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Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

(posted today at http://www.progressiveislam.org in responce to Laury Silvers story of her religious conversion)

Laury! Powerful story!

Thanks for sharing.

I could see this as a novel, made into a movie.

One of the most amazing people I ever met was a mountain of a man, born Irish, raised Catholic, who literarly practiced and learned every known religion. He became a Sikh, and always dressed and lived as a Sikh. But he also took Sufi initiation, as well as Hare Krishna initiation.

He had such a sense of humor too! He said that a Catholic priest once asked his crusty old grandfather "What religion are you?" The grandfather answered "Mine is the OLDEST RELIGION in the world. I try to be a nice guy."

My friend explained to me that whenever he is with the Hindus, in his mind he says "I'm dancing with the idolators" and whenever he is with the Sufis he says, in his mind, "I'm chanting with the meat-eaters." "You have to keep a certain balance!" he said, and we both laughed.

Anyway, my Sikh-Sufi-Vaishnav friend explained one day that one of the great spiritual problems that each person faces, regardless of religion, is to overcome the tremendous bitterness they feel towards God for having created them in the world to suffer.

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