Thurman posted the following questions on Progressive Faith Blog Con Blog, which I want to answer.

What are your concerns and/or questions?

I have to admit, I have concerns with the Progressive Faith Blog Con. The last PFBC which occurred I could not attend, however I eagerly read every last word written on the event. What I noticed was a distinct lack of non-Abrahamic faith participants. I know there was a Buddhist and at least one Pagan, but their voices were overwhelmed by Abraham’s Children. Being the first year there were not many participants. I know how hard it is to get people to commit to spending a weekend far away, especially when a bunch of strangers — who you’ve regarded with suspicion in the past (and it may well be those also look at you with caution due to their experiences) — will be abundant. Pagans are notoriously difficult to get to commit, so I’m not surprised only one attended. What I would like to see is the active outreach to Pagans by PFBC organizers — and to other non-Abramhamic faith bloggers such as Hindu, Sikh, Wiccans, etc.

If you could gather a dozen progressive faith bloggers at a single table, what would you want to discuss?

There are a few things I would like to discuss. How we became faithful and how we will each use our faith to make this a better world. Walk away from the conference with a plan to discuss how to solve one problem in our own communities with the help of our faithful blogger friends.

I would like to meet Chris Tessone and Rachel Barenblat. I would also like to meet some other bloggers who have not necessarily heard of the PFBC but could offer voices not often heard.

What is our role in the blogosphere/public sphere/local church/worldwide body of believers?

Every journey begins with a first step. Before the world can be affected by the PFBC, we must affect ourselves and our fellow PFBC participants. Our ripple will take some time to move outward to the planet at large. So I say we create a roll in our own community, the move outward, riding each gentle ripple until the whole world feels our wake.

Do we share goals, values, and/or favorite pizza toppings?

It would seem if we’re sitting at a table, we must share goals and values. Goals and values such as inclusiveness and acceptance. Of understanding and compassion.  Of learning without judging, of making life a little easier for our human neighbor. For acknowledging the pain we have caused each other and how we can heal those wounds to show compassion to a fellow human being. Of how to make friends and connections across the miles, oceans, and sky.

As for pizza toppings, I’m a big fan of cheese pizza. Sometimes I like onions on my pizza pie.

Is a blogcon necessary or even desirable? Yes desirable. And possibly necessary.

This post 9/11 world needs connection more than ever. We cannot let a small group of people undermine decades of peaceful desires. And we can prevent further hatred by sharing wealth, power, and knowledge. By being transparent and open. Of holding our hearts in our hands, outstretched in front of us for all to see.

What can we do together that we cannot alone?

Make connections. Tell our stories. Be authentic. Share. Understanding and accepting. Love unconditionally. Inclusive. That is what we do together

A few weeks ago I wrote about seeing a picture of a distant relative and how familiar her eyes looked. Yesterday I met another distant relative. My soul reacted the same way. It was as if Soul knew MFM from long ago. As if Soul, and maybe Spirit, knew this woman’s own soul and spirit from long ago.

It got me thinking to spirits, souls, reincarnation. I started to wonder if our Souls are born over and over again in our descendants, to meet each other time and time again as sisters, cousins, mothers and daughters, and everything in between. And could it be that personalities became mismatched? Say, for instance, I am the mother and my mother is the daughter. To me. It would make for a difficult adjustment if I was to learn to follow instead of lead.

The first woman I wrote about, KAW, and I have not met–at least not since we were wee–and yet I could see in her eyes a familiar-ness, a knowing of the person who lies beneath. With MFM, whom I did meet, I felt the same: as if I had looked into her eyes eons ago. As if I had known her love as a sibling.

Whether the other two women felt this connection I have no idea. There is the distinct possibility they would think me odd at the very minimum. But these emotions I *know* within the depths of my being. I have met their souls before. Maybe that is why I think we all look similar. Maybe it’s just a longing for connection.

And maybe it’s all that.

It was a busy weekend indeed. I went down to Massachusetts to visit with friends and family. First I went to dinner with my paternal side to celebrate my grandmother’s 86th birthday. She very much enjoyed having her clan around her. She pinked up with pride knowing all of us (except Rebecca and Wolf) came out to see her on her birthday.

Second, on Saturday, I was in Boston for an anti-war rally. About 5000 people were there despite the gray, humid weather. Thankfully the rain held off until after the march was over.

Third, I had brunch with MFM on Sunday, which I quite enjoyed. I’m sure I sounded a little idiotic rambling on and on, but I do that when I’m nervous. Despite my nervousness, I believe I made a connection and hope to start on the writing project with her as my partner. I feel it’s too big a project for me to do by myself. I would like other lines of our family to become partners of this project also, but thus far I’ve not been able to make connections.

The project I speak of is to write a “comprehensive” family history. Right now what I have is a list of names and dates which isn’t compelling reading. I want to incorporate stories of individuals, and of individual families, along with pictures and oral histories/herstories to give the reader a broad overview of our family, how we’ve changed class (from the “poor” to the working to the middle), how the roles of our women have changed, how each of us was raised and what our expectations for future members of our family are.

The Jens were awesome and put me up for the weekend. I got to see their new house in East Boston and all the work they’ve done to it: tiling, pergoting, painting, etc. It was nice to see them in their own home instead of a rented place with a leaky ceiling.

Overall it was a good weekend. Next weekend we’re leaving for Pennsylvania to celebrate Samhain. Actually, we’re leaving on Thursday and will return on Sunday.

I was going to take the comments off moderation but I found 162 spams waiting to be posted so I decided to leave the comment settings as they are.

If you want to get in touch with me, or make a comment which I will upload, email me at h0wlinghill (at) yahoo.

How is the seed exchange going?

Last night I went to a small, quick ritual over at Silverwolf’s. There were six of us, which makes for an intimate event. The ceremony itself was very short because Silverwolf and his wife are having a big Samhain ceremony on Nov. 3. I will be in Pennsylvania at Four Quarters so I won’t be able to attend.This is the first ritual I’ve been to in a couple months. Since I started working, I just haven’t had the time nor energy to get motivated to go to Silverwolf’s. But I’m glad I managed to work up enough last night. Although it wasn’t a particularly fulfilling ritual, it was enough to whet my appetite and get my spiritual engine running again.

I need to get back on track and read over the stuff DME sent me two months ago. I also need to read my Ann Moura books.

Slowly my desire to read, and my ability to connect, is returning.

I’ve had to change the comment settings, again, because I’m getting spammed to death. Send me an email h0wlinghill (at) yahoo if you want to comment and I’ll put it up (wo)manually.

That’s a zero between the “h” and “w”, btw.

Which planet is bright in the south eastern sky at 6am at this time of year? I don’t think it was Venus, but it may be Mars. Whomever it is, it is quite bright in the darkness just before the dawn.