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Along these lines, for a while on my blog I wrote posts in a series called "Fundamentalist Fridays." Here's one about Christian Nationalism, which has become more front-and-center in this country than when I wrote this post in 2017. Enjoy! christian nationalism.pdf

Hear that, Mike? Are you still going at it, a paragraph a week?

One of the things for me post Way journey that opened up seeing how egotistical the fundamentalist view we had was having a couple of close friends from other religions. A work colleague who is Muslim I spoke with about beliefs over the course of about 5 years. I saw him become involved with and give a lot of time and money to a charity placing orphans from another country with families in US. I saw the good done in his life and knew God had to recognize it. On the other hand most Christians I knew would never do anything like that. Faith is supposed to motivate ourselves toward the best version of ourselves possible. Yet what I saw in the Way was other types of motivation. Fear, lust, selfishness, power. Thoughts and attitudes which galvanized evil not good. For many it was not the best but their worst version of themselves emerging. Another friend I have spoken with over a decade plus about faith is a devout Chan Buddhist raised from birth. The more I embrace of his faith the more he is drawn to Christ. I wonder if that’s a Zen energy type of thing. Anyway where I am at is if someone finds a spark that draws out the best version of themselves I support them pursuing it. And Christians can more reflect Christ pretty much always for sure. To strive for betterment is a worthy goal.

Tread lightly, the ice is thin in spots.

Forgive me if my view is that cleaning windows with headphones on and AOS orchestra in the background clearly represents way more of a handicap than I have ever dealt with. You are in my prayers.

Reminds me of Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and prolific author who connected with Buddhists in Asia. Are you familiar with him? In his final letter he wrote, "In my contacts with these new friends, I also feel a consolation in my own faith in Christ and in his dwelling presence. I hope and believe he may be present in the hearts of all of us."

Moral Benefits of Wisdom 2 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

I can see the practicality of Alan Watts' quote about facing the fear of the unknown. In one way, it reminds me of being in a relationship with God. Christians are challenged by God to face our fears. He wants to push our self-made boundaries, leap out of our personal comfort zones and accept what life puts before us. When we as His much-loved children accept these challenges and are sincerely curious in seeing how He wants to work in us to overcome them, this curiosity will open us up to an infinite stream of His possibilities (Phil 2:13, Eph 3:20).

Hi Rocky, yes to your first question and unlikely to your second, but it is an interesting question. I can think of only one exception and that would be if God leads me to read it for some purpose of His. Not trying to be sanctimonious - just my personal reason concerning myself.