comparison philip_20190224.html @ 160:fad00ec1fcce

revised with one change from Philip, as sent to AM Clerks
author Henry Thompson <ht@markup.co.uk>
date Sun, 17 Mar 2019 17:11:31 +0000
parents 172b0f3a4ccd
children
comparison
equal deleted inserted replaced
159:172b0f3a4ccd 160:fad00ec1fcce
1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII"?>
1 <!DOCTYPE html 2 <!DOCTYPE html
2 PUBLIC "-//HST//DTD XHTML5 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/xhtml5.dtd"> 3 PUBLIC "-//HST//DTD XHTML5 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/xhtml5.dtd">
3 <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta name="copyright" content="Copyright &#xa9; 2019 &lt;a href=&#34;http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/&#34;&gt;Henry S. Thompson&lt;/a&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;a href=&#34;http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en&#34;&gt;CC-BY-SA&lt;/a&gt;"/><meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/><style type="text/css"> 4 <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta name="copyright" content="Copyright &#xa9; 2019 &lt;a href=&#34;http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/&#34;&gt;Henry S. Thompson&lt;/a&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;a href=&#34;http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en&#34;&gt;CC-BY-SA&lt;/a&gt;"/><meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/><style type="text/css">
4 ul.nolabel { margin: 0; margin-left: -2.5em} 5 ul.nolabel { margin: 0; margin-left: -2.5em}
5 ul.naked.nolabel {margin: 0; margin-left: 0; padding-left: 0} 6 ul.naked.nolabel {margin: 0; margin-left: 0; padding-left: 0}
146 </p> 147 </p>
147 <p> 148 <p>
148 149
149 But there was still something missing. Philip began, privately and 150 But there was still something missing. Philip began, privately and
150 tentatively, to explore faith. He recognised that because of the 151 tentatively, to explore faith. He recognised that because of the
151 environment he grew up in he was culturally Christian, but he doesn't 152 environment he grew up in he was culturally Christian. In his view,
152 take Christian doctrine or the Bible literally. The Bible has stories 153 The Bible isn't necessarily historically accurate, but it does contain
153 about how to live, without being historically true. He began looking 154 stories about how to live. He began looking for a religious context
154 for a religious context that was consistent with that, while having at 155 that was consistent with that, while having at the back of his mind
155 the back of his mind that even if he did seek fellowship he wouldn't 156 that even if he did seek fellowship he wouldn't be welcomed due to his
156 be welcomed due to his sexuality. He experimented with local churches, 157 sexuality. He experimented with local churches, firstly by reading
157 firstly by reading about them extensively online, then contacting them 158 about them extensively online, then contacting them through email, in
158 through email, in particular asking for their opinion on gay 159 particular asking for their opinion on gay marriage. First-time
159 marriage. First-time response was always positive, but beyond that 160 response was always positive, but beyond that there was usually some
160 there was usually some vagueness, along with some explicit 161 vagueness, along with some explicit negatives. He had looked at
161 negatives. He had looked at Quakers quite early on, along with 162 Quakers quite early on, along with Humanism, Buddhism and
162 Humanism, Buddhism and meditation. It took a long time to get to the 163 meditation. It took a long time to get to the point of attending a
163 point of attending a Meeting for Worship, as Philip felt he needed to be hopeful it 164 Meeting for Worship, as Philip felt he needed to be hopeful it was
164 was going to work, and also that it would be OK with his husband. Mark 165 going to work, and also that it would be OK with his husband. Mark was
165 was unconditionally supportive of Philip's search, and on sending an 166 unconditionally supportive of Philip's search, and on sending an
166 enquiring email, Philip received a positive response from Laurie 167 enquiring email, Philip received a positive response from Laurie
167 Naumann. 168 Naumann.
168 169
169 So, he went to his first Meeting for Worship in Kirkcaldy. Philip 170 So, he went to his first Meeting for Worship in Kirkcaldy. Philip
170 describes this as a "phenomenal experience". He found he understood 171 describes this as a "phenomenal experience". He found he understood