Is this a full circle moment or what! Interesting time to take a look back at the entirety of our discussion.

This thread started out validating a quest for spiritual understanding of 'the way to God'. Foregive me for my over simplification. It was never a challenge to Christian teachings per say since all who have come here share a common faith in the same God and in the love of Jesus. The discussion for me began as a challenge to the exclusivity of religious doctine and its impact on one's personal journey to knowing God and living in accordance to his laws, principals, guidence, truth.

We freely shared how the question of 'one way to God' impacts our faith and explored with each other how ideas of inclusion of similar, though not the same thoughts have brought us to a place of our own understandings of God and Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the spirit within. Our conscience, our spiritual essense that connects us with God and by which we commune with God.

We explored inclusion until it took us to the edge of where good and evil are standing right next to each other. Where the line between them starts to fade a little.

We came to appreciate the danger of spirit influences that can deceive and take people places they aren't prepared or advised to go. Places not of God. Though again we see difference we find agreement among us that the word of God is the source of truth and goodness and light. Emersed in God's word we are led to greater understandings while being protected from energies that can cause harm to our faith and our spiritual journey. Emersed in God's word we are given the gift of descernment to know the source of our worship, the source of our understanding. Emersed in the word of God we are kept grounded in our faith. Journey too far away from the word of God requires us to consciously refer back to the source. Back to the word of God.

Now we have come full circle again whereby our individual interpretations of staying close to the source, emersed in God's word, have spun us into the areas of our individual interests and perhaps even needs for inclusion. We are connected again to the search for a balance between spiritual faith and religious doctine in ways that don't block or bind but open and liberate.

What has the circle shown us? I can only speak for me but the circle has shown me again the importance of balance. When one goes to extremes whether in thought or in deed one risks loosing balance. And for the circle to continue balance must be maintained.

What, where is the balance in this exploration for me? To heed the reminders that not all energies in our world are working for good. I'm reminded that sacred writings, foremost the Bible, and the teachings are used to align me to the same truth that has become my turth. The truth of God. As a follower of Christ and his teachings I hold sacred the stories of earthly journeys and the messages given to me. Know me and you know the way. Follow me and you will sit with me and know your true essense. Know your true spirit. Know the way of your life that is through me, through my example of living in peace amid evil in all its forms and temptations.

How do I take this full circle moment and move forward in my journey to greater spiritual awareness? For me the balance remains in that place of tolerance and respect for all other's who find themselves on similar journeys. Who cloked in the word of God, emersed in the love of God dwell together in the places of God. At times the path to follow is narrow so that I am not led astray from the kingdom of God. At other times the path is broad that I might explore the diversity of the kingdom. My rock, my centre remains firmly in the presense of God as my source, my beginning and my end.

While I seek greater awareness and understanding of the kingdom of God I rest in the witness of Jesus and the word of God. Words in sacred books that are in agreement with the Bible that I meditate upon and transcent through to reach my higher power. I again realign my acceptance and tolerance of the Church and all of its imperfections that I might not loose the ties that do bind us together in faith. I get that some in the Church need the way to always be narrow. I happen to be one who likes the broad path. To be right or wrong is not as important to me as to be on the right side. The right side of God, sitting at the right side, the side of royalty, next to the God of love, truth and devine fellowship.

Full circle.... tolerance for diversity. Appreciation of positive and negative energies. Acceptance of one true, living God. Amazement of how one God can reach the hearts and minds of all people, from within all cultural influences, from all life circumstances and still be revealed as the one true God that people see, feel, hear and touch from their own private place of searching. No matter where they come from, where they have been, the pathway of their life's journey, God has them in his hands. Has us all in his hands together in the faith that comes from knowing him.

Full circle balancing faith and expressions of faith that keep my heart and mind open in a spirit of wisdom, truth and goodness.

I know I went off-topic but thought it timely to share that observation. Pray none are offended and all is balanced. That the cirlce may always be unbroken.

Walk in beauty..... walk in peace.