I was in a good space before the car wreck with my God, a practicing catholic of great faith and belief. My faith was enhance by my loss (sometimes you have to loose what you have to understand your true Being) as difficult as that may sound and to believe, I would go through it all again to be where I’m at in my understanding of God. Struggles happen to all people with much faith and belief as well as to people with little faith or no belief, it’s how you handle it that matters.

I now feel I did find my way home and want to share it with you if you allow me. I got to experience what a dying person gets to experience due to that car wreck caused by a 28 year old preacher. He left behind a loving wife and 3 children. He gave a sermon just 2 weeks before; “When it’s your time to go.” Same day as the car wreck I was being awarded a bid for a job leaving the state but instead I was left in a coma for 3 weeks, a 5% chance to live, 7 surgeries, died twice, then after I awoke and on the third day in rehab when I was learning to re-walk again, a valve in my heart ruptured. I now had to put rehab on hold and due light duty to gain strength, also to let my open surgical wound heal before that open heart surgery a month down the road. I had to ask myself; “Did God just give me this time so I could say good bye?” That would be the kind of relationship my God and I have. Bottom line is…heaven didn’t want me and hell didn’t want me either. So here I AM. Many have told me that God must have a purpose for my life. You can decide. Right now this is the Best and Grandest of self that I can be.

In my rediscovering of self I turned to other spiritual teachers outside of the fear based teachings of organized religion. My church parish had a great Lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender support group (LGBT) and when I speak of the fear of the church it’s as an institution and not on a personal level or as a community label. I share with you these teachers that helped me bring knew thought of a God without a hell. Non-judgmental thinkers who have sought after and have found God through their own experiences in life and now share it with you. So now you too can have a Oneness with God if you allow. May God’s peace be with you as you find your own way home.

God is experiencing your pain and struggles, along with everything else. In all fairness to the God within, did we create the situation we’re in through our concept and expectations of God?

When you don’t like something…change your thoughts about it. As you go throughout the day you should be feeling one of 3 or all 3 of these emotions or your not in tune with life. Acceptance/Enjoyment/Enthusiasm. Peace, Love, Joy, Happiness are all things experienced in heaven. You can live heave on earth as surly you can live hell. Don’t like something then change your thoughts about it.
Jesus could have stopped the crucifixion had he too had choices. The question then is, why didn’t he?

My own opinion is that people were making Jesus into an idol as being God, and for Jesus to redirect the attention back onto God he had to show that even by death mankind can not get around the eternal. Jesus found his self-realization of who he was and I’m finding mine as I would wish for everyone. It’s the wonder of the peace within and the opportunity to experience new experiences without labeling them good or bad. I now want to wish that for you . In time we’ll all find our own way home. It’s called God’s unconditional love. As humans many people argue that we can’t experience giving unconditional love, and yes I say they are correct in that statement. I could not do that when I was the doer, (Doer means being the human I was doing this and doing that.) After the car wreck I was no longer the doer, then who was I? All I had left was my mind. Standing back and observing the situation I found my true Beingness. I was no longer a human being having a spiritual experience, I was now a spiritual being being having a human experience. What a difference and we’ll all have to face that some day. From my experience, it’s not the love you leave behind that matters and counts, it’s the love you take with you that matters. All that other B.S. in life doesn’t matter.

Find Your Own Damn Way Home, I found
Mine! Love, Michael

“As we become One with God, I /We perceived God as the magnificent dweller at the center of our consciousness, and I know that the divine indwelling God to be my very self.”

So the question then is asked; “Who Is God?”

Do you know yourself as God or do you just imagine yourself to be like God?

God is ALL Love from what the catholic church has taught me. Do we have the love within US to be God, or even God like? The UNCONDITIONAL Love of God surpasses all human knowledge. So can we really love unconditionally , equal to God? What’s stopping us? God create us to experience life through, and in doing so God could now experience Gods own magnificences instead of just imagining them. For God knew itself to be all love. But God didn’t know what true love was so God had to take from Gods self and create us, and in doing so, God gave essence of self to be our souls striving to get back to that perfect pure love of God. Our soul seeks to find it’s equal to God status. So now then I ask you to support “The Rainbow Sash Movement” which also believes Marriage equality is a struggle for the best that we find in ourselves, not the worst, as some religious leaders want to promote.

Please I ask, if you perceive God to be the magnificent dweller of the universe of consciousness within you and you within it. Help create a world based on love and not fear. Love and fear are the only two emotions God created and our souls know. All other emotions are sub-emotions from one of those two. Love and fear directs everything we do in life and the choice we make in life. Through the self-realization of that we all can find our equal to God status as being all love.

?If Gods love surpasses all human knowledge then why would we question the love between a man and another man, or woman and another woman? Marriage is the sacrament of love and look what that love has brought us to. Why do straight people fear gay relationships? The delusional fears of the Catholic church has brought about a living hell for many gays like myself. Those fears has spread to our work places and schools. Here is a link to understand the realization of the problem. Allow your self this realization of life.

Click here to watch this special video. Joel Burns tells gay teens “it gets better” http://www.joelburns.com

Please stop the murders and suicides of gays and/or presumed gays who have been condemned by the fear based teachings of our church, and help me turn it into its intended purpose as a place to give Honor and Glory to God. A place for us to give thanks for the self-realization of whom we are. God is all love and fear is the part that brings out the true meaning of love. That is it’s intended purpose and yet we condemn it. The sin is calling it bad. Without fear we wouldn’t know what true love is within us. We are told so often “fear not” and yet we do. Why? Do we doubt God? Instead we’ve made God out to be the devils equal (that God might actually inflict punishment and suffering) and fear that God could even lose this war with Satan

?

When you preach to us/me gays sitting in the pew during our celebration of Gods love. I wonder if a conscious feeling of love will over take you, or if your fears over take good consciousness. Please live in your “Now” moment, not in the past or the present but the “Now” and in good consciousness spread the word of Gods love without conditions on it.

God does not do what we can do for ourselves. Finding our “Equal to God” status is your souls journey. Please Help me and many others change the collective thoughts of God being a God to fear. Our “Now” experience is one of fear, not love. You can change that if you chose to be the God within.

“Fear Not” The catholic church has made many changes for the love of God. (Just not gays and women yet)

May you find the God within to be your very self through self-realization like the rest of us.

Love, Michael

I realize that, as an entity, the church has become bound by certain policies and procedures much like a large corporations are. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to homosexuality as a “disorder” or “condition.” Perhaps in less enlightened times when a tribes survival depended on their numbers – as reflected in the old Testament – then yes, procreation would have been regarded as very crucial to the tribes survival and homosexuality might have been frowned upon. But given the current over-population of this planet, I think it’s pretty safe to say procreation is no longer an issue and that “protecting” the sacred rite of marriage by making it exclusive to only male/female couples is redundant. Also, if procreating remains such an important factor in marriage – since when have gay men and woman not been able to procreate? They can and do procreate – as evidenced by the number of same sex couples with children – to say nothing of the fact that a large percentage of people in “straight” marriages with children are actually closeted homosexuals.

Procreation is not sacred. LOVE IS IS SACRED. By judging and denying the right of marriage to same sex couples the Church is, in essence, denying God. Perhaps you could please clarify if God might view your views on “Sacredness” any differently than cross burning, white hooded clansmen. Does it matter to God? Does it then matter to you?

I should think it would be in the best interest of the Church to begin recognizing marriages as being sacred to all as it would increase membership and perhaps cut down on sacred divorces. What has the church to really fear by extending God’s full love to EVERYONE? Is it simply a fear of decreased revenue? If it is true that the interest of the Catholic Church is more about economic gain, then God has gone right out the stained glass window.

Are priests now essentially professional fund raisers? Is there no vestige of God’s unconditional love left in the church? Was it ever there to begin with? If you are to tell me that you are indeed spreading the love of Jesus, how does your exclusionary stance on homosexuals, including their rights to marry, perpetuate this? Let me answer the question: It doesn’t. What it does perpetuate, however, is prejudice and fear, bigotry, judgment, hostility, abuse, separateness. I think even you will have to admit that these qualities are not very Godly. In fact who needs hell when we keep perpetuating such fear and suffering right here on earth? So Archbishop, I want to invite you to the present moment and remind you that sex and sexuality are no longer “issues”. People are saying in fact that you are obsessed with the whole gay issue and it’s time you were resolved with whatever personal hold you have on this and let it go. Perhaps then you could began to be a living example to others of what unconditional love is.

As such great teachers as Neale Donald Walsch, Louise Hay, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Baird Spalding and Eckhart Tolle have expressed to us there are essentially only two emotions we can be motivated by: Love and fear. There are results to either choice. Which is the church being motivated by when it denies the love of God to all people? I will answer that question: The catholic church has/had survived on peoples fears for 2 thousand years. But whether the church wants to admit it or not, this too shall pass. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “A lie cannot live forever.” True love will prevail – as God is Love and Love is Truth. More and more peolpe are questioned established, official “truths” rather than blindly accepting them. The facts and statistic’s speak for themselves. Spiritually is up and organized religious fears are down. In my own lifetime I have seen homosexuality removed from the records as a medical pathology – but there is much more to come. Check out my website to learn more; http://www.equaltogod.com/

There is no honor in living life in fear John. Living life in fear is hell. The church has been a major contributor in establishing hell on earth by treating gay people as second class citizens. Is it any wonder why so many people are removing themselves from the church and seeking a higher/truer understanding of God? Is it any wonder why I cannot bring myself to address you by your given title as “Honorable”? I do not see that you are in any way deserving of that title. There is no honor in living a life in fear and then spreading that fear in the name of God. As me and my fellow mechanics in the shop might say: “Grow some balls John. You need to step up to the plate and really be an instrument of God’s love.”

You say wearing a Rainbow Sash is a political statement and the church doesn’t get involved in politics. History would beg to differ John. The church has been all too political in all the wrong ways. Here is the challenge: Why don’t you show your love and wear a rainbow sash and put an end to all this hate? Show people the kind of guy you are and envision yourself to be. Be resolved with yourself and accept yourself for that. Are you really adhering to the policies set forth by the Catechism of the Catholic Church or is it merely a smokescreen for your hate? Can you answer me in all honesty as a spiritual leader that we all one with God and that God is Love? If you cannot, what do you fear? You could put an end to all this nonsense if you chose to. Who are you John? A human being having a spiritual experience? Or a spiritual being having a human experience? No matter what you may answer, you are no better or worse than any other person. We’re all here – gay, straight, male, female, trans-gender, black, white, brown, yellow – and we’re all divine.

Wear a Rainbow Sash and show some love, not the fear you have shown up until now. Have all priests wear a Rainbow Sash and surprise the hell out of everyone. Show your willingness to open the church’s doors to all of Gods children. That is God in action.

Michael

I read your commentary about Archbishop Nienstedt and your continued love for the church. Please just keep on being Joe and don’t give up on the church or yourself. I belong to the Basilica of St Mary’s in Minneapolis. Although I haven’t been an active member since I moved, the church is still a part of me. I addressed the archbishop on my website “Equal To God- Find Your Own Way Home” http://www.equaltogod.com/archbishopnienstedt.htm

Please look through my website as I hope it helps you find your own way home with any struggles you may be having. http://www.equaltogod.com/

Here is what another has said about my site;

“Your Message = While scanning “Big Gay News”, or “Lavender” moments ago, the Lord stopped the scan, and locked my eyes upon your URL, “http://http//:www.equaltoGod.com. How intriguing. Is this a truly Christian site, or oh, shall we just say, “something other”?

I reached your site, scrolled down the page trying to quickly absorb my answer to the above question, and found there is rich material here. Material applicable to us all, yet specific to others (just another wonderment of the Lord). It said so much without having to say anything in particular.

I do not know what this site means…overall…or perhaps I have one or two thoughts. Mainly, we are all God’s children, regardless of having been blocked from mainstream institutions and House of God. Oh, those with the keys will open the door giving us access with a “one-day pass”, telling us we are all welcome, but don’t abuse the privilege of the passes we allow you to use on occasion. But this site (able to determine in about 60-90 seconds) welcomes all who are here, for the myriad of reasons each of us has flown through cyberspace to get here.

Thank you, Michael, for giving us all, a place to praise God, seek his Will for us, or search for a prominent place to allow the Lord to heal our broken hearts. May God richly bless you, keep you, and help you feel the love we all have for you, because you took the steps to help those in need, and we admire the strength it took you to put this site together.

Lovingly, dear Michael,

Xxxx Xxxxxxxx

Again, another bad time to be a catholic.

Do Churches Promote Hate?
** Message from Archbishop John C. Nienstedt **
Tue, November 9, 2010 11:35:55 AM
Message from Archbishop John C. Nienstedt – RE: mutual_minds

Dear Mr. Michael Xxxxxx, I am in receipt of your e-mail criticizing the recent DVD on marriage that was sent to all Catholics throughout the State of Minnesota. Unfortunately, the media characterized the message contained in that DVD in a distorted way. The intent was to offer support for the reality of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, which is found in Sacred Scripture and been enshrined in every culture since the beginning of time. You may wish to know that the Church’s teaching on homosexuality is a very balanced one. It can be summarized in the following three paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: (Par. 2357) “Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction towards persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”
(Par. 2358) “The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.”

(Par. 2359) “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.”

I sincerely hope that you will see the wisdom behind the Church’s teaching on this topic.

Cordially yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Dear Honorable Archbishop, Nov.,15,2010
Thank you so much for your response. I can’t help but feel that this is a standard chain letter sent out with a personal touch by your lovely assistant but thank you so much for the acknowledgement. I would like to have a dialogue with the Honorable Archbishop. May I print for public view your comments or lack of, if we don’t have a discussion?

I realize that, as an entity, the church has become bound by certain policies and procedures much like a large corporations are. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to homosexuality as a “disorder” or “condition.” Perhaps in less enlightened times when a tribes survival depended on their numbers – as reflected in the old Testament – then yes, procreation would have been regarded as very crucial to the tribes survival and homosexuality might have been frowned upon. But given the current over-population of this planet, I think it’s pretty safe to say procreation is no longer an issue and that “protecting” the sacred rite of marriage by making it exclusive to only male/female couples is redundant. Also, if procreating remains such an important factor in marriage – since when have gay men and woman not been able to procreate? They can and do procreate – as evidenced by the number of same sex couples with children – to say nothing of the fact that a large percentage of people in “straight” marriages with children are actually closeted homosexuals.

Procreation is not sacred. LOVE IS IS SACRED. By judging and denying the right of marriage to same sex couples the Church is, in essence, denying God. Perhaps you could please clarify if God might view your views on “Sacredness” any differently than cross burning, white hooded clansmen. Does it matter to God? Does it then matter to you?

I should think it would be in the best interest of the Church to begin recognizing marriages as being sacred to all as it would increase membership and perhaps cut down on sacred divorces. What has the church to really fear by extending God’s full love to EVERYONE? Is it simply a fear of decreased revenue? If it is true that the interest of the Catholic Church is more about economic gain, then God has gone right out the stained glass window.

Are priests now essentially professional fund raisers? Is there no vestige of God’s unconditional love left in the church? Was it ever there to begin with? If you are to tell me that you are indeed spreading the love of Jesus, how does your exclusionary stance on homosexuals, including their rights to marry, perpetuate this? Let me answer the question: It doesn’t. What it does perpetuate, however, is prejudice and fear, bigotry, judgment, hostility, abuse, separateness. I think even you will have to admit that these qualities are not very Godly. In fact who needs hell when we keep perpetuating such fear and suffering right here on earth? So Archbishop, I want to invite you to the present moment and remind you that sex and sexuality are no longer “issues”. People are saying in fact that you are obsessed with the whole gay issue and it’s time you were resolved with whatever personal hold you have on this and let it go. Perhaps then you could began to be a living example to others of what unconditional love is.

As such great teachers as Neale Donald Walsch, Louise Hay, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Baird Spalding and Eckhart Tolle have expressed to us there are essentially only two emotions we can be motivated by: Love and fear. There are results to either choice. Which is the church being motivated by when it denies the love of God to all people? I will answer that question: The catholic church has/had survived on peoples fears for 2 thousand years. But whether the church wants to admit it or not, this too shall pass. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “A lie cannot live forever.” True love will prevail – as God is Love and Love is Truth. More and more peolpe are questioned established, official “truths” rather than blindly accepting them. The facts and statistic’s speak for themselves. Spiritually is up and organized religious fears are down. In my own lifetime I have seen homosexuality removed from the records as a medical pathology – but there is much more to come. Check out my website to learn more; http://www.equaltogod.com/

There is no honor in living life in fear John. Living life in fear is hell. The church has been a major contributor in establishing hell on earth by treating gay people as second class citizens. Is it any wonder why so many people are removing themselves from the church and seeking a higher/truer understanding of God? Is it any wonder why I cannot bring myself to address you by your given title as “Honorable”? I do not see that you are in any way deserving of that title. There is no honor in living a life in fear and then spreading that fear in the name of God. As me and my fellow mechanics in the shop might say: “Grow some balls John. You need to step up to the plate and really be an instrument of God’s love.”

You say wearing a Rainbow Sash is a political statement and the church doesn’t get involved in politics. History would beg to differ John. The church has been all too political in all the wrong ways. Here is the challenge: Why don’t you show your love and wear a rainbow sash and put an end to all this hate? Show people the kind of guy you are and envision yourself to be. Be resolved with yourself and accept yourself for that. Are you really adhering to the policies set forth by the Catechism of the Catholic Church or is it merely a smokescreen for your hate? Can you answer me in all honesty as a spiritual leader that we all one with God and that God is Love? If you cannot, what do you fear? You could put an end to all this nonsense if you chose to. Who are you John? A human being having a spiritual experience? Or a spiritual being having a human experience? No matter what you may answer, you are no better or worse than any other person. We’re all here – gay, straight, male, female, trans-gender, black, white, brown, yellow – and we’re all divine.

Wear a Rainbow Sash and show some love, not the fear you have shown up until now. Have all priests wear a Rainbow Sash and surprise the hell out of everyone. Show your willingness to open the church’s doors to all of Gods children. That is God in action.

Michael

One step forward . . . Mahalo Steve!