Dear God,

No, I'm not going to talk about that pre-teen book. I have never read it.

If you know me- you know I have a healthy love for the spiritual world, and I love to encourage open and non-judgmental points of view on the subject. In our modern times, our left-brain society has totally separated the intellectual realm from religion. You are either for science or for God, an atheist or a right-wing nut.... You have to be on one side or the other, an attitude I don't find healthy. All avid atheists I talk to are in denial of the innate human want for greater understanding or our place in this world through spirituality. (They are also usually unhappy.) Religious zealots block out the knowledge that can be gained through science and the study of other cultures and opinions. (They are usually ignorant.)

Don't think we need "GOD"?
BBC
Harvard Press

There is some debate. Most people argue since the God Center just a brain function- that we created 'God', that 'God' is in our heads, just an adaptation. Well, if so then maybe everything we see, hear, eat and touch is in our heads? Our brain is just a processing unit for our senses so we can take int the world around us. So why are we discounting our ability to process and understand God and not the computer screen in front of you?

I digress. Spirituality and it's step-sister Relgion fascinate me, mainly because it deals with the human condition.... Other people, their societies and how they work intrigues me to no end, something that has lead to my love of fashion. Religions tell how people were raised, what they believe in, how they interact, what their values are....

Right now I think there is a huge paradigm shift in spirituality at the moment. We are opening ourselves up to discussion, possibilities and a merging of new and old beliefs. People are exploring, reading, discussing, researching and experiencing new levels of spiritual understanding. T.V and the internet are connecting people to ideas faster than ever. What conclusions are drawn at this point are almost irrelevant, the fact is that people are actively engaging in the search for understanding. It reminds me of the saying that it's the journey and not the destination that is the best part of travel....

DEAR GOD is a fantastic website that explores this. People from all over the world write to "GOD" about sexuality, faith, friendship, hardship, death, life, forgiveness, etc, all in an open and non-denominational manor. And since it's a blog, people can comment and discuss th posts. It offers you a peak into the lives of others, and it has allowed me to learn and understand from the perspectives of others. It also has fantastic photography and graphic design to boot.

Websites like this give me hope that one day we can figure our shit out and heal ourselves, one prayer at a time...