go to that we cannot. Just make sure when you do you do your best to articulate the experiences that we've had.
Most importantly make sure that any discussion of the lgbt community you have is discussing the fact that regardless of position, the discussion is about people. It's regarding the life lgbt Christians and non-believers experience every day. Nothing dehumanize us and turns us away from the church more than being treated as just an issue.
I hope this gives you some good places to start. As a gay Christian, I've got grace for people like you who are asking legitimate questions and are wrestling with what the bible says vs. what the Bible means and what God says. Even if you end up with a non-affirming position, I believe it doesn't have to be inherently hurtful to the community. As long as you recognize the pain the lgbt community as a whole has experienced, how most churches aren't equipped to satisfy our spiritual needs, and recognize what you're truely asking of gay Christians when you say they need to remain celibate, you can still help the church better minister to lgbt Christians. I wish you the best on your spiritual journey

This post has inspired me to make a YouTube video on this subject, so I’ll share that when it’s done. But in the meantime, here are some quick tips for dealing with conservative Christian parents (most of this should probably work with other religious parents as well, but my work has been with Christians, so I can’t say offhand how this might need to change for other faith groups):

Listen and let them talk as much as you’re able. This depends a lot on what you can handle; step away when it gets to be too much. But when they talk, you can learn a lot about misconceptions they hold about gay people that you’ll want to help correct. For example, many conservative Christian parents mistakenly believe that gay people choose to be gay or that it can be changed through prayer or therapy. As long as they believe these things, they’re not likely to be open to alternate ways of reading the Bible, so finding resources that address those issues first can be helpful.

Share your story and let them sit with it. As tempting as it can be to jump into arguing about the Bible with them, that almost never changes parents’ minds. Instead, what does change minds is having time to sit with their own children’s stories, realizing how much pain their child has been through. Let them know things like when you first knew you were different, fears you had about telling them, attempts you may have made to become straight (if that’s something you did), etc. You may be surprised how many of the things that seem obvious to you will be shocking to them. Give them time to sit with it; it will take a while for it to sink in.

Connect them with resources wherever you can, but make sure you’re getting support for yourself. Don’t wait for your parents to come around before you live your life. It may take them years to understand, and you can’t pin your own self-esteem to their approval, even if that’s hard to accept right now. Reaffirm your love for them, stay in conversation with them when you’re able to, but make sure you have your own support network that doesn’t require their approval.

Try to connect them with other parents:

If possible, one of the best things you can do is to connect them with other Christian parents who have been through similar situations (but who have become more accepting)—they can be a sounding board for them and allow them to have some much-needed peer support as they work through this. There are some private Facebook groups for parents that I can’t publicly link to, but a couple of good places to start are:

https://justbecausehebreathes.com

and

https://www.freedhearts.org

(The first one may appeal more to parents who are more conservative and/or just starting out, while the second one may be more geared to those a little further along.)

​

When they’re ready to read something:

Many parents aren’t ready to read a book right away, but if/when they are, some books you could try include:

“My Son, Beloved Stranger” by Carrol Grady (written by an SDA mom; speaks to very conservative parents, but can be tough to find)

“Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate” by Justin Lee (disclaimer: this is my book, and it feels weird to recommend my own stuff, but it was written specifically for situations like this, and I’ve had SO MANY PARENTS tell me it was the thing that changed their minds and helped them accept their LGBTQ+ kids)

“Mom, I’m Gay” by Susan Cottrell (another book by a Christian mom of a gay child, not quite as conservative in its language but still helpful to many Christian parents)

For parents who are ready for more in-depth Bible analysis, Matthew Vines’ book God and the Gay Christian is a good introduction to the Bible arguments—but I recommend that you wait on this until your parents have already dealt with the emotions surrounding your coming out and are past the idea that orientation can change; otherwise, they’ll dismiss these arguments without giving them a chance. This is a more advanced book, not as much for parents just starting out.

​

There are lots more resources available online:

My website includes lots of blog posts on things conservative Christians often say, Bible passages, and so on, including a video series I’m doing on the subject for my YouTube channel—and I’m working on another big resource that I’ll be linking to shortly, so feel free to watch that or message me for more specific resources.

So that's a start, but please still feel free to message me for any more specific details or resources.

Interesting thoughts. Surprisingly personal, which we could use a little more of around here. To offer some thoughts and criticisms (which are intended to be helpful and constructive, not rude).

You indicate belief in God, and then say that we are here because of luck. While these ideas aren't necessarily in contradiction with each other, I'm skeptical of how well these two lines of thought might go together. I'll direct you towards the idea of a fine-tuned universe and throw in a link to the book I first heard of it in.

Next you go on and say that we shouldn't put God in any sort of intellectual box. While I understand where you might be coming from on this, this simply won't fly with many people. To say that God is simply beyond our knowledge will lead to protest from atheists and theists alike; atheists will see that as a cop-out argument, and many theists likely believe in God because they see His existence as comprehensible and sensible. If you wanna go down the route of saying God is capable of breaking the laws of logic and reason that's fine, but insofar as you go down such a route, you'll be unable to discuss God and your reasons for believing in Him with others.

And to that you have a response in your post where you say "As long as you genuinely believe it is true, than it is true to you." While I get where you're coming from, and to some degree agree with the idea of people thinking for themselves, you're pushing a relativism that's trapping you into a cul-de-sac of subjectivity from which you cannot try and argue for the truth of your beliefs; only that you believe in their being true. While I agree that personal experience is important in developing beliefs, one shouldn't ignore reason and others thoughts when trying to form yours. You're not the first person to try addressing these questions, and you won't be the last. Logic is a language that helps us break out of our subjectivity and into more objective understandings of things. Saying that your beliefs are yours is one thing, but to say that if something's true for you then that should be enough could in the end be used as a justification for some beliefs that I think we can agree are wrong. The Nazis, to use an extreme example, had some beliefs, but I think everyone here can agree that such beliefs were wrong. Beliefs on God are going to be the same way; God exists for us all, or He exists for none of us. The difference is this question is a bit more abstract and difficult to pin down.

But you've got some interesting thoughts, and to assist you in your journey, I'll recommend one of my favorite thinkers, Soren Kierkegaard, who wrote a lot about subjectivity, faith and the religious experience. I think you'd find his work will both fit nicely into your views, while pushing you further still. Good luck in everything.

PS: also, God is a she? Interesting.

The absolute best way to overcome sinful habits is by frequenting the sacraments. If you are in a state of grace and are properly disposed, receiving Communion can be a great help in resisting temptation. That's what it's there for - to strengthen and sustain us during our earthly journey. Frequent the sacrament of Confession. If you commit a mortal sin, you must be absolved of that sin in Confession before you can receive Communion. Even if you haven't committed a mortal sin, though, frequent Confession of venial sins can also be a great help.

Daily prayer and spiritual reading are good habits to get into (if you aren't already). Part of overcoming sinful habits (and attachment to worldly things, I think) is crowding them out. The more time you spend in good, holy pursuits, the less time you have for other less admirable activities. And that's without accounting for the graces you receive in prayer! I recently lost my miraculous medal - that's something I need to get replaced - but for a long time I was in the habit of, when I was feeling tempted to sin, touching the medal and offering a brief prayer for strength to the Blessed Mother.

In terms of reading recommendations, How to Resist Temptation is a good, practical help. More generally, any good, orthodox book intended to help people grow in holiness should help you to manage temptations.

Also, we are all unworthy of God's love and mercy. It is a free gift, entirely undeserved. But don't let yourself fall into despair - It's precisely to lift us out of our sinfulness that God became man and died for us. The best way that we can love Him is to accept His gift, and to return to Him every time we sin... as many times as it takes.

> If my interpretations are wrong, I do hope that God will lead me to the truth. I know that I don't know everything, and that's a good thing. I am also questioning things and I am far from having all the answers.

Can I suggest a book? I'm currently reading God and the Gay Christian. Though it isn't much new material for me, it is the first I've read that works through these in a way that still treats the Bible as infallible and still maintains a very conservative Christian voice in the process. It may or may not convince you of anything, but I think it may be the best way to look at the specific topic of homosexuality and the Bible, without having to take on a bunch of other questions about faith and the nature of the Bible and the like at the same time.

> Can I just take a moment to say how I appreciate your response, how in a kind and civilized manner your present your points without being disrespectful, edgy, or sarcastic. I want to be more like that, tbh, but that's also an issue for me at times.

Uh, thanks. I want to be more like that, too! I often vacillate between respectful and sarcastic; I'm trying to be more like how this apparently is coming through today. Here's to being a work in progress!

> But, I believe that if my neighbor is doing wrong, that you should call them out on it.

This is a good ideal to consider, along with other ideals, when deciding how to act, but is not good as a solitary rubric. It is needed... sometimes. In community. With other believers. Or when that "wrong" is hurting other people. When Jesus was explaining what "love your neighbor" meant, he used the parable of the Samaritan. No calling out, just loving. Once it was all over, once the Samaritan had loved the Traveler so much, I'm sure that he could have then called out any number of wrongdoings of the Traveler and been heard. But the calling out comes second. First is building the relationship, by loving.

Your vibration is rising, which has the multiple effects you described. Rising vibration just means you're becoming closer to the high order principles, such as Love and Truth. You now have more Love and Truth in your reality experience than before. One could also say you're being activated.

The ability to feel other people makes you an empath. The level of depth and detail of your empathic perception, especially now that you're awakening, is not something other people have. Your ability can be classed as a psychic ability. Your budding ability to see auras makes you slightly clairvoyant at this time as well. Of course as you grow all of this is subject to change.

Lots of people have experienced what you're experiencing. I've seen literally hundreds of people waking up in their own way, which usually involves discovering how reality is all connected, it's multidimensional, we can have psychic abilities, we do have souls that incarnate, and we all have a purpose to be on Earth. There's lots of stuff online for empaths and awakening people. I'll toss you a basic skeletal framework of what I think is relevant to you now. There is however, much more. Start with the ones I labeled most important and come back on later dates to the other stuff. If you try to look at all of this at once you'll burn out your mind.

Articles:

10 Signs You're an Empath

Signs and Symptoms of a Spiritual Awakening - most important

Books:

Psychic Empath Development - most important

Conversations with God: Book 1

Videos:

my seemingly out of the blue spiritual awakening experience - most important

Awakening 101 "The Field" & A story that changed my life - most important

Combo: On Synchronicity, by Carl Jung & On Synchronicity: A Reader Reflects

Teal Swan on Ascension

The 4th Dimensional Shift, What to Expect

Energy Healing to Remove Limiting Beliefs - try this and see if you can feel the energy he sends to you. It will help prove that multidimensional energy is real and can be used as a tool.

Crosspost this to r/psychic and r/Soulnexus for even more help. Browse Soulnexus, look at the posts this past few months and just start clicking stuff. It's a lot to take in at first, but you will eventually be able to synthesize it all together and understand it. Use Google and learn all the terminology and the perspectives in the new spiritual community.

Tip: you can use your emotions to tell what is right for you at a particular time. If the information contains fear or makes you feel fear or overwhelmed, it's not useful now. However, something that isn't right for you one day, you may look at again another day and get it.

If information gives you high order emotions like Love, Joy, Hope, Inspiration, etc. then that is a sign that the information is good because it contains a high degree of coherency and resonance for you. We are in a multidimensional universe and live with multidimensional bodies. Your emotions and your heart are connected to the high intelligence of the higher dimensions which is why you can use your heart to guide you in the way I described.

Now, I sent you all those links to stuff you can look at, however all of that is external and can get too confusing. Don't overwhelm yourself! The most important thing for you to do is to use your inner guidance, because your inner guidance is always right for you and doesn't lie. If you were to pick only one thing to do, you have to try directed intention meditation. While meditating, think, imagine, and ask for signs to appear in your life from your higher self or oversoul. Ask to be guided to the information you need. Ask for clarity and a smooth awakening process. You can do one of these meditations. It may take a few tries. Feel free to message me if you hit a wall or have questions.

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If you don't like your counselor, find another one.

Love is an act of the will, but knowing how to love is really tough. Sometimes we rationalize the ways we hurt our marriages because we its difficult being honest with ourselves. Sometimes we really don't know how to acknowledge and communicate our needs. Sometimes we get defensive when needs are communicated to us because we really don't know how to give more.

A new relationship isn't going to change this. A new relationship may have different dynamics, but overall the skills you both learn to make your marriage happier are skills that will help you both grow as individuals and becoming better people. Comparing a temporary exchange or a new relationship is a stranger is not a fair comparison at all.

For arguments, I would find a counselor who is familiar with attachment styles and mindfulness therapy. My husband actually has had a tendency to be verbally abusive. This therapy has helped us much. We still argue some, but we're more aware of our emotional temperature and the verbal abuse has stopped. A big thing with paying attention to your emotional temperature is to recognize that at certain emotional temperatures, nothing productive is happening. You can't think straight or reason well and so you enter a child-like mindset. Learning to discuss disagreements while remaining calm and not seeing the other as a threat is really important.

There is also the importance of identifying what ways a person feels loved. Sometimes we can put all this effort into something that would make us feel loved but actually doesn't actually make the other person feel loved.

You also might want to check out the book When Divorce Is not an option. Granted, it is written by a Catholic therapist. But he's great. This is actually the therapist my husband and I see, and the nice thing is that he does telecounseling. So we don't even have to worry about drive time. We love it. I really do think telecounseling increases your chance of going frequently enough to get the most out of it.

Like someone else already said, it is going to depend what kind of Christian you ask. Different denominations have different interpretations of the bible.

I've posted this before but I thought it may apply to your situation as well:

The bible really doesn't say too much about it at all. There are a few verses about it in the context of lust and sex alone but that is about it. I am of the opinion that you can't really take these verses and apply them to a modern understanding of homosexuality, one that includes marriage, family and committed relationships. I think when the bible was written homosexuality was thought of as being a purely sexual construct and therefore was thought to always be sinful. Just like heterosexual relationships are if they are only experienced in a sexual aspect alone. Now that we know that gay people can accomplish all the things in relationships that straight people can accomplish, I think we need to re-evaluate the concept along with our new understanding.

There are a lot of LGBT affirming churches if you think that may be of help. You may also find /r/OpenChristian to be of help. If you are interested in learning more about the bible and homosexuality from a more affirming perspective, you may find this video helpful. Matthew Vines, the guy in the video, also has a book out.

Besides the actual biblical reasons I don't believe Christians have much support for saying being gay is a sin, I also just don't think it meshes with what I was taught about God growing up. When I see a happy family that happens to include a same sex couple and their children. Maybe even one that goes to church every week and raises their kids to be good people and have faith, this just makes absolutely no sense to me. I'm sure you will hear a lot of different things here but I just wanted to provide my perspective.

Congrats on wanting to do God's will (whatever it is.) Mary is the all-time expert on that (for all of us, to be clear; but married and pregnant = bonus points), so I would have a word with her.
https://www.amazon.com/Abandonment-Divine-Providence-Image-Classics/dp/0385468717 is useful (Abandonment to Divine Providence; the Beevers translation was recommended to me.)

Sometimes I tell God that I am pretty bad at this (figuring out what to do), so if he wants me to do something he will have to make it really obvious. This works fine. I also know perfectly well that if I knew what was coming more than one step ahead I would get scared and run in the other direction, because this is a thing that I have done (then you end up having to be swallowed by a whale, which is a drag) and also because when I look back several steps it's pretty obvious that I would have; so I have told him that I am ok with being kept in the dark, figuratively speaking (I reckon he was going to do that anyway, but, it seems to me that it is polite to say that I understand this is for my own good.) Sometimes this means having to be patient because it is not time to know what the next step is because it is not time to take that step. So sometimes you are kind of left hanging, and only have the obvious "the duties of my station in life" to work on; that is ok; he has not forgotten about you.

I think he surrounding himself with all these homophobic information sources is just going to make it worse. Have you tried giving him a good book on being gay (or other information sources)?


I don't really have any to recommend unfortunately but you can probably find some good recommendations on one of the LGBT subs on reddit.


I think it would be good for him to have to other side properly explained to him.


EDIT: I've been trying to look up some good books. This one (God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines) seems pretty good so far. Building a Bridge by James Martin, Gay and Catholic by Eve Tushnet and Sexual Authenticity by Melinda Selmys also seem to be highly recommended pro-gay books on the catholic books part of amazon.


The sub r/GayChristians may also help


Like this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/GayChristians/comments/8sp5lu/im_a_christian_boy_in_high_school_and_im_gay/

Okay, this is completely my own argument so I don't have any other material to back this up beside logic. I'm not the best writer, nor a scientist, or logician so I hope I'm clear and you'll read this while giving me the benefit of the doubt. I hope also that it's the type of argument that you're looking for.

First watch this video. Parts 1 and 2.

The question that arises for me is at the point between the 4th and 5th dimensions. What they're postulating is essentially a multi-verse where at each "choice, chance, and the actions of others" create infinite universes which are slightly different than the one we're occupying.

Taking their logic from that point it's not illogical to think that there are infinite other universes with slightly different physical properties too. Not just ones that are affected by human choices. For example say a universe where gravity was slightly less and we were all taller because of it, or if we had a larger moon and the tides were higher/lower because if it. It's a neat thought.

But why stop there. Shouldn't there be infinite other universes where things are drastically different too? Like too much gravity to make even the big bang possible? Or too little to make forming planets a possibility? Or universes where the properties of gravity and light and energy etc, aren't constant, but fluctuating?

What's then to say that our universe isn't one of those with changing scientific "constants." Shouldn't we expect that at anytime the very laws of physics that hold our universe together could suddenly change?

With that in mind, it's more probable to expect that one of all the constants that make life as we know it possible will change and could at any moment. It's far less probable, infinitely so, that all of those things stay the same second after second, much less day after day or millennium after millennium.

I believe that God is the force that holds all those things constant. "He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

A great book that discusses the constants we take for granted for life is God The Evidence by Patrick Glynn.

I hope that's the sort of thing you're looking for and let me know if you'd like any clarification. With the holidays coming up it may be difficult.

Good luck with your quest!

Hey! I'm not an actual member yet, but I am working toward it! I'm very involved with Opus Dei and recommend it profusely since its where I feel spiritually at home.

It is a prelature of the Catholic Church founded in the early twentieth century by Saint Josemaría Escrivá who was a very charismatic priest. The main philosophy is that the common layman is called to sainthood as much as priests and the religious.

You can become involved in the work (opus means work in latin) by visiting your local center. They offer talks, guidance and other forms of teaching that will nourish you spiritually and allow you to continue to grow in the faith. The main ideal is that you are never done knowing Jesus, and that there is always room to grow in your relationship and understanding of him, and his church. The most important part of the services that they offer is that their priests will bend over backwards to offer you spiritual direction, which is essentially periodic meetings where you discuss your relationship with Jesus, ask questions and discuss about the faith, society, the church, etc.

This is a video of Saint Josemaría on one of his talks in the late 70's. I also highly recommend reading his book The Way.

TL;DR: They help you grow in the faith all throughout your life, and groom you to be a Saint.

Edit: fixed where I wrote Opus Day instead of Opus Dei.

I am aware of nada yoga, which I believe has connections to music:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C4%81da_yoga

I am also aware of the concept of pasyanti in Kashmir Shaivism which states that metal stringed instruments are gross pasyanti, which should allow one to enter some sort of samadhi. For a more general view of Kashmir Shaivism on music, there is this excerpt from an article that can be found here:

>In aesthetics music has a very special role. The power of music is highly appreciated in Kashmir Shaivism. It is included as an important aid to spiritual attainment and forms an important sadhana in the process of spiritual growth. In the process of universal manifestation explained earlier, ETHER (Akasa) is the finest of the categories of physical objects (Panch Mahabutas). Similarly, sound is the finest of the five specific sense perceptions (tanmatras). Thus sound or music is most effective in subduing body - consciousness and arousing the dormant blissfulness of pure consciousness.

>As per Vijnanabhairava, the pleasure aroused by song and music is accepted as a means to enter into the state of pure and blissful consciousness: "Yogins, experiencing their oneness with some incomparable pleasure aroused by the experience of objects like sweet songs etc. and fixing their mental attentiveness on it, find unity with the Absolute Lord through a practice of absorption in this kind of phenomenon (Vijnanabhairava, 73)"

Finally, you may want to check out the book The Mysticism of Sound and Music by Hazrat Inayat Khan which, while largely from a Sufi perspective, touches on native Indic traditions regarding music as a yogic tool.

I know what you mean. This book honestly helped me.
My experience was not an easy one. My relationship with God continues to be a big part of my life. But there was a period of time there that I turned away, afraid of what I was becoming. Afraid of not being accepted by God. It was a huge low point in my life. I realized I couldn’t accept myself as a gay woman and ignore my love for Christ. I also knew I would never be happy denying the feelings I have for women. At that point I slowly began to rebuild my relationship with Christ and accept my true self. There were definitely days that I took several leaps backwards. But I kept on, and I’m happier. I hope that some day I find someone with whom I can share not only my life but my faith with as well.
I also suggest following r/openchristian, maybe reposting there as well. There are plenty of people in our community who have gone through this. I’ll be praying for you 🤓. Feel free to pm me as well if you need to talk.

If anything, UU churches are probably one of the more welcoming faiths towards nontheists of any stripe.

The UU welcomes a huge variety of viewpoints and faiths , and atheists are more than welcome. Secular humanism is actually one of the six Sources for the UU, and its actually very pro-science. You'll find it to be very liberal, very open, and have a wide range of ideas. Like one previous poster said, you do need to be open minded and be willing to accept a number of different belief systens even if you don't agree with it. Otherwise you're good to go. I'll also note that atheists are allowed to become UU ministers and officers in the church alongside theists.

These are two good resources for finding out more about the UU.

https://www.uua.org/

https://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Faith-Introduction-Unitarian-Universalism-ebook/dp/B009U9S77K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1541378367&sr=1-1&keywords=a+chosen+faith

I strongly believe that God has MANY paths for you. Some are rocky. Some are long. Some are uphill. Some are under water or mountains or through swamps with twisting paths that you can't hardly see where the next bend will take you!

Since non of us ULTIMATELY know what God's "chosen" path is for us, (And there shouldn't just be one because if we only had one path and could not deviate from it, that would be autonomy and not a life lived with free-will and choice), we can't be expected to never stray or veer off course.

Jesus knows BEST what path will ultimately bring us to the greatest happiness, ultimate fulfillment and best use of our talents and gifts in this world to bring glory to His father. Especially since He was Man and understands our plight intimately!

What it really sounds like you need to try is true discernment.

• Pray on your decisions.
  
• Look forward and back and decide will this truly bring me closer to God? Is this something He would want me to do?
  
• Will this make ME happy in the short run? Or is this a long-term choice?
  
• Do I feel at peace when I talk to God and pray about this?
  
  Regret and doubt are tough things, as are determining whether the voice inside your head is God's will or your conscience speaking for him. We often PRAY to God but it's really more talking at him....a conversation is speaking...then listening. I usually fail at the latter myself!
  
  Highly recommend Matthew Kelly's new books Perfectly Yourself and Resisting Happiness which both deal largely with this material.

I have this one on my shelf and the price is pretty cheap. The pages on mine are still white. It doesn't include "Questions sur les Miracles" but it looks really interesting. Relevant.

The english translation of God and Human Beings available on amazon looks interesting. A reader commented on it:

"This book is a sustained attack against the "truth" of the Bible. Voltaire starts by analyzing the cultural influences on the first Hebrew settlements. He believes that the evidence clearly shows that the Jewish faith was based upon a hodge podge of various regional beliefs which the early Hebrews took and plastered together into a national myth, which was not religionized until the elite were taken as hostage by the Babylonians and, as exiles, transferred these myths into a religion. In particular, he alleges the a regional myth regarding the greek god Bacchus is nearly identical to the Moses story. I cannot say whether this is true or not nor did I find independent confirmation when doing a quick internet search.

Next, he analyzes the stories found in the Old Testament and finds each and every Patriarch and Prophet is described doing such reprehensible acts that any sane person would find the Old Testament a morality tale regarding how not to live a valued life rather than a celebratory tale of good, honest men. He points out that the early Hebrews were celebrated for raiding and slaughtering entire villages, an act which any moral man should find evil, not laudable. He also notes that David is effectively described as a brigand and an adulterer who purposely placed his best friend in a position to be killed so he could continue a sexual relationship with said friend's wife without being caught. Again, he is disgusted that such a person is not only praised but held up as the paragon of a "holy man". "

> I'm looking for reading material, lectures, anything that can help me in my journey back to the church.

I believe that the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, will be the greatest help to you. In the sacraments we encounter Jesus, instead of simply learning about him. Learning is important too, of course.

That said,
more (free) lectures than you can shake a stick at:
https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/

Some spiritual reading (Paid):

How to Resist Temptation A short book that does an excellent job of clearing up some common misconceptions about temptations and how we respond to them.

The Last Superstition A polemical book, which can be off-putting to a meek soul, but it provides a very accessible explanation of the philosophical framework of the Church.



Some spiritual reading (Free):
Story of A Soul The story of St. Therese of Lisieux's "little way," which saw her promoted to be a doctor of the Church.

The Practice of the Presence of God Brother Lawrence describes his spirituality, which involved being in constant prayer.

The Great Divorce A gentle, fictional introduction to Purgatory.

Is there a specific topic you want to read more about?

Oh wow. As to specific books. Hmm. That's sort of all over the place but each one had something to offer. The ones I remember are:

• Conversations with God books 1 and 2.
  
  
• The Power of Now
  
  
• Sacred Heart Yoga
  
  
• Change You Aura Change Your Life
  
  
• Children Who Remember Previous Lives
  
  
• Old Souls
  
  
• Dreams, Evolution and Value Fulfillment
  
  
• A New Earth
  
  
• Practicing the Power of Now
  
  
• The Chakra Deck and The Walking Deck
  
  
• Some books by Doreen Virtue
  
  
• Some books by Deepak Chopra
  
  Books on my list to read:
  
  
• The Mind Made Prison
  
  
• The Untethered Soul
  
  
• The 7 Ancient Keys to Happiness
  
  
• Zen and the Perception of Happiness
  
  
• Making Sense of People
  
  
• The End of Your World
  
  
• Flow
  
  
• Starting from the End
  
  
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Dummies
  
  I have also dabbled in the study of Zen and a few types of Buddhism, Tao, other Eastern Religions and philosophies as well as some Western religions, ho'oponopono, mindfulness and reiki.
  
  Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle have some good techniques for separating yourself from your ego.

> It just that Corinthians 6:9 says that Practicing Homosexuals go to Hell

Actually the verse doesn't say that. It literally says:

οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται οὔτε κλέπται οὔτε πλεονέκται, ⸀οὐ μέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν θεοῦ ⸆ κληρονομήσουσιν.

There is great debate about what ἀρσενοκοῖται (which has been translated as "homosexual") actually meant. 1st century Greeks didn't have committed, monogamous same-sex relationships in their mindset like we have today, and the word was certainly referring to something that was in their mindset. Once we figure that out, we can then go on to applying it to today's culture and language. Matthew Vines' God and the Gay Christian has an in depth look at that verse.

As to the title of your post [with priests and clergy spreading lies], please know that they all don't. You have to find the good ones. I've visited churches, gone up after the service, and asked the pastors point blank what their stance is on same sex relationships. Don't be fooled by the "oh we love gay people" line. Ask specifically, "would you marry a same-sex couple?" That'll bring their true colors out. Or if you don't want to go down in person, you can just email the church or message them on facebook and ask if they marry same-sex couples.

If you haven't yet, please look into the Gay Christian Network. I think many Christians today have lost sight of Jesus' message, and I think the GCN is a great organization that is trying to recapture it, especially in regards to LGBT people.

Hey bro, I'm so sorry to hear that this happened. Don't know where you are now (school and away, living at home while working, etc?) Regardless, it's probably really tough. But know that there's a ton of support out there! In terms of popular literature you could give your parents, there's Torn by Justin Lee and God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines. I wish you the absolute best of luck on traversing this next step in your coming out journey. It won't be easy, but you've made it this far. Here if you need an ear. Sending you positive vibes and a giant brohug :)

You're not alone! I've deconstructed a lot of the ridiculous fundy beliefs that I was raised with but Jesus is far too compelling to let go of. It's amazing how much bad theology isn't clearly reflected in scripture (which is also plainly fully of errors). You may find some support and refuge in places like:

The Liturgists Podcast and community

Books like Shameless or Jesus Feminist or God and the Gay Christian

Progressive churches (which you might locate more easily using Church Clarity)

Subreddits like /r/openChristian or /r/gayChristians

I'm sorry for all the ways that the church and cultural Christianity has been confusing and hurtful. If you ever want to chat some time feel free to send me a message. <3

There are very few but extremely detailed books, some with veryfiable scientific formulas, that are psychic channelings and explain everything in great detail. The easiest one to understand is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AYJIJ2S/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Try reading through the reviews but this book goes on for 9 books and explains the whole matrix bit by bit and answers many life secrets.

The other 4 or 5 sources I found say the same thing except in varying detail. This book will open up your mind like nothing before. I have a psychology degree and I learned more about life from this book.

Interesting letter. I hadn't heard of that resource yet. I haven't read the whole thing, but I saw the numbered points and I largely agreed with them. Have you read Matthew Vines' God and the Gay Christian? It's been helpful for lots of people I know.

>I'm really, really worried about choosing the wrong thing here. If I do choose to be in a relationship with a guy and get to heaven and find out that it was a sin, would I be sent to hell?

Honestly, this is something that I -- as a gay Christian -- have wrestled with. It's scary. But I remind myself of the flip-side of that question. God has come bringing liberation and freedom. Who am I to slow down the movement of the Holy Spirit? What will happen to those who get in the way of God's liberating justice? It's beat into the heads of Side A Christians to fear the possibility of being wrong -- but we never talk about how Side B folks need to be wary of the potential consequences of being wrong.

>What's the most accepting denomination? I'm trying to find an LGBT affirming/friendly church near me, but I live in a small town in Alabama and that's really hard.

This and this site can be helpful in finding an affirming church. It's tough in smaller towns in the South. That's where I come from too. In addition to looking at those websites, calling your local Episcopal or UCC church may be an option.

>I could use some prayers. I'm not out to my parents yet, and I'm terrified about how they're going to react. If you guys could pray that I have the courage to tell them and that they react semi-well, that'd be great.

Praying for you! Coming out is tough. If you need any advice, feel free to pm me. I came out to non-affirming parents a couple years ago (I was about 21). My only advice now would be to weigh your options: is there any chance your parents will react in a way that hurts you physically or emotionally or financially? I waited to come out to them until I was done with college and independent, because I wasn't completely sure I'd be okay before then.

You might be interested in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-God-Radical-Nondual-Judaism/dp/1590306716

>This exploration of the radical, yet ancient, idea that everything and everyone is God will transform how you understand your life and the nature of religion itself. While God is conventionally viewed as an entity separate from us, there are some Jews—Kabbalists, Hasidim, and their modern-day heirs—who assert that God is not separate from us at all. In this nondual view, everyone and everything manifests God. For centuries a closely guarded secret of Kabbalah, nondual Judaism is a radical reorientation of religious life that is increasingly influencing mainstream Judaism today.
>
>Writer and scholar Jay Michaelson presents a wide-ranging and compelling explanation of nondual Judaism: what it is, its traditional and contemporary sources, its historical roots and philosophical significance, how it compares to nondual Buddhism and Hinduism, and how it is lived in practice. He explains what this mystical nondual view means in our daily ego-centered lives, for our communities, and for the future of Judaism.

> She told me she didn't believe in being kind. I said that that's the HEART of Catholicism. Yelp.

This made me think of Fr Lovasik's The Hidden Power of Kindness, which was published in 1962. Probably too close to Vat II for any rad trad, but it shows how kindness is very important in Catholicism. It's also a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the great suggestions you’ve already gotten, you might try giving him some books that help normalize his experiences - this article and this list might be good places to start. There’s also this book I just came across, which I don’t know anything about beyond the amazon reviews but might be helpful for him to hear from a religious authority.

A good one and a good guy (actually got to meet him) is [Mike Gendron - Preparing for Eternity] (http://www.amazon.com/Preparing-Eternity-Mike-Gendron/dp/0971700931)

I wouldn't say, hey this is fully reformed work, but as a former RCC, he does a really good job of showing the error of RCC.

Then there's always the amazing works of James White who is Reformed - especially [The Roman Catholic Controversy] (http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Catholic-Controversy-James-White/dp/1556618190/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426166278&sr=1-1&keywords=roman+catholic+controversy)

My dad is reading a book called "God: The Evidence"....For a guy that is super smart and works in very high tech industry and has to use reason and evidence to justify his job duties...I am saddened.

second of all, he's been a christian for about 20 years or so....so I'm not sure why he is even reading that...I guess aside from the general confirmation bias.

It takes all I have in me to not make a sly remark and say something like : "so...any nobel prizes awarded for that book yet?" ...sigh...

Also: You may be interested in Conversations with God. Taken with a grain of salt, it's a pretty good treatment on this subject.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/God-Gay-Christian-Matthew-Vines/dp/160142518X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LMEMKFQX4BKV&keywords=god+and+the+gay+christian&qid=1564563581&s=gateway&sprefix=god+an%2Caps%2C235&sr=8-1 is a good book that may sway your dad to accept gay people, depending on if he is a misguided christian or a i hate gays because i am a 'christian' 'christian' do/call yourself what you feel most comfortable with and do what makes you happy, if that is coming out then come out if you want to wait wait, if you never feel like coming out don't and because your parents are seperated at least if you tell him the consequences are minimal, if you are in danger mental or physical don't come out. wish you luck

Yeah I hear that. I like kneeling without the kneeler and kneeling while receiving communion.

It just depends on why you're doing it.

If you're doing it so other people around you, then yeah that's pride.

Go talk to a priest.

Get a spiritual director.

Read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Patience-Humility-William-Ullathorne/dp/0918477743

Good work!

Also, if you're interested in some deep exposures of the effects of Christianity upon humanity, you might want to check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Not-Great-Faith-Fails/dp/1616149566

I just bought the book, and reading the book's foreword blew me away. Can't wait to get further into it!

Also:

https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Delusion-Why-Faith-Fails/dp/1616141689

https://www.amazon.com/End-Christianity-John-W-Loftus/dp/1616144130

I strongly recommend you read God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships by Matthew Vines.

19% of Amazon Reviews are 1 star, and 67% are 5 stars. This basically means that people that already agreed with it, loved it, because of confirmation bias, and the 1/5th of people who didn't agree with it and read it without confirmation bias...hated it.

https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-God-Uncommon-Dialogue-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B00AYJIJ2S/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=avp_only_reviews

Leaving the Fold

Leaving the Fold: Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists

Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist

Why I Am Not a Muslim

Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships

In Search of the Light: The Adventures of a Parapsychologist

Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back

HAVE THEM READ THE BOOK GOD AND THE GAY CHRISTIAN. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET THEM TO REALIZE HOMOSEXUALITY ISN'T AS INCOMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY, PARTICULARLY THE NEW TESTAMENT/COVENANT, AS PEOPLE THINK. IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME TO VOICE THEIR OPINION TO YOU, THEY MAY BE WILLING TO PUT IN A LITTLE MORE TIME TO REALLY CHECK OUT THE SUBJECT.

Abandonment to Divine Providence

Also meditate frequently on the line in the Our Father, "Thy will be done." Recall that this is a petition to the Lord.

A few days ago, she posted on her Instagram story that she was reading a self-help book called Resisting Happiness. Amazon Link

The Hidden Power of Kindness: A Practical Handbook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World, One Deed at a Time

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-God-Radical-Nondual-Judaism/dp/1590306716 is a great book purely about Judaism practiced with a non-dual understanding of G!d

https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Judaism-Reconstructionist-Rebecca-Alpert/dp/093545750X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499893449&sr=1-1&keywords=a+reconstructionist+approach
is about reconstructionism in general but goes over the reconstructionist view on G!d which is largely non-dual, and a lot more exploratory on how G!d exists than the more rigid sects.

You may want to read God and the Gay Christian.

Read God and the Gay Christian.

Josemaría Escrivá’s The Way is manly as it comes.